About Vegas and Native HDV editing

[Chris Young]

Phil ~

You will need the beefiest PC you can build to edit native mt2 HDV files in Vegas as it really does require a lot of CPU power to do this without being choppy on playback. I think you will find quite a few of us use the Cineform ‘Connect HD’ software which on a fast machine will convert the HDV files in real time on ingest to the Cineform avi wrapper. On a quick machine it is then much more like editing DV. Have a good look at their site as it explains the whole workflow to get the best out of HDV editing. They also have suggested system build specs to achive this. Since using Connect HD there is no way I would go back to trying to edit mt2 files natively. Once you are finished editing you can then render back to the Vegas HDV presets for print to tape or render for DVD etc.

As regards monitor size a few use the 1920 x 1080 capable Dell monitors for their systems but they are not the best if you want to use them as a reference output monitor. A large second monitor is definitely an advantage as it enables you to have a large preview window which I find works better than using the second monitor as a ‘windows secondary display’ which is a selection you can opt for under options/preferences. Monitoring HDV over firewire is not possible but you can monitor out in standard def over firewire with both the native mt2 files and the Cineform avi’s to an external monitor via a suitable vtr or camera.

Cineforem URL: https://www.cineform.com/products/ConnectHD.htm

Chris Young
Sydney

[Philippe Orlando]

So the specs given by Vegas on their site are not really realistic?

and no need to go for the more expensive monitors, a 20″ is enough, right? Having a 24″ would be nicer, but not really more usefull? Is that what your’e saying?

[Chris Young]

With regards to the specs on the Vegas site. All depends on what sort of performance you want out of your system. I first tried Vegas on v3.0 on a slow 500 MHz laptop. It was lumpy but proved to me that the program had merits and some great features even back then. I was prepared to accept some of the performance hits because they was offset by a system I grew to like working with. All I can say from my experience is that the quicker your box and drive sub-system is the better it performs and the less often it will drop back below normal frame rates when playing back effects and filters etc, especially with HDV. You make your choices. Making enquiries, as you are, I think you will find my comments about the faster the box the better will be endorsed. Lets face it, Vegas is a software system, given more horsepower the better it is to work with.

Regards monitoring. I don’t know of any PC monitor that has true SMPTE reference specs. The only way I can truly judge things for broadcast delivery is on a studio reference monitor and external WFM and V/Scope. As for monitoring audio as good as Vegas is it won’t tell you your audio phase and stereo width is so we use external phase and correlation meters to judge these. So yes Vegas can’t do everything, what system is perfect. From an editing workflow the more PC monitor real estate you have then usually the easier it is to work with. I like to keep one monitor for timelines only, everything else goes on the other. On the other hand I make do with a single 17″ laptop monitor if I have to work in the field. Some guys use four monitors on two dual head cards. Three for editing and one for vision output, all depends on what you want, or more accurately what you need to suit your workflow.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

[Philippe Orlando]

thank you Chris.
Regarding Vegas native HDV editing capability, what do you have to say?

[Chris Young]

Vegas with native HDV seems to be fine on a quick box when it comes to straight playback on cuts and simple dissolves. Where I find the difference between native HDV editing and Cineform intermediate editing is the native files take a bigger performance hit when playing back with a variety of plugins such as C/Correction etc. Especially if you going to use the Magic Bullet Movie Looks HD which comes with Vegas. Magic Bullet Movie Looks requires comprehensive rendering and it seems to be quicker on my boxes when working with the Cineform avi’s as opposed to the native m2t files.

BTW, re rendering with certain plugins. Magic Bullet Editors Suite v2.0, the full retail version, takes advantage of GPU power if you go for a high end graphics card. My render times with v2.0 improved with an increase of around 10 to 20 times faster than those with Movie Looks HD, a MASSIVE difference. There again different people have different requirements but I still stand by my comment about the fastest box with the fastest raid being better and if you are going to use plugins like Magic Bullet 2.0 and Serious Magic’s Ultra Key which harness graphics GPU power get a beefy PCI Express card. Punch and crunch them pics quicker!

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney