For the same price as movie studio, you can get a licensed full version Sony 6 new (oem/no box) version from here:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=434966&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Vegas 6 for just $99 - pro licensed new version. I've been recommending it to thousands of people on all kinds of forums. This is the "vegas deal of a lifetime".

And then you can upgrade to Sony 7 with DVDA for a mere $134 extra til end of October if you decide you want to.

Then get all of Douglas' superb training videos at vasst.com and learn how to use it, that's what I'd do.


Ken

Thanks guys - you've answered all my questions, plus the ones I thought of after I posted - mind readers too!
Will check into the super deal Ken - thanks a mill.

Just in case you didn't notice -- the $99 Vegas at B&H is Vegas only -- no DVD Architect (no Boris either).

I have just done exactly what Ken described -- $99 for Vegas 6, then $149 for upgrade to Vegas +DVD 7 (got the boxed version).

I've used Vegas Movie Studio Platinum (V6) for the past year or so, just as a home/hobby user, and have been very happy with it. VMS Platinum also has been upgraded to Version 7, and now includes support for AC3 sound (import and render), and includes basic support for 5.1 (I think to support the sony DVD cams that record in surround). I believe the new VMS 7 can also render for iPod and PSP, and should have the same HDV improvements that Vegas 7 got.

Here are some things missing in VMS (and why I moved up to Vegas):

- No velocity envelope. You can ctrl-drag to speed up/slow down, but entire event is at the same speed.

- No nested projects

- Limited to 4 video tracks and 4 audio tracks (although the new 5.1 surround thing adds a few more audio tracks, I guess)

- No Bezier masks in pan/crop -- you're pretty much limited to cookie cutter shapes to do a p-i-p "inset video" type thing, unless you create your own mask externally and use multiply compositing.

- Compositing is only multiply and source alpha (I think)

- Can't specify MPEG2 bitrate from within VMS, though you can from withing DVD Architect Studio. You have just one, generic template from within VMS to render for DVD (ok, you have one each for NTSC, NTSC Wide, PAL, PAL wide, etc., but no choice of bitrates.) I'm guessing about 6 mbps (variable, single pass) but that's just a guess. You can render to DV from VMS and then control bitrate or "fit to disc" in DVDA/S, but that's extra work.

I'm certainly not a power user, and probably would not have upgraded if it weren't for the fantastic deal ($250 total, and hopefully can get a few bucks back by selling my Vegas 6), because VMS Platinum comes so close to doing everything I needed.

I second Spot's recommendation -- highly recommended for a beginner. And VMS is so similar to the full Vegas that there's no "re-learning" if you later move up to the full Vegas. (Not like you waste time learning a beginner product, then have to re-learn everything changing to the pro product.) When I installed Vegas 6, it looked essentially identical to my VMS 6, but with a few extra icons here and there, and additional options in various menues.

Tim L

--And with scopes, should study up (if you're not already knowledgeable) on color correction using scopes. Some good books on this at Amazon.

Just remember the Vegas 7 upgrade price is for any non LE version of Vegas. I have VMS6 but bought a copy of Vegas 4 on eBay for $57 and then upgraded to V7 and Cinescore for $149 each plus two free cinescore theme packs.

Hi all - just returned from a trip and pleasantly surprised by the additional tips and information - extremely helpful - thanks so much!!

One more question - I know DSE has excellent training dvd's for full version - but is there any such thing for MS or would the "student" be reliant on the user manual and MS forum?

...but is there any such thing for MS...

DSE has you covered there as well :-)

Mike

For newcomers to video editing, I would recommend Vegas Movie Studio or the Platinum version. The latter is very good, and the setup / learning curve is a fair bit easier. The help system is excellent, letting the user to walk themselves through most of the basic processes. And four tracks is plenty for non-pros.

I recently set up an acadamic at work with a trial copy of platinum, and have had no support requests !!! amazing! The full V6/7 tends to make their eyes glaze over in confusion, in comparison.

4 tracks would be a challenge for anyone once they got over the initial learning curve... can't imagine what I'd do with just 4 tracks...then again... I did a lot with just a video camera and a fying erase head. Kinda makes you think how spoiled we are.