A question for those of you that edit video on their PC's...
 

I just got a copy of Avid Xpress DV (the program I've been using at school for nonlinear editing). I'm trying to get my home PC set up for video editing. I just snagged a firewire card so I can *import* video off of my camcorder. Now I need something that I can export the video with to VHS or even DV. I don't really have much of a budget. I'm looking mostly for something that just gives me composite A/V (or S-vid or whatever) out. Anyone know of anything I can use for this?

a mac. :D

i do my editing on iMovie for Mac... its easy, professional, and has some great effects.. i suggest if you dont' have a budget you get a mac ;)

gee thanks;)

Heh, well I'm a Mac user running iMovie2. ;)

Since you say you have firewire, I don't see why you don't just reverse the process. At least, that's what I do. I import to my Mac laptop via a firewire cable from my miniDV camcorder. Once edited, I dump the video back to miniDV tape. From there you can hook the camcorder to a VCR like normal and run the DV tape onto the VCR tape.

I once even managed to run the video from the laptop right through the camcorder and onto a VCR - completely bypassing a miniDV tape. It just depends on what kind of camera and/or VCR you have.

Hope this helps. If not, buy a Mac. :p

.....Kelly :)

You mac people...:D

That's a great idea... somehow it never occured to me. I thought that the firewire connection from my camcorder was a one way (input only) connection.

I hope you're right! The crap I've been seeing has been around $200 which I really don't want to spend.

Try looking into a WinTV card. They run about $100 give or take a few and are easy to install in an expansion slot.

Besides being able to ouput your video to a VHS tape, you can capture video tape and TV signals as well (broadcast or cable, depending on which you have plugged in.)

Always worked like a charm for me--email or PM if you need more info.

Best part: your screen saver can be a TV screen. ;)

Adrienne (PNAM-2003)
:D