Which software?

Question

I'm a novice regarding video editing.  I have a collection of old Sony Hi-8 and Mini-DV tapes which I want to edit and save as DVDs.  I also have a recent Full HD(AVCHD) digital video camera that I want to do the same thing with.  Regarding Premiere Elements 8; will it allow me to import and edit all three of the formats I've mentions here?  I'm confident the the full HD isn't an issue, my main concern being the older Hi-8 and Mini DV tapes that I want to convert to digital before the tapes deteriorate.  Your suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Well, yes. And no.
Yes, you can use each of those formats. HDV and miniDV will go right in, since they're digital formats. Just don't put them in the same project, since they require different project specs. (You can downsample HDV using DV Lock to capture it as miniDV. In that case, you can use both miniDV and that format in the same project.)
Capturing your hi-8 analog video will require a DV bridge, per the FAQS to the right of this forum, unless you know someone with a Digital8 camcorder that can capture hi8 and 8mm as DV.
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/431853?tstart=0
But if all you want to do is turn your footage into DVDs without doing any major editing, Premiere Elements is not the most efficient way to go. In that case, you may just want to use a Plextor ConvertX -- and save yourselves the hassles, system demands and expense of working with a video editing app.