[Carlos Silva]

Hi John,

Thanks for answering.

[John Rofrano] “Why are you doing this? The Camtasia codec is far superior to any other codec for screen captures and way better than H.264 which is better used as a delivery format not as an acquisition format. You’ll get much higher quality using the Camtasia codec.”

The problem with Camtasia codec is that the record video is oversized in comparison to XVid for instance. And sometimes I just want to capture the screen with good resolution, better compression and small size. So, Camtasia codec doens’t seem to be the better choice. However, I couldn’t work with XVid or Dvix with Camtasia Recorder, which always crashes. So, the only great result I could achieve was with ffdshow (using H.264 and XVid too). Then, at first, ffdshow solved all my problems when capturing screen.

However, after your post, I proceed with some tests with Camtasia. I set the record format to .AVI and the default codec (TechSmith Screen Capture Codec) to record with(a)faster compression and after with (b) better compression. The size was the same basically.

Anyway, I could see that Vegas was able to import the .AVI (TechSmith Screen Capture Codec). I tried to render in Vegas using .AVI (1080-60 iYUV). The output was bad (doubled the vide) and the player crashed when began to play. After that i tried to render using .WMV (8 Mbps HD 1080-30p Video) and the output didn’t crash, but the width was shrink (distorted).

#=> Do you know if Vegas has a good compatibility with Camtasia codec? In which way I could handle it better?

[John Rofrano] ” You might want to uninstall ffdshow and install the x264vfw codec instead which supports h.264 in an AVI container that Vegas can use.”

I proceed with your suggestion and also installed x264vfw. I set Camtasia to .AVI with x264vfw codec (default settings where Output mode = VFW and VFW FourCC = H264). Camtasia begun to record great, but when I stop the record, a pop-up window appeared showing “creating video file – 0%”. It still 0% along much time. When I canceled the operation, Camtasia froze. So, I couldn’t record using .AVI + x264vfw codec.

#=> Do you know if additional configuration need to be done in x264vfw codec (inside Camtasia) to it work properly? What should be the expected way of it work when recording screen?

Best,
Cadu

[Carlos Silva]

Hi Stephen,

Thanks for answering.

a) Just to clarify for me, ffdshow isn’t a codec pack (K-Lite Mega Codec), is it?

b) I am using ffdshow to record screen through Camtasia Recorder in AVI format using H.264. After recording in Camtasia, I tried open the AVI/H.264 in Vegas and “an error occurred while opening a codec”. Do you know if there is any codec/configuration with ffdshow that could be open by Vegas properly?

Best,
Cadu

[Carlos Silva]

Hi,

Do you know which is the CODEC in the AVI file? If it is Xvid or Dvix, I could try to install both:

https://www.xvid.org
https://www.divx.com

Best,
Cadu

[Carlos Silva]

Many thanks.
It will help a lot.
Cadu

[Carlos Silva]

Hi,

SWISHmax seems to be useful tool. I took a look on that and in your tutorial.

After more research, I found MS PowerPoint 2010 has the “power” of creating animated charts. Moreover, the software can export videos (WMV format). Follow an chart animation example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buCXgYMaZSE&feature=related

Considering the use this kind of video (with white background), how to remove the background inside Vegas (using Vegas tools)? The idea is use the animated chart above other background. Is it related to chroma key? Considering it possible, could I use the same to WMV or AVI formats?

Thanks in advance,

Cadu

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[Carlos Silva]

I made an animated graph through GIMP (using GIF) and I inserted it in Vegas. GIFF image in one track; video in other track with a little of pan/zoom. Pretty cool!

But I think there are other improved ways to try. I just found a software called Draw (OpenOffice package). It is a vectorial draw tool (simpler than Inkscape), but with a plenty of resources yet. Morover, Draw supports charts/graphs creation easily and it can generate flash animations as well. In youtube I found tutorials about use GIMP + DRAW to animation. I think I am almost there.

Considering a Flash animation with white background, is there any tool in Vegas to remove white and create transparency? The idea is the same of I tried to GIFF image, but with flash I am looking forward for better results.

Best,
Cadu

[Carlos Silva]

Many thanks. I am ready to go ahead with my first project! Soon I hope offer some help to other noobs!

[Carlos Silva]

Hi John,

Many thanks for your answer.

After installing Xvid codec direct from https://www.xvid.org Vegas have began to work properly with these videos. Before that Vegas couldn’t even read the video files. Nevertheless, do you think it is necessary convert this type of video yet, once Vegas now is reading it?

Anyway, do you recommend any software for converting?

And being clearer about my project, most of the videos I will handle have a plenty of different formats and fps (320×240-25fps / 608×336-23.9fps / 1280×720-29,9fps / 1920×1080-29,9fps). I was insecure if I could put all together inside Vegas and it seems that is possible. So, should I configure my Vegas project with the same configuration of the highest quality video (1920×1080-29,9fps), isn’t it? The rest of the work will be with Vegas, isn’t it?

Ps.: When you have time, could you see this thread we have begun a conversation( https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/24/942155). I am not hurry, take your time. I just need to finish my understanding to go ahead with Vegas.

After a plenty of valuable information from you I don’t know how to thank you properly. I am a beginner in video editing and I have learned a lot from this forum. I live in Brazil and if you and anyone need to know anything about here, you may count on me anytime!

Best,
Cadu

[Carlos Silva]

Hi,

Thanks everybody for clarify Vegas animation usage. Pretty cool the videos, mainly the song video clip!!!

I would ask for an additional help from you to finish my “quest” with this subject. I need to take more confidence on some Vegas capabilities…

I already ask in other thread in this forum (https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/24/941896) about creating infographs like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKxDxA5cR-s

and John answered me that Vegas could handle it, although After Effects would provide more powerful tools to support this kind of development.

a) So, considering I need just to create interesting animation with infographs (not necessarily as sophisticated as this one I mentioned above, but as close as possible) I am thinking to change from Vegas Studio to Vegas Pro bearing in mind the use of masks and plus features to deal better with animation/infographics. And it seems that Vegas Pro 11 + image software (as Inkscape or even Gimp) would be sufficient. What do you think?

b) On the other hand, is worth investing in learn After Effects to achieve better results about what I intend to make?

Which of this possibilities could provide good results in shorter time?

Thanks in advance! Amazing New Year!
Cadu

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[Carlos Silva]

Hi John,

Thanks for answer. I would appreciate additional help. To be more exactly, I am looking for a kind of animation that could be “executable” without much complexity, using as basic as possible resources from video editing software + image editing software. The purpose are two: (a) to add “fun” + “information” +”infograph” to common video footage in an amateur academic documentary; (b) to teach it to students.

In this way, I found in Gimp image software the plugin GAP (the GIMP Animation Package). Follow bellow some animation generated by GAP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G19HK_VpS_M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2nPpBvH6kA&feature=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr8eduixa3k&feature=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BHRKlzRr9M&feature=related

a) Considering images generated previously, could just the animation be done directly in Vegas? It is because what I read about GAP/GIMP is that it is hard-work to make animation.

b) If yes, what you told about the use of Vegas Pro because “masking”, would it be applied as well? Or Vegas Movie Studio is able to do that?

Best,
Cadu

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