[Frank Langham]

OK, then,
Iread about “all that” on some Vegas forum and tha thread was concerning a Core2 Duo Proc.

So, firstly, I’m not too surprised that Vegas tops out at 4 threads and I apologize for raising your hopes with that bit of “bad dope”, but, you may take solice in knowing that most NLEs only use one or two procrssing threads and, then, not very efficiently and only during certain operations (usually compression renders) …

Secondly, Hyper-threading is just a way to run two sets of instructions through the same core at the same time and this feature pre-dates the implementation of desk-top multi-cores (non Xeon based systems, anyway). The proc just performs operations on the second thread while the first thread is waiting for slow stuff like disk-read data and other off-die slaves (to over-simplify).
Regardless, if you already had you preferences set to four cores and you were reading 50% CPU Utilization, then that sounds about right, as 4 threads are half of eight (50%).
I can think of several ways things might be made faster but you are unlikely to like ANY of them. But if you were to do all of them, your system NLE performance would likely double. They are . . .

1. Get a faster Core i7 Quad chip.
2. Over-clock your CPU, Memory and Graphics.
3. Wait till Vegas releases support for 8 threads or get NLE that does.
4. Study (at sites like videoguys.com) how to tweak your version of Windows for Max NLE performance.
5. Put your OS on boot drive, your apps on another (VEGAS), your content (clips) on a 3rd drive (fast RAID 0) and most of your Windows swap file allocation space on yet another, dedicated drive. This allows all the various drive access head armatures to stay parked over pertinent data.
6. Do everything in step 5, above, but first replace all your drives with server class extreme SSDs (Solid State Drives).

I really could go on but I don’t want to get too cute, though, I would look into VISTA performance tweaks, VERY ardently, if I was in your position.

Sorry, but except for VISTA performance tweaks, most other options require spending too much or waiting too long.

Best of luck! BTW, “Nice system!” and, “I hate you!”

P.S. At least you know where those switches are and we all found out the current thread limit, in Vegas. Anyone else know anything or want to correct my statements? I am not always right! …mostly.

=cheers=

[Frank Langham]

Also: For cleaner (and smoother) “slow-mo” footage you should shoot your footage in 60i (60 frames interlaced USA) at either 1080 0r 720 lines rez.

It is important to “de-interlace” on output, for visual clarity.
You will make a 30P out of the 60i and try “blend fields” “bottom first” to start out … Try “interpolate” “bottom first” next.

Set your quality project settings to “best quality” (not “good”) and try higher bit-rates and VBR (variable bit rate) where it applies. You can get twice the quality if you work it all out.

… and a really big output file, too! (wink).

You may have to click on “ADVANCED” settings button to get at all the settings.

=phrankus=

[Frank Langham]

Do you fully understand what “key frames” are? … “no?”

There should be an “FX” tab on the trailing end of this clip.

Clicking the FX tab should open an FX control/prebiew box.

“Hover” your cursor over all the various (tiny) navigation buttons.

Notice you can create/delete/goto various key-frames (markers)

The FX control values can be set at a specific level/value for the frame you are looking at (when parked on a key-frame marker …
… the clip will “ramp” or “gradually change” the values om a “linear slope” between existing key-frames marker values.

Your problem is that you created unintended markers and values, so.

1st delete all key-frames in the FX cntrl box clip timeline. Start at the beggining of clip and “delete frame” .. goto all frames and delete them … making sure to include the very 1st & last frames.

Assume you desire a constant 50% normal speed over entire clip (yes?)

Go to the very beginning of clip & set speed to 50% and then click the “create key-frame” button. You have now told Vegas you want to “start off this clip at 50% normal speed”. Vegas will “look ahead” and gradually ramp (slope) to match the value(s) of the next key-frame on the clip timeline.

So navigate to the very last frame on the clip, deleting any frames that may exist, in the middle, along the way. … Create aother new key-frame at the very last frame of your clip and also set the speed controls (there) at 50% (&/or any other “tweakables” or values that a given effect might employ).

You have now told Vegas to start the effect at the 1st frame w/50% normal speed and to ramp toward the next marked frame value. That next marked frame should now be the very last frame in your clip and, since you have assigned the exact same value to the last frame (with no changes, in between), there is no “slope” or “change”. …
The entire clip should now render at a constant 50% normal speed.

It should now be obvious that if you were to navigate to somewhere in the middle of the clip and create a new key-frame and (while you are parked exactly on that frame) and set the speed to 80%, then your clip would start at 50% and gradualy increase to 80% (at the newly created key-frame) and, after that frame has been passed, the speed will ramp back down towards, and finally arriving at 50%, by the very end of your clip.

You do not have to delete an existing key-frame in order to change the values at that “spot”, just click the “goto next KF” button and change the value while you are parked exactly at tha frame. Changing values of unmarked frames has no effect and failing to create BOTH a start and end location and values will result in the the effect ramping from your desired value toward the default values for the given effect.

This is a VERY powerful and important concept in ALL editing programs and it applies to almost ALL effects (key-framable FX), so GROK THIS CONCEPT and play around until you master all aspects. You will use this technique on almost every project because it gives you frame-precise control over things like custom fades and you will be thrilled with the amazing creative control it will give you over complex visual effects and layered effects … EX: You can combine a color tint FX with a pond-ripple distortion FX and slowly change the shape and colors at many points on a clip.

Key framing also applies to audio controls and FX and is used in Vegas, Avid, Media Studio Pro, Adobe, FCP, Pro-Tools and many other Audio and Video studio Apps.

I have taken the time to pen this explicit (and verbose) tutorial because it is worth it to me, if one creative “cow” (or more) can have their imagination unleashed by mastery of the ubiquitous and empowering key-frame concept !

=cheers-

[Frank Langham]

Go to the “options” pull-down menu and select “preferences”

Select the tab labeled “video”

The 2nd data field is labelled “Max # of rendering threads”

Change this integer value to “8” (the number eight) brcause …

Core i7 Quad has 4 HYPER-THREADING CORES (2X threads per core)

Then, select “Apply” & “OK” at bottom of Options dialogue box. …

Exit Vegas, Saving changes … (BTW, I’m referencing Vegas-P9)

Verify that Windows Hyperthreading *IS* “Enabled” (look it up).

If you had to “Enable Hyper-threading, you must now “Re-boot”.

Start Vegas and re-check your CPU% Utilization.

=Cheers=