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busterkeaton wrote on 4/25/2007, 1:42 PM
Sony Creative Software Launches Free Update for Vegas 7 Professional NLE — Complete with Support for Sony's New AVCHD High-Definition Camcorders
Vegas Software and AVCHD Camcorders Deliver Efficient End-to-End Workflow Solution for Producing Quality High-Definition Content on the Desktop
Wednesday, April 25, 2007

MADISON, WI — Sony Creative Software, a leading provider of professional video and audio editing applications, today announced the May 1, 2007 availability of a Vegas® software update, version 7.0e. Free for all registered Vegas 7 users, this significant update further promotes Sony Creative Software's support for HD tapeless workflows by allowing users to edit files recorded on Sony's AVCHD™ high-definition camcorders, including three new models announced separately today: the HDR-SR5, HDR-CX7 and HDR-SR7. These cameras continue to position Sony as the leader in high-definition (HD) camcorders by offering consumers the ability to record in full 1080 HD video and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound on tapeless formats such as flash media cards and hard disk drives.

"With the surge in popularity for generating and editing high-definition content, Sony Creative Software continues to provide enhancements to our applications to meet the needs of our customer base by providing new technology solutions for editing HD faster and more efficiently than ever before," said Dave Chaimson, vice president of marketing, Sony Creative Software. "The new Vegas 7.0e update arms users with the specific creation and production tools for Sony's AVCHD cameras and provides new levels of support for those working with these optical and file-based models."

Vegas 7.0e allows users of Sony AVCHD video cameras to create high-definition or standard-definition content using files recorded to their AVCHD camera's hard disk, flash memory, or DVD. Skipping the real-time capturing stage common for tape-based projects eliminates a time-consuming step prior to editing. In addition to the models listed above, the Vegas 7.0e update also currently supports Sony's other AVCHD camera models such as HDR-UX1, HDR-UX5, HDR-UX7 and HDR-SR1.

"Nonlinear editing software like Sony Creative Software's Vegas has helped transform the process of crafting a moving story," said Linda Vuolo, director of camcorders at Sony Electronics. "Now, with Sony extending this same ease of use and flexibility to both its latest update of Vegas and three new AVCHD camcorders, customers have access to a suite of Sony products aligned to deliver quality content from video capture to editing in HD that is unlike any other."

In July of 2007, Sony will also issue an update to its consumer editing software, Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Edition 8, with support for the AVCHD format, which will allow users to edit files in the new AVCHD camcorder recording format based on the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 codec for video compression and Dolby® digital audio.

Price and Availability

The Vegas 7.0e professional video and audio editing software update is free to all registered Vegas 7 users starting on May 1, 2007. For more information on Vegas+DVD software or any of Sony Creative Software's leading audio or video editing solutions, please visit www.sonycreativesoftware.com. For more information and pricing on Sony's new camcorders, visit Sony Style® retail stores or visit www.sonystyle.com.
John_Cline wrote on 4/25/2007, 2:27 PM
"I think that colorspace issue was actually caused by the Microsoft DV codec they were using."

No, they were using their own DV codec, I am 100% positive of this. I was the one that discovered the flaw and brought it up on their forum, Pinnacle denied for months that the flaw existed. In fact, they even went so far as to ban me from the company's forums. I devised a set of test files that clearly demonstrated the problem and posted a link in other Pinnacle forums, the test files were downloaded over 5,000 times from my web site. Pinnacle was subsequently assaulted online by an mob of users demanding that the problem get fixed. Pinnacle finally fixed it.

John
johnmeyer wrote on 4/25/2007, 5:38 PM
No, they were using their own DV codec, I am 100% positive of this.

The problem I had may be different and probably pre-dated the one you are talking about. The one I experienced was way back in Studio 6 and involved the QDV.DLL file from Microsoft. Depending on which version was present on your system (and this was with Windows 98), you would see significant contrast and color changes, even with only a single generation render. It was not subtle. Sounds like they tried to fix this -- as Sony did as well -- by developing their own DV codec, but unlike Sony, didn't get it right, and that led to the problems you documented.

blink3times wrote on 4/26/2007, 3:59 AM
While I am not in any way arguing that anyone would want to switch from Vegas to Studio 11, I AM very definitely saying that Pinnacle's marketing department have done a FAR better job both listening to their customers and understanding the competitive environment. While it is true that Studio is a consumer tool whereas Vegas is prosumer production tool......

I believe this to be true as well....especially now. I don't think there is much worry in vegas people trading in their programs for studio....2 different programs for 2 different levels of people. I use studio now merely for the HD DVD burning aspect. But there has been a very huge and noticeable increase/difference in studio marketing and customer care since Avid took over. There is a lot of debate and jealousy on the liquid board in fact because the customer care has all of a sudden become so much better on the studio side of the theater (studio makes a heck of a lot more money than liquid does)

Vegas is a well engineered piece of software... and it gets better with each new release, but I don't see this being matched by the marketing department. Emails are a perfect example.... I get tons of email from studio marketing.... but not from Sony. Why is this?
MSmart wrote on 4/26/2007, 3:39 PM
Pinnacle Studio 11... completely rebuilt aparently. But the point is that they're coming out with AVCHD editing.

But the 5.1 audio is down-mixed to Stereo when AVCHD files are placed on the timeline.

Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Edition 8, with support for the AVCHD format, which will allow users to edit files in the new AVCHD camcorder recording format based on the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 codec for video compression and Dolby® digital audio.

busterkeaton, thanks for sharing!! Please clarify if that's 5.1 audio or down-mixed to Stereo in VMS.
MSmart wrote on 5/1/2007, 7:58 PM
busterkeaton,

Please clarify if VMS Plat 8 will import AVCHD video with 5.1 audio intact, or will it be down-mixed to Stereo.

Thx.