Getting Media into Premiere CS3 Issue

Question

I have several video sources. I have a Sony digital camcorder that produces MPG files that play well with Windows media player. I have a DVD recorder that I can user to convert my analogue videos to DVDs resulting in the usual VOB files. I have a standalone DVD burner that can do the same thing, accept analogue video input and and produce a finished DVD. I have a built in TV tuner with a VCR installed that allows me to input from video tape (VHS and VHSc).
I've used all of these sources to great success with Premiere Elements for a few years. In the summer I finally upgraded to Premiere Pro CS3 and I've had nothing but trouble since.
MPG files from my digital camcorder come into Premiere Pro without audio. When I sought support from Adobe the only answer I got was that I didn't set things up correctly, they didn't bother to say what might not be set up correctly. Interestingly, when I import exactly the same file into Encore I have a lovely audio track but a completely distorted video track. It seems that the two programs can't agree on what's wrong with an MPG file that plays perfectly in everything else including Permiere Elements.
VOB files that come from both of my DVD sources cannot be imported to Premeire at all. the import command doesn't even list them as a legitimate file. When I wrote Adobe for assistance I was simply told that Premiere Pro does not support VOB files even though they actually list these as legitimate files for import.
As to my TV tuner, Premiere does not recognise this as a device and nothing else that came with Premiere recognizes that device either. Asking for help was useless, I'm told the device is simply not supported.
Of course I had thought there might be a bug or something so I checked the updates and sure enough I ended up downloading 80 MB of updates but none of them fixed any of these isseus. There have been no updates since. I suspect there also won't be any more updates anyway since they've now announced CS4. Also in keeping with the bug question, I searched the literature and the knowledge base but nothing turned up a solution.
So ... I find myself with an allegedly advanced and sophisticated classy professional video editor but with nothing to feed into it since it refuses to accept any of the files and sources I have. At the same time when I was using what is a far more primitive consumer product I had no problems using all those sources. What gives?
To rub salt into the wounds even more, Adobe now says that it will only support CS4. Well I'm not going to upgrade something I've had for four months that refuses to work for me to begin with. And Adobe has not said that my problems would go away with an upgrade anyway so why even consider that risk? But that means as well that now I'm really stuck.
Any suggsetions on how I can get my video sources into Premiere so that I can finally use this editor?

Answer 1

Premiere Elements is remarkably functional especially considering its cost. But of course if it was really outstanding there'd be no reason to buy PPCS3. While it has a lot of functionality, there are arbitrary limits to most of the functions that forces you into the more expensive product if you want to do more than just play around.
Having said that though, what baffles me endlessly is that it is reasonable to assume that the more expensive product, that alleges professional capabilities, has all the functionality of Elements and more. That's how it works going from Photoshop Elements to Photoshop CS3. But clearly that is not to be. What baffles me too is that I fail to see the advantage of having an editor that does not have the capability to accept material to edit.
I have a workaround by using Premiere Elements to prepare the files for import and then getting them into PP. Alas that's time consuming and should not be necessary. However all is not lost at least it works. Perhaps some day Adobe will advertise in bold healdines that it has an awesome video editor that can actually import video material without having to first convert it using a consumer product. And no doubt they'll flog that as an incredible advance in video editing.
This has made me aware of Adobe's attitudes towards it's user's needs and frustrations. As a result I've payed a lot more attention to the actual functionality of Adobe products and I now check this against competing products. There's no way I will own their entire creative suite now or ever. A case in point was their Sound Booth, an allegedly easier audio editor for those of us who are not into audio. Well, the way it maintains its simplicity is to allow you only one sound track. The new release, CS4 finally allows more than one track and of course Adobe flogs that as an amazing advance. Well it isn't, I've got a ten year old sudio editor that's been doing that and a lot more ten years ago.
I've learned now that just because they have a world leader in a product like Photoshop, it does not follow that they are even half as good when it comes to other components. So with the exception of the few Adobe products I do own, I'm avoiding them for my other needs. It seems that competitive products are not as arrogant and tend to provide the needed tools. The also tend to listen to their users a lot mroe as well.
Thankfully too I've learned this lesson quickly enough before I upgraded Photoshop too. The CS3 version works just fine. The new version (CS4) no longer has an online Help, you have to sign on to the Internet, and a few other functions like PDF presentations have been removed too. There was the odd new goodie added too but only the odd one and none justifies upgrading considering that the things removed are actually functions I use. This too I've discovered in the past couple of years, Adobe does give you new functionality but often at the cost of functions removed. So one needs to be vigilent even when considering an upgrade. They don't tell you what they remove, they only try to seduce you with new things they've added.
If there is a better product to PPCS3 please let me know and I'll drop the Adobe product completely. In fact I'd be happy to know about any product that is an improvement over Adobe products. In the meantme though, I've got my PP working and I'm staying with CS3 for both that and Photoshop too. Thanks for your thoughts.
Do have a super day
...Claus