Cursor INSISTS on snapping to grid... :(

Ayum wrote on 12/9/2011, 4:03 PM
Hi...

...I have Sony Vegas pro 8, and I was editing a complicated project on my PC... but unfortunately the PC died yesterday. (graphics card meltdown)

I have the same version of Vegas on my laptop. However on the laptop the cursor will always snap to the notches on the timeline... I've exported the project from my old PC where many of the video clips are not 100% in sync with the timeline (as I had snapping off as I needed to match video lip sync to the song's audio (it is a music video I'm working on)

Now there is no way of getting the cursor to line up with some of those clips, and if I stretch or move any clip, it will only allow me to move/stretch the clips to the notches on the timeline, but not in between them.

I have tried all the advice from the internet, and have tried holdong down 'shift', and tried disabling snapping in the options, but to no avail...

...can anyone here explain what the problem may be?

I'm sorry that I don't know the 'specs' of my laptop... but I'm hoping someone can give generic advice without needing those details. e.g. Is it possible that if a laptop doesn't have perhaps enough RAM or CPU or something, that Vegas loses some features (like the ability to disable snap) to compensate for lower processing power...?

Really stuck here, and appreciate any help

Comments

Former user wrote on 12/9/2011, 4:05 PM
At what interval are the snaps? If they are frames, then you are snapping to the frame, which you should be doing. If it is seconds or something else, then that is different.

Dave T2
Ayum wrote on 12/9/2011, 4:19 PM
It is frames, yes...
...but on my other PC, I could move video around freely with no restrictions (i.e. even in between frames).

And many of the events on the timeline are between frames... So the problem I'm now having, is that it is impossible to line up and other events with those ones that are in between frames on the timeline.

Is it unusual that the Vegas on my (now defunct) PC was able to move video around without snapping to Frame...?
ChristoC wrote on 12/9/2011, 4:53 PM
Snap settings seem to pertain to clips and parts, not the main cursor.

Regardless of Snap settings, this seems counter-intuitive: you need to turn "Quantize to Frames" ( Alt+F8 ) off - BEWARE: not necessarily desirable if you are editing pictures - now the cursor will move anywhere you desire, which is desirable for audio editing.

In your original post you seem to be saying that you had "Quantize to Frames" turned OFF when you edited on the old PC, and moved pictures between frames to get lipsync - I'd suggest this is a big problem you MUST fix - there is no choice; pictures can only lie on one frame or the next frame, not between frames!

Ayum wrote on 12/9/2011, 5:04 PM
I did, yes... I moved the video clips between frames...
...why is this wrong?

Will it lead to tiny blacknesses or something?

Btw, ChristoC!
That was *exactly* the problem that i was having. The "Quantize to Frames" setting... Thanks for that
ChristoC wrote on 12/9/2011, 5:10 PM
> I moved the video clips between frames... ...why is this wrong?

Pictures must be cut at frame boundaries = fundamental rule!
If you do not understand that, do not edit pictures.

Ayum wrote on 12/9/2011, 5:22 PM
Ok I hear you, fundamental... sounds like fun and all...
...but here is the reality of the situation.

I rendered a version of my project... where nearly all the video clips are not properly aligned to frame boundaries...

...and it plays seamlessly and looks good.
So is the 'fundamental rule' mainly an academic thing or should I be experiencing problems because I broke it?

(btw... I only ask because I'm curious... I actually really appreciate your tips and atm I'm fixing all clips so they correspond to frame boundaries... call me nerdy, but I want this video done right)
Former user wrote on 12/9/2011, 5:28 PM
No, video should always be cut on frames. It is only by luck that you are not getting black frames or other funny things. Vegas, for the most part will round it off to the frame which pretty much will negate your reason for trying to edit subframe.

In TV, a frame is the smallest "sample" of video. In some cases you can edit fields, but that can get you in big trouble.

Audio can be edited in samples with no problem.

Dave T2
larry-peter wrote on 12/9/2011, 5:33 PM
If you're only viewing on a computer you might just get lucky in not seeing the problems - but it's still dangerous work habits. If you are considering EVER allowing someone to view your work on a DVD or television, you will be surprised by things ranging from black frames, to half-interlaced frames, to video level changes.

Always quantize to frames when you're cutting video. If an audio event necessitates inter-frame adjustment, ungroup it from picture and then disable quantize to frames, then enable it again after you have made the necessary adjustment to audio. Doing this will save you the pain of others seeing an amateur mistake you never caught on your computer monitor.
Former user wrote on 12/9/2011, 5:34 PM
Vegas 11 has an option you can select that will allow audio edits at sample rate without having to toggle quantize to frames.

Dave T2
Ayum wrote on 12/9/2011, 5:52 PM
V interesting...
Thanks for the tips :)
Chienworks wrote on 12/9/2011, 8:09 PM
Actually there's no requirement that photos be cut at frame boundaries. It's perfectly legal and acceptable to put the pictures anywhere you want with complete disregard to frames. What will happen will depend on the resample settings. If you have a picture start partway through a frame with resample off, Vegas will fill that frame with whatever image started the frame and ignore the picture until the next full frame. With resample on, Vegas will blend the picture with whatever the frame started with for that frame.

Video is a little more tricky in that sync and interlacing can get messed up, but Vegas will almost always do the right thing whenever physically possible. But, there's really no advantage to ever having video not line up with the frames.
Leee wrote on 12/9/2011, 9:36 PM
It sounds like you guys are getting into Quantum Editing 101. LOL!