best format to work from to create HD program

jimjontz wrote on 7/19/2012, 12:10 PM

I've been given the option of requesting original footage in any format I want to work with in order to create a spot for cable TV. It's all hi def, so what is the most trouble-free format for Vegas Pro 11? I'm running a quad with 16G of ram.

Comments

rs170a wrote on 7/19/2012, 12:13 PM

My personal preference is MXF as Vegas deals with it very easily.

Mike

videoITguy wrote on 7/19/2012, 1:48 PM

Sony MXF within Vegas is an excellent intermediate. But accepting MXF from other sources is tricky - be careful what you ask for in this regard. Best to get an option list from the station and then re-ask your question here again.

MXF within Vegas is a lossy format - albeit - a nice handling system. You may need higher source material to pull-off a good edit edit and render out again.

jimjontz wrote on 7/19/2012, 2:06 PM

Didn't realize that MXF is lossy. Their pref is uncompressed, quicktime or Apple Pro Res, but Vegas isn't really a fan of the apple gang.

rmack350 wrote on 7/19/2012, 3:31 PM

Unless you're really sure of the format, start by asking for a sample or two. And it sounds like, whatever they give you, it'll be Quicktime.

The big problem with Quicktime is that Vegas can't read it's timecode. I'd love to be proved wrong on this. So, if you need timecode then you definitely need to get a few test files that are purported to contain timecode. Most likely they'd need to fall back to an AVI file if that's possible.

Other than that, I have a number of pretty simple projects containing a few hundred DVCProHD encoded Quicktime files. This is not a problem for Vegas, except that I needed to buy the Raylight Decoder to play them. Don't balk at Quicktime just because it's Quicktime.

Rob

videoITguy wrote on 7/19/2012, 5:01 PM

Rmack 350 is exactly right...The QuickTime handling of source files is an expectation of industry built on the Mac and FCP NLE for example.

Unfortunately this Quiktime is a workflow that VegasPro was not really designed to handle, and yet a person needs to persevere with that spec., if you are playing with the industry big-ones and you want to play Vegas.

My earlier comment about MXF should be taken to mean - that you usually want Vegas MXF on the timeline when you are completing an intermediate step. MXF as source is a little tricky.