[Erik Gingles]

It does help indeed. Thanks. I produce a fair amount of corporate and promotional videos with a little TV advertising thrown in. I’ve found Vegas great for my purposes but of course have used no other so I can’t really compare. Anything overly animated I usually source that out to someone who is far more effective with their time at that. My biggest conundrum in purchasing the 200 is whether I really need it. As far as my productions go, most people have their videos (roughly 7~10 minutes) duplicated on a video cd for mass distribution. I’m not sure at this point that going HD would be of any benefit other than perhaps more native slo-mo effects. I do like the idea of recording direct to a hard drive, but for most sit-down interviews I use DV Rack anyway which accomplishes the same thing. If, however, a client wants to use their piece for a large launch of some kind with a few hundred people in attendance, I’m assuming an HD project would show just that much better on the big screen. As you can see, I’m riding the fence. As for the Firestore, I read somewhere that the reviews have not been the best on them so far. Have you heard anything?

[Erik Gingles]

Thanks again Steve.

From what I gather if you use Raylight you don’t have to convert the file, it just tags it so it can be read from Vegas? If that’s the case, then that doesn’t sound too inconvenient. As for the heft of the computer, I’m running a P4 with a 3.2 processor and 2gigs of RAM and a 256mb Gmedia video card with 8mb of cache. Is this enough or will it be like editing molases? I believe I would be shooting at 720 for the most part.

They do make it sound so easy plugging the P2 card into your laptop and away you go. My laptop is only a 1.4 M chip with 1gig of RAM. I suspect that would be out of the question?

Perhaps this is an unfair question to you, but do you think the 200 is the right camera to use with Vegas given that I would preferr to keep with Vegas (have been using it a few years now). Or would I be better off switching to Avid, or staying with Vegas and getting the JVC?

So many questions, so little money.

I currently use the AG DVX 100 and have been very happy with it and so would like to get the 200, so long as Vegas (or my computer) can handle it.

Thanks very much in advance.

Erik

[Erik Gingles]

Hi Steve

Sorry for the delay and thanks for the above info.

I’m trying to figure out the value of getting a 200. If you have to convert to 480, are you not then losing the HD? I was under the impression that V6 could edit HD (or is it only for the JVC camera?). If it is just the JVC camera, then if I get the 200 it seems like I’d have to switch to Avid in order to edit in 720 or 1080. Is this correct?

Thanks again in advance.

Erik

[Erik Gingles]

Hey Stephen. What do you think of the 200 so far and do you find it a hassle to get the files into V6? I’ve been looking at purchasing the 200 but they never mention Vegas in their literature.

Thanks.

Erik

[Erik Gingles]

Thanks again for the help.

The production house are using their color bars and raising the levels to match but only marginally.

I use the AG DVX 100 and have the IRE set to 7.5. And I use the Vegas vector scopes to adjust colors, brightness and contrast. However, I’ve only really used the waveform for light levels and have been going by eye for coloring. Hmm? Maybe that’s it. I’m color bling.

As for other filters, on some files I’ll use the bump map to create an elongated angled spotlight effect on someone which in turns tones down some of the hot areas on the sides. And then fiddle with color saturation a bit.

I have not used the broadcast filter on anything as of yet. Would that make a difference?

[Erik Gingles]

Thanks for the response. What you’re saying is probably true but I have to take my final file (avi) to a reasonably large post production house who then dubs it on to a Beta SP tape for me. They put it on their system and make any further adjustments, which are usually minimal. According to their physical vectorscopes and monitors, everything looks fine. And the image on their monitors looks pretty much what I see on my computer monitor and 13″ color TV I use to judge.

I had questioned them before regarding the colors and they said that when it left their place, everything was fine. that it was the broadcaster who was causing the problems. But of course, the broadcaster says that they air what is given to them and if it looks washed out, then it must have been the tape. Naturally.

As for the color bars, the productin house said that the color bars I put on in front of the commercial (generate by vegas) are just a tad dark. Not much though. DO you think that could account for the washed out color?

Thanks again for any suggestions.

[Erik Gingles]

Thanks very much. I’ll work on it.

Erik

[Erik Gingles]

Thanks Charlie.
I had a look at the color parade scope, but in all honesty am not sure how to use it. I don’t know if all three colors should be level, right up to 255 etc.

As for the TVs, you’re right, they might not be set up properly, but I guess I compare what I play on them (my work) to what I see on TV via the networks. I realize of course that they could be shooting with much more sophisticated equipment, but it just seems like everything is fine except for the fact the picture lacks any real ‘punch’. Everything just seems to be faded a bit, like being left out a bit too long in the sun. How’s that for being technical. Now you know why I can’t follow the color bars.

[Erik Gingles]

Now I see it. Thanks very much.

[Erik Gingles]

Ah yes. I should have mentioned that. I’m looking at around the $1200~$1500 range.