Broadcast settings question for music videos
 

I'm getting ready to start shooting some music videos, after shooting corporate for the last several years. Most of the corporate videos have been for internal use. The few that have been broadcast, I have given to corporate PR.

What should my render setting be for rendering a music video for broadcast? I will probably have to give it to a local conversion company to convert to Beta or Digibeta. I will ask them what is the best format but I don't think they will be able to tell me what are the best render settings for Vegas.

I know quite a few DViers shoot music videos for broadcast. Any suggestions, past experiences?

Thanks in advance,

4:2:2 uncompressed if you're going to DigiBeta. If they're an HD-only acceptance (many are now heading that way) then you'll need to consider HDCAM in the mix as well. but, if you're acquiring DV, then that takes you out of the HD game.

This is the directory I used, hope it helps: http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/partners/resellers.asp

What about for Beta?

And, are there other formats that I may be asked to supply?

What about 16:9 vs 4:3? Is 16:9 acceptable?

I notice the same thing with Sharpen. If the effect itself is checked off in your effects window, even if the value is 0, it will still apply some sharpening to the video. I just uncheck the effect if I don't want any at all, or remove the effect altogether.

Hope this is what you mean.

Same answer. Digibeta, Beta SP, Beta SX...same answer.

HDV resolutions are supported with Vegas 5, but it does not come with an HD codec or capture tool. When 5 was current product, Sony recommended purchase of Cineform's ConnectHD to fill in the missing pieces. There are other capture tools; the Cineform codec has proven itself to be a top performer.

Vegas 6 is of course remarkably similar to 5, but includes a Sony capture app, and the Cineform codec. 6 is the current version.

Still clip disappearing!?
 

I am bringing still images into my project (over a still background image) and using the pan/crop tool to resize. When I move an image to the right (still in pan/crop) it starts disappearing behind the background image. If I keep moving to the right it will disappear entirely.

Assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks - David Bird

this happens to me all the time.. I have'nt figured out exactly how I get it to work.. I know that if I put it on the very top track, it will ussualy stop doing this, so it must have somthing to do with compositing.

Open Pan/Crop, right-click the window, and choose "Match Output Aspect".

wow.. this is really got me stumped.. I got this whole commercial done and I cant render it. well, I can render everything but that swish avi, that I have re-dumped from other conversetion programs five times.. why would vegas play a avi and allow me to edit it, but leave the track out on render?

I appreciate all the responses. I'm open to more suggestions and explanations.

Thank you.

Alpha Channel Overlay
 

I use "Blufftitler" to create titling efect, saving AVI file then I open it in Vegas where in it's properties I select Alpha channel from "None" to "Premultiplied(dirty) "and it's work, title is appear overlay to main clip .
I use same process with AVI file that I made with "Particle illusion" but I can't
make same overlay effect.What is the problem? I only can get overlay when in Compositing mode I select "Lighten" but overlay effect is not so clear.
Any sugestions?
Regards.

Edward...works for me. It's amazing how much I DON'T know about this program.
Regards - db

A lot of it comes down to your burner, Media type, and Player.


DVD-R is a more Universal friendly format, but also beware of what maker of the media you use. Some players can't read generic media, so you have to spend money on quality stuff (Taiyo Yuden).

I myself never import footage into architech I just render to AVI and then open it in Arch... It seems to work better. However, I would try using a DVD-R anything labeled FUJI made in Japan is Taiyo Yuden and is solid media that plays in just about every player in the world.

I'd guess you're not outputting a 32bit avi from Particle Illusion. You need 32bit files so that they contain the transparency/alpha.

Change your screen resolution. I have edited in Vegas on 17" LCD WS, 17" LCD and 19" LCD and I see everything. You need to use a minimum of 1024x768 when using vegas.

Gary, while this may be true for you, you'll virtually *always* get a better encode using Vegas vs DVD Architect. Additionally and more importantly, encoding from the timeline preserves most of the color sampling of any media you may have used outside of DV-acquired media such as graphics, titles, 32bit overlays, etc.

You are correct that media plays a huge role in compatibility, and using off-the-Walmart-shelf media can set you up for problems. Using TY or other high-grade DVDs is the better option.

Try exporting a Targa still sequence from PI. Save the alpha channel with the image and you're good to go.

Hope this helps.

Ken

mt2 file - why doesn't Vegas recognize it?
 

Scrap that, figured it out. I was trying to use a DV project for HD.

Now, for the FX1, what do I use for the project settings? It is FX1 NTSC 60i camera that I am using, but I noticed that I can set up a project for 1440 or 1920 - how do I tell which one I have used in the camera?

which version of Vegas are you using?

previewing question
 

This may just be one of those "that's just how it works" things but it still bothers me so I must ask.

How come Vegas can "JKL" up to 4x speed and zip along.. but if you do a speed up via properties/playback rate or a velocity envelope then "oh no" you must render it and it plays back choppy?

Anyone have any advice on settings to make sure are right for best playback rate (preview wise)... I know it's largely (mostly) a cpu thing... just wondering if I'm missing something or click something wrong.

I GOT IT WORKING!! it seems you can't play a uncompressed avi from swish (you have to use a codec) in vegas, and the ones I was re-dumping through converters where not allowing me to render it in vegas although it would play.. to make a logn story short, I dump uncompressed avi out of swish, then us RAD VideoTools (a free converter) to re-dump as uncompressed again..never loose quality and vegas sems to play and render it fine.

buying used vegas
 

If I buy a second hand copy of vegas is the license transferrable? Am I breaking the rules and being naughty?

I once bought a second hand version for Film FX and it easily transferred and i even got tech support from the manufacturer.

Yes, you are allowed to buy/sell the software. See the EULA:
http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/support/eula.asp

Specifically:

5. ASSIGNMENT. You may assign the Software to a third party only if they agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement. If you assign the Software, your rights under this Agreement will terminate immediately and you must: (a) cease all use of the Software, (b) permanently delete all copies of the Software from the computer on which it has been installed, and (c) deliver the original Software to the transferee, You may not retain the original or any copies of the Software.

JKL simply is jumping greater distances on the timeline - it's not CHANGING the timeline. Velocity Envelope and Playback Rate both change the timeline.

Simple Intra-Event Effects Question
 

I apologize for an easy one. Help files were unhelpful.

If I want to apply an effect to a portion of an event (e.g., 5 seconds of a 20 second video clip), is there an easy way to select that portion of the event I wish to change and apply the effect without (a) having to slice at the edges of the 5 second portion to creat a mini-event, or (b) apply key frames to hold the other, noneffected portions constant?

No, those are the two methods Vegas provides.

Are you having issues with these methods? If so, perhaps there are some workflow suggestions forum contributors could provide.

For example, applying the same efx to a series of clips by moving them to a dedicated track and using track-level efx, or copy and paste attributes... depending on what it is you need to do.

I appreciate the reply. I'm not having trouble so much as getting used to keyframing in Vegas. I'm an After Effects guy and Vegas has a different feel in this regard. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something obvious. Thanks again.

Thanks Edward, I knew there was probably a logical reason... just wasn't sure what it was... still seems like for preview purposes it could be told to basically do the same ;) but maybe it is trying but has to read the instructions to do so every time which slows it all down.

OT: I just monitored my HD Read Bytes/Sec and even with 5 full DV tracks running with audio (yes it was a concophony but just testing) I was only seeing about 4MB/Sec being read.... is that correct? if that is the case then HD raids seem way less important than cpu power and we have a long way to go before worring about HD speed and transfer before cpu.

I normally just split it with "s" and then apply it.. you can always group the files together after that and they will act as one again... don't think that applys to efx after that.. good question ... anyone?

Soft white glow effect ?
 

Looking to get a soft white glow transition effect between a couple of clips.
Not sure how to achieve it

Cheers

SC

I think Vegas has a preset that might give you what you're looking for... do you have any examples or anything of what you're trying to achieve?

Vegas has a soft glow transition preset, you could also split the ends of the clips and keyframe in the glow filter, blasting it all out at the tail and head of the two events.
I often mix glow with Negative/invert filters for a nice, although somewhat common effect.

I'll give that a try.

Thanks

SC

Tapeless, DVD Edit with Vegas
 

I shoot some projects straight to hard-drive in an HDD-DVD deck, it encodes to MPEG2 directly. Usually I just need to burn a DVD with the deck and that's it. However, occassinally I need to edit some stuff out, basic straight cuts. What I've been doing is ripping the DVD's into a single Vob and dropping into vegas, edit, re-render and burn with Architect. This is fine, but my question is, when 're-rendering' this Vob, is there any kind of 'generational' loss? Not that it really matters, just curious.

However, I'm trying to think of ways to speed things up, especially if I have to edit an all day job that is equivilant of 4 dvd's for next day delivery....the rendering time is killing me. I've thought of multiple computers, but that could get pricey. I thought of batch encoding all the vobs into Mpeg2 right away as I usually have a few days or weeks before the call comes in to edit....I thought if I already have Mpeg2 (instead of a Vob) I can edit that in Vegas,..but then I've got to re-render as mpeg2 to get it into Architect?? Does Vegas6 have like a smart-encode, where it knows the file is already an mpeg2 and will render very quickly compared to an avi or vob?

If anyone has any suggestions or experience with this it would be appreciated. Thx Mike

Yes, there is generational loss. If you're doing cuts-only work with the MPEG files, try Womble or other MPEG editing app. Vegas will always recompress MPEG files at this point in time.

Adding effects to target areas
 

I do the same thing. I either slpit the event or clip where the intention is or keyframe it.

Connecting Clips in VMS Platinum
 

When I capture a DV tape, the VMSP capture program splits them up into smaller file chunks, and that is OK, especially when one needs to use the trimmer on some of them.

When I put the video clips together in the timeline of VMS Platinum, I move them visually with the mouse, expanding the timeline to make sure no gap exists between them, and most times its OK.

But I am relying on my eyesight and raw mouse movements to achieve this. Is there a keypress combo that butts a pasted video clip to the tail of the previous video clip with no gap?

If there is no keystroke and I do it visually, should I go for 'Half diamond' or 'triangle' when putting them together? Thin vertical line or thick one?

Thanks for any advice.

Options - Preferences - Turn OFF "Scene Detection"

The clips should "snap" together (assuming you haven't turned off snapping). You can always zoom in on the timeline to confirm, though.