[Khanh Nguyen]

Mask is a feature of vegas Pro. In studio, the “mask” is simplified to cookie cutter (or something like that). Look into feathering setup in your cookie cutter (and use the eclipse or circular cutter to isolate the faces).

There’s a way to speed up the video by changing it frame rate in virtualdub. It’s free but maynot be as user friendly as you would like. The Control-Drag method should work in Vegas studio.

[Khanh Nguyen]

Adam is correct in saying that Vegas 9 studio only has 4 video and 4 audio track capability.

However you may be able to work around the limitation by using the vegas project file on the timeline (I didn’t try this on the studio version, I am using the pro version). You can always render multiple tracks into one (using a lossless codec, lagarith for example).

Keep in mind that if you transition from one track to the next, you don’t need 2 tracks.

[Khanh Nguyen]

What you are asking is called “proxy editing”. There are a couple of ways to do just that. Look here:

https://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2007/12/12/proxy-editing-with-sony-vegas/

especially the “update” part.

Even with proxy editing, you still need a relatively good computer since the frame rate will drop significantly with effects turned on.

Another method is using an intermediate codec (such as cineform). Vegas 8 shipped with cineform 2.8 (which has a limit of 720p resolution which is not too bad). The cineform files should playback much better than our original files (and much bigger too).

[Khanh Nguyen]

Perrone

I read on dvinfo that you have the older version of the cineform codec 3.3.0 I read about your “trick” with vegas when searching for a solution to my issue (similar to yours). Neo Scene messed up my cineform 2.8 (which came with Vegas). You said in your thread over on dvi that you’ll help out ppl with similar issue.

khanh215 at yahoo.com

Thanks
Khanh

[Khanh Nguyen]

I don’t think you can.

[Khanh Nguyen]

If you can’t import mpg2 or mts files then your license if corrupted somehow. This happens when ppl pirated or hacked Vegas 8.0a so that it works beyond the trial period (w/o online registration). I don’t know why your Vegas mpg license got messed up but reinstall and re-registration the software using the online registration will clear up the issue.

I installed procoder3 and that somehow messed up my Vegas mpg codec license. I talked to SONY and got the above information.

[Khanh Nguyen]

The mask feature that Doug talked about is only available the Pro version. In the movie maker version, you’ll need to manipulate the clip using cookie-cutter under filter/effect menu (sorry I don’t have the software up so I don’t know the exact location for the filter).

[Khanh Nguyen]

When I have to mix between SD and HD, I always “convert” all my SD clips into the HD resolution before import them into the HD timeline. Basically, I create a temporary project. Put my SD clips there. Crop, Zoom etc to the 16:9 ratio then render it out using the lossless codec.

Then I continue to work as if I have everything in HD resolution. Render out to h.264 10Mbps, LAME MP3 for you tube.

I need to mention that I am also a newbie with Vegas. I tried out the Pro version and really like it.