In regard to missing help, other threads on this forum recommend uninstalling (from Windows Program Features applet) then reinstalling fresh. That fixed it for me. The install is simple and quick.

Thank you vkmast.. I had tried that and all I get is a solid blue screen in that timeframe... I'm sure I'm doing something fundamentally wrong and fixing the help as suggested below may help that. I dragged the preset down to the other video track..there is where I must be missing some steps. maybe i'm not opening another video track properly or missing it all together. I'll keep trying

Thanks vectorizer, I'll try that.. but then that will put me back to pre-build 256 right? Not that I really need the update...it had mostly stuff for 3D which I'm not doing.

hwp,
Do you have the Blue track below the original track?

There's also the online manual you can download http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/manuals/moviestudiope

"but then that will put me back to pre-build 256 right?"
You can download the build 256 .exe from the Downloads section of this site. You don't even need to re-enter your key after installation.

As to the blue background, you'll need to put the blue generated video on the lowest video track, so it will show through the empty areas of your 4:3 source. Assuming you generate the blue frame size to match your 16:9 project, you should be able to put on its own track below everything; it should be completely blocked by your 16:9 source but show through the sides of your 4:3. (This is all theoretical, I never did it.)

vectorizer,

not just theoretical, I just checked it, again ;)

P.S. If the blue background on the bottom frame doesn't work, check that your 4:3 source is actually 4:3. Right-click on the source and look at the properties. Maybe what you have is actually 16:9 with black bars already put in from wherever you got the source. If that's the case, you can still do what you want, but it'll be somewhat trickier (you'll need a blue 16:9 frame with a 4:3 alpha channel in the middle, placed on the video track above).

Good call vectorizer! That's what it is, a 16:9 source with the black bars added from the camera (a Gopro camera). I think I undersand your description of what I need to and I think that comes from the compositing function which is unknown territory for me but I can figure it out...eventually Thanks much

hwp

Just use two blue tracks above the video and move to the sides using Track Motion. No muss, no fuss. Make sure the solid colors do not exceed 235 levels.

Thanks musicvid. I'll give it a try and let you know

I finally got it... I ended up putting the blue background on the main video track and extended it the full length of the video. I then put the entire movie track above on the video overlay track...and it worked. May not be the most efficient but it worked... since it's a mix of 16:9 and 4:3 the blue background only shows up when the 4:3 media is played.. The bars are apparently transparent and are add by Vegas...I think. I discovered this by rotating the 4:3 video and saw that only the 4:3 part of the vid moved and not the black bars.. if I rotated a 16:9 then the whole 16:9 rotated.. simple I know but somethimes I have to knock myself in the head to see the light.. Thans for all of the help

Actually that is the most efficient way. Glad you got it working.

For future reference, just ignore the names on the video tracks. They are only suggestions. All the tracks work in exactly the same way and you can use any track for any purpose. The only thing that matters is that lower tracks are "behind" upper tracks and will only show through where there's nothing above them, or what is above them is transparent.

Vegas Pro merely numbers the tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., no names.