Okay, so I finally dug up the April 16th press release, which says:

"Sony Creative Software plans to release a 64-bit version of Vegas software by the end of 2007."

So, are they having development problems or is this delayed strategically? I seems like Vista has pretty much been a bomb ... not had the adoption rate expected. Wonder if SCS looked at the # of potential users and decided to slow track 64-bit Vegas ... maybe to coincide with Vista SP1. Wonder if VPro8 was a planned release all along, or if it was more of an interim update to mollify us while 64-bit Vegas slipped?

Well ... there's still two shopping days left in 2007, so I won't put the final nail in this announcement's coffin, but the total silence on the subject is not encouraging.

Brian

Probably waiting for NAB - and taking the extra time to do it right!

"So, are they having development problems or is this delayed strategically?"

Those, who know, will not say, and those who say something, will not know.

But I think it is fair to state that there seems to be signicifant delays, compared with earlier announcements. However, means that we got enough time to set up an additional 64 bit system (I have done so by using different boot discs, in icydock racks

http://www.raidsonic.de/en/pages/products/mobile-racks.php?we_objectID=4343

I am running Vista 64 Ultimate on my new laptop and would love to be a beta tester if that is something being looked for.

"Probably waiting for NAB - and taking the extra time to do it right!"

And then we can purchase Vegas 9 (64-bit).

Groan...it's beyond me why anyone would assume the next version of Vegas would be 64-bit. And maybe that's not what you're saying.

There must be a 32bit Vegas Pro 9. SCS has an installed base of 32-bit Vegas users and a large portion of them will need to continue using a 32-bit version for various reasons. When the 64-bit version comes along (and assuming it really does get released) I think it'll either be offered as an option to the 32-bit version or as an entirely different version of Vegas. You could find it marketed as Sony Edit Pro 64, version 1.

As far as buying/building new systems, I can't imagine building a system for a software application that hasn't been released. Luckily, a hardware rig that runs under 64bit windows also runs under 32bit windows so there's really no great risk to building a system that works for both. The only risks I can think of are buying more memory than you can currently use, and perhaps building a system 6 -12 months before you needed it. CPUs and chipsets can loose their bloom in that amount of time. And of course there's the risk of being incredibly frustrated as you wait for that killer application to get released. But if you need a system, you need a system.

I guess I'm reacting to counting your chickens before they hatch.

Rob Mack

Rob-

Yeah, I think I've finally learned my lesson on excessive "future-proofing" of my hardware. Too many times have I bought the expensive video card, expensive RAM, or a certain chip/motherboard because it might be important for the future. By the time the need actually arrived it was time to upgrade the entire rig, or something else became the bottleneck.

Personally haven't made the leap to Vista, and not sure when I will. No real compelling reason for me at this time ... maybe Vegas 64 will change that. Always excited to see Vegas do well, though, so hoping this 64-bit upgrade would help put it "on the map" vs the competition. The sooner to market the better, but they've definitely got to get it right first!

"Groan...it's beyond me why anyone would assume the next version of Vegas would be 64-bit. And maybe that's not what you're saying."
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Sorry...I find that a strange statement!?

At last NAB Sony CLEARLY STATED that Vegas64 would be out in the Fall of 2007. A lot of us doing HDV work took Sony at their word, got machines ready and figured that THIS version (vegas 8) would be the one. I am not sure how WE were wrong for making these assumptions!!??

Since Vista turned out to be a Win ME repeat, perhaps Sony has decided to release a stable 64 bit version for LINUX?

Let's face...there isn't a mad rush of people that are buying Vista, except those poor innocent souls who are not computer savvy. The only stable 64 bit option at this point would be to release a LINUX 64 bit version. Vegas could lead the way!!

"The only stable 64 bit option at this point would be to release a LINUX 64 bit version. Vegas could lead the way!!"
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I couldn't disagree more. I've been running vista ultimate 64 for about 6 months now with no problems at all. In fact I like it better than XP... faster load/shutdown times, faster program startups, more detailed event log.... etc.

People get nervous over Vista because mostly of the added security which is not Microsoft's fault but merely something that today's world has forced down our throats... a lot of hackers out there with nothing better to do with their time than raise hell.

The DRM scare for the most part is a false one... I've ripped commercial cd's/dvd's ond others with no difficulty at all (this is done for personal use.)

And the increased security on Linux or Mac systems.... a pile of rubbish. Hackers spend their time playing with Microsoft products because Microsoft is the King... If/when Mac or Linux becomes as popular and widespread, then you'll see daily hacks on these products as well.

And although there is a bit of a memory advantage in Linux 64...... it is FAR from stable, and has huge hardware driver gaps and holes.

ditto Blink

Also, Vista has a good memory management deal - where if you are using an app that needs more memory then Vista will kill it's own processes to make room for it.

I'm moving to Vista 64 and skipping 32. Just hope Vegas 8 Pro runs on it without problems (I know it's currently 32bit).
It doesn't appear to have near the problems people are having with Vista32.

runnin vista on one machine,, like it better than xp...no
like xp more...no

both are fine. dont notice any difference while editing

Blink,

It's not that you're wrong to make the assumption that there would be a 64bit version about now. I just think it's wrong to assume that Sony would transition the core Vegas product to 64bit, mainly because probably more than 90% of the customer base will still need a 32bit version. So, Sony never once said that version 8 would be 64bit, and they never once have said that version 9 will be 64bit. Maybe it will, but no one ever said this.

I don't remember where I got the idea but it seemed to me that they were talking about releasing a beta of the 64-bit version about now. Maybe I just picked up on someone else's conjecture. Consider it an unsupported rumor.

I'd have to go look at posts again but I read a lot of those announcements and never saw any of them as promises. Some of SCS's statements at the time were conflicting.

SCS has been pretty generous with releases in the past so maybe if a 64bit Vegas comes to pass (if the effort doesn't die on the vine) it'll be included with the next 32-bit version. Or maybe it'll be a separate product at a higher price point with a support contract. Or maybe someone at SCS will make a financial decision that prosumers are the revenue generators and the 64bit version will get scrapped.

Anyway, I don't think it's a waste of effort to build a system with a 64bit OS in mind. The result should be a solid system.

The thing is that everyone has to upgrade from time to time. Usually you end up having to bite the bullet and get the best system for your current needs because you can't keep waiting for things on the horizon. Of course you want to keep an eye on that horizon and be in a good position to meet whatever comes to fruition, but you can't make a business on things you can't control.

Rob

Vegas on Linux is just not going to happen.

As far as SCS being worried that there's no large base of Vista64 users, I doubt that's an issue. 64bit Vista exists if users want it. If there were a 64-bit version of Vegas (and in spite of my skepticism I think there will be one this year) then people who wanted it would buy it and purchase or build systems for it.

Things get delayed, and that's one reason I find it hard to believe that SCS could promise a 64bit version of Vegas any farther out than about 30 days. SCS could be waiting on things from Microsoft, or they could be waiting until they can get BMD and Kona cards working with the 64-bit Vegas, or they could be held up with BluRay issues,or they could just be running behind, or have the application in beta, or they could have found that they needed to rewrite large sections of code...

My hope is that they're actually putting real resources into the 64bit version and that this effort opened up a development budget that will trickle right back down to 32-bit Vegas. Vegas, at version 8 has probably painted itself into a few corners code-wise by now so I'm hoping theyre using this effort to address fundamental issues.

Rob Mack

I can make my new system loaded with Vista 64 Ultimate crash a dozen different ways, but not one of them involves running Vegas. Vegas seems to run just fine on this OS. I imagine that my other software will soon catch up as well.