What do I need (or what is recommended) to convert video casette into digital video? I gots nothin'.

By video casette I assume you mean VHS. If you have a TV-capture card, you may be able to plug the VCR into it and record. Otherwise, you'll need a VCR with component outputs, and plug those into a Dazzle or something equivalent. You'll be able to record video through that.

How well does the Dazzle DVC80 work? I mean... what kind of framerate can I expect? It's not going to be all choppy is it?

Honestly, I don't know. Last time I used a Dazzle video converter was 3 years ago, and those were one or two generations behind. The video quality wasn't great, but then again, I was importing from a cheap camcorder that someone had recorded onto a VHS, so that might have been the problem. The Dazzle didn't drop frames or make anything choppy though. I guess it would depend on the quality of your input video. Look around though, I'm willing to bet there might be a better solution that I don't know of.

Also, be warned that the Dazzles (at least the older generation models) are a bit of a pain to set up, but they're relatively simple to use after setup.

If I go with Dazzle, I'd prefer the DVC100. Or 150.

Dazzle is blah. Go with a regular TV Tuner card. If quality isn't especially important, the ATI TV Wonder VE is only $50 retail.

Otherwise, I'd look at the Pro and Elite editions of the same product. The elite is really high end, and the Pro is in the middle. ATI is well known for their capturing devices, also.