kenstone.net has lots of good info. I don’t know of a Dummies Guide to Everything. There are so many combinations of hardware and software, I think it’s all about problem solving and knowing where to go for help (like here.) People talk about HD, but there’s more than one flavor. I was using DCVPRO HD 24p, and was mixing that with SD 480i. Supposedly in FCP 6 you can mix and match on the timeline, but I didn’t have that option.
The cow has saved my butt more than once.
Thanks, Cow!