Take a look at Issue #12 of my newsletter http://www.jetdv.com/tts

I put the blur on the BOTTOM track and use the cookie cutter to cut a hole in the top track. One advantage of doing it this way is that you can apply multiple cookie cutters to blur multiple areas.

If you are using blur, then the track being above or below is a matter of preference. I prefer to use pixelation, which works better on the top layer. If you cookie cut after the pixelization, you get a perfectly cut section, which looks strange. So you want to cookie cut before you apply the pixelization. This makes the edges get the same effect and obscures the division between the two layers.

Play After Function to Link MPEG's in DVD Architect?
 

Hi, I'm a newbie to DVD Architect.

Here's what I want to do. I have a dance concert with multiple pieces which so far have been rendered as individual MPEG's. I want a DVD that either allows a selection of individual pieces or plays the entire concert from start to finish including start and end credits.

Does DVD Architect have a play after function to link the mpeg's, or do I have to generate a humongous 80 minute single MPEG with markers for the individual pieces that I do scene selections for?

I looked for linking but didn't find it, which appears to put DVD Architect one down on Dazzle DVD Complete!!

Related question: Is there any quality hit from re-rendering an MPEG file if the bit rates, etc are unchanged? I will use my previous renders to make my humongous MPEG if needed. This is also useful to avoid a complete re-render if you correct a mispelled a name in the closing credits, etc.

Thanks!

-Tom-

Right now, you MUST create a single MPG file consisting of the entire program. That is the only way to play the entire program straight through.

However, within that program you can specify chapters that have starting and ending points meaning you can create buttons that play an individual segment.

Please help editing 16:9
 

What are the settings people use in Vegas to edit 16:9 shot with the anamorphic converter? How to print to tape letterboxed (I get heavy smearing). Thanks for your help!

Oops!
 

Thanks. I am in the midst of building that big mpeg now.

So DVD Architect doesn't have a feature that I took for granted in Movie Factory 2 and Dazzle DVD Complete? But then neither of them have widescreen or AC3 sound......

No. DVDA does NOT have end actions. I look for this to be remedied in the next version but have no guarantees that will happen.

As Sony posted a while back: They would rather release a solid product that doesn't crash instead of trying to cram in all kinds of features without the time to make those features solid. As Vegas has increased in power with each release, I would expect the same with DVDA.

To the best of my knowledge your project aspect settings should
match your output aspect settings. So if you output for 16:9
set project to 16:9 as well (you can change this while in the middle
of a project).

The aspect ratio on the footage is to let Vegas know what aspect
the footage is IN. Not what it should go to. Pictures have an
aspect of 1.0.

Here are some examples.
 

http://supersorteos.com/b.htm

Did you shoot the footage in interlaced or progressive? What
project and output settings are you using? I'm pretty sure you
have either of these two wrong and they are definitely not using
the same settings. If your footage is progressive you should
have the project and export settings as progressive as well!

It looks like an interlacing issue to me as well. Make sure that you right-click on the media in Vegas and tell it that the aspect ratio is widescreen (1.2121). If it was shot with an adaptor, Vegas most likely thinks it is 4:3. Then you need to make sure it deinterlaces when converting to 4:3 letterboxed. It looks like the project settings are set to no deinterlacing when rendering.

Thanks for your replies. All the settings are set to progressive: in the project properties, in the clip on the timeline and in the output.
I have tried, with rendering with and without the pulldown, widescreen and all the settings, but always leaving the progressive on...I also changed the deinterlacing to the three available options, and the same results...
I don't know what else to do at this point...thanks again

And you also did shoot progressive? With what camera?

With the dvx100, 24 progressive advanced

Rob, I think the mistery is resolved...I was shooting using the scene file F5 which is were I have storaged 24 progressive. But I have just realized that when I access the settings, it does not show the setting for the F5, but for the F1 which is interlaced! So I shot everything interlaced although the setting was set in F5! which still has the progressive mode...anyway, thanks so much for making me sure that I was shooting progressive!

Problems capturing video w/ Panasonic PV-GS50
 

Greetings,

I just recently acquired a Panasonic PV-GS50 and a copy of Vegas 4.0. I am using a standard Firewire cable and card.

My basic issue is this: I am trying to capture some taped footage I've already made. Vegas keeps asking me to be in Web Camera mode, but when I do this, all it does is set up a live capture.

If I switch to VCR mode and start manual playback of the tape, Vegas says it can't connect to the device or that the device needs to be in Web Camera mode. Unfortunately, Web Camera Mode doesn't allow me to playback any of the tape I've already made.

It seems like a catch-22 of sorts. Should I be using a video capture card? I was under the (perhaps mistaken) impression that all I needed was a firewire cable.

Any help you could render would be most appreciated.

One issue I had incorporating some 16:9 animation into my timeline was that even tho the animation software rendered assuming a 16:9, 1.2121 pixel aspect ratio, I had to manually set the clip properties on the timeline to that ratio, because when I brought it in, it was set to square (1.0).

I think I also had to set the "disable resample" option for the animation clips, otherwise i would see some wierd smearing effects.

Help! Restoring the Vegas Desktop
 

Somehow I have buggered Vegas so I can't view the media pool or any other of the tabbed thingies (tech word).

I know there is a command on startup to restore the default Vegas desktop, but darned if I can find it!

Thanks!

Open Vegas,
Go to the View menu
click on each toolbar you want to open,
they will open in the docked position at the bottom.

If you hold down Ctrl and Shift when starting up Vegas it will resotred the Defaults. Note: it restores ALL the defaults, not just windows. If only the windows are messed up, you might just use View -> desired window to show the ones you are missing.

problem printing to tape
 

I'm suddenly having a problem printing to tape. Running WinXP with Vegas 3.0c, nothing is sent to my GL2 when I print to tape from Vegas. I verified I can capture from the camera fine over firewire. Even when I print to tape, Vegas will start my camera and look like it's printing to tape. But nothing appears on my GL2 screen, and playing back what should have been the video is nothing but a black screen.

I've reinstalled my firewire card, but still the same. Windoze detects my camera when I plug it into the firewire port, so obviously it's communicating. I reinstalled Vegas also, but that didn't work. Even tried Movie Maker to see if that would work, but still all I get is a black screen.

Any other ideas? This is maddening....

Thanks!
 

I used the CTRL-SHIFT to restore and then did it again.

When I did View I could see them flying down to the bottom of the screen. Apparently they were hiding behind the Windows Start Bar.

Is this a 4.0e quirk or has it always been this way?

If MovieMaker isn't working either then the problem is probably
not with Vegas. What firewire card are you using?

What's changed on your system since it last worked? What have you installed?

There are several things to "try" but no guarantees any would work. For example:

Reinstall Vegas.
Reinstall DirectX.
Try another program such a Scenalyzer or the Vegas Capture.

One solution I'm sure WOULD work, reinstall XP and your Apps.

I've not seen that on ANY of the releases. BTW, that didn't change in 4.0e.

It sounds like they have been dragged loose of the "snapping" area. Can you drag them back to the snapping area?

Also, are you saying the screen did not reset? Or that it reset and then immediately went back to what you are describing? And you held the keys down through the entire startup of Vegas?

I was afraid of the responses I'd get...I did try reinstalling Vegas, but not DirectX, so I'll try that. Reloading WinXP will be my last resort. Don't recall reinstalling anything, but I've haven't had to print to tape for over a month, so there's no telling. My firewire card is a Pinnacle, I believe. I also have an AIW Radeon 8500DV, and that firewire port does the same thing. Just thought it was weird since the computer will control the camera and communicate with it....it just won't spit any video from the pc to the camera. Vice-versa works fine. Oh well. Hopefully I'll get this resolved soon. I have a project due in one week!

As a test, have you tried a different firewire cable?

Also, a standard OHCI compliant card would be better (using the built-in Microsoft drivers!)

I'll try a different cable, that's worth a shot. It is a standard OHCI compliant card. There's the one built into the ATI video card, then I have an additional firewire card installed as well. Both give the same results. Silly computers....

Well this is a bummer, and I hope it's not a problem with my new GL2. I tried from a different computer and different cable to print to tape to my GL2. Same thing, only get a black screen even though Vegas starts and stops my camera correctly. Then I tried the same thing but to an XL1s and it worked fine, print to tape worked correctly.

So does this sound like a problem with my GL2? Is there some setting I'm missing? I don't really think so, but I'm hoping. This is bumming me out.

Just noticed, aren't we supposed to see a DV IN indication on the screen when we have a firewire cable connected to the camera? This might be more appropriate in the GL2 forum, but when I have the cable connected and the GL2 set to VCR, the screen shows TV Screen and AV->DV. It does not show DV IN.

Edit....I'm a moron....all it was a silly setting in the menu screen. I had AV->DV turned on, which uses the analog inputs. Just did a test on printing to tape, and it worked fine on my GL2. Geez, I feel like a total tool...Thanks guys.

The GL-2 has a switch for this like the Sonys? Our XL-1 just "handles" it and determines whether we need "in" or "out" automatically.

It looks like that. I'm a bit surprised, as I never had to switch anything on the XL1, like you mentioned.

Architect question-link an image
 

Hello,

I am diving into Architect for the first time, and have not been able to figure out how to link an image to a piece of video..I have read over the help files, but must be overlooking something..I am doing a simple DVD with 2 buttons on the main menu, I would like each one of the images to play a video clip when selected??

Mike

Hello,

Ok, never mind, I have figured it out !!!!

Mike

That was quick! ;)

LOL! :D

Yeah, it seems backwards. You have to create a link and then change the picture instead of adding a picture and then creating a link.

Just as long as it works. And once I got the hang of it, DVD Architect has never failed me! :)

Ted

Just as long as it works. And once I got the hang of it, DVD Architect has never failed me! :)

before you jump ahead, i strongly suggest you read the SoFo forums as well as aother threads here with regard to Architect..

it DOES have issues...

good program, but many issues...

Another Architect question
 

Hello,

OK, Still in the learning curve on Architect..I go to the properties menu and I set it up to show my opening piece of video(I forget what it is called, but the intro piece of video when the DVD is first inserted and palys) Ok, when i go to preview my project, I nver see the intro, it goes right to the Main Menu.. Everyting else seems fine.. Just wondering if this is normal, and is there a way to preview this intro before burning??

Thanks
Mike

The "preview" button has a drop down arrow beside it. Press the drop-down arrow and click on "Preview All" instead of just "Preview"


As an alternative, once in preview mode, you can press "stop" on the remote and then press "Play"