Is a Blackmagic Intensity the best way to capture video from a SR-11? I now use Vegas Pro 8 firewire for DV. The Sony SR-11 doesn't havea firewire connection.

Easy way is to use the USB and PMB software to import, process from there. Different approach from firewire entirely. I'm supposing you could use the HDMI out as well, but haven't tried it.

Vegas 8 can edit from Sony AVCHD files if the .MTS is renamed m2ts. Oddly, there is no support of the other manufacturer's AVCHD formats.

The HDMI from these cameras work perfectly with the Intensity. But it's not advisable to capture from these cameras, but rather feed uncompressed live video and capture it uncompressed for solutions like green screen applications.

There is no need to re name. Use Sony Motion Browser software to import from the SR11 using USB2 let the software do its analysis( stitch files together etc)and you will then end up with files in the designated directory. In Vegas open explorer window and drag to the timeline. You can edit these files in this AVCHD format but it is slow but doable and they will play fine mixed with HDV on the timeline. This is because the Sony software has loaded an AVCHD player. If you don't have an AVCHD player on the PC then they will not play very well!!!! ON my AMD X2 4200 dual core it takes between 2.5 and 4 times realtime for Elecarde or Vegas to convert to HDV files. So I am waiting for my new quad core to come!!!!! I have an Intensity card which is an alternate to capture to the Intensity MJPEG codec and use in Vegas for editing. MY preference is to just get a faster PC.

Ron Evans