Vegas Video discussions from 2004 (Q1Q2)

[Aaron J.H. Walker]

Hey folks;
I have a question for the more experienced Vegas users.
This is my first Vegas project and am wondering when I decide I no longer need/want to use a clip and click the delete icon above the media bin/explorer window, does is really mean delete?
When I look in My Documents, I can't remember which ones I no longer need (and deleted) and therefore can't verify if they are gone from my hd or just gone from media bins.
BTW, I'm still using V4,
Any answer would be appreciated.

[Edward Troxel]

When you delete from the media pool, you have the option of only deleting from the media pool or deleting from both the media pool AND the hard drive. It's your choice.

Personally, I always delete from the hard drive using Windows Explorer.

[Michael Wisniewski]

Great presentation! I really enjoyed your overview of the audio tools. And your demonstration of noise reduction was just fantastic. It has made me completely re-think my workflow and my usage of mics.

That was a pretty cool room too, I don't know if you noticed but even the individual seat areas were treated for sound. It was pretty funny to watch you clap your hands to try and get some room tone.

[Aaron J.H. Walker]

I need some help!!!!!

After reading through Douglas Spotted Eagles book on Vegas 4, i still can't get the name of the interview subject to composite over the video like we all see on news shows, etc. I keep getting a black or gray checkerboard screen that simply inserts over the desired clip.

According to the book, I should open insert text media by right clicking. The video event fx window opens. I should then select my font style and size then placement then properties. In properties I am supposed to be able to choose to have the background color transparent but mine is either all black or some variation of the gray checkerboard - with no video underneath.

What am I doing wrong?!?!

It seems like a simple procedure from what DSE describes in his book but mine is not working.

Please help, I would like to be able to id my interview subjects while they are talking on screen not on a seperate screen.

[Scott Plowman]

create a track (right click, insert video track)
This should create a new track or time line above all your other media on the board.
on the new track right click click insert text media and then edit your text. Stretch the media for the time frame you want it to be seen overlaying the video you want. Its that easy
If this doesnt help you drop me a line with your # if you like and when I get home I will call you and walk you through it step by step : ) hope that helps : ) good luck..
PS. try the sonic foundry/ sony VEGAS Bulletin board. It is the most helpfull source of info on the internet for any problem you have with Vegas. The people there are very helpfull and responsive

[Aaron J.H. Walker]

Thanks Scott;

I will try this when I get back in front of my computer and let you know if it works.

And I agree, this is the most useful forum I have found.


Thanks again.

[Scott Plowman]

Hey Aaron. Hope that works out for you. What I meant about the best place to find info.. essentialy a virtual handbook for Vegas is the Sony forum website
http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/forums/default.asp
it will have alot more info. Hope that helps.. : )

[Edward Troxel]

Take a look at my newsletters at http://www.jetdv.com/tts where I discuss this and many other topics.

[Andy Shrimpton]

I have worked this out for DVD, but have the following queries.

1) On a Video Tape, is there a safe zone also?

If you want to see EVERYTHING on DVD you need to shrink the size of the output via pan crop to the safe zone and render that way. Is this the same for Video?

2) Do the users on this forum do this, or merely let the material outside the safe area go unseen?

Cheers,

Andy

[Edward Troxel]

1. Yes

2. I just let it go outside.

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

Vegas will be having a strong presence at the SMPTE show in NYC next week at the Marriott Marquis hotel, Tuesday from 2:30 to (I think) 9:00 p.m.. Check out one of the most professional-oriented events in NYC. Usually a very cool show.
http://www.smpteny.com/smpteny
My understanding is that Vegas will be presented to the FCP users group there like it was in LA.

[Peter Jefferson]

i do alot of handheld work, so these gaps come in handy.. panning and croppign always requires resampling, which in turn degrades quality.. ive rerendered an avi 4 times and u DO notice degredation...
3 times rendering is the most i can get without noticable loss..

as for shrinkin the vid outut to be in the action safe area, the picture will actually look alot nice if u do this, as the pixels are compressed alil more than usual..

Another way to look at it in lamens terms..
think of it as a 5mp still image.. now u run it standard its 5mp pic.. print it up in its native size (for arguments sake we'll say a3, and its 5mp in pixel and resolution . now the pixels all retain theyre specific size and resolution doesnt change....

now from a3, u wan to print 4x6...
what kind of quality would you get?? Better or worse or the same??
Considerably better actually as your pixels are compacted into a tighter space.. therefore the pixels are physically smaller..

Resolution wont change, only size... BUT pixelation will be almost non existant..
How many pixels are in an image depends on what camera you use.. and resolution is dependant on ur location, and filmin preferences....

FYI Digital Zoom work the exact opposite..

[Graham Bernard]

This is truly a timely Post. I'll repeat what I posted over on the Sony site . . but I think I'll need to reduce the whole movie to fit into the safe areas .. here's the issue:-

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Okay, last year I shot and edited a Community Project. All went well, client happy. I got paid.

I saved this to miniDVD tape. Fine. It plays fine. It loads back into V5 fine .. and plays beautifully.

Now I want to make a DVD from it. So I load it into V5 and create a MPEG. This MPEG2 I use in DVDA2. The previous, rock-solid no-problem white on black credit roll produces nasty artifacts and really silly things in the final DVD. I can preview the MPEG2 and I can't see any problem. I've even got "other" credit rolls, albeit light colours and little contrast . . this is silly . . .I can't be thinking this is what it is .. . black and white creates problems? It's a finished movie? I'm only creating an MPEG2 from a capture 28 mins of DV-AVI?"

+++++++++++++++++++++

OKAY, the troublesome Credit roll is just on the edge of the right Safe Area. Once past this bit the video plays flawlessly & faultlessly.

Here's the thing! - Why why why when I still have stuff outside the safe area does the DVD play well? Why is it only on this black and white text rolling text? After all - surely - this rolling text is no longer rolling text IT IS JUST a piece of movie? It has come from a miniDV .. . it gets MPEGed within V5 . .. gets imported into DVDA2 . . plays well in preview . .It just produces these artifacts, when rendered/burnt to DVD .. and JUST on this rolling credit ..

I'm gonna do the total reduction in "size" thing to have ALL within the safe areas and see what happens. I really can't/wont believe that this IS the problem .. it just doesn't sit correctly with what I know now about video ..

Any ideas?

TIA,

From a perplexed,

Grazie

[Peter Jefferson]

mate ur getting mixed up...

teh artefacts ur seeing are teh bitrates ur using.. ur proll using VBR at startin at about 8000 and droping down to 192..

try to render the mpg with a constant of 6000 to 8000 the duration WILL fit onto one dvd with these settings..

what ur experiencing has NOTHING to do with action safe areas..
unless ur titles are being chopped and unviewable...

action safe doesnt affect resolution or pixels the manner in which u describe (artefcat on titles), but from the sounds of it you using default settings within VEgas to produce a DVD which COULD be upped in bitrate due to the short duration..

Your titles look distorted due to the low bitrate of the default Variable preset your using.

[Ian Stark]

Spot, thanks for letting us know.

I happen to be passing through NYC next week so I may well attend. Do you (or anyone else) know if these are seminar style presentations from manufacturers or just an exhibition.

Thanks . . . Ian . . .