Nick, welcome to VEGAS!
“You want the pickle? You got the pickle!
You don’t want the pickle? You don’t got the pickle!”
What you are discovering, took me years, that there are several places where you can “force” a render to a format or just go with the Project Settings. Vegas “deals” with these things in what has been regarded, as a major loosy-goosey way.
My advise?:
A] Get the Project Settings matched to the majority of my Video Media – this is a good place to start!
B] Any Media that constitutes a minority of the total and IS not creating an issue, let Vegas deal with it. If it IS creating an issue, re-render to match the the Majority.
C] Unless there is a very good reason do NOT activate the alter Media to match the render setting in Project Settings.
D] Render to that format which is needed: MPG2 and AC3 for DVD; the flavours for the INTERNET; Archiving and the need for laying-off for further future proofed – yeah right . . . – editing
I really hope this helps? You are NOT alone.
Vegas? It can be everything to everybody . . and there lies the need for a selective process.
Grazie
Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 + PowerShot SX50HS Bridge