I'm new to HDV. What software do i need to capture HDV to PC using firewire? Please list all useful software for HDV editing also the best softwares to convert HDV to SD. from freeware to expensive softwares

I've found Premiere Pro with the Cineform AspectHD plugin, works great. It takes the native HDV mpeg-2TS format and converts it to a 4:2:2 AVI, which, on my Dell M70 laptop, is a format which can easily be edited in real-time, and is much better for mutigenerational work...color correction, compositing, etc...

If you are using Vegas as your NLE it will capture HDV natively. No need for an external program. CineForm does makes Connect HD for Vegas which gives you other benefits like capturing straight to an intermediary AVI file and 24p/mini 35 support. If you use Vegas and want to edit with proxies, you can get VASST Gearshift which will manage the swapping of your proxies in and out from either the native M2T files or AVI intermediaries. It also converts from M2T to intermediaries using either the Cineform codec that ships with Vegas or the Sony YUV codec.

~jr