Because Studio 8 has a terrible audio sync problem on my (and many other's) systems. FWIW, I've discovered that Scenalyzer can capture from the Pinnacle AVDV.

I have a generic AVDV card that is similar to STudio8 and can use Vegas Video to
capture DV and analog. Just select the driver will do.

> I have a generic AVDV card that is similar to STudio8 and can use Vegas Video to
capture DV and analog

Which one? Does it have a breakout box? Does it capture analog to DV format? Does it play back to analog tape from the VV3 timeline?

> Just select the driver will do

Oh if it were only that simple. The Pinnacle Studio AVDV card is proprietary and so there are no drivers to select. Not VFW, not DirectX, not anything.

> Is it possible to use the blue break-out box that comes with Pinnacle's Studio software to capture analog in Vegas?

In a word... NO!

The Pinnacle AVDV card only works with the Pinnacle Studio software in the box. It would have been nice if this were mentioned on the outside of the box. Oh something like: “WARNING: The hardware in this box only works with the software in this box and the software in this box doesn’t work” would have been sufficient. Others and I have asked Pinnacle to make windows compatible drivers that other software can use but it has fallen on deaf ears.

<soapbox>
I would never buy hardware from Pinnacle again. I believe in using open standards and would boycott any company that use proprietary measures to lock customers into their products. Especially hardware companies that don’t now how to write software. I have a doorstop that looks remarkably like a Studio 8 box to prove it. They claim it was supposed to burn DVD’s but all it did was burn a whole in my pocket.

I will never buy software from a company again that isn’t brave enough to have a 30 day trial download so you can try before you buy. Vegas Video, Video Factory, DVD MovieFactory, DVD PictureShow, Cool 3D, Paint Shop Pro, Real-DRAW, Photo Brush, etc. I tried ‘em and I bought ‘em. Any product that didn’t have a trial version wasn’t even considered.
</soapbox>

Be thankful that Pinnacle (not being able to actually produce software that captures without audio sync problems) saw it in their hearts to give Andreas (the author of Scenalizer Live) half of the proprietary information he needed so that his program could capture from their card without any audio sync problems. Unfortunately they would NOT give him the specs to play back to video tape so its only 1/2 a solution.

My advice to you would be to return the Studio AVDV card from where you bought it and get yourself a Canopus ADVC-100, which will work with ANY software that works with a firewire card. It’s the same price as the Studio AVDV ($299) except that it actually works (what a novel concept). If you’re stuck with this card, then buy Scenalizer Live and use that with Vegas. It’s your only option.

~jr