Trying to decide on my upgrade path - Mac or stick with Windows. HDV editing is a big part of that decision. Here are my questions:

1) Need to be able to edit in native HDV format, import, export, and store back to tape in original .m2t format. Flexiblity on format types for both importing and exporting is also important - which does it better and which is more robust in terms of flexibility?

2) Which one has better Batch Capture tools? With DV I liked watching a complete tape and marking each scence and then would capture all at the end.

3) Any concerns about post production quality? Are they more or less the same in terms of quality?

Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Both can be used effectively, but CS3 currently supports making a high-definition Blu-ray disc and Final Cut doesn't. I know Final Cut users who are using CS3 to author Blu-ray output, so if you're software-neutral you could just get the latter and be good to go.

I recently went through this dilemma:

Most of the guys I know use FCP and I have a macbook so I had a play with it.

I've decided to go with CS3 and the PC not because of any difference in the programs or operating systems (at my level, they're both too complicated) but due to the fact that my PC was faster and easier to upgrade.

If I had gone FCP I would have had to spend a lot more to bring my equip up to speed,

I am a Vegas guy, so if you really want the fcp or CS3 then you don't have to regard my opinion, but here is why I chose this path.

I render straight into snoy vegas in m2t, hit the majic button on this plug in that I bought, and it automatically pulls each clip and renders it to a 960x540 or something.

That way I can edit using lower res clips and when I am totally ready for final render I first click the plugin and it switches the clips back to the original form h2t and applies the same cuts, effects, everything, just switches back to the original format.

I also use all of the programs mentioned, and it is my preference because it is faster to edit and much better preview capabilities, and that makes the harsh deadlines work in my favor.

Just to widen your options - take a look at Edius, has a 30 day fully working demo you can download and play with. Incredible flexibility and almost any imaginable digital format is supported both in and out.