-
Avid vs. Vegas quality difference
1)The codec that Avid uses, OMI files, is it better quality than the one that vegas uses? I mean, if somebody captures and edits there project in Vegas and those same project with Avid, will the video have same quality?
2)If you render a project in Vegas and take the project into Adobe AE and make changes, does that reduce the quality of the video a little? How about if you keep put effects on the project in Different softwares like Hollywood FX and etc, will the quality of video suffer?
3)If you copy the video files you have on your hard drive to a different hard drive by cut and past, does that reduce the quality of video?
These questions I always wanted to ask someone:)
-
4 Replies
-
The main thing to consider between different vendors, IMHO, is that you are buying into a workflow.
You’d be hard pushed to see a generation loss in any modern semipro or pro editor without doing something wrong. So you should adopt a suitable workflow and test your effort against your own values.In fact, when folks were moving away from linear (and analogue I/O) editing systems towards NLEs it was taken for granted that digital meant lossless. This isn’t the truth but, again with the caveat I brought in initially, it is near as true as to make no odds.
File formats have virtues beyond the container itself. Nodoby wants to be locked into something proprietary but pretty well all these “freedom” formats have the same limitations as AVI and MOV, often worse.
If you work on your own, then really what matters is your productivity and artistic ability. Unfortunately folks stick with a product with almost the same loyalty as they give a religion. Many of the non-linear editors expect you to work in a linear fashion, playing – stopping – trimming – cutting – splicing – playing. That doesn’t always benefit the fundamental intention of most videos – which is to tell a story.
Fortunately you can trial many vendor products or they have a low cost or free option that can be upgraded to the full pro suite when you are ready (or the full product has a resale value).
Good luck with your choices. The props, shout-outs and problems you see in the forums are good guidance for you when choosing. However there is nothing like giving them (the NLEs) a whirl for yourself.
-
I already own Vegas and Avid system. To me, Avid looks better when i burn it into a dvd, but I was wandering what you guys thought. Is it just my eyes or what?
I am still wondering about generation loss of copying video from one hard drive to another. Does it happen?
What about doing mutiple effects on different softwares?
-
A file copy from hard disk to hard disk is (using the regular Windows / GUI interface) essentially a mathematical or scientific process. ie Lossless once the process is complete and there is enough space by the time it is about to complete!
Artistic and creative tasks we do in the tools given an in-road to causing loss. However you shouldn’t be seeing them as a result of using Vegas. It is quite possible that you are if you have got something set wrong. The quick answer is to recommend some training books, DVDs or a course. If you don’t disrupt formal training, I’m sure you’ll find folks who will explain why the Avid way isn’t the only or best way.
Which Avid product are we talking about BTW? Otherwise this is like comparing Ford with Chevrolet or GM.
Video editing has never been as straightforward and as easily kitted up for than it is today. However you do need some computer knowledge, perhaps slightly less with a Mac FCP outfit.
If you could spare a moment to explain your acquisition, treatment/edit and delivery format workflow for both your Avid and Sony MediaSoftware – that might help us understand why your moving piccies look better with Avid?
-
In other words, copying a file from one drive to another does not change it at all.
Moving a file into something like AE and doing work CAN reduce the quality. Every time you RENDER a file that has modifications you risk degrading the image some because it has to re-create the image. Copying a file does not “recreate” it, just duplicates it. Whether or not you can actually TELL that the quality has changed depends on how intently you study it, whether you properly applied changes, and so forth. Normally when you move from one app to another to do changes it is to enhance the footage in some way, so the enhancements should outweigh any degradation you get from re-encoding.
Rendering from Avid or Vegas to DVD most likely has to do with the quality settings and the codec that is used to encode the DVD rather than the NLE itself. Different NLEs have different default quality levels for rendering to a DVD compliant file (MPG2). Small things can be done to improve the final output to DVD. I have heard that adding just a tiny “sharpen” to the final edit before rendering to MPG makes it a little more crisp and compensates for the natural “softening” that conversion to an MPG file causes, but bitrates are a big part of it as well.
-Postal
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up