DebugMode Frameserver in Vegas Pro 9?

TGS wrote on 5/20/2009, 1:28 PM

Most likely because when you install a new version of Vegas, it now defaults your audio to 24 bit. You just need to change your Audio preferences to 16 bit and it should be fine.
If you want to use 24 bit audio, just make the switch to 16 bit while you're using frameserver, than switch back to 24 bit afterwards.

Andy E wrote on 5/20/2009, 1:45 PM

What the OP is reporting is that it no longer even appears as a render option not that it doesn't work properly.

Doesn't appear for me either.

Tom Pauncz wrote on 5/20/2009, 1:55 PM

TGS,
I haven't changed my 'Preferences' and just checked. Audio is 16-bit. Cannot see the Frameserver render option.
Tom

Grazie wrote on 5/20/2009, 2:05 PM

This reminds of going from V7 to V8 . . . . ?

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=548120Is it a repeat of this in THIS thread?[/link]

Maybe?

Grazie

ScorpioProd wrote on 5/20/2009, 3:36 PM

I'll gladly do a regedit if that's the case, I just need to know what to change.

Tom Pauncz wrote on 5/20/2009, 4:19 PM

Don't think so Grazie. I checked.
The registry entries are correct, since I can see FS in VP8.
Tom

Grazie wrote on 5/20/2009, 11:28 PM

Yes, Tom, but this was ALSO the case with Vegas7 to Vegas8? Seen in V7 but not in V8. And what we are saying is the same . .. oh never mind . ..

Anyways, I have reported this to SCS. Maybe you could do the same - Tom?

Grazie

RBartlett wrote on 5/21/2009, 2:54 AM

V7 to V8 was an issue because DebugMode FrameServer wrote to the old style registry key for V7 that used the prefix 'Sony Media Software' whereas V8 didn't look there. Instead it looked in 'Sony Creative Software' and while Sony described the fix, eventually Satish repackaged the installer so it would work with V8 and older.

It would seem that this needs to be done again but there seems to be something more fundamentally different with the layout of the registry data in V9Pro. The hairball that is the Windows registry is formulated quite differently in V9Pro.

I've attempted to crib how the AC3 FileIO (Render) function is referred to. Also, I've tried specifying somewhere different for Satish's DLL to be installed into.
ie I specified:
C:\Program Files\Sony\Vegas Pro 9.0\FileIO Plug-Ins\dfsc

It didn't work. I've tried looking for SDK info but can only find stuff for scripting. I suppose Sony may require some closer relationship with developers from V9Pro onwards? I hope not as free contributions in areas beyond just scripting (and the ability to put those scripts into the application GUI) are important to many.

Last time this happened it seemed like we'd seen the end of this particular issue (just assuming Sony Madison remained 'Sony Creative Software'). It seems not. Pity.

Something is missing and it appears that:
C:\program files\Sony\Shared Plug-Ins\File Formats has been deprecated as of VP9 Pro and that Render functions (file formats and the ability to extend to those that are provided natively with VP9) are handled differently.

BTW I wasn't really expecting it to work but I tried in vain to add these registry keys:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Sony Creative Software\Shared Information\Plug-Ins\Debugmode FrameServer]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Sony Creative Software\Shared Information\Plug-Ins\Debugmode FrameServer\Files]
"C:\\Program Files\\Sony\\Vegas Pro 9.0\\FileIO Plug-Ins\\dfsc\\dfscVegasOut.dll"=dword:00000020

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Sony Creative Software\Shared Information\Plug-Ins\Debugmode FrameServer\Owner]
"Vegas Pro 9.0"=dword:00000000

DON'T TRY THIS AS A SOLUTION, IT ISN'T ONE. I'm just explaining my thought processes OUT LOUD. Perhaps I've got part the way but missed something - though I suspect I'm barking up the wrong tree entirely now that I've tried and got nowhere. Not even a peep of the DebugMode render option appearing alongside AVI etc. We ideally need Sony to comment and possibly more of Satish's fantastic good will to move this forward. Again, more is the pity.

If we can't get this to work then perhaps VP9 projects can be embedded in VP8 (but we'd lose video-levels 32bit support if it works at all, presumably)? Or there is the virtualdub (which extend to AVSynth) path we can revisit for reaching external apps directly from the timeline (such as TMPGEnc et al).

Perhaps there is a better way to do this that isn't dependent on Sony. Maybe someone could write a shim for the BlackMagic drivers that could dump AV data out in an AVI wrapper? Presumably there is a lossless (apart from RGB to Y'CbCr), non-preview mode for printing to HD-SDI and HDMI using these drivers that could be utilized even without the hardware installed? Presumably the secondary VGA preview mode is de-interlaced and of preview quality? (As you can tell, I've not really understood the differences betweeen DV-out and BlackMagic or AJA connectivity with Vegas(Pro))

Grazie wrote on 5/21/2009, 3:21 AM

Thanks RB. A most intelligent and plausible explanation. Along with the Government Health warnings, this should be enough for the developers to bite their collective tooth into?

RB, including this page, I sent off an email to SCS about 4 hours back. I would hope to be informed to the state of play within 24.

Grazie

ForumAdmin wrote on 5/21/2009, 8:14 AM

To enable the 64-bit versions of Vegas Pro we changed the File I/O plug-in interfaces for Vegas Pro 8.1 and Vegas Pro 9.0 (32-bit and 64-bit).

We have made the updated File I/O SDK available to all of the parties who have existing Vegas File I/O plug-ins so they can update their plug-in to the new interfaces. When they do that, their plug-ins will work with Vegas Pro 9.0.

Grazie wrote on 5/21/2009, 8:52 AM

So, there we have it!

SATISH?!?? Where are you?? We know you are IN there??

Thanks SCS for getting back to us in such a timely way. Muchly appreciated.

Grazie

RBartlett wrote on 5/21/2009, 10:09 AM

This infers that if Satish is willing to contribute again then it would seem likely that this effort would follow over into 64bit Vegas and onward through Vegas Pro 10/X.

Usually, when things need to be rewritten, the next version is also better.
Here is hoping while waiting. Plug-ins for workflow are a form of compromise from the start I suppose.

ie It'd be better if a TMPGEnc Net had written (for version 2.5) and supported (for their current crop) a means to encode to MPEG1,2,4,AVC etc by way of writing a null AVI codec that whisked the arriving data into their encoder. Sure, this might then mean it had to be single-pass but it ought to work with (VfW vs WDM permitting) any NLE or AV app inside Windows.

MPEG's and suchlike have never had a close relationship with the AVI container. The closest I've seen has been through signpost/wrapper files.

Ho hum. Thanks everyone for getting the answer to this annoying gap all in one day. Thanks to Satish in advance for any time he can give on this.

ScorpioProd wrote on 5/21/2009, 11:50 AM

I looked on the DebugMode Frameserver forum, but it has moved to a Google forum, and reading an initial post reply about this problem seemed to imply Satish wasn't there.

I hope it will be fixed soon, I love Vegas, but TMPGEnc is better for me than the MainConcept encoder in Vegas.

For now I guess I'll have to render out a real AVI first, but I really prefer not to do that for many reasons.

And yes, thanks to SCS for the prompt reply to this issue.

rmack350 wrote on 5/21/2009, 1:58 PM

Satish once told me that since he doesn't own a copy of Vegas he doesn't see this forum much. The best thing to do would be to drop him a note through his website and quote ForumAdmin's message.

<time passes...> Done!

Rob

rmack350 wrote on 5/21/2009, 5:29 PM

Evidently SCS needs to contact Satish. They have his email address and his NDA.

Rob Mack

john-beale wrote on 5/21/2009, 8:55 PM

If, hypothetically speaking, one were wanting to write a plug-in for Vegas 9 and was not already on any developer's list, who would one contact?

NickHope wrote on 5/22/2009, 12:30 AM

A reliable frameserver is crucial to my workflow. It's a showstopper for me regarding upgrading to V9. I would be happy to pay for one. Satish should charge something or his programs. If he had a Paypal link on his website I would donate.

Grazie wrote on 5/22/2009, 1:04 AM

Hi Nick! I just saw your posting on the Satish "Frameserver Users Forum". I had your post piped to my email address.

GOOD points you raise!

PLEASE Satish! Please!

Grazie

rmack350 wrote on 5/22/2009, 8:58 AM

I think donations would be the way to go. Satish's frameserver is very functional but if he charged for it that'd lay a lot more responsibility on him to polish it. Donations don't carry that obligation.

I'd definitely send him 25 bucks for the frameserver just because it's so obviously useful.

Rob Mack

RBartlett wrote on 5/22/2009, 10:32 AM

Far from completely but this failing severely erodes the value of the whole Vegas 9 suite. Very poor planning on Sony's part. There ought to have been a way to provide this. IMHO, before 3rd party hardware integration (like AJA + BMD). I'd imagine many more folks would use the frameserver for all manner of benefits. Disc space is cheap but reducing steps by a whole hop is where the good life is at.

Oh well. It'll probably be fixed some day.

rmack350 wrote on 5/22/2009, 1:36 PM

Well, the thing is that it's not SCS' job to ensure that third party codecs get out at the same time as Vegas.

On the other hand, they need to make sure that it's possible. It seems like that's fallen on its face this round.

Rob Mack