View Full Version : Preview window slow playback framerate issue


Josh Bass
November 2nd, 2005, 04:40 PM
So, it looks like due to some weird circumstances I'll have to upgrade to Vegas 6. Not that this is a bad thing, or anything.


As I was using it the other day, I noticed that after a while, the playback framerate in my preview window started to slow down over time, regardless of what I was playing (layers, FX, etc.). It could be just raw video, and it would still do it. the playback rate would be fine for a while (30fps or close to it), and then over time, it would get jerkier and jerkier 'til it was like 3 or 4 fps. For some reason, switching between preview quality and draft quality every time it slowed seemed to fix the issue for a while, til the next time it started slowing down, but I never had this problem in Vegas 4.

I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about this, and has any advice. Thanks.

Terry Thompson
November 2nd, 2005, 09:15 PM
I went from Vegas 4 to 6. I heard 5 had some problems.

I use and extra monitor to watch the "preview monitor" and when I start out it is a bit slow but catches up to full speed and stays that way. I am using a USB 2.0 external drive.

I would recommend you upgrade to 6 and then check to see if the preview monitor is set for the best fit or whatever it's called. Sorry, I can't remember the actual setting but it takes the place of draft etc.

Tery

Edward Troxel
November 2nd, 2005, 09:23 PM
Josh, first of all, make sure that you are using Vegas 6.0c (i.e. the most current version). Have you change the ram preview amount? If yes, you might try changing that back to the default value.

Josh Bass
November 2nd, 2005, 11:50 PM
Well, it's the demo of Version 6, til I actually buy the upgrade.

I did change the RAM amount, to whatever the max it said I could use was (7-800 and something MB).

Edward Troxel
November 3rd, 2005, 08:20 AM
Ok, lower the Ram Preview back to a lower value. Start less than 100Meg and see if that makes a difference. Also, what version is it? If it's not 6.0c, that could also make a difference.

Josh Bass
November 4th, 2005, 12:49 AM
That's what I was saying--it's the demo version of Vegas 6, so you can't upgrade that to 6.0c, can you? Or is there a 6.0c demo or something?

Edward Troxel
November 4th, 2005, 08:34 AM
I believe you can just go to the Vegas updates pages, download the 6.0c update, and simply install it over the top.

http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/download/step2.asp?DID=579

6.0c resolved some memory issues found in the earlier versions. However, lowering the RAM value in the preferences helps a lot in the earlier versions. The default is 16Meg.

Josh Bass
November 4th, 2005, 05:19 PM
Alright. I think I'll purchase it today anyway (can you do it via download, for a small discount?)

Don't I want the max RAM for dynamic previewing? So I can preview longer sections? Or not so much?

Edward Troxel
November 4th, 2005, 08:02 PM
You can do it via download but you'll have to check with Sony about any price differences. Naturally there won't be any shipping via download.

As for the preview RAM, the answer is "maybe". Personally, I leave it low which covers MOST of my needs. Then, if I really need a longer period of time, I will temporarily raise it to a higher value OR I will simply do a pre-render on that section.

Kyle Neaves
May 25th, 2006, 05:40 PM
I realize this is an old topic, but I search and am having similiar problems.

I didn't have any issues with 6.0a before I had to re-format and re-install everything. Since then, I have been maxing out my preview window framerate at around 9FPS. My Dynamic RAM is right at 90, all updated video drivers, and I just updated to 6.0d.

Anyone got any tips for fixing this problem? I'm going tommorrow to get a DVI-VGA adapter so I can run a 2nd monitor and use it as my preview device, but I would still like to solve this problem.

Josh Bass
May 25th, 2006, 05:45 PM
I seem to recall my dynamic RAM preview was set to 16MB, and then it was fine.

Kyle Neaves
May 25th, 2006, 06:08 PM
That was the default and it was still slow so I raised it.

Videos that have already been rendered have no slowdown, but raw, direct from camera, is slowing down.

Kyle Neaves
May 25th, 2006, 06:17 PM
Hmm.. I seem to just be having trouble viewing .avi files in particular (even viewing the file in WinAmp or iTunes is giving me extreme slowdown).

This isn't a Vegas problem, so I will find my answers elsewhere. Thanks.

Josh Bass
May 25th, 2006, 06:51 PM
Sorry to hear it. Good luck.