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a> Most of the Windows products Suck. I think you found that.

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Starting to realize that

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b> Free space issue is PROBABLY the 2G limit on AVI files from Windows...

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Go figure!

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Now then, I found the best results for my systems were:

Linux. Yes, once again, the magical OS from heaven saves the day..... There is firewire support in the 2.4 kernels. It works Very well in my experience. In particular, dvgrab does a REALLY nice job. It will take the input from your camera, and split it into avi files of defineable size, and/OR whenever the DV stream was interrupted.

Let me explain that a little more, simply because I didn't realize the miniDV stuff did this. Whenever you start and stop recording, including pausing, the DV system makes a notation in the stream. DVgrab creates a seperate file whenever it sees this. This allowed me to very easily organize certain sections. It also allowed me to get mad at the photographer in question, as in my wedding, he hit that damn pause button every other second, it appeared. (it actually wasn't THAT bad during the wedding, but before and after, I had something like 80-90 5-10 second clips.)

So, after trying the firewire support in windows programs, I ended up using this simply because it worked SO much better than anything else. Windows programs gave me a ton of grief with audio synchro, and frame loss (on 800Mhz processors going to raid arrays... bandwidth was NOT a problem.)

For actually editting the clips into a single movie, I used Premier and Media studio. Media studio came with my firewire card, and worked pretty well.

Encoding the files to vcd and svcd I used, (I think) bbmpeg. It was either that or flaskmpeg.

I've still got the original avi files and cut/merge sheets on a drive array so that when DVD drives become more affordable, I'll burn it out in full DVD resolution.

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I don't even have access to any new version of Linux, unless I drive about 4 hours to buy it. No such thing as high speed anywhere around here to download a linux distro.

I have a AMD Athlon 1.4 ghz system to work with and loads of HD space. I would like to stay in windows and I know what you are talking about when you say that the pauses mean new clips. I did try the DV camera on my buddies iMac a year ago and was quite impressed by the software, but the bloody software I am using records it as one long clip. a real pain in the arse. On top of that I have not been able to figure out how to actually trim the clips to get nice consistency.

Someone please suggest a windows program that will fit the bill... at least a little bit.

Thanks again!

#170... I got SN: 080000101 12 gig Blue!