Um another thing outside of video editing programs is the ATI TV WONDER PRO VIDEO CARD, it allows your pc to become a TV that gives a clear crystal image, you can record by coax (cable), video, and s-video, and it records in 720x480 MPEG-2 video capture format, plus it has stereo audio also.
another good thing to have if your a newber, i mean you can hook up you video game councils like final fantasy and record the game footage, or just stuff off of old vhs tapes with a vcr hook up in the coax port, it works like a dream and runs at like 70$, man if you want to record dvd stuff, you can!
damn enough of these video editing programs, this thing even comes with windows media encoder which allows you to change the formats of files en such, not only that you can change the size of the video, the compression, its a MUST HAVE for newbs, so if you don't have one, get one lol, it will help a heluva lot.

My strength is not that of the mountains, nor is as vast as the plains, nor does each wave crash upon the shore and thunder like lightning into my viens...but that which i can muster, and that which i will, i will bring myself foward into this world like no man has done before...