Norman Black
Forum Replies Created
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System codecs for general use.
In Windows there are three codec systems where you can install something for “general use”
Video for Windows
Direct Show
Media FoundationVegas only uses Video for Windows
Video for Windows was depreciated in 1997 when DirectShow was created. Interesting Vegas used something depreciated before its first release by I digress. Media Foundation depreciated DirectShow as of Windows 7.
Video for Windows only allows one codec per FourCC id installed. So a new install of something is destructive to an existing install.
DirectShow allows multiple implementations per specific codec class. They are chosen on a merit system, you can have control over this, but you would need to get a utility or edit the registry. Of course this means nothing since Vegas does not use DirectShow.
K-Lite Basic, Standard and Full versions only install DirectShow codecs. K-lite Mega does install some Video for Windows codecs.
K-lite comes with 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the codecs. If you run Vegas 64-bit then any 32-bit codec pack, even Video for Windows cannot effect you.
Vegas uses its own codecs directly. They are in the folder named Fileio or something like as I remember.
When I get home I will look at the Video for Windows registry, DirectShow also for giggles, and see if Vegas installs anything into those systems. I have my doubts except maybe the SonyYUV codec which exists in the Vfw chain.
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I have heard about codec pack issues, and I do have K-lite installed. I have the “standard” one installed. Only playback and only DirectShow installed. Vegas does not use DirectShow.
So exactly what does something like K-lite mess up?
As far as I can tell Vegas directly uses its decode/encode for all file types except for Video for Windows (AVI) and Quicktime (MOV). There are the only mechanisms for installable system wide codecs. DirectShow is a system setup but for players.
K-lite does nothing with Quicktime. I never use VFW AVI so maybe that is why I see no issue.
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I tried this on a couple of projects. One with GoPro Hero3 video and the other was the Vegas GPU demo/benchmark project from Sony.
Colors seemed fine.
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Sorry, nothing that I know of. I have seen misc applications provide an OFF but nothing Microsoft.
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Those little help popups when you hover over an item are called tooltips, and the application has to provide an off feature for that.
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The levels change does not boost anything. It is compresses the range a bit and thus you loose some contrast, but the player on a computer should expand the range so contrast stays the same. Of course something is lost since the range is compressed and expanded, but that is just what we have to live with.
I think the 16-235 thing is one of those legacy things we keep carrying forward from the old days.
In studio, 16 is pure black. Full range, 0 is pure black. This is probably where your blacks got crushed. Levels near black were interpreted as blacker than before.
Let me give you a real life for example. I created a slideshow project with jpegs from a misc digital cams. Jpegs are full range 0-255. I noticed my video was more contrasty and some colors over saturated. I added a computer to studio levels to my track and looked at the jpeg in the windows picture viewer and the video stop at the same shot in media player classic home cinema and they now looked the same.
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Well, I have never worked with RED raw files, but I’ll bet they generate full range data, 0-255, upon decode. I have no idea how to test for that in Vegas. Maybe there is an option to control this for RED raw files.
Anyway, if you have 0-255 data, you need to add a Sony Levels effect and use the computer RGB to Studio RGB preset for any output format that expects studio RGB levels. MC AVC, Sony AVC both expect studio RGB.
If all your files are RED you can do this on the output channel. The output effect button is in the preview window. Looks like the normal effect button.
You can also do this as a track effect, if everything on a track in RED, but other tracks are something else.
and of course you can do this on a per event basis.
Choose the mechanism most appropriate.
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MC AVC assumes studio RGB (16-235) as input. You may be passing in full range computer RGB (0-255). If yes, you need a computer to studio RGB levels adjustment.
Most, if not all, the 8-bit render file formats assume studio RGB input.
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You might have more than one event selected. At least, when I have more than one event selected, properties is greyed out.
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Pan/Crop chooses what area is displayed from the source in your frame.
Track motion chooses where in your display frame to display your track which may have crops.
As mentioned, crop by defaults resizes the crop area to fill the frame. This can be turned off if that is not what you want.
So if you want a part of an image displayed in part of the frame you use both pan/crop and track motion.