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OT – A message to all my friends on the Cow’s Vegas Forum
I’ve received emails from some of my fellow members of this forum asking why I quit the forum. So I felt that I should say something.
I’ve been on the Cow since I guess 2001 and on the Vegas forum since about 2004 and Vegas 3. Wow! Have we ever come a long way.
Contrary to the current belief, I have not quit. Originally I had 2 computers here. One very old Computer I used for the internet, graphics and Office. It was sort of a ‘home built’ P4 chip but could only take 512mb RAM (5 years old). The other computer was a HP that I used for my video editing. Also a P4 with hyperthreading and 2gb RAM (4 years old). I also had a Toshiba laptop that spent more time in the shop than on my desk. All had some form of XP
I wound giving the laptop to my son and for what he uses it for it works. We got a cooling fan for it because the problem I found out was that on this model, Toshiba put in a desktop chip and the thing kept overheating. The internet machine finally crashed on me last year. The HP started giving me problems and ultimately we found out the system board went bad.
I didn’t loose anything because I had (still have) Carbonite backup on the PC. The HD’s didn’t crash. It was all system boards.
In the mean time Sony released Vegas 9 and all of the sudden everything went 64 bit on me. I also at the time said I’d never go HD! (a statement I’d live to regret.)
Since retiring from the Railroad and going full time with my video business, I also became part of a consultant group doing the same technical, industrial video work for other railroads that I was also doing for Metra here in Chicago. In addition to small amount of tourist, railfan, and advertising videos, I started doing some music videos.
My consultant group required me to make some decisions as the other editor I was working with used Mac and FCP, and we were going to collaborate on the editing work. I bought a Mac Book Pro (early 2008). I tried and tried, even talking to Wes at Automatic Duck but we just can’t get my Vegas files over to Final Cut. I’m still working in Vegas though finishing up projects I started there.
When the HP went, I replaced it and the old internet computer with an iMac. We had a job in Los Angeles that was going to be an 18 month project and possibly 2 years. 6 weeks in LA filming in 2009, and the rest of the time editing pus another trip out there to finish filming this year.
In the mean time I had sold my Sony VX-2000 and bought a Sony DSR-250 after I got certified to do legal video work, which after 2 years didn’t work out. I used the DSR-250 on the LA project until the client decided they wanted us to shoot in HD. Sold the DSR-250 and bought the then new Panasonic HPX-170 and 2 64gb P2 cards. The Mac Pro came along about August last year.
I replaced the system board in the HP and re-installed Vegas; but it was Vegas 8.0c. I had no intention of moving to 64 bit PC or Vegas 9. My Vegas 8 handles the MP4/H264 clips just fine with just a bit of jumping. These clip come from my ‘pocket cam’ a Sanyo Xacti 1010 full HD camera. They’re not AVCHD. I’m still doing editing with some of the old MiniDV and DVCAM tapes we shot.
Who would have thought the way my life was going. Extremely lucky or good planning, who knows, but I am alive and well. I haven’t kept up with Vegas so I’m unable to answer questions on all this new technology. I still visit and read the threads but I spend more time in other Cow forums; Boris, Apple, FCP, Audio etc.
I think the Cow is the best of the bunch and I’ll never quit. I’m also extremely thankful for all the help I received here. I don’t think I would be where I’m at today if it hadn’t been for this forum and group of friends. Thank you so very much.
Regards
Allen Zagel
ASX Media Group, Inc.
https://www.asxvideo.com
https://www.vimeo.com/az
https://www.youtube.com/ChinaAl -
8 Replies
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I wish you all the best with all your new plans. Don’t forget to also enjoy the retirement!!
Theo
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Hi Theo
Actually I’ve been busier than before I retired, so haven’t had a chance to enjoy retirement.
However I am certainly enjoying life and mostly being able to schedule my own work. With the consultant group the shooting is scheduled for me and I don’t have much say so except I do get sufficient notice.
Was able to get to Eastern Europe, Poland, Prague, and Budapest on a business shoot plus some vacation time. Back to China later his year for 3 weeks.
Thanks for your well wishes.
Allen -
Allen,
So you finally went over to the dark side… (I knew the force was strong within you) 😉
As a fairly new moderator here, I have to say thanks for all the years that you put in before I arrived. It was an honor being on the same team with you and I hope that you’ll keep in touch (we have traded emails in the past so you know where to find me).
It’s strange where life takes us but actually the tools are mostly unimportant. They are just means to an end where the end depends more on your creativity than what tool you use. As for retirement… what’s that? My take is, retirement is the freedom to work on things that really interest you regardless of if they pay well or not. 🙂
Hey I wish you well. (just don’t drink the Kool-Ade) 😀
~jr
http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com -
Hi John
Thanks. I agree that retirement is the chance to do what you really love to do and to be able to make money doing it is an added plus.
I doubt if I’ll ever just put my feet up with a beer and fishing pole though. The camera is really light compared to that DSR-250 @ 19# all decked out. The 170 is about 4! 😉
Dark Side? HA ha ha ha, on their side they call PCs the dark side! Go figure.
Yes, I got your email and I’ll be around, remember I still got and use Vegas on the old HP. But after almost a year of not using it I’ll feel almost like a newbie again! 😉
Regards
Allen -
Allen, my sincere best wishes in all your future endeavors, no matter where they may lead you.
Enjoy the work but remember to take the time to enjoy life too.
You will be missed around here. -
Allen, how is the workflow on Final Cut compare to Vegas? I am looking to expand toward FCP. Is it faster?
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Hi Jonathan
It’s faster because it’s running on a brand new dual quad Mac Pro. My macs load way faster than my current PC. Vegas is running on an old HP P4 3.0gHz machine.
Workflows. I”d love to be able to combine Vegas and FCP. There’s stuff I really like in Vegas and the same in FCP. For example for my needs in FCP it’s way easier to animate and control keyframes but in Vegas you can overlap clips for a transition. You can’t do that in FCP. In fact if you’re at the beginning or end of a clip You can’t do a transition as you need a second or two. Hence I find myself using the I/O points more than I did in Vegas.
Little things. I really like FCP though but I had to get it or loose a lot of money.
Nothing wrong with having and using both,m but remember you can’t cross between the two with project files. What starts in Vegas or FCP stays there with regards to the 2 programs. I need to collaborate and swap project files and my partner already have Studio because he also edits TV shows.
If I can answer anything else let me know.
Allen -
Best wishes to you Allen in all your endeavors. Please stop by and say hi from time to time.
Kathlyn Lindeboom
Mistress of Mmmooooo
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