[George Dean]

We often talk in containers/wrappers as in .mov and .mp4 and that can be confusing because processing problems within Vegas Pro are not specific to the container/wrapper, rather what codec was used to compress and store the video/audio within the container/wrapper. We should be talking about the contents as in h.264, x264, h.265, MPEG-2. MPEG-4, MJPEG, ProRes, DNx, etc.

Often, however the user is not clear what that codec is and it is easier to refer to it by it’s container such as .mov. And sometimes it’s not even the codec, rather how the source handles it’s own home spun version of the codec.

With that said, we do know that Vegas Pro will not natively handle all flavors of the contents of .mov files, not even version 16, and needs Quicktime to ingest some of those problematic files. We also know that Quicktime in Windows is 32 bit and no longer supported by Apple, and that presents another issue when it needs to be used, as Vegas Pro will only handle a certain limit of those files before strange things happen.

One example……when testing source media from a Canon 5D Mark III, every user who tested including myself, found that 40 clips in the timeline was the limit. Place 41 and Vegas Pro will not view the files, and may actually lock up and/or crash, confirming this problem that ‘Peter-Pappas’ (user at Vegas Creative Forums) brought up. These were MJPEG in an .mov container (and reported here: https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/new-canon-5d-mark-iv-camera-files-limit-on-how-many-will-open–103932/). As yet, Magix has not addressed this is Vegas Pro.

If the .mov file contains ProRes it can be ingested with Vegas Pro 15/16 natively without Quicktime so there is no file quantity limit. Some other source media files with the .mov container can be ingested successfully by all versions of Vegas Pro without problems or support from the 32 bit Quicktime. These types really don’t require the q7plug.dll and are just wrapped in .mov.

There are also some files that have the .mp4 wrapper that present problems to Vegas latest versions because when loaded they invoke the so4compoundplug.dll and Vegas chokes on them. In that case simply disabling the so4compoundplug will fix the issue, and by doing so Vegas will reverts back to using the old compoundplug.dll. These are certain flavors of AVC or XAVCS type files. See this thread: https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/avc-xavc-s-issues-in-vp15-16-try-disabling-so4compoundplug-dll–108345/ . But if you have files from a Panasonic GH5, which needs the so4compoundplug.dll you may be forced to convert/transcode one or the other files so they can both be used in the same project!

If anyone is confused yet welcome to the club, I’m a member also!!! Often the simplest work around is to transcode/convert the problematic source media to something like h.264 or Cineform intermediates and get on with their project. Others simply change cameras, but for those working with clients, they are going to have to find a reasonable work around to use the client material.

Also, I should probably add that source media with variable frame rate has always been nasty for NLE’s to handle, as they like constant frame rate. These type files can be in the .mp4 and/or .mov containers using any codec that supports variable frame rate compression, like h.264. In this case, Vegas Pro 16 (build 464 or later) is better at processing than previous versions, but some of these files (and depending on how many and what effects are applied) can even cause problems with VP16. These are often from a screen capture program and smart phone source.

Hope some of this may be of help to others and like always, if I have anything twisted or incorrect, please reply and I will correct any errors.

Many or perhaps most Vegas Pro users don’t have any problems ingesting their source media simply because they are using files which don’t have these problems.

Best Regards……George

[George Dean]

Hi Mick,

Two parameters will adjust file size within a given render codec (render format), the resolution and the bit rate. If you are keeping the 4K resolution and decreasing the bit rate, you may want to consider reducing the resolution to 1080p (FHD) and keeping the bit rate default of the template you choose.

It would help members to help you if you would include a screenshot of the render template you used that provides ‘stunning’ results and the render template you used and got ‘awful’ results.

Best Regards……George

[George Dean]

Vincent@” However, if I have mostly 24p clips and I want to add some 120p, I’ve got a problem when exporting to 23.976. Jaggedy slow mo video is the result.”

Hi Vincent,

First I’m going to make an assumption that both your 119.88 and 23.976 footage are progressive.

As you probably know, the slowest Vegas will go is 1/4 or 25% by setting the Playback rate in event Properties. Because 24.976 will devide evenly 5 times into 119.88, you would need 20% to produce smooth slow motion without the need for some type of optical flow interpolation.

Vegas Pro 15 has a Velocity Envelope that will go way down to 1 frame. If you adjust the Velocity Envelope to 20%, then stretch out the event 5 times the length, you should get very smooth slow motion from your 120p footage in a 24p project.

So, ‘Disable Sampling’ and use the ‘Velocity Envelope’ (right click event for this option), does that look better?

BTW: using the default track height, I find making fine adjustments to an Envelope very difficult, so for this adjustment I will drag down the edge of the track and expand it’s height a bunch, make the Envelope adjustment and then set the track height back to normal.

Best Regards……George

[George Dean]

I’m not sure I would find this type of feature of any value. I use the old fashion clapper method and there is Plural Eyes for those times when clapping do not fit the shoot. Hearing a frame worth of audio is not going to help me sync. But, that’s just me.

Best Regards……George

[George Dean]

Hi Rick,

Why not render using the ‘MainConcept MPEG-2’ format and the ‘DVD Architect NTSC Widescreen video stream’ template. DVDArchitect should ingest that without rendering (of course you know to render audio as well).

Best Regards……George

[George Dean]

Good to hear John you have it worked out. Codec authorization is a one time thing, so unless you have to re-install the program (with a clean uninstall) that should be good forever.

Best Regards……George

[George Dean]

Cindy, Thank You for posting your solution. That certainly was a mess that hit you at a really bad time, I’m impressed you hung in and managed to get your project completed and delivered on time, I send my respect.

Best Regards……George

[George Dean]

I don’t know which render format or template you are using, but are you actually using 2k or 2m, s in 2,000 or 2,000,000 bite rate? Are you is CBR or variable? I would use variable and crank it up to 4,000,000 max, 2,000,000 average and maybe also check 2 pass for a test. If that improves things you may also want to consider uping it a bit more and trying another format depending on what your final delivery will be for. I don’t know if this is for Youtube, playing on a computer, TV, perhaps a DVD? If that doesn’t make an improvement perhaps there is something else effecting the quality. If you see the same artifacts in the render as you see in the preview, something may be wrong before it gets to the render!

Best Regards……George

[George Dean]

Thank You Jorma for jumping in on this, I had forgotten that Intel HEVC was a part of the legacy with Mainconcept. That should make it easier for Sam.

Best Regards……George

[George Dean]

Add 4 new video tracks above the 4 you already have. In each of these tracks drag down a Text and Titles from generated Media. Now in each of those tracks, in Track Motion, change the X and Y to correspond the one of the lower tracks you have the video clips on. Then size the text and use the Placement tab to place them where you want them to appear. I’m speaking about Legacy Text/Titles.

You will need to do this one each of the text you place to match the video clips you placed in the four corners. There may be another way to do this, but I think this would be the quick and easiest with some experimentation. Hope I explained this well enough!!

Best Regards……George