Got some great video from last weekend.
Now I need to edit and share it, anyone have a suggestion on an easy program to edit HD video...new to the game- thanks in advance

xp comes with a program or go buy vegas 7 it is a good editing program

GoPro uses QuickTime format, which is an Apple application. You can get a free "player" version of QuickTime to watch the files, and for about $40 you can buy the unlock code to convert your copy to QuickTime Pro. Pro allows you to edit, trim, combine and re-format the files. It's pretty basic, but it works. You can create DVD's, slideshows, add music, etc. The biggest problem I have is a 5-year-old PC, which doesn't have the processing power to burn through some of the uge files and projects that I seem to create. If your clips are more like 5 minutes, it shouldn't be too bad.

A lot of people on the video boards seem to prefer Apple machines, like the MacBook Pro and the included iMovie software. I looked at one at Best Buy last night - it's got me thinking...

the MP4 format that it records in is a vary compressed format, because it is so compressed you need a super computer to edit it efficiantly. I use a video converter to convert them to a AVI format which is very easy to edit in windows movie maker, adobe premier (what I use) or any other editing program.

I use Nero 10 HD

The GoPro camera records HD video in the avchd/ h.264 format (at least the newer ones do-not sure about the older ones) and can be difficult to edit on an older/slower computer. There are many consumer level editing software applications you can use that will allow you to edit the avchd format like Pinnacle, Sony Vegas, Adobe Premier Elements on a PC and Final Cut Express on a Mac to name a few.

Again, just because they support that format, it doesn't mean they will edit efficiently - your computer plays a big part. I use both Vegas (pro version) on a 3yr old pc and it does ok, but playback during editing can be slow/stuttery/choppy. I also have an intel based mac and use final cut express. My mac seems to handle it better, but the processer is faster.

What program do you use to convert these? I was told to use "Window Movie Maker" but WMM does not recognize the GoPro video format so ...

MPEG Streamclip works great and is free

mac version
http://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-mac.html

windows version
http://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-win.html