[Rob Franks]

If I remember correctly there was a bug in V9 where the LFE track imported as blank. Make sure you have the latest updates.

(I don’t think you need DVDa to DEcode ac3 to the time line. You do need it installed however if you wish to ENcode)

[Rob Franks]

Why are you rendering 24p if your original is interlaced??

Which encoder are you using… the pro or studio encoder? (You need to use the pro encoder for blu ray) Also… make sure you’re rendering a SEPARATE M2V and AC3 file. Let DVDa mux them.

[Rob Franks]

Edward Troxel’s website (JetDV) has lots of free scripts.

Here’s one for gaps:

/**
* Program: AddGaps&Overlaps.js
*
* Description: This script will add a gap between all events on SELECTED tracks
* in the input dialog box you should enter gap length in form of
* “hh:mm:ss.ff” or input a number of frames.
* First event on each track is placed at time “00:00:00.00”
*
* TIP: if you enter minus (-) before gap length, you’ll get overlaps
* instead of gaps 🙂
*
* Written for: Vegas 6
*
* Author: Kamac kamac@email.si
*
* Version: 2.0
* Date: July 5, 2005
*
* Change Log:
* 2.0 (July 5, 2005): – fixed bugs in version 1.0, which didn’t work in case when any
* event was moved so far right, that it began after the start of
* next event. I made a workaround with help of temporary track;
* all events are first moved to this temporary track with wanted
* gaps and then moved back to original track. Temporary track is
* then deleted. All this is done for all selected tracks.
*
**/

import Sony.Vegas;
import System.Windows.Forms;

var StartTime : Timecode = new Timecode(“00:00:00.00”); // starting time of first event on each track
var Gap : Timecode = new Timecode(“00:00:01.00″); // default gap length
var evnt : TrackEvent;

try
{
var dialog = new InputDialog(); // show the dialog
dialog.eventTextBox.Text = Gap.ToString(); // fill the dialog with default Gap length
if (DialogResult.OK == dialog.ShowDialog())
{
Gap = dialog.getGapLength();
for (var track in Vegas.Project.Tracks)
{ // step through all project tracks and work on selected ones
if( !track.Selected) continue;
if(track.MediaType==”Video”)
{
var trackTemp = new VideoTrack(1, “Temp”); // create new video track
};
if(track.MediaType==”Audio”)
{
var trackTemp = new AudioTrack(1, “Temp”); // create new audio track
};
Vegas.Project.Tracks.Add(trackTemp); // add temporary track

var tracktime = StartTime;
var eventEnum = new Enumerator(track.Events);
while (!eventEnum.atEnd())
{ // move all events from current track to temporary track with given gaps between them
evnt = TrackEvent(eventEnum.item());
evnt.Track = trackTemp; // move event to temp track
evnt.Start = tracktime; // set event’s start time
tracktime = tracktime + evnt.Length + Gap;
eventEnum.moveFirst(); // always use first event on current track, because when
// you move the first event to temporary track, what was
// previously second event on current track, becomes first!
}
var eventEnumTemp = new Enumerator(trackTemp.Events);
while (!eventEnumTemp.atEnd())
{ // move all events back to “source track”
evnt = TrackEvent(eventEnumTemp.item());
evnt.Track = track
eventEnumTemp.moveFirst(); // always use first event on current track (look above for reason)
}
Vegas.Project.Tracks.Remove(trackTemp); // remove temporary track
Vegas.UpdateUI(); // redraw Vegas interface
}
}
}//try

catch (errorMsg)
{ // Error handler
MessageBox.Show(errorMsg, “Error”, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
}

/************************************************
* Dialog: Input dialog for gap lengths
************************************************/
class InputDialog extends Form
{
var label1 : Label;
var eventTextBox : TextBox;
var cancelButton : Button;
var okButton : Button;

function InputDialog()
{
this.okButton = new Button();
this.cancelButton = new Button();
this.label1 = new Label();
this.eventTextBox = new TextBox();
this.SuspendLayout();
//
// eventTextBox
//
this.eventTextBox.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(100, 17);
this.eventTextBox.Name = “eventTextBox”;
this.eventTextBox.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(80, 20);
this.eventTextBox.TabIndex = 1;
this.eventTextBox.Text = “00:00:00.00”;
//
// okButton
//
this.okButton.DialogResult = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK;
this.okButton.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(24, 50);
this.okButton.Name = “okButton”;
this.okButton.TabIndex = 2;
this.okButton.Text = “OK”;
//
// cancelButton
//
this.cancelButton.DialogResult = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Cancel;
this.cancelButton.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(120, 50);
this.cancelButton.Name = “cancelButton”;
this.cancelButton.TabIndex = 3;
this.cancelButton.Text = “Cancel”;
//
// label1
//
this.label1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(30, 20);
this.label1.Name = “label1”;
this.label1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(70, 16);
this.label1.TabIndex = 4;
this.label1.Text = “Gap Length:”;
//
// Form
//
this.AcceptButton = this.okButton;
this.AutoScaleBaseSize = new System.Drawing.Size(5, 13);
this.CancelButton = this.cancelButton;
this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(220, 90);
this.ControlBox = false;
this.Controls.Add(this.eventTextBox);
this.Controls.Add(this.label1);
this.Controls.Add(this.cancelButton);
this.Controls.Add(this.okButton);
this.FormBorderStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FormBorderStyle.FixedDialog;
this.MinimizeBox = false;
this.Name = “Form”;
this.StartPosition = FormStartPosition.CenterScreen;
this.Text = “Set Gap (negative for OVERLAP!)”;
this.ResumeLayout(false);
}

// Returns the event length as a timecode
function getGapLength()
{
return new Timecode(eventTextBox.Text);
}
}

[Rob Franks]

Something odd with that. HDV is normally 1440×1080. The duration is pretty short as well… is that 1.27 seconds correct?

I notice the clip’s title states 24fps yet the specs indicate 29.97. Is this 24p in a 60i wrapper (24p with pull down)?

[Rob Franks]

You can save any custom preset that you wish. Just set your effect/transition up, then when you’re happy with it, click the save button on the top right. This will now be saved for not only the existing project but for all others.

The only thing you can’t save in a preset are keyframes. These are unique to each effect you use.

[Rob Franks]

Cx500 is 1920×1080. If you convert to HDV then you will cut the resolution to 1440×1080. Are you sure you want to do that?

[Rob Franks]

Actually John… I know someone who purchased the stripped version. To his surprise (and to mine) his license allowed him to upgrade to the next FULL version (that includes DVDa pro).

[Rob Franks]

Your stripped version is HUGELY different from the real pro version in that it did not come with DVD Architect PRO.

Vegas Pro installed with DVDa PRO unlocks the pro Dolby Digital encoder… which is what costs the big dollars. Without DVDa PRO then you can not access the pro encoder.

The hooker to all of this is that you can’t purchase the pro version of DVDa separately…. so the DVDa version you have to offer is the “studio” version (no pro level dolby encoder). This is why there is such a substantial difference in the pricing.

[Rob Franks]

Download EAC3to (free download) and convert the DTS to mono WAV files, then import to Vegas.

MP4 does not support Dolby Digital or DTS

[Rob Franks]

It can be done… but it doesn’t look so great. I have a 3D tv and it has a “simulation” setting where it takes 2D and simulates 3D. It doesn’t look so great. I have also watched a few 2D converted movies (Clash Of The Titans for example) and again… it doesn’t look so great.

IMO… for the rather ‘fake’ look you will achieve, it’s not really worth the effort.

Now the REAL 3D is quite spectacular to watch with today’s technology and today’s hardware… and I would suggest that if you really want to get into it… then get the proper camera. I think the Panasonic 3D cam is selling for $750 (or there abouts) and the new and upcoming sony 3D cam (the one I’m looking at snapping up) is about $1400 and comes out in April.