Reading consumer testimonials in newsgroups such as rec.video.desktop and rec.video.production can help avoid incompatibilities. PC users bent on high-quality video work should make sure their processor speeds and system configurations jibe with the requirements of any capture card they're considering, experts say. Scene order, transitions and special effects can then be added using video-editing software. Nonlinear editing is precise, a distinct advantage over the old linear method, which requires the user to constantly shuttle tapes forward and backward at varying speeds to find and mark points for editing. Mr. Johnson, once videographer for big-name musical acts such as The Rolling Stones, Stephen Stills and Neil Young, recommends installing a second hard drive dedicated to video storage and manipulation.
Video capture requires a certain sustained data rate.
Otherwise, you get a video file with dropped frames and a soundtrack that seems to skip like an old phonograph record. Once captured, the home movie must be edited using specialized software. In the PC world, capture cards usually come with an editing suite. The FireWire connection is built in and supported by the manufacturer. There always seem to be problems with customer support for Pinnacle or other systems.