As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 8, 1999
                                                     Registration No. 333-
================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                             ----------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933

                             ----------------------
                             PINNACLE SYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
                             ----------------------

        California                                       94-3003809
------------------------                    ------------------------------------
(State of incorporation)                    (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)


                            280 North Bernardo Avenue
                         Mountain View, California 94043
   (Address, including zip code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)
                             ----------------------

                        1994 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                             1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)
                             ----------------------
                                 MARK L. SANDERS
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                             PINNACLE SYSTEMS, INC.
                            280 North Bernardo Avenue
                         Mountain View, California 94043
                                 (650) 526-1600
(Name, address, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
                             ----------------------
                                   Copies to:
                             CHRIS F. FENNELL, ESQ.
                        Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
                            Professional Corporation
                               650 Page Mill Road
                               Palo Alto, CA 94306
                                 (650) 493-9300
                             ----------------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
====================================================================================================================================
                                                                                Proposed           Proposed       
         Title of Each Class of                     Amount to be                Maximum             Maximum           Amount of
       Securities to be Registered                   Registered              Offering Price        Aggregate         Registration
                                                                               Per Share        Offering Price           Fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock, no par value, and related
<S>                                                   <C>                       <C>              <C>                    <C>    
Preferred Share Purchase Rights...............        800,000                   $ 33.31          $ 26,648,000           $ 7,408
 
====================================================================================================================================
<FN>

(1)  Calculated in accordance with Rule 457(c) solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee based upon the
     average of the high and low prices for the Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq National Market on March 4, 1999.
</FN>

====================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>



<PAGE>

         The  contents  of the  Registrant's  Form  S-8  Registration  Statement
(Registration  No.  33-89706) as filed with the Commission on February 23, 1995,
Form S-8 Registration  Statement  (Registration No. 333-02816) as filed with the
Commission on March 27, 1996, Form S-8 Registration Statement  (Registration No.
333-16999)  as filed  with the  Commission  on  November  27,  1996 and Form S-8
Registration Statement (Registration No. 333-25697) as filed with the Commission
on April 23, 1997, are incorporated herein by reference.


             PART II: INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT


Item 8         Exhibits
               --------
Exhibit
Number                              Documents
------         -----------------------------------------------------------------

 4.1           1994 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended

 4.2           1996 Stock Option Plan, as amended

 5.1           Opinion  of  counsel  as to  legality  of  securities  being
               registered

23.1           Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1)

23.2           Consent of Independent Auditors

24.1           Power of Attorney (see page II-2)


                                      II-1
<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES


             Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933, the
Registrant,  Pinnacle Systems, Inc., certifies that it has reasonable grounds to
believe  that it meets all of the  requirements  for  filing on Form S-8 and has
duly  caused  this  Registration  Statement  to be signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized,  in the City of Mountain View, State of
California, on this 8th day of March, 1999.


                                       PINNACLE SYSTEMS, INC.



                                       By: /S/ MARK L. SANDERS
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Mark L. Sanders
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

             KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE  PRESENTS,  that each such  person  whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints, jointly and severally, Mark L.
Sanders and Arthur D.  Chadwick  his  attorneys-in-fact,  each with the power of
substitution,  for him in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (including post-effective amendments), and to
file the same,  with all exhibits  thereto,  and other  documents in  connection
therewith,  with the Securities and Exchange  Commission,  hereby  ratifying and
confirming  all  that  each  of said  attorneys-in-fact,  or his  substitute  or
substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


                                      II-2
<PAGE>

<TABLE>

             Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities Act of 1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


<CAPTION>
            Signature                                            Title                                 Date
------------------------------------               ----------------------------------             --------------

<S>                                                <C>                                             <C>    
/S/ MARK L. SANDERS                                President, Chief Executive Officer              March 8, 1999
------------------------------------               and Director (Principal Executive
(Mark L. Sanders)                                  Officer)


/S/ ARTHUR D. CHADWICK                             Vice President, Finance and                     March 8, 1999
------------------------------------               Administration and Chief Financial
(Arthur D. Chadwick)                               Officer (Principal Financial and
                                                   Accounting Officer)


/S/ AJAY CHOPRA                                    Chairman of the Board and Vice                  March 8, 1999
------------------------------------               President, Desktop Products
(Ajay Chopra)                                      


/S/ NYAL D. MCMULLIN                               Director                                        March 8, 1999
------------------------------------
(Nyal D. McMullin)


/S/ GLENN E. PENISTEN                              Director                                        March 8, 1999
------------------------------------
(Glenn E. Penisten)


/S/ CHARLES J. VAUGHAN                             Director                                        March 8, 1999
------------------------------------
(Charles J. Vaughan)


                                                   Director                                        
------------------------------------
(John Lewis)


/S/ L. GREGORY BALLARD                             Director                                        March 8, 1999
------------------------------------
(L. Gregory Ballard)

</TABLE>

                                      II-3



<PAGE>


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                       ----------------------------------

                                    EXHIBITS

                       ----------------------------------


                       Registration Statement on Form S-8

                             Pinnacle Systems, Inc.

                                  March 8, 1999


<PAGE>


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS




Exhibit
 Number                           Documents
-------    ---------------------------------------------------------------------


  4.1      1994 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended
         
         
         
  4.2      1996 Stock Option Plan, as amended
         
         
         
  5.1      Opinion of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a 
           Professional Corporation
         
         
         
 23.1      Consent of Independent Auditors
         
         
         
 23.2      Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5.1)
         
         
         
 24.1     Power of Attorney (see page II-2)
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 10421}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "PINNACLE SYSTEMS INC", "cik": "0000774695", "assigned-sic": "3861", "irs-number": "943003809", "state-of-incorporation": "CA", "fiscal-year-end": "0630"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-74071", "film-number": "99559818"}, "business-address": {"street1": "280 N BERNARDO AVE", "city": "MOUNTAIN VIEW", "state": "CA", "zip": "94043", "phone": "6502371600"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "280 N BERNARDO AVE", "city": "MOUNTAIN VIEW", "state": "CA", "zip": "94043"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 8, 1999
                                                     Registration No. 333-
================================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                             ----------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933

                             ----------------------
                             PINNACLE SYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
                             ----------------------

        California                                       94-3003809
------------------------                    ------------------------------------
(State of incorporation)                    (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                            280 North Bernardo Avenue
                         Mountain View, California 94043
   (Address, including zip code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)
                             ----------------------

                        1994 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                             1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)
                             ----------------------
                                 MARK L. SANDERS
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                             PINNACLE SYSTEMS, INC.
                            280 North Bernardo Avenue
                         Mountain View, California 94043
                                 (650) 526-1600
(Name, address, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
                             ----------------------
                                   Copies to:
                             CHRIS F. FENNELL, ESQ.
                        Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
                            Professional Corporation
                               650 Page Mill Road
                               Palo Alto, CA 94306
                                 (650) 493-9300
                             ----------------------
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
====================================================================================================================================
                                                                                Proposed           Proposed       
         Title of Each Class of                     Amount to be                Maximum             Maximum           Amount of
       Securities to be Registered                   Registered              Offering Price        Aggregate         Registration
                                                                               Per Share        Offering Price           Fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock, no par value, and related
Preferred Share Purchase Rights...............        800,000                   $ 33.31          $ 26,648,000           $ 7,408
 
====================================================================================================================================
(1)  Calculated in accordance with Rule 457(c) solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee based upon the
     average of the high and low prices for the Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq National Market on March 4, 1999.
====================================================================================================================================
The  contents  of the  Registrant's  Form  S-8  Registration  Statement
(Registration  No.  33-89706) as filed with the Commission on February 23, 1995,
Form S-8 Registration  Statement  (Registration No. 333-02816) as filed with the
Commission on March 27, 1996, Form S-8 Registration Statement  (Registration No.
333-16999)  as filed  with the  Commission  on  November  27,  1996 and Form S-8
Registration Statement (Registration No. 333-25697) as filed with the Commission
on April 23, 1997, are incorporated herein by reference.

             PART II: INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 8         Exhibits
               --------
Exhibit
Number                              Documents
------         -----------------------------------------------------------------

 4.1           1994 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended

 4.2           1996 Stock Option Plan, as amended

 5.1           Opinion  of  counsel  as to  legality  of  securities  being
               registered

23.1           Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1)

23.2           Consent of Independent Auditors

24.1           Power of Attorney (see page II-2)

                                      II-1
SIGNATURES

             Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933, the
Registrant,  Pinnacle Systems, Inc., certifies that it has reasonable grounds to
believe  that it meets all of the  requirements  for  filing on Form S-8 and has
duly  caused  this  Registration  Statement  to be signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized,  in the City of Mountain View, State of
California, on this 8th day of March, 1999.

                                       PINNACLE SYSTEMS, INC.

                                       By: /S/ MARK L. SANDERS
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Mark L. Sanders
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

             KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE  PRESENTS,  that each such  person  whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints, jointly and severally, Mark L.
Sanders and Arthur D.  Chadwick  his  attorneys-in-fact,  each with the power of
substitution,  for him in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (including post-effective amendments), and to
file the same,  with all exhibits  thereto,  and other  documents in  connection
therewith,  with the Securities and Exchange  Commission,  hereby  ratifying and
confirming  all  that  each  of said  attorneys-in-fact,  or his  substitute  or
substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                                      II-2
Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities Act of 1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature                                            Title                                 Date
------------------------------------               ----------------------------------             --------------
/S/ MARK L. SANDERS                                President, Chief Executive Officer              March 8, 1999
------------------------------------               and Director (Principal Executive
(Mark L. Sanders)                                  Officer)

/S/ ARTHUR D. CHADWICK                             Vice President, Finance and                     March 8, 1999
------------------------------------               Administration and Chief Financial
(Arthur D. Chadwick)                               Officer (Principal Financial and
                                                   Accounting Officer)

/S/ AJAY CHOPRA                                    Chairman of the Board and Vice                  March 8, 1999
------------------------------------               President, Desktop Products
(Ajay Chopra)                                      

/S/ NYAL D. MCMULLIN                               Director                                        March 8, 1999
------------------------------------
(Nyal D. McMullin)

/S/ GLENN E. PENISTEN                              Director                                        March 8, 1999
------------------------------------
(Glenn E. Penisten)

/S/ CHARLES J. VAUGHAN                             Director                                        March 8, 1999
------------------------------------
(Charles J. Vaughan)

                                                   Director                                        
------------------------------------
(John Lewis)

/S/ L. GREGORY BALLARD                             Director                                        March 8, 1999
------------------------------------
(L. Gregory Ballard)
II-3
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                       ----------------------------------

                                    EXHIBITS

                       ----------------------------------

                       Registration Statement on Form S-8

                             Pinnacle Systems, Inc.

                                  March 8, 1999
INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit
 Number                           Documents
-------    ---------------------------------------------------------------------

  4.1      1994 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended
         
         
         
  4.2      1996 Stock Option Plan, as amended
         
         
         
  5.1      Opinion of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a 
           Professional Corporation
         
         
         
 23.1      Consent of Independent Auditors
         
         
         
 23.2      Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5.1)
         
         
         
 24.1     Power of Attorney (see page II-2)