I'm trying to render my 1080-50i to Quicktime H264 but an error pops up. No matter what settings I apply for the rest of the parameters, the error comes. Is there a specific set of parameters to ahere to?

Do you have Quicktime 7 installed?

ok, still looking at different editing options before i buy. I was wondering how involved is the color correcton in Vegas. I ran across a sample of color correction doen useing a program called magic bullet. Is vegas on par with this, or is magic bullet a special software made for color correction. Any help would be great

Magic Bullet isn't for color correction, but rather color "enhancement." MB is for generating filmlooks more than anything. That said, with a little creative ability and a fair amount of time, you can get Vegas to do the same thing. The color correction tools in Vegas are plentiful and very good, and generally real time on a reasonable machine.

I would agree. There's little you can't do with Vegas's own tools.

Ed, glad you are back. Hope you are feeling ok. I decided to remove the desk top icon and just leave Vegas 5 on the computer, it really does not take that much room on the drive. Bob

Magic Bullet Editor's 2 is a filter/plug-in that works in many NLEs, including Vegas.
MBE (the original) renders very very slowly. About 30:1, but it depends on what settings are on and what machine you have.
MBE2 allows for GPU acceleration... but with specific graphics cards. See the website for information on how to get 'real-time' performance out of Magic Bullet.

Magic Bullet Suite adds 60i to 24p conversion. Vegas does a very good job of that type of conversion itself. Vegas is *much much* faster and (I believe) a little lower quality.
I think MBS is After Effects only. It'll work with any NLE if you just export files into AE for processing.

And I believe there's also Misfire, which adds film damage and transitions.

2- You can get the same idea as the MBE looks in Vegas using Vegas' tools (the maths are slightly different).

VASST Celluloid uses Vegas' tools to create looks, and makes the process easier. Because Celluloid uses Vegas' tools, it can render much faster (unless you have a Geforce 7800 and GPU acceleration working).

But anyways, if you use Vegas you definitely have options. If you like MBE or MBS then you'd be able to use those tools.

*Disclaimer: Incidentally, DSE David and I are all affiliated with VASST.

3- You can get an idea of what you can do with Vegas' tools alone in the following clip:
http://www.glennchan.info/Proofs/dvinfo/EFP1-CC-comparison.mov
11.3MB download (my web server is very slow unfortunately, so it'll take a while to download)

Sean, There should be no guesswork in what the footage actually is regardless of your preview window. Just right-click on it as I said and read the properties from the file. What do they say? Does the format say DV? Does the pixel aspect ratio say PAL DV or PAL DV Widescreen? That will tell you what it is.

~jr

Yeah. But it 7.0.4. Downloading 7.1 to try it out now.

If you have Vegas 6.0d, it now includes the MainConcept AVC codec, which is H.264.

So render to Mainconcept AVC .mp4 instead. Works fine.

The MP4 container format is preferred over MOV for H.264, even by Apple.

"The MP4 container format is preferred over MOV for H.264, even by Apple."

Makes u wonder hey.. lol

Hi,

I am planning on doing some timelapse still image capture on my Sony HC1. This sequence when assembled will be added to a project using the HDV 1440i template -capturing the compressed output from the camera. Eventually I aim to output to a Blue-Ray disk although for the next 12 months I will have to settle for standard PAL DVD or play output from Hard Disk

My question is this: for best quality what image size should I select in the HC1? Options that look likely are:

1. 1920x1440
2. 1920x1080
3. 1440x1080

The first looks sure to squash the image in the vertical direction but what would 2 and 3 do? (HDV 1440 uses 'rectangular' pixels...)

Any help appreciated.


Regards, Nick.

Oic.. I'll give it a try. Trying to toy with this as the HDwmv doesnt run well on my 1.83Ghz laptop. Works fine on the 3GHz desktop. I hope the mp4 will work better.. Thanks!

Oic.. I'll give it a try. Trying to toy with this as the HDwmv doesnt run well on my 1.83Ghz laptop. Works fine on the 3GHz desktop. I hope the mp4 will work better.. Thanks!

If you have a horsepower issue, and WMV doesn't play well, then H.264 is going to be even harder. Try an older MPEG4 codec like XVID (http://free-codecs.com/download/Koepi_XviD.htm) instead. Single pass mode with quantizer at 2 or 3 is very good quality. Don't use single pass mode with a fixed bitrate.

H.264 is nominally part of the MPEG4 standards, but actually has little in common with previous MPEG4 codecs (eg. Divx, XVID, 3ivx). It requires more CPU to encode and decode, but is more efficient in terms of quality/size.

I am not familiar with the HC1 (I have a Z1) but my guess is that the still image capture is using a pixel aspect ratio of 1.0 so 1920x1080 is the way to go if you are going to output to HDV.

~jr

Finally..I am up and running full speed with Vegas again. I ended up downloading the updated Vegas 6d from sony's site and was able to install. Lesson learned: Becareful when downloading/deleting free triall version plug-ins for your Vegas!!!!

I have Vegas 6.0D. I rendered a Mainconcept MPEG-2 file for use in DVD architect. Now, when I try to encode the Audio in dolby digital AC-3, it wants me to "buy" the AC-3 encoder - for $200!!. This comes with Vegas+DVD, doesn't it? I even re-entered my registration online and serial #, but it still wants me to buy the AC-3 encoder. I've used it before, but I recently traded in a defective mobo with ASUS - under warranty. While I was waiting for this, I relaced my 160g IDE with a new 500G IDE and used Norton Ghost to copy software (including Vegas) over to the new drive. I have a SATA raid for the Captured Video files. Are the new mobo or HardDrive the problem?
How do I fix this?

Thanks

I am a Tech director of a youth center and we are intending to teach kids video production this summer.

I use Vegas and we have 2 FX1's.

I am ordering a computer for this task. I am looking at an Alienware workstation configured as follows:

dual amd opteron 270s (quad core!)

4 gig ram

250 gig system drive

1 tera raid 0 media drive

Nvidia quadro 540 w/ component breakout

Dell 2405 system monitor

probably a Dell 32" HD for preview

also getting a g-raid 1 tera external firewire

I intend to capture most inhouse stuff with a laptop running dvrack w/ hdv pack.

I currently convert to cineform and intend to continue with the new system.

So, the main question is: Can I expect full frame preview with this setup?

Any other comments?

Thanks


OT - Just for those that might be interested, we are a concert hall, skatepark, cafe, and game room. We have 3 50" HD plasmas and a 6000 lumen Sony projector on a 14" wide screen in the cafe area, and a game room with 4 40" lcds with Xbox 360's and gamer chairs with builtin sound.

We are intending to live switch and record our skate competition this summer. We are getting a Datavideo SE-800 to switch the HD to the displays in the cafe, and live web stream everything out via a Viewcast Niagara.

The AC-3 encoder is installed when you install DVD architect, but it has a separate registration step.

I suggest to make note of your registration number, and re-install DVD-architect.

Mark

Perhaps I'll resize it then. I'm showing my customers the samples on my laptop so I really hope to let them see the amazing difference of HDV.

Thanks Mark, I re-registered DVD Architect, and now the AC-3 encoder in Vegas works again. Boy, they can confuse a simple boy like me. It just never occured to me that if the ac-3 encoding in Vegas 6 was inop, that the problem was in the registration of a different program - dvd architect. I'm sure glad guys like you are around:) - Thanks Again - PK

First of all, congrats---I mean "centers" normally dont have the kind of budget that you have to work with! Your machine should offer you top of the heap performance.

Hey hey. I have a question about making a fist punch through a wall of text, blowing it to smithereens, in Vegas. I'm no expert with track motion, though I can manipulate it to a degree - nonetheless, if it requires it, I can do it.

I was thinking on using or creating some sort of preset that simply transitioned with an explosion effect - but that does not answer the question about the fist, which is necessary.

If anyone has any suggestions as to how to create this effect, I would be very grateful. Thanks a lot in advance.

~Loggie B

Wow! Most youth centers around here would probably have an Iomega Buz hooked up to an eMachines iMac clone.

If you're using cineform anyways, you should be able to get RT performance with a much cheaper system. By real-time, I mean that you can see the HD footage play back real-time. For effects, more CPU is better.

2- You can get the same machine for a lot less from outfits that don't charge such a high premium on the parts... i.e. Colfax, Monarch Computers.

At the same price, you could likely get better support from going with a vendor that specialises in video production... BOXX and Promax come to mind.

You can save money by getting a different video card. Vegas doesn't do GPU acceleration, so any dualhead/dual-monitor video card will work. Some other applications do (i.e. MBE, After Effects, etc.)... see their recommended specs.

3- If the point is for the students to learn, you don't necessarily need a high-end machine. For SD editing, a 600mhz Celeron will be fine for learning. Not that it would make any sense to get a machine like that now, but that might put things in perspective.

For the same price, you could probably almost get another camera + 2 single CPU dual core AMD systems (a dual core dual Opteron might only be 40% faster than a single CPU system). It might be better because there's more kids who have their hands on gear. Not that having very nice toys is a bad thing... but maybe more toys for boys, you know what I'm saying?

This post sorta has a short shelf life, but I was wondering if anyone out there is familiar with the Seattle VUG? Supposedly, they have a meeting on the 4th Thursday of each month (tonite) but their website only goes to October of last year. I've tried e-mailing them, but there has been no response to my inquiries.
I could REALLY use this, but I hate to go into town tonight, pay for parking, etc, if nothing is going on...


Thanks,

Bill

I have the same drive and went thru a process with Sony Support. They eventually developed a new set of 3 *.dll files that enabled the drive - with no problems subsequent. Contact Sony Support.

Darryl

Thanks! I will contact sony for the.dll files.

To clarify a bit, this system will not be just for teaching. It will be used heavily for regular production outside of the clinic times. We intend to create an in-house video network where we show mostly our own stuff. So we will be creating new stuff rapidly.

Did a search couldn't find answer so thought I would ask. What role does the graphic cards will play in Vegas and in HDV. Any recommendations? Simple terms are greatly appreciated.

Same as Mr Troxel but with 2gb ram. Vegas 6.0d runs like a dream.

Perhaps a little misleading to call this a laptop though - if you sat it on your lap you'd be enjoying second degree burns and crushed thighbones within minutes. It's an Alienware monster!

GPU acceleration plays no role in what Vegas DV or HDV does. (but may have lots of impact on any other GPU-intensive programs you use, such as 3D apps.)

Most people who've tried dual-head, dual-display will never go back. I've been told that nVidia drivers are more stable with Vegas than Matrox, but I think a lot of people are using Matrox as well as nVidia.

On a new fast HDV editing machine that supports full rate playback of HDV or Cineform digital intermediates, one solution for monitoring is use of the windows secondary display for preview (came with Vegas 6). The best way to do this is with a display that supports 1920x1040, which is the full HDV rez with square pc pixels. A Dell FPW 2405 24" LCD will support this rez, your graphics card would need to support it as well if you take this approach to previewing HDV/CF.

***edit***
Dell's site says your graphics card must support WUXGA resolution (1920x1200) to run the 2405.

I've got a clip that I want to reduce in size to use as picture in picture. I also want to crop the picture by zooming in - composition isn't great but as this will be a PIP the drop in quality on the zoom shouldn't be noticeable.

I can get the event pan/crop to EITHER zoom OR position but i can't figure out how to get it to do both. Do I have to use track motion for part of this?

Thanx

Ian

That's the easiest way. (IMHO)

If you are panning/cropping, and still need positioning, the only way you can adjust position is:
1. Track motion
2. Parent track with mask using pan/crop to place.

Since you're already zoomed in and have compromised resolution, you'll lose nothing by using track motion to position.
You can also use Pan/crop to position *if* you're not zooming in on the image.

I apparently selected approximately 70 percent of the clips in a complex wedding video, and I must undo the color correction I applied, which has ruined the movie. I am currently going clip by clip and removing the color correction, but with 5 tracks of video and hundreds of clips, it is tedious, not to mention I could easily miss some...any help would be greatly appreciated. If the effect had been applied to the entire project, I know that I could instantly remove it, but it wasn't. Thanks in advance.

you can use the "remove all FX" script to remove every filter on the project if that's what you'd like to do.

Much thanks, and best wishes to you and yours!

I keep my raw video data on an external "J:" drive. My .veg files are on my "C:" drive, along with my rendered .avi's.

This has always worked fine. Whenever I edited my master .veg file (consisting of rendered .avi's) I never needed to have my "J:" drive turned on. Only when I edited the individual scene .veg files, did I need to turn on the external drive.

Recently, I edited my master .veg file, adding two clips that I had copy/pasted from other .veg files (not rendered .avi files.) I then took out those copy/pasted .veg clips, replacing them with rendered .avi files, and saved the master .veg file.

Now, whenever I recall the master .veg file, it says that those two clips are offline and I need to turn on my "J:" drive to download them into the master .veg.

I've tried deleting the whole section where the editing took place and it still comes out the same. I even took all the clips out (an empty timeline) and saved it as a test file and when I bring up that test .veg file, it still asks for the missing .veg files.

Any ideas what I can do?

Thank you,

Ruben

What about copy/pasting the project into a new timeline and resaving that?

That's because the files are still in the media pool for the project, even though you are not using them. Select the Vegas media pool, there should be a little lightning bolt icon that cleans out unused media.

David/Douglas - thanx for your help

Ian

I have just captured my video to the PC and am working now with the raw footage. I'm using Vegas 6 and After Effects 6 for the purposes of this question....

I would like to bring in to AE a ten second segment, make it rain using AE's effects, then export that segment to Vegas where it will stay as part of a standard, non-widescreen, dvd project.

Must I purchase a plugin from, I believe, forgedimages, or frameserve? Can someone provide me with a simple tutorial/link that details specifically what my settings should be? I have tried exporting the completed footage to Vegas as uncompressed AVI, but after I do, I'm seeing faint, horizontal lines across the footage in Vegas or the raindrops effect has dramatically increased in speed for whatever reason.

That's why I'm in need of a comprehensive tutorial; is their a "sticky" or link to a tutorial that I'm missing on this matter?
Thank you--
Dale

I have Vegas 6 at work (I do video for a school district), and Vegas 5 at home. I sometimes like to work at home, but the Vegas 6 project files won't open in 5.

Is there a solution to this problem that I don't know about?

Since I'm the only user on my work machine with Vegas 6, does the license allow me to install it at home as well? It seems a little vague to me. But because there's only one person ever using the program, I thought it might be okay for the second install.

Any thoughts?

Here's was the EULA says:

"non-exclusive license to use the Software on one (1) computer at a time upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. "

It doesn't say Install, it says Use. Since I will only be using the software on one computer when I'm at home and only one computer while I'm at work, it sounds like I'm safe. Or am I dreaming?

Gian Pablo,

You were exactly right. The little lighting bolt in the Media Pool did the trick.

Thank you so much,

Ruben

The license covers three installs. But do you own the license?


I have Vegas 6 at work (I do video for a school district), and Vegas 5 at home. I sometimes like to work at home, but the Vegas 6 project files won't open in 5.

Is there a solution to this problem that I don't know about?

Since I'm the only user on my work machine with Vegas 6, does the license allow me to install it at home as well? It seems a little vague to me. But because there's only one person ever using the program, I thought it might be okay for the second install.

Any thoughts?

Here's was the EULA says:

"non-exclusive license to use the Software on one (1) computer at a time upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. "

It doesn't say Install, it says Use. Since I will only be using the software on one computer when I'm at home and only one computer while I'm at work, it sounds like I'm safe. Or am I dreaming?

Rob, I work for a local commuity college and I have the versions of Vegas, DVDA & Sound Forge that I use at work installed on my home computer. Sony (and Sonic Foundry before them) have never questioned it.

Hi Dale
Can you not just export the 10 second clip as an AVI, import into AE, then render it out as a new AVI with the rain effect, then finally re-import the new clip into Vegas?
I know Adobe has better integration, but I use this method for clips that need AE effects and it works fine..
Hope this helps

Graham

Try some footage (free) from www.detonationfilms.com. They have rain against a black background (as well as many other full screen effects) and then you can chromakey the effect in Vegas or AE.

Thanks, guys. David, the license is in my name and workplace.

The Adobe After Effects license specifically spells out that it's okay to use two computers, work and home, as long as both aren't being used at the same time.

So I was hoping that Sony's is basically the same. Sounds like it is.

Thanks again.