[Bob Peterson]

I agree. HDVsplit is a good solution for capturing tape via fire-wire in SVP. The built HD capture in Vegas has not worked for a long time, and probably will not be fixed since tape is now obsolete.

[Bob Peterson]

It is tough and frustrating choice, but, for speed and reliability, there is not much that can beat a complete reinstall of Windows. One thing I do to make this easier is to build a step by step log of everything that is installed, and what the sequence is. Also, notes on any special settings in applications. It makes the whole process much simpler and more trouble free. One thing I try to do is to put as little as possible on C:. Then, it far easier to reinstall because C: is almost exclusively Windows, and I can let Windows do what it likes to do which is to format C: for the install.

[Bob Peterson]

Just a thought. Are these dll files installed on an SSD? A while back, I was pretty sure that an SSD was having problems with a file that was updated every day. I renamed the file to leave it in place, and then copied in a fresh version of the file. That fixed the problem. Some (all?) SSDs have a limit on the number of writes that can be done. I have since replaced that SSD with a new one.

[Bob Peterson]

So, the applications you are suggesting can use smart rendering to cut four short clips out of a one hour video? Are all four done in a single pass, or must the original video be smart rendered four different times? That is assuming, of course, that a Sony or Panasonic camera shot AVCHD footage.

[Bob Peterson]

I’m not sure why one would move to different software when John has already outlined a solution that will work within Vegas.

[Bob Peterson]

I’m not sure what you said, so let me summarize what I think you said.

You rendered the wav file, and imported it back into Vegas. It looked and sounded good with no evidence of reduced volume. It also played fine in one or more media players. When you used the wav file in your render of your video, it sounded fine in Media Player and one or more other players. However, it still had a volume problem in the freeware players MPC and KMPlayer.

The obvious conclusion is that there is not a problem in Vegas or the file it renders. There is a problem in the two freeware players. I would try to follow up with the freeware developers to see if they have a solution. Perhaps a different file format would solve the problem.

[Bob Peterson]

OK, you used the Sony Brightness and Contrast FX with a Darker, more Contrast Preset. That is certainly visible on my system although Media Player is a bit darker than Vegas.

What file name and format did you render to, and what directory is that file in? How did you get Media Player to access and play the file?

[Bob Peterson]

What version of SVP are you using? Describing it as a “newer version” does not tell us very much.

I do see a probable explanation for the failure to position itself to your current cursor. In the lower left corner of the track motion window, there is an icon with what looks like an “I” and a little lock. Click on that icon so that it is selected. That will keep the track motion cursor locked to the time line cursor.

[Bob Peterson]

What FX did you use, and how did you view the results of the render?

[Bob Peterson]

Since your audio sounds fine in Vegas, VLC, and Firefox, I suspect the problem is in MPC and KMPLayer. However, additional things you could do include;

1. Does the same problem occur with Windows Media Player? I have many, many audio files in WMP and I am quite sure that it does not act like a compressor.

2. Render the audio for your project to a wav file. Import the wav file back into Vegas, and examine the wave form that Vegas displays for audio files. If the wave form shows the same quieting, then the problem is in Vegas. If the wave form shows that volume levels are maintained throughout the clip, then substitute the wav file for all of your existing audio tracks (mute the existing tracks). Now, rerender an mpeg file, and recheck it in Windows Media Player. If it still sounds OK, then recheck it in your other two players.

3. If the problem is shown to be in Vegas in step 2 (above), check the master audio track to be sure that it is not the source of the problem.