Is the AC-3 encoding, the surround codec, or is it just a stereo version?

The AC-3 encoder included with Vegas+DVD is an AC-3 5.1 encoder. It can also encode AC-3 stereo.

It's funny how nobody ever comes to Madison WI, where Vegas is made :)

Thanks
 

Thanks to all those that helped me with my questions, I've ordered the Vegas 4 Acedemic Version, and hopefully it will be here in a week or so. Thanks to Peter Seiben for the link for Overseas buyers.

So now I wait, then start the learning curve.

Thanks again All,

Andy

Don't forget to look into G. Klieners 2 DVD Titorial selection. It is rockin'

Weird DVDA problem
 

I burned a movie using DVDA 1.0b and like so many other times, the menu came up without a hitch.

I select to play a movie and the DVD player stops! I reload the DVD and the other menu selections work fine, just this one movie.

Any ideas?

Crashing When Scrubbing
 

My computer continues to crash when scrubbing in Vegas (d build), and I cannot get it to stop. The error messages state that I am either out of memory or that it can't read from some specified memory location. The machine has 1 Gb of Cosair ECC RAM that has never given me problems. This problem persists no matter how large or small the file I edit. The existence or non-existence of a page file on an independent SATA drive has had no effect. I have tested the drives, and they can sustain read/write speeds of about 40 Mb/s (all Maxtor SATA hdds). In addition, I increased the latency of the RAM timings to try to increase stability, and still no solution has been reached.

If you have any idea on why I am having this problem, please help me.

Thanks,
Brad

There's a few things you can try such as trying a different player, burning another copy and see if it works, burn on a different media, try burning from a different program, try re-rendering that one file, try rebuilding the project in case of a bad build. Unfortunately, these things can be tough to trace down.

I've been trying to trace it down but as you said, it's a difficult thing to do. I've downloaded the latest DVDA from Sony and in the process of preparing and burning a new instance.

I've tried different media, it works on 2 other players but doesn't on the newest one (highest compatibility as well).

Have you tried uninstalling and reinstalling Vegas?

Try switching to different audio drivers (under preferences, I believe). I recall someone else having a similar issue and it turned out to be a driver conflict.

Yes Robin- I had the same problem. I switched the "audio device type" (preferences>audio device>audio device type) to Windows Classic Wave Driver. Haven't had a problem since.

what is a good analog video card for vegas 4?
 

I was wondering what are some good analog and digital capture cards that will work with vegas 4.0. Im trying to find a card for someone with only a analog camera.

I personally use a Canopus ADVC-100 hooked to a Koutech Firewire card. I really like my 100. Very nice cap's and hassle-free. If you are strictly looking for a PCI based, all-in-on inclusive package, maybe the Canopus ADVC-1394.

The ADVC 1394 is really the only PCI card that is designed to work with Vegas. For a time, the two were even bundled.

Will the Windows Classic Wave Driver prohibit me from editing surround sound?

It won't prohibit editing but would limit "hearing". Check to see if there's an updated driver for your audio card.

Thanks

No updated driver as of yet, but I do appreciate the advice. After making the suggested changes, I have experienced no problems with scrubbing.

Thank you all for your help!

Edward- I don't understand what you meant by the different driver limiting "hearing". If you mean audio while scrubbing, mine still works fine.

You have fewer channels to which you can direct your output. I didn't mean you couldn't hear the audio.

Gotcha!

The ADVC-100 took all of the frustration out of analog conversions for me.

capturing deirectly to disk
 

i'm going to do a few shots for a short to shoot directly to disk..

is there any way in vegas to have the histograms and scopes work on the preview footage so that i can adjust them before i capture?

thanks

You'll have to capture the footage in order to run them through Vegas' scopes. Just capture some sample shots and run them through the scopes. Then, once satisfied, do the real thing.

Temporary and Prerendered Files Folder question
 

First of all many thanks to Edward for the great job with the Tips, Tricks and Scripts guide!
I need to know more in order to make my choice on the hard drives usage and organization though.

What exactly is the Temporary files folder?
In Sound Forge the program makes back up copy so you can restore quickly the changes and the actual editing is on the copy. Obviously it’s better the temp folder to be on different physical disk. After you confirm the final save the original file is overwritten.
How is that implemented in Vegas?

Also what does it mean Prerendered files? I know that Vegas when told to render is actually skipping the untouched parts and rendering only the parts with effects and transitions, added text, etc. What is the relation between the raw DV data and the rendered final project?

Where the actual editing process take place? If it’s in the temp files folder than it’s better to be different from your raw video storage disk I think.

Often spelled tip says ‘keep your things not on your OS drive’. But usually main OS kernel and active programs are run from within the RAM (if you have plenty). So here there is controversy I guess.

My basic scenario will be:
1) Capture from mini DV
2) Edit (with Vegas for example)
3) Render the final project (ready for printing to tape for archiving on mini DV)
4) Encode to MPEG2 + AC3 (authoring for DVD). I would like to store this for certain time so I can make few copies later if needed.

What would be my best set up if I use only 2 drives?

Any opinions? Thanks…

P.S. You can omit my scenario – I’m really interested mainly on the physics of editing process!

The "Temporary Files Folder" is where Vegas will write any files that need to be temporarily created and then deleted when no longer needed. However, sometimes a large amount of space is needed so make sure the drive you choose has plenty of space. This CAN be your OS drive as long as the OS drive has plenty of room. Every time you render, temporary space is used.

The "Prerendered Files Folder" is where all prerenders are stored when you either manually choose to pre-render OR you do a Print To Tape. This should typically be your video drive and may also require a large amount of space.

Convert Stills to slideshow
 

Does anyone have a nice way to take a pile of jpg's and turn them into a montage/slideshow with transitions in a somewhat automated fashion?

Thanks!

Curious about Screenblast upgrade...
 

I have Screenblast, and I am considering the reduced cost upgrade to Vegas 4, which is $459. Of course, I could upgrade to Vegas+DVD and get the additional software, for $699. Therein lies my conondrum. I understand, in general terms, what the additional software in V+DVD is for. I really do not need the AC-3 audio, but it is pretty sweet I'm sure. Other than that, what are the benefits of the additional $250? Will finished products made in Vegas look "better" when burned to DVD with the +DVD software. I read that the encoding is better (I may really screw up my terminology here) with the apps in +DVD, which result in better audio AND video quality on the final DVD copies. If this is true I may stretch my budget and get the full-meal-deal. However, if I can create projects in Vegas 4 and move them to DVD that look the same in regard to quality, but have less options for chapters, or menus & buttons etc, I would rather spend the money on something else. If it isn't painfully obvious I am a newbie to this level of editing, so I appreciate your assistance as well as your patience.

The "+DVD" adds both the AC-3 encoder AND the DVD authoring program. You need a DVD authoring program to create the proper files to burn a DVD. If you already have a different authoring program you prefer to use, then "+DVD" is not required. However, I LIKE DVD Architect and now use it for ALL of my DVDs.

Sure I do. Check out the article that talks about that in my newsletter.

http://www.jetdv.com/tts

The aid of a couple of scripts really helps speed up the process!

Thank you Edward!

So if I save my project on the video drive (with the raw data) it's clear the temp folder is better to be on different drive.

I still can't understand the difference between pre-render and render though.

Need a bit more clarification. Thanks.

update
 

So far, I've traced it to the point that the movie does not play once I've applied field blending (none: progressive) deinterlacing. The clip that does not have this process applied plays fine on all players.

I follow you. I have the authoring app, but it is low-end (Sonic MyDVD is it I think) and was curious if the higher priced +DVD software was woth it in regard to quality of the final image on DVD.

Pre-rendering is still, technically rendering, but in a different context to "real" rendering. You usually "Render" your project when you've finished it and want to write it out in whatever codec and format you need (MPG2, Sorensen, DV etc) for final distribution. "Pre render" is usually the bits of rendering you do during the editing process, prior, or PRE to the "real" render. For example.

You might want to Pre-Render when you've applied a complicated effect to a region on the timeline that you couldn't playback at full framerate. You can just select the region on the timeline and chose to Selectively Pre-render. That region of the timeline will be rendered to your Prerender directory. Now when you play the timeline that clip will playback as though it was fully rendered. It will be using the "Pre-rendered" clip you made previously.

Any changes to that area of the project though will discard the pre-rendered clip and you'll have to pre-render again.

Aaron

Best I can answer is "It depends". Generally speaking, they SHOULD both be able to give the same quality. However, it depends on where you do the rendering (in Vegas in both cases? or do you let MyDVD render?) and whether or not the program will accept the MPEG2 files without re-rendering. Lots of factors can make the answer vary.

Did you mean the pbs wizard?

Thanks for your quick response btw.

KIM

PBS is for the Ken Burns effect--read the newsletter Ed referred too.

James,
I'm a Vegas user who hasn't added DVDA. I use Movie Factory (a Ulead product) which cost me $50 and am very happy with it. I encode to the DVD template in Vegas using best quality and then import the MPEG-2 file into Movie Factory. No re-rendering. It burns with outstanding quality. If I need to, I can create some chapters but so far, I've only done one DVD with chapters. Most of my DVD's just start to play (no chapters). When I get rich enough (or Vegas 5 comes out), I'll probably upgrade but for now, I'm happy with what I have. Hope this helps.
Randy

David -

I did read it and I thought he meant the pbs wizard so obviously I don't get it.

Maybe I looked at the wrong issue?

Issue #1 In this issue:

What is Tips, Tricks, and Scripts
Vegas Preferences - Part 1
What is Scripting
Fade the Selected Event In and Out

Issue #2 In this issue:

Creating a PIP using Track Motion - Part 1
Vegas Preferences - Part 2
Finding Tracks via Scripts

Issue #3 In this issue:

Creating a PIP using Track Motion - Part 2
Vegas Preferences - Capture Utility
Automatically Generate Lower-Third Titles

Issue #4 In this issue:

Creating a PIP using Track Motion - Part 3
DVD Architect Preferences
Beginner's Corner - Where Do I Start?
Add Movement to the Lower-Third

Issue #5 In this issue:

Capturing Snapshots from Video
Beginner's Corner - Capturing Video
Single Button Snapshots

Issue #6 In this issue:

Introducing: Excalibur
Beginner's Corner - Printing To Tape (PTT)
Slideshow to Markers Script

Issue #7 In this issue:

Preparing for DVD
DVD Bitrate Chart
Beginner's Corner - Beginning Editing
Authoring a DVD in DVD Architect

Issue #8 In this issue:

Creating a Motion Slide Show with Pan/Crop
Beginner's Corner - Timeline Details
DVD Architect - Positioning Menu Items

Issue #9 In this issue:

Editing Multi-Cam Events
Beginner's Corner - Changing the Speed of a Clip
Adding and Assigning Bus Tracks

Issue #10 In this issue:

A Quick-Start Guide to Vegas Editing
Tsunami - A Wave of Editing Tools
Creating an Audio CD
Beginner’s Corner - Navigating the Timeline
Resetting Pan/Crop via a Script

Issue #11 In this issue:

Doing A Color Pass
Beginner's Corner - Changing Opacity
Add Markers At A Set Interval Via A Script

Issue #12 In this issue:

Review of Vegas 4 Editing Workshop Book
Beginner's Corner - Scope of Effects
Blurring Faces a la "Cops"
Obfuscating and Encoding Scripts