Vegas Video discussions from 2003

Edward Troxel · October 11th, 2003, 03:55 PM

The aspect ratio is .9091 for NTSC.

720 * .9091 = 654.552 (or rounded = 655)

Alex Zabrovsky · October 11th, 2003, 04:03 PM

Oh, great Edward, thanks, tha clarifies the issue.

Emilio Le Roux · October 11th, 2003, 07:21 PM

Thanks, Don.

I think Vegas could be more specific when they say that they "support JPEG output" There's a tiny asterisk, and a tiny lettering below in their site that tells "Using Vegas scripts".

Being the case, they should make available that specific script. I don't want to learn JAVA right now for a simple export.

On the other side, the use of scripts seems very powerful. I guess I'll have no further problems.

David: thanks for your intention of helping me. Sorry if my question is unclear.

As you guessed it, I want to output my entire Vegas edition to a JPEG sequence. That's because I know a bureau that will put these images into 35mm film and we gonna make a test.

I didn't understand your instructions, in which you tell me it's possible to do so by using the "Import Media".

Peter Jefferson · October 11th, 2003, 08:07 PM

one thing to note, to give the crossblur more of a morph feel, drop down the fade ranges a little bit...

youll see what i'm taking about when you are in front of your pc

Edward Troxel · October 11th, 2003, 08:41 PM

Direct from Sony's site (on the same page as the Vegas updates):

http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.co...p2.asp?DID=447

Click on Vegas Sample Scripts. Inside that ZIP file is a script called RenderImageSequence.js

Several other scripts to perform this function (or similar functions) are also available at Sundance.

Aaron Koolen · October 12th, 2003, 03:36 AM

Well if anyone get's a chance to use one, let me know. I'm on the look out for something like this or a Contour shuttle device.

Cheers
Aaron

Rob Lohman · October 12th, 2003, 12:21 PM

Best is a relative term in my opinion. WM9 is very good on the PC
as well.

As said, DiVX is something completely different then the MPEG1/2
Mainconcept encoder that comes with Vegas.

If you want to go to VCD/SVCD or DVD you can only do it in MPEG1
(VCD) or MPEG2 (VCD/DVD). Then DiVX is basically not an option.
Yes, there are DVD players out that support DiVX (not ALL forms!!),
but a majority don't, yet.

If you only want to play your movies on a computer then you
have more options including DiVX, WMP, QuickTime and Real
besides mpeg.

Robert Knecht Schmidt · October 12th, 2003, 12:36 PM

While Divx is a mature, solid video codec, with maturity comes commercialization. Since Divx went closed source, now just acquiring the free playback codec demands installing spyware/adware from Gator on your system.

A more enticing alternative in the near future may be Xvid, a spin-off from the open source version of Divx, that promises to remain true to the project's free software roots.

Edward Troxel · October 12th, 2003, 01:25 PM

One thing to keep in mind:

DivX is NOT officially supported by Vegas!

Rob Lohman · October 12th, 2003, 01:37 PM

Keep in mind that jpeg is lossy. So if you are going to use the
image sequence in another program you are introducing more
(compression) noise. Perhaps the script can be modified to output
another format like BMP which is lossless?

Glenn Chan · October 12th, 2003, 01:41 PM

If you have Quicktime Pro you could easily convert a movie into an image sequence.

Better idea: Get "Rad Video Tools" by Bink and Smacker (free I believe) and use it to convert a file. hit the convert a file button and in the top change the output type to BMP or something like it (PNG, TIFF, GIF, etc. are lossless).

Emilio Le Roux · October 12th, 2003, 02:25 PM

Thanks everybody.

Well, JPEG is lossy but as a final step and at high quality compression it can deliver better quality than some motion codecs. Of course I could use TGA or TIFF formats which are lossless, but they're as heavy as uncompressed AVI to deliver final material to the lab.

Anyway, I am dissapointed by the lack of this simple feature in Vegas. The script takes 4 to 6 seconds to export a single frame, so they shouldn't announce this ''plus" as another included feature (JPEG SEQUENCE OUTPUT*)

I still love Vegas. It's so refreshing to work with it, after many years of Premiere 'hard' workflow. It's just I think they should keep scripts for more complex tasks.
Premiere doesn't export to JPEG sequences, too. But they don't announce it.

Alex Zabrovsky · October 12th, 2003, 02:49 PM

Just refined the info on these numbers.
The pixel dimention relations are indeed as you stated affecting the appearance if not handled properly.
Generating image to be 655x480 indeed fills in entire preview window of Vegas, just like regular NTSC frame, but on other site I read different things as for DVD authoring:
http://www.crazypants.com/tips/tiptwo.htm

Shoudl I follow this recommendations ? Perhaps achieving the still image (once put on Vegas timeline) to fill precisely the preview dodn't mean to use this approach for image intedned for DVD authoring (creating menu's background for
instance) ? Are we talking about different things ? Image resampled to 720x540 will still have black bars in Vegas preveiw window.

Regards, Alex

Don Donatello · October 12th, 2003, 10:21 PM

i would follow the one that fills the screen ( no bars on sides).

i don't know about DVD A ...
but taking a quick look at DSE's Vegas 4 editing workshop ( excellent book ) chapter 11 DVD Architect ..page 342 ...
says if using a photo editor make background stills 655x480 for NTSC and 704x576 for PAL ... at dpi not higher then 150

Alex Zabrovsky · October 13th, 2003, 02:37 AM

OK, does they say to resample the final (edited) image back to 720x480 (the objects and graphic will look squeezed) and save such in order to insert it into DVD authoring so that on TV it will be stretched back and look normal ?

Perhaps there is a difference between preparing the image for inserting into NLE and for DVD authroing ?

October 12th, 2003, 03:36 AM	#1326
Aaron Koolen Trustee Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 1,727	Well if anyone get's a chance to use one, let me know. I'm on the look out for something like this or a Contour shuttle device. Cheers Aaron __________________ My Website Meat Free Media

October 12th, 2003, 12:21 PM	#1327
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Best is a relative term in my opinion. WM9 is very good on the PC as well. As said, DiVX is something completely different then the MPEG1/2 Mainconcept encoder that comes with Vegas. If you want to go to VCD/SVCD or DVD you can only do it in MPEG1 (VCD) or MPEG2 (VCD/DVD). Then DiVX is basically not an option. Yes, there are DVD players out that support DiVX (not ALL forms!!), but a majority don't, yet. If you only want to play your movies on a computer then you have more options including DiVX, WMP, QuickTime and Real besides mpeg. __________________ 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 12th, 2003, 12:36 PM	#1328
Robert Knecht Schmidt Wrangler Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,933	While Divx is a mature, solid video codec, with maturity comes commercialization. Since Divx went closed source, now just acquiring the free playback codec demands installing spyware/adware from Gator on your system. A more enticing alternative in the near future may be Xvid, a spin-off from the open source version of Divx, that promises to remain true to the project's free software roots. __________________ All the best, Robert K S Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| The best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

October 12th, 2003, 01:37 PM	#1330
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Keep in mind that jpeg is lossy. So if you are going to use the image sequence in another program you are introducing more (compression) noise. Perhaps the script can be modified to output another format like BMP which is lossless? __________________ 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 11th, 2003, 03:55 PM	#1321
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	The aspect ratio is .9091 for NTSC. 720 * .9091 = 654.552 (or rounded = 655)

October 11th, 2003, 04:03 PM	#1322
Alex Zabrovsky Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 175	Oh, great Edward, thanks, tha clarifies the issue.

October 11th, 2003, 07:21 PM	#1323
Emilio Le Roux Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Salvador, Bahia Posts: 33	Thanks, Don. I think Vegas could be more specific when they say that they "support JPEG output" There's a tiny asterisk, and a tiny lettering below in their site that tells "Using Vegas scripts". Being the case, they should make available that specific script. I don't want to learn JAVA right now for a simple export. On the other side, the use of scripts seems very powerful. I guess I'll have no further problems. David: thanks for your intention of helping me. Sorry if my question is unclear. As you guessed it, I want to output my entire Vegas edition to a JPEG sequence. That's because I know a bureau that will put these images into 35mm film and we gonna make a test. I didn't understand your instructions, in which you tell me it's possible to do so by using the "Import Media".

October 11th, 2003, 08:07 PM	#1324
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	one thing to note, to give the crossblur more of a morph feel, drop down the fade ranges a little bit... youll see what i'm taking about when you are in front of your pc

October 11th, 2003, 08:41 PM	#1325
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	Direct from Sony's site (on the same page as the Vegas updates): http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.co...p2.asp?DID=447 Click on Vegas Sample Scripts. Inside that ZIP file is a script called RenderImageSequence.js Several other scripts to perform this function (or similar functions) are also available at Sundance.

October 12th, 2003, 01:25 PM	#1329
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	One thing to keep in mind: DivX is NOT officially supported by Vegas!

October 12th, 2003, 01:41 PM	#1331
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	If you have Quicktime Pro you could easily convert a movie into an image sequence. Better idea: Get "Rad Video Tools" by Bink and Smacker (free I believe) and use it to convert a file. hit the convert a file button and in the top change the output type to BMP or something like it (PNG, TIFF, GIF, etc. are lossless).

October 12th, 2003, 02:25 PM	#1332
Emilio Le Roux Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Salvador, Bahia Posts: 33	Thanks everybody. Well, JPEG is lossy but as a final step and at high quality compression it can deliver better quality than some motion codecs. Of course I could use TGA or TIFF formats which are lossless, but they're as heavy as uncompressed AVI to deliver final material to the lab. Anyway, I am dissapointed by the lack of this simple feature in Vegas. The script takes 4 to 6 seconds to export a single frame, so they shouldn't announce this ''plus" as another included feature (JPEG SEQUENCE OUTPUT*) I still love Vegas. It's so refreshing to work with it, after many years of Premiere 'hard' workflow. It's just I think they should keep scripts for more complex tasks. Premiere doesn't export to JPEG sequences, too. But they don't announce it.

October 12th, 2003, 02:49 PM	#1333
Alex Zabrovsky Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 175	Just refined the info on these numbers. The pixel dimention relations are indeed as you stated affecting the appearance if not handled properly. Generating image to be 655x480 indeed fills in entire preview window of Vegas, just like regular NTSC frame, but on other site I read different things as for DVD authoring: http://www.crazypants.com/tips/tiptwo.htm Shoudl I follow this recommendations ? Perhaps achieving the still image (once put on Vegas timeline) to fill precisely the preview dodn't mean to use this approach for image intedned for DVD authoring (creating menu's background for instance) ? Are we talking about different things ? Image resampled to 720x540 will still have black bars in Vegas preveiw window. Regards, Alex

October 12th, 2003, 10:21 PM	#1334
Don Donatello Hawaiian Shirt Mogul Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: northern cailfornia Posts: 1,261	i would follow the one that fills the screen ( no bars on sides). i don't know about DVD A ... but taking a quick look at DSE's Vegas 4 editing workshop ( excellent book ) chapter 11 DVD Architect ..page 342 ... says if using a photo editor make background stills 655x480 for NTSC and 704x576 for PAL ... at dpi not higher then 150

October 13th, 2003, 02:37 AM	#1335
Alex Zabrovsky Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 175	OK, does they say to resample the final (edited) image back to 720x480 (the objects and graphic will look squeezed) and save such in order to insert it into DVD authoring so that on TV it will be stretched back and look normal ? Perhaps there is a difference between preparing the image for inserting into NLE and for DVD authroing ?