I did a little test on Vegas 4 (the demo). I have Premiere 6.5 with a Pinnacle DV500Plus accelerator card, and compared that with the same video clips to Vegas 4 running on the same computer. My workstation is a screamer (dual 2.0Ghz; 1.5GbRDR; 2000Pro) and thus Vegas should shine given its CPU dependence (or maybe put differently, if it doesn't shine here, where?).

Vegas performed just ok. It was unable to playback in full speed a full resolution DV file of about 2Gig. The drive I was sourcing from (one separate from the system files and program files) is a fast 7200rpm drive I use for video editing without problems.

Maybe the demo is limited somehow beyond the 2min. playback limitiation; maybe I haven't optimized it somehow (Vegas'ites -- what should I do differently?). Maybe it's unfair to compare using the accelaration (I can disable and rerun the comparison).

I will say this: it took about 3 min. of playing around with Vegas4 to figure out which software is more sophisticated -- Vegas is. But the lack of hardware acceleration support may be a real drawback. Thoughts?

I'm a little confused when you say:

It was unable to playback in full speed a full resolution DV file of about 2Gig. The drive I was sourcing from (one separate from the system files and program files) is a fast 7200rpm drive I use for video editing without problems.

Playback where---in the preview screen, on an NTSC monitor? Tell us more about what you were playing back and where you were playing it back because at this point your post doesn't make much sense. Are we talking about real time previews with effects--are we talking about rendered final projects---?

Vegas should have NO problem playing back a OHCI DV clip doesn't matter the size ..
what does matter is if that clip was captured by your pinnicle board and it put a pinnicle header on the file making Vegas use pinnicle dv codec ... Vegas is OHCI ..pinnicle 500 is NOT OHCI..
Vegas is unable to use the accelerator ... therefore Vegas must convert the clip from a pinnicle priporitory clip to a OHCI clip for preview...

premiere can be set up for OHCI but if it came bundled with your 500 it is set up for the 500 card and doesn't have to convert .
.it uses the accelerator ... ..

dual processors doesn't help previews .. it does help for fx's /rendering ...

you would need to have a clip captured with a OHCI card to see Vegas do its thing !!! then capture same clip with your pinnicle card ... now compare them with Vegas using the ohci and premiere using the pinnicle clip ...

Will do Don. I'll try it tomorrow and report back.

Well, thinking about it, shouldn't it be a fair comparison if I render out of Premiere a Microsoft DV encoded (v. Pinnacle DV proprietary) .avi, then load that into each NLE to see how real time preview works?

(David I was applying no new effects, just using the NLE to preview the clip as an initial test. One of the big selling points of the DV500 is real time transition previewing, etc.)

Oh---with your systems most previews should be smooth as butter----I will let Donatello do his thing--he is much more savy then me----Read the recent review of Premiere 6.5 in DV magazine---the reviewer makes some telling points

I just downloaded the demo and what a great program. It really has the toolset that I love to see. It looks just as professional as FCP and pushed Premiere into its grave for me, it even let me cover Premiere with dirt myself. I have always hated Premiere and now I have a good reason to hate it even more. What crap. Bring on V4 and FCP I love them.
How does the download compare to the retail box version of V4? Is there any reason to get the boxed version other than a book and CD's?

I am awaiting my Vegas 4+DVD, hopefully next week. I like VV3 more every day so I can't wait for 4.
I will have a VV3 for sale, cheap, right after I get 4. I bought Vegas 4+DVD out right instead of upgrade becasue I get a great deal through Educational suppliers, the full 4+DVD was only $269, special through March 15.

Robert: The box doesn't add much, just a content CD (most of which is usually available on the SOFO FTP site), a quickstart kit (note: *not* a full hardcopy manual, that's extra no matter which package you get), and a slick keyboard shortcuts foldout.

I bought the boxed kit when I got VV3 since it was already well out and shipping, but I wasn't about to wait for V4 to ship; I got the download and started playing right away.

<<<-- Originally posted by Keith Luken : I am awaiting my Vegas 4+DVD, hopefully next week. I like VV3 more every day so I can't wait for 4.
I will have a VV3 for sale, cheap, right after I get 4. I bought Vegas 4+DVD out right instead of upgrade becasue I get a great deal through Educational suppliers, the full 4+DVD was only $269, special through March 15. -->>>

Gah, I'm so jealous!

BTW- What are some good user forums for Vegas?
Since I am going to be getting the program soon I thought it would be nice of me to read up on the program.

thanks,
Rob :D

Ah, ok Don, you were right. Wow, this does make Premiere toast. Now if only it integrated better with AE (although I say that about Premiere all the time too :)

lol. I know that someone around here had a link to a plug-in that allowed AE to read V4 project files. I just cant remember where it is now.

Rob:D

The most popular Vegas forum:

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

What are your thoughts on Pinnicle Edition v. Vegas 4 folks? (Now that I'm contemplating throwing Premiere out the window -- something I've fantasized about actually -- I might as well figure out the best new home for editing.)