Roxio Media Creator 7

[svosen]

Anybody familiar with this software?

I've got a Sony DCR-HC30 MiniDV camcorder, and I'm looking for software to upload video to my PC, edit it, and make VCDs and/or DVDs.

I know that you need to have a firewire (IEEE 1394) to make a direct DVD from the camcorder to the DVD burner.

Since I don't have an IEEE 1394 card (and don't have the $ to buy one right now), I'm wondering if the Roxio Creator 7 software has a provision for uploading high quality video to the PC for editing and eventual burning to a video CD (VCD) through a standard USB 2.0.

I can upload and edit through the USB 2.0 using Windows Moviemaker (XP software), but the highest quality I can get is 640x480 (which sucks, of course). Then I can burn a VCD using Nero software (which came with the PC bundle). The end result is lame, considering how much I spent on the camcorder and PC.

If anybody has fought this, I'd appreciate your advice. I'm starting to think I'd be best off to bite the bullet and buy the IEEE 1394 PCI card, buy the firewire cable from Sony, and buy the Roxio software. But that'd be more than $200 extra (beyond the $1200 I just spent on the camcorder, accessories, and the PC). I'm feeling tapped out as it is...