How to get an 8 mm tape onto my iMac?

I just got an iMac, and I'm interested in importing my 8 mm tape onto iMovie. I used to have a cable that would allow me to watch the tapes on my TV, but over the years it has been misplaced. What cables should I use to import my 8 mm tape onto my iMac, and into iMovie? I have imported footage from an iPhone before but the cables are not the same. Links to websites to buy anything like this would be greatly appreciated.

8mm tape is most likely analog video. The cables you connect to the camcorder's AV-out port and the TV will be needed. You did not tell us which camcorder so we have no way to suggest cable replacements.

Instead of plugging the "far end" of the cable(s) into the TV, you would plug them in to an "Analog/digital converter". The A/D converter plugs into the computer.

You did not tell us which iMac. My iMacs have a firewire port. Using an analog/digital converter from Grass Valley/Canopus (ADVC55 or ADVC110) that connects to the Mac's firewire port would provide best available video quality. If you have a newer iMac with a Thunderbolt connector and no firewire port, then you'll also need an adapter from Apple that is a Thunderbolt-to-Firewire adapter. Or… Rather than going the firewire route, there are USB-connecting A/D adapters available from BlackMagic Design and Elgato (among many others)…

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...gital.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...apter.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...nalog.html

The iPhone captures digital video. The cables *will* be different.