Why don't you throw them onto the timeline in Vegas first? You can set it to automatically overlap fade each picture as well as set the time each picture is shown. You can also use the trackmotion/key framing to do Ken Burn type effects.

Hi Steve, it occurred to me afterwards that it may be easier to do it that way, but I have spent hours compiling hundreds of photos in chronological order from various people's cameras in DVD Architect and was hoping I could find a way of not having to do that again on the Vegas timeline. Is there a way of transferring the order of images from the Architect slideshow properties onto the Vegas timeline?

Try Panopticum Lens 3.0 for Vegas 4 (yes, for V4, but this plug-in work property in V5 & V6 too, just for registring drag-and-drop plug-in *.dll file in to Vegas window)

Is there a way to animate a Bezier mask in Vegas 5, other then redrawing it for every frame?

I want to try to create a fake DoF effect but I cannot seem to animate the mask correctly. It would make sense to be able to just move the anchor points around but Vegas doesn't allow me to do that. Does anyone have a better solution then just redrawing every frame?

Thanks.

Try:
Right click the point. Select just that point and move it.

Or deselect all the points by clicking away. Click on one point.

Vegas can animate bezier masks.

Yes, your best bet is to load them all on the Vegas timeline, use a script to add some movement to the images, and the render that for the DVD. Both Excalibur and Ultimate S can automate the process of zooming and panning the images.

How about the Spherize effect?

If you want to move an individual mask, you just use the 3D track motion. Yo can move it closer or farther (by changing z values in the keyframe) to appear to change DoF. An example of moving many bezier masks is here:

http://www.ibms.sinica.edu.tw/%7Esr...al%20puzzle.wmv

yes, thats what i was using edward, but it was very 'digital'.

that panopticum lens plug-in was good, but it looks like its render time rules out any possibility of using it. But its a good back up.

Anymore suggestions?!

For all users of Excalibur 4, Vegas 6b has added a new ability that allows switching cameras to be done without stopping playback of the timeline. After weeks of testing, I am now ready to allow anyone using Excalibur 4 and Vegas 6b to use this new functionality.

Download the following file:
http://www.jetdv.com/scripts/ExVegasUtils.dll

This file should be copied to the Vegas 6.0\Script Menu\Excalibur4 folder and will replace an existing file. Once this file has been replaced, you will no longer need to stop the timeline playback to switch cameras. There WILL be a slight pause as the camera switches but playback will automatically continue.

What would we do without ya, pal?

use sphere and pinch/punch combined.. :)

ive used this numerous times to emulate security cameras and hidden cameras.. even though im using a Z1 or DVX.. lol

Yeah just like the title, I'm trying to make a low pass filter in vegas 5.0. The objective is to level out volume from different takes. For example I have two takes that are cut and put together to look like one, but the audio is a little bit different in volume. So I want to add a filter to the master bus that will level out audio. Not sure if that is possible, I'm thinking I might need to run a separate bus for that track?

Thanks.

You can use the graphic dynamics filter for that, or the compressor filter.

The compressor might be a little easier? The settings to play around with are:
Ratio: About 3:1 is fine.
Threshold: Set this to a level lower than your peaks. The attenuation bar shows how much compression is going on.
You can make it something absurdly low to hear what compression sounds like.

Make-up gain: Pump this up to compensate for the loss in volume.
Smooth saturation: Turn this on.

Attack about 25ms or so?? (attack= how fast it kicks in; you generally want this fast, but too fast may distort the bass a little)
Release about 100ms or so?? (release = how much time it takes before the compressor lets go)

You might just want to add the compressor to the one relevant track, but that depends entirely on how you like things.

For all users of Excalibur 4, Vegas 6b has added a new ability that allows switching cameras to be done without stopping playback of the timeline. After weeks of testing, I am now ready to allow anyone using Excalibur 4 and Vegas 6b to use this new functionality.

Download the following file:
http://www.jetdv.com/scripts/ExVegasUtils.dll

This file should be copied to the Vegas 6.0\Script Menu\Excalibur4 folder and will replace an existing file. Once this file has been replaced, you will no longer need to stop the timeline playback to switch cameras. There WILL be a slight pause as the camera switches but playback will automatically continue.

NICE job Edward!

I've posted a ton of information and pictures over on dvxuser, but I'm just not getting anywhere: http://www.dvxuser.com/V3/showthread.php?p=233445#post233445


I have two .avi files, one which was recorded in the DVX100A letterbox mode, and one which was recorded in 4:3. So, I open a new project, set the default properties to 'NTSC DV WIDESCREEN', then I apply the 16:9 crop to the 4:3 file, the size then is listed as 368 (originally it was 480), and 368 seems to match exactly with the letterboxed image, but when I watch in preview or after a render, the second image looks as though it is still the same height as when I started, higher than the first image in the timeline.

I have to be missing something painfully obvious, but I just can't seem to find it, so, perhaps a fresh pair of eyes can assist.


Thanks in advance for any help!

I think if you set the project settings to 4:3, it will resolve the problem. My understanding is that the DVX100a letterbox mode is 4:3, it's not 16:9 anamorphic, so it doesn't make sense to use a project with widescreen settings.

I think if you set the project settings to 4:3, it will resolve the problem. My understanding is that the DVX100a letterbox mode is 4:3, it's not 16:9 anamorphic, so it doesn't make sense to use a project with widescreen settings.


that makes sense about the DVX in-camera letterbox being 4:3, but even still it doesn't seem to be solving the problem..

So, what I have is two 4:3 clips. When I check the properties of each via the 'Pan/Crop' tool, they are both dimensionally identical:720x480. For the one that is already letterboxed, the actual image height takes up approximately 373 of the 480 pixels.

Again, the odd thing is that if I apply the 16:9 pan/crop to the other image, the one without the letterbox, then the size as shown in the pan/crop tool shows the height as 368 (pretty darn close to the approximate 373 I think the in-camera letterbox creates), and the width stays at 720, so, you would think that in the preview or when I render that the two clips would look symmetrically the same, but they don’t.

(should I take a break from smoking crack while doing this?)

Oh well, the footage I shot using in-camera letterbox mode was an anomaly, basically just experimenting, now I shoot everything 4:3 with the intention of cropping in post if necessary, so, I'll just chalk this one up to a twilight zone freak event and in the future I shouldn’t be mixing the two anyway. Thx.

Hi all. I finished a dvd project on Vegas 5. Used Vages DVD2 to burn the dvd. It is a 44 minute presentation (talking head) with lots of graphics. I burned them on my HP computer useing HP blank dvd's. Now, during play back on a computer they just all of a sudden stop in the middle of the presentation and go back to the menu screen. Am I overloading the system? Do I need a more professional blank dvd? Please help. Bob

No way to answer without more information. Could the the DVD. Could be the procedure you used. Could be.....

How many files did you give DVDA to use? What kind of files?

I've been using Windows Media Encoder to attempt to thin some MPEG2 video files down to a smaller size for use in another program.

When I did this starting with .avi files instead of .mpg files the result was a .wmv file that was small and played very smoothly with great resolution. Trying to re-encode starting with .mpg files results in poor resolution and stuttering video.

Anyone have experience in Vegas trying to convert .mpg files back to .avi files for editing purposes? I guess if I do this I'll lose some quality, but if it will then compress into a .wmv file, it'll be worth the effort.

A 16:9 mask will do the job. The letterbox mode you're trying to re-create is functionally a 16:9 mask. Think "masking tape".

The pan/crop tool in Vegas is more like a zoom in/out function.

Hi, there. My Video FX are not working on Vegas 5. The Transitions and Media Generators work fine, but not the Video FX (none of them.) The plug-ins are checked (not by-passed) and the "before Pan/Crop" is selected, but the FX still don't show on the preview monitor. I tried applying the FX through the track, on the event, and by dragging the FX icon to the event and the preview window. None of it works. Anyone have any ideas? Thank you in advance. Ruben

Did you click the Split Screen (set to bypass FX) button just above the preview screen? If you did, you won't see any FX (but they'll still render fine). Click that button again to turn them back on.

Thank you. If I choose "select left/right" the FX shows on half the screen, but if I choose "select all" it doesn't show the FX at all. Is that the correct choice?

Thank you, Edward. It's working now. I appreciate it.

Kinda makes sense, I'll look into using 'mask', it'll be nice to have a clear understanding someday as to the differences between the 16:9 crop function and a mask...

As an aside, if I only choose the 'match output aspect' for each individual clip, (not adding a 16:9 crop), then the images do match up on output, however, it seems to come at a cost of potentially losing some of the image that is already letterboxed, but, at least everything renders and plays back dimensionally identical!

Shawn, you can easily create a mask by capturing one frame from the letterboxed video.

And then replace the video with the transparent color/alpha channel in Photoshop.

It will be a perfect match.

Photoshop? yikes, there has to be an easier way within Vegas. Indeed, I _could_ do that, but I'd really like to believe that creating a mask in Photoshop would be reinventing the wheel to some degree... no?

I deleted my original audio track with a video I recorded and placed the one I recorded with my IRiver instead on the timeline. The problem is, I can't get them to stay grouped together...if I [S]plit a scene, the audio splits, but not the video, or vice versa. And when I drag the video track, the audio does not follow, or vice versa.

I don't have the 'ignore event grouping' button pushed so I can't seem to figure out what the problem is. I'm tired of the audio and video coming out of sync with every single edit I do. Can someone offer a solution? I'm sure its got to be something simple.

Thanks!

In first - two different fragments (events) are two different fragments
In second - specify you Vegas
In third - to groupping 2 differen events - select audio and video files on timeline (Ctrl + left click on first and second event) after this right click - > Group - > Create new (or simply press G)

PS Sorry for my english

Thanks Newdjeen,

Worked like a charm on individual clips. I just wish there was a way to do it for two entire tracks.

I've never tried to group an entire track or group two tracks together, but if you select all the events on one or both tracks and press G to group them all together, maybe it does it -- I'm not sure.

As for splitting one event and not another, if you hit S when you have one or more events selected, it splits only those events that are selected. You do this, for example, to split the main audio and video, but leave a music track intact. On the other hand, if you have no events actively selected, it splits every event the cursor touches. It sounds like you want to do the latter. Click in an empty space below all tracks to deselect, then move the cursor where you want and hit S.

Yes, if you select a BUNCH of events and press "G", they will ALL be grouped

Splitting usually also splits everything else in the same group as well as the selected event. You can override that too, though, by turning on "Ignore Event Grouping". I would make sure to turn it back off, though.

I can't get my computer to capture video...

It starts... but then will randomly just drop a frame and stop.

I am using vegas5-- comp stats: dual xeon 3.2mhz, 2gig ram, 750gig storage (RAID 5) and a PCI Xpress 256meg for video.

I have tried removing the 1394 in system device manager and letting it re-find it... no luck... it still drops

I have tried each of the 1394 ports.. (there are 2)--no luck

I have tried 2 different 1394 cables... no luck


HELP!
ANY IDEAS????

What motherboard? There is a huge prob with a couple of the Xeon MBs....



ash =o)

Not sure... this is a DELL Precision Workstation 670...

It captured absolutely fine when I had the system setup as RAID 0

but I have no moved to a RAID 5 because I had a system crash and had no redundancy.

I would start by trying the disc on as much computer / standalone DVD players
as I can. See if they all have the problem or not. If they do, try burning the
exact same project to another BRAND of DVD and repeat the steps above.

If the problem still persists through all that then there must be some problem
with the project or the source files.

Vegas can edit your MPEG files natively, no need to convert. Except perhaps
the audio, since it cannot edit AC-3 audio (mostly used on DVD's).

It is generally not a good idea to use such a highly compressed inter frame
compression algorithm for editing. So if you still have the original AVI sources
then use that.

Otherwise simply load the MPEG and output as WMV. Make SURE you use the
same framerate and progressive/interlaced setting. The movie should not
stutter (unless you go to 15 fps for example). Resolution / quality loss will
be a thing you'll have to live with though.

Also see my letterbox page:

www.visuar.com/letterbox/calc.htm

1. Vegas can edit your MPEG files natively...
2.It is generally not a good idea to use such a highly compressed inter frame
compression algorithm for editing.
3. So if you still have the original AVI sources then use that.
4. Otherwise simply load the MPEG and output as WMV. Make SURE you use the same framerate and progressive/interlaced setting. The movie should not
stutter (unless you go to 15 fps for example).

Rob,

1. I know Vegas can edit my MPEG files natively...I wanted to know if anyone had any experience converting MPEG to AVI.

2. I wanted to convert MPEG to AVI because it "is generally not a good idea to use such a highly compressed inter frame compression algorithm for editing."

3. I don't have the AVI files, so I need to convert the MPEG back to AVI.

4. Converting MPEG to WMV does create resolution loss and stuttering...again, that's why I was asking about anyone's experience in converting MPEG back to AVI and then editing.

Brent:
1- You probably shouldn't start multiple threads on your problem. Just add a post to your original thread so people can see past replies. Your thread will get bumped to the top automatically.

2- What about taking the RAID 5 out of the equation? Can you capture to the system drive or non-RAID drive?

Interesting, I wonder if the DVX follows that formula down to the pixel, i.e. 16:9 = picture height 364 pixels 76% and bar height 58 pixels 12%

My estimates from blowing the image up and moving the cropping tool to what appears to be the exact edge of the image is about 372....



...Well, I found a very in-depth thread over at DVXUSER on this subject: http://www.dvxuser.com/V3/showthread.php?t=8704&page=2&pp=10&highlight=letterbox+pixels+7200G

Barry Green says:

"..letterbox on the NTSC DVX100 (original model) adds 54-pixel bars on the top and bottom of the frame. *That leaves a 720 x 372 image in the middle.

Using a strict interpretation of 4:3 (which would mean a basic frame size of 640 x 480) you get 1.72:1. *However, DV video isn't a pure mathematical 4:3, because TV screens provide for a few pixels more...

Using the Vegas aspect ratio of .9091 you'd get (655/372) 1.76:1. *That's within a pixel or two of being exactly 16:9.

Using the Vegas cropping preset of 16:9, it crops the letterbox bars exactly, and one pixel more (i.e., Vegas thinks the letterbox bars should be one pixel thicker than the DVX thinks they should be).

So, it'd be fair to say that the letterbox bars in the original NTSC DVX100 are almost exactly 16:9, maybe just the tiniest bit taller, at 1.76:1 instead of 1.7777777:1."

There are 4 drives in the system.... each 250gig... under RAID 5 they make about 750 gig....
There is No System Drive.


I will hook up an external firewire and try to capture...
You are right, that should help me pintpoint things a bit...
To see if its the drive system, or perhaps the firewire card`

the easiest way to do this (and the safest in case of drive failure) is to run each drive as a seperate unit.

also go out and buy an 80gb drive and use that as a system drive.

ive got 5 drives here
80gb, partitioned as 30gb for system, 15gb for personal use, and the rest is all business documents and artwork etc

i have 3 200gb drives and 2 120gb

the 2 200s are for raw material. it allows me to work on 2 longform projects at once. theyr not raided, but if they were and one was o fail, id prolly lose the lot, so i went the other way. Id rather smaller drives as i can easily defrag and manage tehm as well as swap them around when i need to.

the other drives store music, and the prerenders, and anything thats been masterd.

i find this to be aa efficient workflow when working with this high capacity. segregating drives also allows for finite diagnostics as well as management of data

Thanks guys, I think I found my problems. 1) I have a 128 GB hard drive, I only had 3.2 GB of free space left, and, when I was doing the burn it was giving me a warning that I was VERY CLOSE to exceeding the 4.7 GB max on the dvd. I cut the progect in half and ran it on two disks. So far no problem.

I have a 15 min training video that I need to add subtitles to...

Any tips for creating subtitles in Vegas 5? I'm aware of this ability in DVDA, but I don't use the software.

Anyone done this in vegas?

Thanks!

Are you talking about subtitles, as in providing translation, or closed-captioning, as in providing for those who can't hear the audio?

Jay

Sorry, I suppose I should have been more clear -- subtitles for translation...

Thanks for the reply --

Can I get rid of my CD/ROM and just use my DVD PLayer/burner as a general all around media player?