My import software is cranky
 

Hi,

I'm using Sony's Pixela (which may be my first mistake) to import footage into my XP Pro (NTFS, 2x200GB HD, 1 GB RAM) computer. The PDX10 came with a USB cable and this allows me to capture in MPEG 1 in four degrees of quality and avi. I want to keep it in .avi so I can burn it to DVD eventually and take the disk to a friends house and view the video in its original quality.

The problem is that Pixela complains that there isn't enough hard drive space (despite setting aside ample space in its Capture Preferences dialog). Pixela seems to be set up to treat i.Link as the preferred mode of operation for DV's so maybe I need to spring for the 4-pin to 6-pin firewire cable.

I'm getting the feeling that software people prefer the IEEE transfer because Microsoft Movie Maker 2 nor Roxio VideoWave that came with the computer even provide for avi from USB 2.

I'll get to real editing software someday but for now I'd just like to transfer what's on tape to the hard disk in a format that will preserve the original S-video quality level, do some basic cut and paste, and save it to DVD.

Thanks for any suggestions, Steve.

Get an inexpensive Texas Instruments Firewire Card(for instance)for around 30 dollars american and try any of the freeware editing programs available and you will have an big improvment in your situation.
http://www.virtualdub.org/
] http://www.tmpgenc.net/e_main.html
or even Windows Movie Maker Two will get you going in the right direction for starters.
KennJ

If you want to maintain the same quality at all you will need firewire, no question. I suggest you learn the basics of a program like Premiere (Free 30 day trial on adobe.com) or AvidDV Free and do basic cutting and pasting in that. I haven't used Windows Movie Maker but it may do all you need. I just find Adobe's system very superior to say Pinnacle's (Except Pinnacle...the $90 program has scene detection...Adobe...the $600 program doesn't!!!!). Just my $.02