Obviously we are talking dirt chap so the solution that will cost less will win. I don't want to do whole record to tape then digitize thing -- I have a good mic so i can just hook it up to the camera and maybe through the FireWire record staright to the comp?

Vegas can't record only the audio via IEEE - you will have to capture vido to do it, then render out the audio as a .wav (or whatever audio file you want), then delete the initial .avi file (unless of course you want to waste HD space just for the heck of it ;-) )

Dave

Scenalyzer (about $50) can capture audio through firewire. Very neat program to have.

There may be a cheaper alternative. (i.e. capture now with the vegas capture tool)

The DVX100 supposedly has excellent analog-digital converters. dv.com has a review of it. registration req'd

Almost any cheap mic, a 1/8 inch input adaptor and plug it into the soundcard and record with Vegas. I actually have a 6 channel mixer with a stereo output hooked into the line inputs of my sound card and I can record all sorts of things (Microphones, Stereo equipment, combinations of all kinds of audio) just recording a .wav file. You can drag them onto the timeline in vegas and "sync up" if you want. You can even record, while watching your video and make your comments in real time.
You can also watch your video in the timeline and make your comments into your camera separately, then firewire that back into your PC, make a new wave from your .avi and save a couple of bucks, but takes longer.
I have recorded .wavs, while having video in the timeline. This is where I suggest that you use SPMTE and not "Time and Frames" or the timing of the audio and video, at least for me, won't stay sync'd on playback. (Project properties)

It sounds like you've been able to do something I've been trying to make work for months. I'm trying to do a live capture of video (through firewire) and audio (through mic input on laptop) but I can't seem to get Vegas Capture to select the laptop mic input. All I get is the camera mic through firewire. How did you set it up?

My suggestion was for adding more audio to existing video while using your camera mic for the audio. (watching existing, already recorded, video in the timeline while recording audio live. (go to bottom of this for possible free alternative workaround)
I don't think I can record thru firewire and audio card at the same time. At least I haven't tried yet. ( I did think I could do this at one time and if so, I've forgotten how.)
The work around for me, would be to hook up a mixer OR your lap-top's output and feed it through your camera's audio inputs, by-passing the built in mic. You may need to feed the mixer or whatever you want to use lined out to an 1/8 inch stereo adapter (TSR) to plug into the camera jacks mic input.
If you want to use your camera mic plus separate audio too, a little 6 channel stereo mixer will allow you to use 6 separate audio items at same time, mics or line. Run your mixer's stereo outputs into an 1/8 inch stereo adapter to mic input of Camera and attenuate output of mixer until it sounds clear and no distortion. You'll have to use separate audio mics in place of the camera mics.
This will, if you want, give you the ability to record up to 6 separate audio devices, through your camera via firewire, with video at same time, live. (you won't be able to fix the audio once it's been mixed this way.)
Another work around is feed your camera audio output to lap-top audio card, while making audio comments or sounds and then add video later with firewire and sync up the audio from the avi with the audio wave you recorded live.
3rd work around: Get a separate audio recorder and record other audio separately and mix later.
4th work around: Figure out how to use a video card with S-video inputs and record video through Video card and audio through audio card. It can be done, but I've heard that syncing becomes an issue for quite a few people. (I gave up on this one.)
The little mixer thru your camera mic inputs is the closest way to do what you describe.
If you have NO mic input on your camera, Hmmmm we've got a problem.
You could use the cheapest Analog to Digital converter you could find (should have S-video input and stereo audio inputs and Firewire, not USB, output) and then S-video to converter from camera and hook up any audio to audio inputs of converter, then firewire from converter to computer.
Last minute Idea
Find "Audacity", the free multi-track wave recorder, and see if that will record audio while recording your camera via firewire. Maybe your soundcard will work with this for audio while using Vegas for the firewire. (Maybe the problem is that you are trying to use Vegas to record both and it can't) This program can be found at nonags d ot com (Free) I haven't tried this, but it might work. Let me know. LOL