Why does Pro 9 take forever to load up?
 

Hi folks. Anyone else experiencing this issue? I know it's probably not computer-related because I have Vegas Pro 9 installed on a number of systems and they all take forever to load up the software. I didn't have the same problems with versions 7 and 8. So why now with 9? Are my computers not up to speed? I've been using Vegas primarily because it doesn't need killer specs to run, but has that all changed with Pro 9?

Also, wanted to sneak in another question I had:

Premiere Pro CS4 and After Effects CS4 are so tightly integrated now that sometimes I'm tempted to switch over for more graphically inclined edits. What's the equivalent for Vegas? Do I have to render out stuff to take to AE CS4 and then render again to import back into Vegas? That just doesn't seem right. Does Vegas have a complementary software that handles more complicated compositing jobs? Anyone want to shed some light on the matter?

How long is "forever"? What is the speed of your computers? You've given us nothing to go on to answer your question. But Vegas 9 has a lot of new stuff going on under the hood so yes, it takes a more powerful machine to run. Vegas is finally beginning to catch up to it's competition in being able to work with some heavyweight data.


Vegas doesn't have the equivalent of After Effects. So if you want that workflow and capability, you can switch to Avid, Premiere, or Final Cut Pro. All cost at least double what Vegas does. Seems fair.

On my 32-bit XP machine with Vegas Pro 32-bit, it does take a while to load. On my 64-bit Vista machine with Vegas Pro 9-64, it loads very quickly.

talking 64-bit
 

Ah! There's a clue. I heard that even Adobe's upcoming CS5 will only work on 64-bit machines. Could it be that editing suites are now shifting to 64-bit machines because of the added burden that they have to carry with all the new HD formats and codecs and what have you?

Now that brings me to another question: What does one need to build a 64-bit machine? I haven't the faintest. I'm thinking it'll take more than a simple windows reinstallation. Do I need to rebuild my machine from the ground up? New 64-bit motherboard and compatible processor? A 64-bit windows OP. 64-bit software. What specs are we looking at here?

Boris RED would be the equivalent of After Effects for Vegas. It plugs into Vegas and performs most of the jobs that After Effects can. In fact, it can do things that After Effects can't like true 3D text! It also can host After Effects plug-ins. I use DigiEffects Aurorix, Berserk, Damage, and Delirium (which are AE plug-ins) in Boris RED all the time within Vegas.

The only problem is with Vegas itself. Vegas doesn't allow plug-ins access to video while the plug-in is open in it's editor. This means that Boris RED will only get a representative frame of video which is fine for adding FX and even chroma keying but not adequate for motion tracking. For that you have to load the video while in Boris RED to track it. Not a bad workaround considering you would do the same in After Effects anyway.

If you have a need for After Effects like composting in Vegas or would like to use AE plug-ins in Vegas, then I highly recommend that you take a look at Boris RED. There is a free trial that you can download from their web site.

~jr

If you have a relatively new desktop computer, you probably only need to order the Windows 7 upgrade. Most CPU's have been 64-bit enabled for many years now. It's only some laptops that are still using 32-bit CPU's. Look up your processor type on Intel or AMD's web site and it should say if it's 64-bit or not. If it is you are good to go. If it is not, then you may only need a new CPU.

~jr

Thanks John! I've heard of Boris RED before but didn't really get around to checking it out. I've read up some more about it and I'm convinced! I'm taking your advice and downloading it. Hopefully I can get to using it soon for all my compositing needs! Will keep you posted!

Thanks also for the info on 64-bit upgrading. I'll check that out further.

Definitely use Boris RED for the trial period before you buy and make sure it fits within your workflow. It has a learning curve but then so does AE. There are tutorials on Boris' web site and I recommend using them to get you started. Good luck.

~jr