HD formats that Vegas can capture

Former user wrote on 6/19/2009, 11:17 AM
This might be basic for some here, but I'm stumped when it comes to understanding what formats / variations that Vegas (I'm using 8.0c) can capture out of the box. There used to be just a few formats when plain old NTSC 4:3 was involved. Now there seems to be an endless list of formats (and their variations) when it comes to Hi-Def. Not only video, but audio as well. From what I've read here and other places, it's more like voodoo magic than science.

But, my question is: What Hi-Def formats can Vegas capture natively, without resorting to 3rd party plug-in's or codec's? I'm not talking about import or export, but capture.

Thanks much.

Comments

TheHappyFriar wrote on 6/19/2009, 11:38 AM
whatever camera can hook up to a fireware, that's eighter DV or HDV. One you get in to drive-based cameras (flash or discs) it's no longer capture but import.

DV/HDV *IS* the format. Those are specific setups.
Former user wrote on 6/19/2009, 12:08 PM
So, what are applications / codec's like Cineform (e.g Neo Scene) used with Vegas for if Vegas Capture can handle capturing any firewire capable HD source?

I ask because I made my first attempt at capturing from HDV yesterday and didn't have any luck. I ended using a trial version of Neo Scene to capture the clips. So, my computer system was more than happy to serve up the data stream from the camera and Neo was able to ingest the clips with no problems -- but Vegas Capture wasn't able to communicate with the JVC camera source.

My assumption was that certain variations / brands of HDV / Equipment was not compatible with Vegas Capture.

Thanks for the reply.

Jim
JohnnyRoy wrote on 6/19/2009, 12:50 PM
> So, what are applications / codec's like Cineform (e.g Neo Scene) used with Vegas for if Vegas Capture can handle capturing any firewire capable HD source?

Neo Scene can capture either native HDV or to the CineForm codec which does two things for you: (1) It can playback faster than the native HDV files because it does not use intra-frame compression and (2) It will hold up better across multiple renders than HDV for the same reason (superior codec).

If you have a really fast computer your playback might be fine with native HDV because Vegas Pro 9.0 has improved on it's playback of native HDV and AVCHD. So the first reason may or may not be important to you.

If you use other 3rd part applications like After Effects and need to transfer video between the two programs, CineForm is an exceptional codec to use so that you don't loose quality when you render out of Vegas and render back out of AE.

> My assumption was that certain variations / brands of HDV / Equipment was not compatible with Vegas Capture.

Vegas has two capture utilities. One for DV and one for HDV. Make sure you are using the correct one because one will see your camera in HDV mode and the other will not.

~jr
Former user wrote on 6/19/2009, 1:07 PM
"Vegas has two capture utilities. One for DV and one for HDV. Make sure you are using the correct one because one will see your camera in HDV mode and the other will not."

There is? I'm using 8.0c, and I only see the one capture application on my system (version 6.0e build 1000), how do I access the HDV version of Capture?

Update: I found it! I had no idea that there is a "built-in" version of capture. I just tried it and it worked first shot out of the box. I just did a quick search in help and it outlined the process of setting it up.

Thanks again!

Jim