Can you convert an 8mm tape to DVD without the camcorder?

You can do this yourself if you have the right equipment or you can send it to a tape to DVD conversion service.

I recommend using a tape to DVD conversion service. You will get the best quality and it will be the least hassle. -

In principle it's easy, provided that you have (a) an "old" camcorder which can play your Video 8 / Hi 8 tapes/ VHS tapes, and also (b) a digital camcorder which can accept as input the analogue output from the "old" camcorder and produce digital output ("DV Out"). If you do have such equipment, the digital camcorder might either create a digital version of the footage (e.g. a mini DV tape) or it might be able to "pass through" so you can store the digital version straight to a PC or a DVD recorder.

If you put it onto a PC, you can then (optionally) edit it it and then burn a DVD.

I have done this myself using a Canon MV750i camcorder as the "pass through", but unfortunately the camcorder has just broken so I'm looking for another model which has this facility (it's probably cheaper to replace than repair). Does anyone know of a reasonably priced mini DV camcorder which offers this?

If you don't have the digital camcorder described above, you'll need to find a device which does the conversion or alternatively install a video capture card in your PC. Whatever else, you'll obviously have to have something that plays the old tapes (the "old camcorder" referred to above). Plus you need a powerfull enough computer to handle the real time capture of the video.