PC Mag Review of Vegas -- Oct. 1 at DVinfo.net

Stuart Kupinsky · October 10th, 2003, 07:14 PM

Ok, don't kill the messenger. But what happened?

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1264735,00.asp

Glenn Chan · October 10th, 2003, 08:56 PM

I'm not sure if it was already posted here.

Anways the reviewer is mistaken about Vegas. But, I do agree that Vegas' titling tools are weak (say, compared to Final Cut Pro's Livetype). Considering its price you could just add on a third party titler if you need fancy titles.

There's some erroneous information in his review.

Edward Troxel · October 10th, 2003, 10:03 PM

Just a few thoughts:

Easy to use interface: True
Excellent audio tools: True
Generally good output: True but equals or exceeds others listed
Quite slow: False, although rendering is slower than some other programs. Overall operation is FAST
Lacking in some areas such as titling: Somewhat true although there is a LOT of power when combined with other effects
Lacking in some areas such as transitions: False (Cut or Dissolve should be used 99% of the time anyway!)
Color Correction Tools: Work VERY well.
Chroma Key Easy: Yes
Chroma Key Darkened Background: Haven't seen this.
Audio tools: Best of ANY NLE.

While I do not doubt their timings, there is MUCH more to editing than rendering to AVI or MPEG. I consider that time minor to the time saved while doing actual editing due to real time previews and other features.

Glen Elliott · October 11th, 2003, 09:13 AM

Hahaha...."PC Magazine". Give me a break.

Weak transitions? Since when do we base our judgements on NLEs on their fancy transitions?!

No Validity.

David Mintzer · October 13th, 2003, 09:22 AM

The guy who reviewed Vegas really got it wrong--but then again, Sonic Foundry doesn't advertise the way Pinnacle and Adobe do in PC Magazine (although this might change with the Sony acquisition). PC Magazine should stick to selling and stay out of the review business--

Frank Granovski · October 13th, 2003, 12:23 PM

PC Magazine was a good magazine..., 8 years ago.

Tor Salomonsen · October 14th, 2003, 01:48 AM

If it's possible for a big advertiser to have a mag print favourable reviews of his own product, isn't it equally possible to have them print bad reviews of the competition's?

Glen Elliott · October 14th, 2003, 08:52 AM

See the odd thing is it wasn't a "bad" reivew per-say. It was more wishy-washy. Kinda like "Vegas is good...BUT". However your right there definitly can be politics in editorial colums/reviews.

Brad Higerd · October 14th, 2003, 10:04 AM

When making the decision between Edition and Vegas, there was one compelling factor that still is the overriding issue – stability. Vegas just plain works! Edition, on the other hand, crashed during a DV Creators workshop I attended in Tampa this year, on my computer as a demo, and for many of the users reporting on Edition Planet. I have never regretted buying Vegas, because it works!

One man’s opinion.

Will Fastie · October 15th, 2003, 05:57 AM

I'd hardly call that a review.

I believe the reviewer has a personal preference for Edition. My efforts to convince him that Vegas had a higher "productivity quotient" obviously failed.

Regarding the comments above that the review was slanted due to advertiser pressure, Sony is much bigger than any other player in the video editing market and its advertising dollars would be similarly important. Why would PC Mag dump on Sony? Sony, now, not Sonic Foundry.

In general, I think the notion of advertiser pressure is overstated. It's more a popular belief, the magazine equivalent of "money talks." I used to work for Ziff-Davis as EIC of one of the computer magazines. I can't say I was never pressured, but I can say that I and my editorial staff fought zealously to remain objective. Knowing many of the folks at PC Mag, I'd have to say I think they do the same.

The reviewer is just wrong in this case, and that happens sometimes.

Will

Glen Elliott · October 15th, 2003, 11:15 AM

I can think of a million compelling factors Vegas has over Edition, stability not even being one of them.

David Mintzer · October 15th, 2003, 06:33 PM

Your point would be well taken if this reviewer hadn't been negative about Vegas from day one---when Sonic owned them. If you persuse PC Magazine, I would wager to say that most Sony products have been advertised via retail and mail order ads by resellers--Very little actual Sony advertising.

Will Fastie · October 15th, 2003, 06:46 PM

It doesn't matter if Sony currently advertises or not. Sony advertises a lot in print and PC Mag would surely want some of that action.

Rob Lohman · October 16th, 2003, 04:10 PM

I have to stop the speculation here. None of us truly knows how
why and what and can only read the article as it is.

October 10th, 2003, 07:14 PM	#1
Stuart Kupinsky Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Princeton, NJ Posts: 82	PC Mag Review of Vegas -- Oct. 1 Ok, don't kill the messenger. But what happened? http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1264735,00.asp __________________ DVX100A/AT4071a/Vegas/After Effects Dual 2GHz Xeon PC

October 16th, 2003, 04:10 PM	#14
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	I have to stop the speculation here. None of us truly knows how why and what and can only read the article as it is. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

October 10th, 2003, 08:56 PM	#2
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	I'm not sure if it was already posted here. Anways the reviewer is mistaken about Vegas. But, I do agree that Vegas' titling tools are weak (say, compared to Final Cut Pro's Livetype). Considering its price you could just add on a third party titler if you need fancy titles. There's some erroneous information in his review.

October 10th, 2003, 10:03 PM	#3
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	Just a few thoughts: Easy to use interface: True Excellent audio tools: True Generally good output: True but equals or exceeds others listed Quite slow: False, although rendering is slower than some other programs. Overall operation is FAST Lacking in some areas such as titling: Somewhat true although there is a LOT of power when combined with other effects Lacking in some areas such as transitions: False (Cut or Dissolve should be used 99% of the time anyway!) Color Correction Tools: Work VERY well. Chroma Key Easy: Yes Chroma Key Darkened Background: Haven't seen this. Audio tools: Best of ANY NLE. While I do not doubt their timings, there is MUCH more to editing than rendering to AVI or MPEG. I consider that time minor to the time saved while doing actual editing due to real time previews and other features.

October 11th, 2003, 09:13 AM	#4
Glen Elliott Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 2,898	Hahaha...."PC Magazine". Give me a break. Weak transitions? Since when do we base our judgements on NLEs on their fancy transitions?! No Validity.

October 13th, 2003, 09:22 AM	#5
David Mintzer Rextilleon Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Pleasantville, NY Posts: 520	The guy who reviewed Vegas really got it wrong--but then again, Sonic Foundry doesn't advertise the way Pinnacle and Adobe do in PC Magazine (although this might change with the Sony acquisition). PC Magazine should stick to selling and stay out of the review business--

October 13th, 2003, 12:23 PM	#6
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	PC Magazine was a good magazine..., 8 years ago.

October 14th, 2003, 01:48 AM	#7
Tor Salomonsen Major Player Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Stavanger, Norway Posts: 265	If it's possible for a big advertiser to have a mag print favourable reviews of his own product, isn't it equally possible to have them print bad reviews of the competition's?

October 14th, 2003, 08:52 AM	#8
Glen Elliott Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 2,898	See the odd thing is it wasn't a "bad" reivew per-say. It was more wishy-washy. Kinda like "Vegas is good...BUT". However your right there definitly can be politics in editorial colums/reviews.

October 14th, 2003, 10:04 AM	#9
Brad Higerd Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 186	When making the decision between Edition and Vegas, there was one compelling factor that still is the overriding issue – stability. Vegas just plain works! Edition, on the other hand, crashed during a DV Creators workshop I attended in Tampa this year, on my computer as a demo, and for many of the users reporting on Edition Planet. I have never regretted buying Vegas, because it works! One man’s opinion.

October 15th, 2003, 05:57 AM	#10
Will Fastie Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Jarrettsville, MD Posts: 353	I'd hardly call that a review. I believe the reviewer has a personal preference for Edition. My efforts to convince him that Vegas had a higher "productivity quotient" obviously failed. Regarding the comments above that the review was slanted due to advertiser pressure, Sony is much bigger than any other player in the video editing market and its advertising dollars would be similarly important. Why would PC Mag dump on Sony? Sony, now, not Sonic Foundry. In general, I think the notion of advertiser pressure is overstated. It's more a popular belief, the magazine equivalent of "money talks." I used to work for Ziff-Davis as EIC of one of the computer magazines. I can't say I was never pressured, but I can say that I and my editorial staff fought zealously to remain objective. Knowing many of the folks at PC Mag, I'd have to say I think they do the same. The reviewer is just wrong in this case, and that happens sometimes. Will

October 15th, 2003, 11:15 AM	#11
Glen Elliott Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 2,898	I can think of a million compelling factors Vegas has over Edition, stability not even being one of them.

October 15th, 2003, 06:33 PM	#12
David Mintzer Rextilleon Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Pleasantville, NY Posts: 520	Your point would be well taken if this reviewer hadn't been negative about Vegas from day one---when Sonic owned them. If you persuse PC Magazine, I would wager to say that most Sony products have been advertised via retail and mail order ads by resellers--Very little actual Sony advertising.

October 15th, 2003, 06:46 PM	#13
Will Fastie Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Jarrettsville, MD Posts: 353	It doesn't matter if Sony currently advertises or not. Sony advertises a lot in print and PC Mag would surely want some of that action.