After searching the Forums and Howtos as well as Lord Smurf's site I'm still at a bit of a loss. I've updated my sytem with a Pacific Digital DVD Burner and would like to capture to a DVD friendly standard so I could easy burn a DVD without a long transcode process.

Several attempts at using the built in DVD settings of ATI's MMC 8.9 and Nero have resulted in a transcoding time that works out to be 3.5 hours long for 2 hour long shows I recorded off cable.

Can anyone give me any guidance on an optimal capture setting that will avoid a long transcode process or offer any solution?

I'd also like to record the odd SVCD but Nero likes the capture files recorded under the SVCD profile and will burn them directly to my CD Burner without a long transcoding delay.

I'd like the same kind of drag and drop ability using Nero but am open to any suggestions you may have.

Systems stats:
AMD XP 2000
A7S333 Motherboard
512MB System Memory
40GB WD HD & 60GB WD HD
ATI Video Wonder VE
MMC 8.9