[Chris Brunner]

Hi Mark,

So there has been a development in this. Reading other threads and talking with some local fellow editors who use Vegas and edit MXF files, the finger started getting pointed at the GPU acceleration of the Preview video. So we went into Preferences, Video Tab, and turned off “GPU acceleration”. Voila. The preview playback is fine. But of course now the CPU is doing all the work.

This is a bit of a kludge in my book, because if you’re paying for a higher end graphics card, you’d like it to accelerate and smooth out playback in the Preview window during editing. The intent is to turn it on when the time comes to render. It’s quick and easy, but it’s a kludge. And we’re wondering how slow and jerky Preview Video is going to get when the Timeline is crammed with multiple layers and lots of effects processing.

To answer some of your specific questions, the MXF files are being generated in an early Sony HDV XDCAM. (1440 X 1080 60i MPEG-2 according to Sony specs…then wrapped in MXF) That’s the one with the optical disc. Ingestion (I used the word “import”) into the PC and into Sony Vegas is accomplished with a Sony U1 XDCAM player/recorder. Vegas 13 Pro has a module for controlling the U1, and ingesting footage as MXF files. We “import” them to a RAID 0 drive set (two 1TB 7200 rpm drives).

We bought the machine from an outfit called ADK in Kentucky. Three of us bought pretty high powered machines, for a price we couldn’t beat with do-it-yourself construction. ADK configures the machines for your specific NLE, and loads all the software. In our case Vegas Pro. Three of us all bought these machines, including one college professor who teaches media/video courses and has access to lots of vendors and uses every NLE under the sun. ADK (unpaid testimonial) turned out a beautiful product. But hey, these are computers, and problems will crop up.

CB

Chris Brunner
Rock Cove Productions

[Chris Brunner]

Hi Scott…

I will preface my answer by saying that this is an educated guess, but here’s what I know.

Most medium to high end video cards will support two independent monitors. I have a 2003 vintage XP machine running Vegas 7 and it has two independent monitors. I have read online that the OS will support many more monitors. I have also read that there are high end video cards that will support 3, 4 and more independent screens off one PC.

I just recently did some business with ADK in Kentucky to order a new work station for Vegas. It hasn’t arrived yet, but it will have Windows 7-64 and a GeForce GTX570. I will be running two monitors. The tech guys on the phone treated this as very routine.

I had a buddy who has a thriving video business. He can afford to pay for the best machines, and wants THREE independent monitors. My buddy had me call the ADK guys and configure his machine. It’s a total monster machine with the top end CPU, 32Gb Ram…blah blah blah. It’s also coming with the high end Radeon 6970 video card. I asked the tech guy at ADK how we implement a third monitor, and whether another video card was the way to do it. My buddy wants a “preview monitor”. The tech guy at ADK says a Black Magic Intensity Pro video card is the way to go. They are also installing his Vegas 11 and configuring it. So I assume they know what they’re talking about. I think you could do it with a second video card or even one video card if you can find the right exotic video card. Not sure what to tell you there. Anyway that’s my two cent amateur contribution.

Chris Brunner
Rock Cove Productions