Hold down the Control key as you scrub with the mouse.

It doesn't matter. Vegas is non-destructive, so it will not touch the original files.

Hold down the ALT key and use the arrow keys. That will move you frame by frame so you can pick the best one. (with out the ALT key can move by multiple frames)

Thanks guys. Two useful tips. Ctrl-mouse works with the DVDA thumbnail properties scrubber, Alt-arrow works with the timeline scrubber (in DVDA and Vegas). With the latter I can double click on the time display and use copy/paste to get the start time into the properties menu.

Countdown timer
 

I am trying to get a countdown timer based on timecode in seconds/frames. If I apply a timecode operator all is well in that the code goes from 0 upwards. I tried reversing the clip but the timecode still goes forward (I understand why!!). Apart from rendering out the timecode track, re-importing the footage and reversing, is there a simple way to acheive this ?

no not really.. i had to do somethign similar with a timer and a pop quiz. lol

anyways i ended up downloading a program which i jsut googled "countdown timer" and a whole load of crap came up.. but theres an actual decent program out there which for the life of me i cant think of right now..

anyways i downloaded it.. set it to run backwards, but i set the background to be a ChromaGreen (i chromakeyed it over my footage you see.. )and i set my clock colour
from there i ran Camtasia Studio2, set my frame and hit record.. i then started the clock and recorded what i needed (my case was 1 minute interviews)
Vegas imported the clips effortlessly and all was well.. but i woudl rely on this method for accurate timecode keeping.. mine was more for a wow factor element..

Good solution, Peter. I also had to create a countdown timer and simply determined I couldn't do it in Vegas. So I created one in After Effects, which was simple and easy.

title bars
 

Hi folks,

I'm filming several interviews, and am going to put the interviewee's names and titles in title bars across the bottom of the screen, like you see in a lot of documentary interviews (or news programs). I was just wondering, is there a proper name for these objects, so I can search about them?

My specific question is, "What is your favorite way to make 'em?" I'm editing in Vegas 6, but am a print/web designer by day, so I have all the Adobe software (including Premiere and After Effects). I'm probably most comortable in Illustrator and Photoshop, but wonder if there's any specific reason to do the title bars inside a true video app, instead of importing them.

Thanks a ton!

Yes, they are called "lower thirds". In Vol 2 #10 of my newsletters, I discuss multiple ways you can create them.

I have made simple gradient title bars in Photoshop but by far you owe it to yourself to look into Digital Juice. Rick there is an old friend of mine. They make great graphics packages for every occasion. Most of which have seen some airplay on the big networks. They are available in the Editors Toolkit bundles that are fairly inexpensive for a working professional video person.

http://www.digitaljuice.com

Sean

I've got a .png image of white marble with a little bit of dark vein showing. I then make a lower third using the techniques Mr. Troxel so eloquently detailed in his newsletter. The first few times I did it, I copied it out of the completed project, but now I've done it so many times, I can create a lower third in 30 seconds, feathered edges and all.

Lower thirds
 

I have also used 12 inch design and boris red and graffiti to make mine. Speeds the process and looks great.

Thanks for all the help!

I've been drawing them up today in Illustrator and saving them as Photoshop (raster) docs to import to Vegas. Since I don't need animation at the moment, this seems to work pretty well.

DV Info -> ...helping pretenders [me] look professional!

Milo, I've had the best utility out of .png graphics in Vegas. If I remember correctly .png has an alpha channel so you can do more with the Parent/Child nesting options. I think that's covered in Edward Troxel' newsletters also!

Either PNG with transparency or PSD with transparency should work just fine. Vegas can read both formats well. I do mention using PNG's in the newsletter. The PNG's I used were actually created from within Vegas.