I have been working with Vegas Movie Studio (Vegas Lite) for about 1.5 years now and just now bought the full version of Vegas 7. With the Vegas 7 I get the "Lite" version of Cineform and I have played around with it, but I have some questions concerning it.

I noticed the full version available for d/load for $199. Can anyone tell me the advantages of the full version of the codec?

In the sample videos I have rendered with the included version of Codec the image quality came out really, really nice, but the file size was quite large.

For example, I rendered some raw 32mb footage using the cineform codec and the end file is over 74mb! (No editing other than Color Saturation and the file is twice the size of the raw file.)

Is that a limit of the "lite" version? Does the Full version compress it into a smaller more reasonable size yet retain that quality?

Full verison often more quality (high quality not lower data rates) and more conversion filters (pulldown extraction, deinterlacing, 180 degree flips and resizing), match faster conversion (3+ times faster) and real-time capture into AVIs. The source MPEG within HDV is compressed within an inch of its life, CineForm reduces the amount compression (yes larger files) so that you have more flexibility in post.

Thank you David.

Is the trial version on the site a full trial or the same limited demo that I already have in Vegas 7?

It is the full version that runs for 15-days. Once installed launch the HDLink utility, that is where all the good stuff is.

Excellent. Many thanks!

Full verison often more quality (high quality not lower data rates) and more conversion filters (pulldown extraction, deinterlacing, 180 degree flips and resizing), match faster conversion (3+ times faster) and real-time capture into AVIs. The source MPEG within HDV is compressed within an inch of its life, CineForm reduces the amount compression (yes larger files) so that you have more flexibility in post.

You saying the Cineform AVI conversion reduces the compression. But when the footage is written on to the tape, isn't it already compressed? How can you uncompressed it even further (as in regain the lost data?)

Please correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the data on the HDV tape compressed mpeg format?

Thanks :)

Cineform translates the interframe MPEG, into a more editable intraframe scheme. Applying "less compression" to an exisiting file, in they way you may be interpreting David's comment, is sort of like unringing a bell. What he is saying is that for any given piece of video, the Cineform file will be larger.

The benefit of the Cineform codec is less reliance on your system's resources to process. HDV in its raw form requires interpolation of the interframe scheme.

Okay...I'm officially over my head now, I'm just a user, not an engineer. The generous trial version is the best way to see for yourself, how your particular system will benefit....and David provides so much valuable information here, it's literally an extension of your purchase.