Choosing Vegas Pro or Magix?

Gran-Johansson wrote on 5/13/2025, 10:50 AM

At the Magix forum, I asked if I should choose Magix or Vegas Pro. The response was in practice that it is better to ask here.

So I ask you, while I continue with the transcoding problem I posted about a few days ago.

I started editing in 2003. With Premiere, which became Premiere Pro. Final Cut. Premiere Elements. Created no-budget projects. Domumentaries, shorts and TV-mini-series for public access television stations. In 2014, I had to buy another editing PC. Edited 3 TV-movies with Premiere Elements version 12. That PC is worn out, so I have a new one.

The present version of Premiere Elements has features which I dislike, so I am looking for another editing program.

I have spent a few thousand hours editing, in front of all with Premiere Elements. I am that kind of no-budget filmmaker who sometimes spend 20 hours per week editing, but then I have months when I don't touch the editing program. Since one quickly forgets, I am looking for an intuitive program. But I need a powerful one. To create one more doll movie. Move dolls in front of my greeenscreen. Use stop motion animation. Add 3d objects. You name it.

I installed the DaVinci freeware. And spent 8 hours with the first 78 pages in the Guide to Beginners. Difficult to learn.

Comparing different paywares, it looks as if Magix has the best offers. Plus a very useful user forum when one runs into problems. That is the reason why I ask here rather than in the forum for one of the competitors. But the different alternatives Magix offers are described in such a way that I find it difficult to compare them.
I failed to find the manuals. So I downloaded the trial version of Vegas Pro. Then I could read the manual for that program.
It was not intuitive for me that one has to choose render in order to export video. So I am asking myself if there are more such details which will force me to spend time on guessing where to click to do what I want to do.

I have used neither Magix Movie Studio nor Video Pro X. So I don't know how one uses them. Both should be easier to learn than Vegas Pro, but the question is if they are powerful enough.

There is no internet in the room where I do almost all editing. So I don't like when help is only available on the internet.

I plan to pay once for the program I choose, not subscribe to it. So I am not asking about the subscription alternatives.

When it comes to using AI features. Since I plan to edit HD, I have only 16 Gigabyte RAM and 4 Gigabyte VRAM.

It will take me a while to find out everything Vegas Pro can do, but I have read part of the manual.
AI masking. I have the impression that AI can delete moving objects but it is not clear for me if the program can also replace the background like the Hide V1 in Video Pro X16 Ultimate can do.
One can interpolate frames. But it is not clear for me if one can do more than a simple linear interpolation.
I have the impression that I can stabilize if a doll filmed in front of my greenscreen is shaky.
I have the impression that motion tracking works so I can easily add objects for the dolls to hold in their hands.
I have not been able to find out if there is luma keying in addition to the chroma keying.
Neither have I been able to find out if there is video denoising, to use when I am forced to use gain while filming.
I hope difference matte works.
I found no rubber band for adjusting the sound volume.

So what do you think? Is Vegas Pro the right program for me? Or Magix Movie Studio? Or Video Pro X?

I understand that I will probably need some different program to turn 3d objects into video. And use AI for lip movements when the dolls talk. Respectively stop motion. Plus more. But the more things which can be done with the same program, the better for me. If the program is so easy to learn that I manage to understand what I should do.

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Comments

Gran-Johansson wrote on 5/17/2025, 9:46 AM

OK, thanks for telling that Vegas Pro works in the way I expected. And I only expect to need an update if something important happens, like me buying another camcorder. So then I have the impression that the situation will be unproblematical.

Gid wrote on 5/17/2025, 9:47 AM

distinguish between a wifi dongle and a serial key dongle!

@3POINT Perhaps @diverG should do that. or should've done that in his comment?

His comment -

Davinci Resolve 'Studio' with a dongle will work without internet and allow you to upgrade provided their upgrade policy remains unchanged

How does it 'upgrade' without internet connection. ?

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Like I say his comment doesn't make sense, it's contradictive as it stands.

diverG wrote on 5/17/2025, 10:00 AM

@Gid Davinci dongle is a 'serial key' and no Internet is required. You are however correct that an Internet connection is required for an upgrade from say v19 to v22 in order to download the installation files. The next time I upgrade I'll download and then disconnect the Internet whilst installing. Will report back if my memory holds good.

Gid wrote on 5/17/2025, 10:04 AM

@diverG Thanks for confirming that, understood. But that's the same situation for VP, after installation the internet can be disconnected..

Reyfox wrote on 5/17/2025, 10:11 AM

I'm always connected to the internet. But I've read where you don't have to be connected all the time for Vegas to work, although, there are times where you have to connected, because Vegas "phones home" to see if there are updates, and you have a legal copy of the software.

Gran-Johansson wrote on 5/17/2025, 10:15 AM

Please explain what you mean with the program "phones home" to se if there are updates. I expect the program to know that internet is sometimes not available, so presumably there will be no problem if I have no internet when it checks for updates. And I don't plan to update as long as I have the same PC and camcorder. Or do I misunderstand what you mean?

Reyfox wrote on 5/17/2025, 10:20 AM

Programs are usually installed on computers that are connected to the internet. The software might "call home" to check for updates, and/or to see that the serial number is still valid. AFAIK, no one knows when this happens. For those of us connected to the internet, it happens silently in the background.

Only way to find out is to install the software and wait to see when it asks for an internet connection to valid your serial number.

Gid wrote on 5/17/2025, 10:22 AM

@Gran-Johansson Here's a post you may want to read https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/does-vegas-pro-21-need-internet-access-every-time-when-started--142096/

According to the links the other guys provided, Vegas will try to "phone" home every two weeks, but if unsuccessful, it will not stop working.

Gran-Johansson wrote on 5/17/2025, 10:32 AM

Thanks for the link. I have the impression that if I don't use it for "one month" then it will try to phone home next time I start it. So in such a case I should be connected to the internet.

And sometimes I will have reasons to use it when I am connected. There is the hub. There are AI tools which require internet. And the help requires internet.

So I guess this means that the situation is unproblematical. Magix should know that some people take their editing laptop with them to places without internet, and stay there for months.

In 2002 I purchased a desktop. After some years it lost contact with the internet. But I continued to use the installed programs. Magix should know that such cases happen.

diverG wrote on 5/17/2025, 11:35 AM

@Gran-Johansson From your signature I'm not sure if you have editing software loaded. If selecting new editing "tools" make sure your computer meets the minimum spec required to run said software. If possible download a trial first and avoid hassle & disappointment. Good luck.

Gran-Johansson wrote on 5/17/2025, 11:37 AM

Thanks for warning me. I have installed the trial version and it works fine.

EricLNZ wrote on 5/17/2025, 7:57 PM

@Gran-Johansson Whilst the Help system requires an internet connection there is also the manual if you have downloaded it. I don't know the size of VP22's Manual but the VP21 Manual is 1,206 pages! That's right, over one thousand pages.

Dexcon wrote on 5/17/2025, 8:50 PM

... but the VP21 Manual is 1,206 pages! That's right, over one thousand pages.

😃That's the equivalent of a short story compared to Resolve's user manual which has 4,031 pages 😃.

EricLNZ wrote on 5/17/2025, 9:08 PM

That's the equivalent of a short story compared to Resolve's user manual which has 4,031 pages

Does that reflect its complexity? I've never tried it so don't know.

Dexcon wrote on 5/17/2025, 9:48 PM

Does that reflect its complexity?

@EricLNZ ... Yes, very much so. A lot of the FX etc are added using nodes, and settings are adjusted via controls linked to each node. A screenshot from one of Resolve's video tutorials shows a few nodes:

And there can be a hierarchy to the order in which nodes are chained and/or linked.

I mainly use Resolve for some of its features in a way not dissimilar to using 3rd party FX in Vegas Pro (e.g. Neat NR) or as a standalone (e.g. Mercalli 5 SAL). Like the now discontinued HitFilm Pro has/used to have, Resolve has batch rendering where a whole lot of individual events can be processed on the timeline (e.g. transcoding from VFR to CFR or applying stabilisation) and each added to a render queue - with name changes if required - and then rendered in bulk with one hit of the Render All button.

The learning curve for wholly editing in Resolve is steep; in comparison, Vegas Pro is IMO a gzillion times more intuitive and easier to use.

Gran-Johansson wrote on 5/18/2025, 2:19 AM

Dear friends, thanks for reminding me. And reminding those who read this in the future before buying.

Yes, I have the manual. 1296 pages. I have read the first quarter of it. And the manual to Resolve, plus the long Beginner's Guide to Resolve. Complex, so that is a big reason why I prefer Vegas Pro.