SOFTWARE codecs do not re-render the original DV info. It's a straight across COPY. HARDWARE codecs DO decompress / recompress. Also, hardware codecs tend to be proprietary, particularly the Avid codec. This was the single biggest reason I never invested in Avid, Who needs it.

From the Avid site:

"Seperate Avid Dv Codec for creating Avid compatible media in After Effects and other popular applications. The Avid DC codec also provides higher quality DV playback and is freely distributable so that media may be used on a seperate workstation that does not have an Avid Xpress DV installed".

One of the reasons I went with Avid in the first place.

Miguel, when you play back the tapes to a monitor you are using the codecs. If you see a difference, it is because of the different codecs (Vegas, Avid, ULead). Do you know what codecs are presently installed on your computer?

So you mean there are differences in the codecs??????

Didn´t you say that they were all the same quality???

let it go miguel

I have also some problems with the red color on a pal XM2 Canon (GL2)

I have a trick for that, I'm shooting in 16/9 mode for criticals projects. Try it !

WHat is the advantage of shooting in 16:9. With my old XL1 i had the same problems with the saturated reds.

By the way, how good is the camera? any difference with the GL1?

The advantage of shooting in 16/9 is there is less bleed and less block in the red. (I don't know for others cams, but for the XM2, it works)

I haven't compare the XM2 to the XM1 (GL1), but what I know, is the XM2 is capable to make great images.