I don't know if i'm posting in the right place as this is my first post. I'm running a dual xeon system with 2gb of memory (i state this cos i don't know if it is relevant) and at present premiere pro, but hoepfully shifting to AVID pro soon. My question is this:

- at present i'm working with DV footage from an XL1s, imported via firewire. Alot of what i'm working towards now is aimed towards projects for digital short film festivals, so I was wondering if anyone can assist me with advising upgrades to my system that would improve the quality of the footage as it is captured. for example alternate capture methods opposed to through firewire?

what about pinnacle TARGA Cards or the Matrox rx.100 series cards ? do these in anyway improve quality of the captured footage ? I know they're expensive but am greatly interested if someone can advise me in some way or another in areas specific to this

You basically cannot get "better" quality from a "standard" DV
camera. The analog outputs aren't good enough in my opinion
to capture analog from (which introduces extra noise etc.). The
only digital output is firewire which always transfers 5:1
compressed DV, no way around that.

thank you. That's the most up front yet helpful info i've been given.