This should be simple. I want to know this before I bring into my NLE.

I get footage from a number of sources. I don't know where it all comes from, what it was recorded on, etc. However I need to edit it, yet I don't know what settings to use, I don't know the codec, I don't know if it's interlaced, I don't know the pixel ratio...

I'm editing in premiere, so I just pick any preset, then dump that sequence, and drag and drop the footage into "new sequence" based on the settings of the footage.

However, I just did this and the sequence is settings are saying it's interlaced footage. I really don't see evidence of that. Is there a way a can check a video files statistics before I bring them into the NLE?

I know on the PC there is G Spot, but is this reliable? And what about a Mac?

I usually open the file in The KMPlayer and then go to Media Info. It tell what codec is used as well as if it is progressive or interlaced (along with a lot of other useful info).

MediaInfo is cross platform:

MediaInfo (http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en)

nice. Thanks!