Vegas Video discussions from 2006 (Q1Q2)

[Vincent Croce]

Yeah Vince, every mpg looks fine when playing on the pc. I've already restarted the DVDA project from scratch so I've already re-added the files once, to no effect. Thanks for the suggestion, though.
Randy, I just played the finished dvd on my pc and I get the same motion problems that I have on the TV. So, no problems before authoring. Previewing the project in DVDA also looks perfect. So I'm assuming it's got something to do with the rerendering that DVDA is doing. I was hoping there was a specific setting or preference I was missing in the app.
Thanks for the response.

[Curt Coggns]

As I will have up to 15 different projects which will need to be put together on the same timeline for final output to DVD, there are several questions I have regarding the whole nesting process and conserving hard drive space.

As I am working with Cineform files in Vegas 6, and capturing long files (I unchecked the box for scene detection and typically get a one 25 gig file) I would like to just save on hard drive the portions of the large file saved after split/delete editing is done. Typically, I have about one sixth of each 25gig file that remains on the timeline. As I only have about 400g of hard drive and there is a need for as much as 15 of these large files at 25 gig each, I need a "destructive" way to edit (save only the portions desired and delete the remainder from the hard drive). I assume that building a nested file is the first thing to do. Then, how to delete the other parts of the large file that are not needed. I am just a but leary of proceeding as I get high anxiety about accidentally wiping out the whole project accidentally.

BTW, the reason I use one large file and edit from there, is that in the DV (SD) world, the files are smaller and storage was not an issue. The ease of editing with one long file in making highlight sequences in my old NLE (storm edit) is just the workflow style I am used to. If there is no way to delete only part of a large file as described above, I suppose using "scene detect" during capture would at least allow deletion of many scenes without having to worry about making a project delete error.

Just for the heck of it, could someone explain the necessary process conceptually as well as walk through the steps to take. It would probably be good to walk through the nesting process as well. Thanks.

One other question. When you trim a file in the trimmer before placing it in the timeline, is the portion that was removed truly deleted? If not, is there a way to set it to automatically do this in the trimmer?

Just another Vegas convert finding his way in the VAST (VASST?) world of Vegas.
Curt

[Dave Largent]

Any other ways to do it? I was hoping for
a slider that maybe just controled the lows.

[Matt Brabender]

The other way to do it is to run several secondary colour corrections, but that's the long way round.
Honestly, the curves is a great way to do it.

[Michael Liebergot]

Originally Posted by Curt Coggns

As I will have up to 15 different projects which will need to be put together on the same timeline for final output to DVD, there are several questions I have regarding the whole nesting process and conserving hard drive space.

As I am working with Cineform files in Vegas 6, and capturing long files (I unchecked the box for scene detection and typically get a one 25 gig file) I would like to just save on hard drive the portions of the large file saved after split/delete editing is done. Typically, I have about one sixth of each 25gig file that remains on the timeline. As I only have about 400g of hard drive and there is a need for as much as 15 of these large files at 25 gig each, I need a "destructive" way to edit (save only the portions desired and delete the remainder from the hard drive). I assume that building a nested file is the first thing to do. Then, how to delete the other parts of the large file that are not needed. I am just a but leary of proceeding as I get high anxiety about accidentally wiping out the whole project accidentally.

BTW, the reason I use one large file and edit from there, is that in the DV (SD) world, the files are smaller and storage was not an issue. The ease of editing with one long file in making highlight sequences in my old NLE (storm edit) is just the workflow style I am used to. If there is no way to delete only part of a large file as described above, I suppose using "scene detect" during capture would at least allow deletion of many scenes without having to worry about making a project delete error.

Just for the heck of it, could someone explain the necessary process conceptually as well as walk through the steps to take. It would probably be good to walk through the nesting process as well. Thanks.

One other question. When you trim a file in the trimmer before placing it in the timeline, is the portion that was removed truly deleted? If not, is there a way to set it to automatically do this in the trimmer?

Just another Vegas convert finding his way in the VAST (VASST?) world of Vegas.
Curt

I would work with nested timelines as you mentioned, and when done, then make subclips of all of your clips and tracks. Then delete the original from the hard drive.

"When you trim a file in the trimmer before placing it in the timeline, is the portion that was removed truly deleted? If not, is there a way to set it to automatically do this in the trimmer?"
No, it is non destructive and the extra clip info is still available.

The only way to do what you ask that I know of would be to create subclips, or save the project and save clips with a bit of lead at both ends (I forget what they call this when saving).

[Glenn Chan]

I think curves is a really easy way to do what you're asking.

Another way to do it with curves:
Add to points, one a quarter of the way from the bottom. The other halfway from the bottom.

Move the first point around. The second point will keep the mids and the highs where they are.

[Ken Plotin]

Dave,
I do this with the levels tool while viewing the built in waveform monitor.
You can adjust the shadow areas without substantially affecting the rest of the scene. If the mid range does go up a bit, you can drop it with the gamma slider...adjust to taste.
Hope this helps.
Ken

[William Barber]

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/1179/examp5fs.jpg

I'm not so worried about just doing the effect on just the left and right of the screen, just doing it period is good. But if one of you guys can figure that out, that'd be great too.

Thanks alot!

[Edward Troxel]

Here's one possible method:
http://www.jetdv.com/vegas/BlurOutsideClearMiddle.veg

Here's what I did:

Tracks 1 and 2 contain the same video. Track 2 is clear. Track 1 had a Linear Blur and a Cookie Cutter. I used the cookie cutter to cut out the "clear" section and feather the edge of the cut.

[Glenn Chan]

Use bezier masking and linear blur.

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/950...fect6cx.th.jpg
I spent no time on that, so it's not a very good illustration of what can be done.

Bezier masking:
Go into pan/crop tool.
Draw mask.
You may need to turn the mask mode from positive to negative.
Feather both/out/in about 35%.

Filter:
Use Linear blur. Push the amount to whatever you like.
Look in the bottom lefthand corner for the little triangle for pre/post toggle.

EDIT: This is pretty much the same idea as Edward. The bezier masking tool allows greater control on the mask than Cookie Cutter.

[William Barber]

Thanks Glenn and Edward for the quick and helpful responses! It's greatly appreciated.

[James Binder]

Hey --

Not too impressed with Vegas RealVideo encoding. What's the best app out there that would do a better job?


Thanks --

[Ian Stark]

Yup, tried it already with no joy! Still, thanks for the suggestion!

To be honest I don't think this is a starter. I think the restriction lies in the device not in Vegas.

[Edward Troxel]

Have you tried Real Video's own encoder?

[Edward Troxel]

Yeah, I used the Cookie Cutter because it was quick for this test. Bezier Masking definitely would allow for more flexibility in the shape and size of the mask.