I am a Premiere user. Have been since version 4.5. But I have started to hear alot about Vegas. Mostly from this site. Hell it even got its own forum. So my question to everyone, even though I am sure it has been asked before, is what are the benifts to switching to Vegas? I have not tryed the new version of Premiere yet. But I will be reformating in a week or so and will be putting one of these two on board. I am open to everyone's ideas. Also if anyone is against Vegas I would like to hear thoughts on that as well (why I should stick with Premiere). Thank you.

Unabashed Vegas here! So be aware of my slant on this one - HAH!

I came into NLE work some 2½ years back. So not a lot of NLE experience. My path was VideoWave>Studio7>SOFO Videofactory>SoFoVegas Video>SONY Vegas 4.0d . . . I'm saying this as I was getting more and more aware of what I wanted an NLE to do. I've been involved in the arts all my life, and I believe this has given me a particular "approach" and cold bloodied attitude to any type of tool that will "give" the results in the WAY I want them to; as FAST as possible; provide me with a suck 'n see result as SOON as possible; add IDEAS quickly and view them at the speed I edit . . okay I could go on . . But please get the picture. I want things fast and I want things to be stable to deal with my energy and activity and options for further "expansion" within this way of working - yeah? Vegas just works! - It is s/w driven, meaning apart from the speed of your mobo and to some extent the amount of RAM it just works. Throw more speed at the mobo . . add more RAM for Vegas Dynamic RAM preview, you will be amazed. I've run Vegas4 on a an ancient Dell Laptop 1.0ghtz 256 RAM and with something like 9gb of free hard disk - It works! Vegas isn't hardware dependant . . it wont go looking for that "other" piece hardware update drivers . .it just gets on with it . . Okay, these are very very crude plaudits for the s/w . . Vegas creativity is great . . it gives me speed and flexibility . . this IS what I wont . . OKAY: It aint the fastest render kid on the block . .I'm very happy to relinquish this for the value of the ease on the creativity speed front. For example you wanna make a dissolve? You just push one clip into another one - THAT'S IT! Done . . there is a whole load of this type of approach . . Yes, it doesn't have the hardware cards that Premmie can make use of . . render times are on the high side . . But, you wanna get on with the same or another project? You just open ANOTHER instance of Vegas and your creativity isn't hobbled. DOWNSIDE: The front end aint as "pretty" as other I've seen: People making the leap over from Premmie - and there are a few I understand ;-) - the idea of NOT having a Storyboard a bit, well blasphemous . . .

I can't see any reason why I would use Premmie . . but that's me . . others who don't work in the way I work could very well benefit from Premmie . . I've seen Premmie and other "similar" NLE's and they seem and feel a bit too "rigid" . . .

As I said, don't expect too much balanced comment from me. This has been due to my "background" wanting something that just lets me get on with the creative side . . and at the same time is challenging my creativity by really saying" Yer Wanna do that? - Call that difficult 'aw c'mon . .give me something difficult to deal with . . I'm getting bored . . !?!?" That's what I feel about Vegas, that's what I also know about Vegas . . . down;load a Demo and have a play . . oh yes, my clients like my edit approach . .

Best regards,

Grazie

To give Vegas a fair shot, you need to "forget premiere" when you open Vegas. You don't need a "tool" to split a clip - just put the cursor where you want the clip split and press "S". To create a dissolve, just overlap the clips on the timeline. Plus, you can do anything on ANY track (something Premiere Pro has adopted).

To me, it works very logically and "makes sense". With the new scripting abilities, it allows tremendous expandibility directly within the user interface.

The BEST way to try it out is to download the demo and give it a try. Then ask questions or you might want to take a look at my newsletters at http://www.jetdv.com/tts paying particular attention to the "Beginner's Corner".

Personally Clint try out the Vegas demo, see if you like it. If you do then give it ago. Otherwise stay as you are or upgrade to Premiere Pro.

Any NLE will edit. Its the person using it that makes the difference.

I use Premiere, and have not had much problem with it. I like the way that it is closely intergrated with other Adobe products, everything is pretty much where you expect things to be. Yes its a bit slow at cutting, as edward says you can just hit the 's' key in vegas and it will split the video. With premiere you have to press 'c' and click your mouse at the point of edit. I believe that Premiere Pro you can customize your keyboard to how you want?

Graham,
Premiere has a storyboard editor, or do you mean that vegas does not have one????

Ed

Vegas does not have a storyboard similar to Premiere. However, there are workarounds for that as well.

I also have been thinking of making the switch to Vegas. I have used Premeire for a couple of years now and I have downloaded the demo for Vegas. My only issue at this point is getting my head into how Vegas "thinks". I am glad the post was made about using the "s" key to split the clip as I spent a half hour searching around for a buttn or command to do this. I know, I know I should probaly spend some time in the manual but you know how that goes.... After all I am seeing about Vegas I think I will spend some time to understand it. Kinda like AE for me...once it "clicked" as to how the program functioned it was a blast to play with. If any body knows of any begginer tutorials for Vegas please let me know ( yes Ed, I will be spending some time on your site.)

Not in any order OR preference . . you're gonna be amongst some great friends . . .

Sony Vegas Forum - Do a search here for "tutorials" - stand back!
http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/forums/showtopics.asp?forumid=4

A site that is . .well amazing!
http://www.vegasusers.com/

. . again . .just too much ..
http://www.creativecow.net/index.php?forumid=85


THIS is amazing site. Brings together Tutes; veggies; examples; Scritping THE Vegas killer approach to NLE work . . honest!
http://www.sundancemediagroup.com/help/kb/kb_tutorials.asp

. . .Just one of the various sites . .
http://www.martyhedler.com/homepage/Vegas_Tutorials.html?Welcome_Visitor=1075192806

Sony's Scripting Forum . . . loads and loads here
http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/forums/showtopics.asp?forumid=21

GO knock yerself out!!

Grazie

Small point though it is, you can razor at your edit line in Premiere by hitting F10. Having just learned this in another forum post I had to jump in. It makes such a difference versus hovering over the cut point, and missing it by four frames.

David Hurdon

. .Trimmer, that's all I'll say . .oh no, plus zoom out to frame level on the time line, .. oh yes almost forgot, go to frame T/C . . sorry, but does that help?

. .try it! You'll Buy it!

Grazie

Download both Vegas and Premiere Pro demos. Try them and make the choice that works best for you. You're obviously no stranger to Premiere and editing. What do you want to do and what's going to help you do it best and most efficiently? Check out the software maker's forums and pay attention to the gripes (likely the bulk of what you'll see) and see if you can tell how responsive the tech support is.


Kent

Thanks guys. Great ideas and thoughts on both ends. I guess downloading the demos makes the most sense. Thank you all. This by far the coolest place I have ever been.