I'm not sure if you can add reverb while recording. Perhaps you
need to look into an audio application. Anyway, it might be good
to ask this question in Sonic Foundry's excellent forum (under
Vegas - Audio):

http://www.sonicfoundry.com/forums/default.asp

Why are you exporting with lower field first? If you do that Vegas
will add some weird form of interlacing to your footage. Since you
got it from 8mm it is progressive (you need to select none for
interlacing!!!) instead of interlaced.

Those are definitely not interlacing problems though. It almost
looks like you applied some funny filter or something. Are you
sure the footage is okay originally? I can't imagine how a DVD
application or player could cause such defects.

<<<-- Originally posted by Rob Lohman : Why are you exporting with lower field first? -->>>

Because standard DV and MPEG2 for TV is lower field first. Why WOULDN'T you render to lower field first?

How to read divX
 

I have a movie, that's encoded in DivX format, and Vegas cannot open it, it doesn't recognize the format. If I try to open the movie using Windows Movie Maker, I can. Obviously that if I try to watch the movie, I also can because I have the divX codec - pro version - installed. If I try to encode some footage using Vegas and the DivX codec, I also can (so although Vegas cannot read DivX, it can write DivX!!).
Can someone tell me why Vegas cannot open a DivX encoded file and, if possible, how to fix it?

Because the source isn't interlace (in this case). As you know the
DV format doesn't care whether the signal is interlaced or not. If
I export a progressive stream from my XL1s in Vegas with lower
field first it somehow adds interlacing back into the game which it
doesn't do when I set it to none. I was only talking regarding the
DV export, not the MPEG2 compression...

Anyways, you must agree with me that the image problem isn't
interlacing, that much is certain

You might want to look into frameserving the file from Virtualdub
or frameserving it from Avisynth

no, you can't during recording, unless the input is being fed through a bus within your card and your running effects on your soundcard (Creative cards can do this)

on the other hand i would STRONGLY suggest you record your audio raw and add effects in post.

reason being is that if your reverb config isn't right first time, your stuck with a substandard master recording which can't be fixed and wont "fit" with the rest of the ambience of the room.

to flatten vocal, i would suggest a few plugins such as the Beatmodel set (incredible chorus and reverb), the TCNative set, another great analogue sounding reverb unit, timeworks set and the Hyperprism set.

i'd also suggest something like the Antares Microphone Modeller which can literally convert the characteristics of a recording from an old cheap sounding mic to something alot more professional.

Again i can't stress how much i would stray against recording live recordings with effects (unless its a live recording of a performance)

Dude check out Spicemaster ;)

does it all

Might it be something simple like the FOURCC code isn't the right
one? There are utilities around that can change that code so it
is recognised as standard DV. Let me know if you still have this
problem.

Already picked up a copy- works great! Thanks for the heads up!

No, it certainly does NOT look like interlacing.

I can understand not using lower field first if you taped in progressive. However, the standard mode of the XL-1 is lower field first and is what I use for all of my renderings. I'm assuming you tape in frame mode instead?

Vegas doesn't officially support DivX so it may not work (although some people have had limited success).

That is correct, Edward. I shoot in frame mode. I'm talking
progressive here since I'm assuming a transfer from 8mm isn't
interlaced (I hope).

Now I understand.