Hi Everyone,

Will appreciate your help as you have helped others.

I think I went too deep too soon. I have done TV and Theatre, pretty familiar with cameras and the business of audiovisuals.

I have to do some documentaries and local TV and thought a setup at home would be a good idea. After doing my research and seeing all the warnings about the Premiere learning curve, I still went ahead and bought DV500. Now I know it is a little too much.

I want to get it of my system, install another much simpler one, learn basic NLE with that, and hopefully graduate to using Premiere/DV500 someday. My current dedicated system is a 1.4Gig Athlon, 512mb DDR, 130gig HD and Win2K Pro.

My questions:

1) - Will any other much simpler app work with the DV500 hardware (I mean the capture card)?

2) - If not, taking into consideration my need for very basic effects and transitions and speed, Is there another product(s) out there that you can recommend that will do the projects I have in mind?

3) - I don't mind buying the app and capture card differently, but I want compatible products. Is anyone aware of a capture card that will let you do semi-pro work with a good app?

4) - There will always be a learning curve, but I would appreciate something with an interface that lets you get your hands dirty fast. I am willing to spend as much as $350 on this. I can go higher If I have to.

Your time and advice will be appreciated. I hope I have provided enough information.

Thank you.

PS: I have been looking at Pinnacle Studio 8. I wondre how user friendly it is. Can it use my current DV500 card (not likely)? I have read postings here that say it is buggy and more stable in version 7. So many choices. Just need help streamlining. Thanks.

Unfortunately the DV500 isn't compatible with any programs other than Premiere or Pinnacles new NLE software Edition. Edition has a steeper learning curve than Premiere.

To be honest with you, I'd save your cash and spend it on something like Premiere Classroom in a Book. I started out with a DV500 a couple of years ago and it took time but Premiere isn't as hard as you might think.

You could pick up Vegas Video and a generic firewire card, but if you have Premiere I'd just get your head down and get stuck into it.

Would you still kindly say what you would go for if you were a beginner who needs something easier NOW? Pinnacle? Ulead? Pyro?

I think I have done too much research and now I am confused by all the choices available. I hope to install solid hardware/software on Win2K, and start cutting some materials in 2hours.

It also has to be able to (batch) capture from my Cannon GL2. I expect to cut documentaries, corporate and wedding videos, maybe a little bit of small time drama. I hope to buy a DVD R someday and such a feature will also come in useful (or it can be added easily) later.

I don't expect to need more than 2 - 3 channels of video, but I would like as many as I can get of sound. A friendly intuitive interface is important to all apps. Stability is also important even within the Windows environment. Don't know jack about the Mac.

I expect to output to DV tape, DVD, VCD and VHS. It would also be wonderful if it can input and edit NTSC, then output PAL after a render?

I guess I'm asking for too much already? I will continue learning Premiere/DV500 Plus. I have all the books and tapes. I just need something immediately and It cannot wait until I become a guru there.

I really ask here because many are already users here and there is nothing like experienced advice when you need to make this sort of decision. What can do the work NOW?

As always, your time is appreciated.

Sure, Premiere has a steep learning curve... but so does any other program that is rich with features.

As another poster indicated, maybe a tutorial is the better approach. I bought the CD tutorial from... geez, I forgot (I am not in my office right now) but it was very helpful at starting to use the features Premiere offers.

To learn to do the basic things that a lesser program does will not take that long in Premiere. It is the other 90% of what the program does that will take you longer (or, in my case... forever).

Besides, eventually you will tire of the limitations that a lesser program offers... and still have to learn a more complex program. And if you're like me... learning gets more difficult as I get older!

OK, one last time. I am beginning (respectfully, no offence intended) to think I posted in a forum that's too advanced. I wonder if I can move this to the DV for the Masses section.

PLEASE...I have Adobe Premiere 6 Visually In Full Color. I also paid almost $300 for the complete Total Training Tapes. I am learning it.

I do have enough gumption to realize everything has a learning curve. I said in a previous message that I need an app/hardware combination I can use NOW. I have something to do and it cannot wait for Premiere 6.

Ah...i'll just go buy one of the options I have been considering (listed above). I'll stop bugging you good folks. As for Premiere, I will play with it on another machine for the next one year. Time is on my side. NOW, I need something else and Premiere is not it.

Thank you for trying.

Let me apologize.... you are probably not in the wrong forum...

I used Ulead VideoStudio before Premiere. Very easy to learn. I am pretty sure you can use your existing capture card...

I have only used Premiere in one project... a wedding. Could I have used Ulead? Sure. Would I have the same results? Perhaps.

Since this is not a "paid" project, I thought it would be a good opportunity to learn it (as well as After Effects)... which it is. (It's not a "paid" project because it was a wedding gift)

I also bought Vegas Video... which has it's own learning curve. I am trying to simultaneously learn them both. If audio is a big concern to you, VV is more like an audio program that can do video!

Either way, good luck!

There are many Drag'n'Drop editing apps out there but they don't offer all the features you want. They don't work with native DV, don't offer DVD output etc etc. For the features you want you are just going to stick with what you have. Learning something else and then coming back to Premiere is a waste of time.

Like I said before, Premiere is not as hard as you might think. Do the tutorial that comes with the CD and you will be on your way in no time.

OK.

Thanks for your patience.