BEST TV Import Solution - New 800 MHz iMac w/SuperDrive?

[Swampthing]

I've seen a couple of solutions out there to allow you to connect a video device (cable, satellite, s-video, etc) to an iMac and store the input as a QT file. I'm interested in doing this with some television shows for storage on VCD or DVD. Ideally, this item should allow me to change the bit rate for capture to reduce the file size - if necessary.

Does anyone out there have any experience with these solutions? I've seen the iRez, MyTV, Formac, and Director's Cut "Take 2" units (links below.) Are there others? Any better solutions?? Would either of these allow me to retain the digital signal quality output of my satellite, or will it transfer to analog and back? Since my satellite allows the output of component video and digital audio via TOSLink, would any of these solutions (or perhaps a better one?) take the same feed? Or am I restricted to S-Video input? It would also be really nice if one of these devices allowed me to capture digital video directly and produce an MPEG-2 DVD quality file.

http://www.synchrotech.com/product-usb/video_02.html
http://www.synchrotech.com/product-usb/video_05.html
http://www.formac.com/html/shopformac.html?cid=shop_products_studio
http://www.miglia.com/products/video/director2/index.html

[pants]

one other thing to look into is also what program you are going to use to capture, i-movie or fcp or premeire. i used to use a sony media converter box, to s-video, composite video, stereo rcs audio, in to the box then firewire out to the comp. but this box won't work with fcp 3.0 any more. so now we have a canopus advc-100 or 1000 forget what it's called, www.canopus.com this we like a lot set up better the the sony, about $280-289 at b&h photo, i htink the cheapest. same specs. if you want something with component in puts your gonna spend a lot, media 100, cinewave by pinnicle systems, a few others, but that's for professional editing and stuff and i don't think that's what you want to buy. the best you'll be able to get to is s-video in, no digital audio either. i only have used the canopus box with fcp 3.0, so not sure how it is with other software. but i like it and supposedly it can by pass macrovision too, if you wanted to copy dvd's, etc.

pants