Good luck. The beauty of the HDV product coming on the scene so strong is the support from third party software makers is amazing giving us many options for transcodes and such.

In many ways, its hard to go wrong with any HDV camcorder as someone makes software to get the file to whatever format you may need.

24 frames and Avid
 

Jaadgy, Avid up to now does not support 24p at the Xpro releases. Even the last 5.51 that was wated to support 24 25 50 framerates is still only 30p for HDV 720p and only batch capture, no digital cut only export from the timeline as M2t. As I see that you feel really in a need for 24p I would sudjest you to go for PP2 w/ Aspect HD or the new Canopus Edius that promissed to support 24p. If you do not have the project in tapes yet shoot 30p. Looks almost similar and resolves problems of post with Avid or FCP. You cannot output to tape... or maybe you can but is a complicated process. Shoot 30p and or wait for the upgrade that will come soon, I hope.
Anyhow upgrade your 524 to 551 so you can upgrade later to the version that will support Pal freq and 24 fr.
Many people that I know are angry with Avid and FCP. The 720p HDV users are, we..., in difficulty for the moment.
Panos
PS. As for the M2ts there is no problem as far as I know.
Workflow: Create an Avid 720p 29.97 HDV proj.
Connect the hard drivew/ firewire. (Disk recorder in HHD mode.)
Use the OS to navigate to the HDV media on the drive and drag and drop the m2t filles into a bin.
Avid cannot playback directly the m2t media up to now. Drag and drop and edit.