[Dr.dropout]

Vegas can export an industry standard CMX 3600 EDL as well as AAF.

Please test the complete workflow with the other systems (specifically how well these data formats, as well as the project media formats work in the other systems) before you take the job.

Assume nothing related to project interchange will work flawlessly until you’ve tested the pipeline yourself, under this project’s conditions.

The best project interchange experience with Vegas is with Premiere CS, using AAF. Both directions work well if the media formats you use are common to both apps.

[Dr.dropout]

From Vegas to elsewhere:

AAF is the best option if the other apps supports it (AVID and Premiere Pro 1-3 do). File >Save As> AAF

For FCP, which doesn’t support AAF, you can try an EDL. Tools>Scripting> Export EDL> This will you you a CMX 3600 style EDL that FCP should be able to eat.

From elsewhere into Vegas: AAF is the best way. CMX EDL import is not supported.

The best compatibility is between Vegas and Premiere CS2 or 3/Win.

Test the complete workflow before you commit to anything- there’s a million potential pitfalls when trying to move projects between systems/platforms. Format compatibility, timecode, codecs, recapturing, error handling- there’s plenty of possible conflicts. Do not assume it is just going to work perfectly until you’ve seen it work yourself – don’t always believe what you read on the web in other words (this post excepted [!])

[Dr.dropout]

Hi all-

I’m not going to participate in any ensuing debates (if there are any) but I do have a few comments, hopefully they will all be seen in a positive light.

First, as a lot of people here know, we have really good DVX100 24p support in Vegas, and that is actively maintained and will continue to be maintained in Vegas (Pro version) for the foreseeable future.

Second, we’re very happy that several of our partners have written plug-ins or helper apps that allow the use of DVCPro/P2 material in Vegas. We’ve assisted all parties who have requested/needed help with finishing the implementation, and we have continuously pointed customers to these solutions, and will continue to do so. I personally did this several times at the IBC ’07 show in Amsterdam, at our Vegas 8 launch event last week.

Third, if Panasonic themselves would like to create a plug-in in order to ensure that P2 or any of their other present or future products works in our software, we offer an sdk and developer assistance, free of charge. Quite a few non-Sony companies have taken advantage of our plug-in technologies and I think as a general rule it can be said that it has worked out well for everybody- us, the manufacturer, and the end customer. In the P2 case there are already GREAT 3rd party solutions that work very well (thanks partners!), but as other formats come online it might be worth implementing “factory support” from the device manufacturer, or perhaps contracting with one of our partners to do the work(I can provide contacts on request).

To be crystal clear about competitive concerns, there is NO objection on our part to have Panasonic products work in Vegas or any of other SCS product, and I don’t consider Panasonic compatibility of any type “unresolveable”, at least from our perspective. True, anything that requires development and support funding of course is a business decision, that’s well understood. In such cases we hope the maker of the device/format will be willing to pitch in on development/testing/support to ensure that their products work with ours. This request shouldn’t been seen as abnormal or in any way bad I don’t think, especially in the current landscape of constant new formats that we now all find ourselves in. I’d like to point out within Sony the company we do this all the time- Sony camera groups routinely do custom support implementation with other-branded NLEs and apps in the interest of ensuring broad/timely possible support of their new formats. I think that is a wise decision on the part of our camera/format groups and should continue, and I think every device and format maker should try to do that and follow that model- really, it can only sell more product and make customers happy, which is all we should care about.

I’m not going to put my email here for spam reasons but if somebody from Panasonic calls our front desk they’ll put you through to my direct line and maybe we can figure something out. No objections on this end to moving forward at any level.

Regardless of how it works out between the “big companies”, one more Huzzah! for our valued partners, please check them out if you haven’t already (www.DVfilm.com and http://www.Cineform.com).

cheers-

Dave Hill
VP Technology
Sony Creative Software
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com