How Vegas Can Compete With Avid

CVM wrote on 10/11/2006, 10:26 AM

Sony... are you listening?? How about if Vegas does this:

1.) Update it's interface to mimic Avid, Velocity, etc. Get rid of all the light colors, and settle into a nice gray, dark scheme with color highlights that is better on an editor's eyes in a darkened suite. Maybe develop a 2-screen editing option for Avid/Adobe converts.

2.) Create a 'bundle' of super-duper companion software packages and call it 'Vegas Studio Complete' or 'Vegas Professional HD.' I'd love: a more feature-rich text program, 3-D text and animations, 3-D modeling, a special effects (akin to AE), and an audio sweeting program (include SF with VV?). Also, enhance DVDA and include a ridiculous amount of high-end menu graphics. For good measure, throw in Editor's Tool Kit - type graphics DVD.

3.) Stop calling it 'Vegas.' I never understood the name. Avid Symphony I understand. Avid Nitris I understand. Avid Composer I understand. DPS Velocity I understand. Sony Vegas? Huh? What's that?

Not sure how others feel about this.

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Comments

Erni wrote on 10/12/2006, 10:21 AM

Thanks MohammeD T!

erni

rmack350 wrote on 10/12/2006, 10:23 AM

I cannot agree more with reference systems, but for another reason. If they specify reference systems for certain tasks they can set expectations and also model some ideal setups. For instance, they can better define RAID arrays for HD, better define how to set up several edit stations with central storage, etc. I think that this would just help to better define Vegas for people who need that sort of thing.

Rob Mack

Konrad wrote on 10/12/2006, 12:43 PM

You'd not know it from all the complaining but Vegas is a bargain. If you paid attention you could go from zero to Vegas 7 for $250 or less. Similar Avid, PP and FCP budles are costing multiples of that. Vegas is best bang for the buck but that is a well kept secret, WHY?

I caught some closing credits on HBO when I was surfing the other day and saw an Apple FCP logo right next to Technicolor and Panavision. The sad part is the new Sony chairman has not done a good job of bring down the Silos as he promised he would. If the silos came down then Sony pictures could use Vegas and give it credit. That would also get the bugs out in a hurry.

ReneH wrote on 10/12/2006, 3:16 PM

If you want to make any changes to the Vegas program, like looks, perhaps make some changes to the color scheme, just use a resource hacker program like this one:

http://www.wilsonc.demon.co.uk/d10resourceeditor.htm

That's what i do if I want to customize any program to look like I want it to. If your comfortable in using this tool then make the changes at your own risk.

auggybendoggy wrote on 10/12/2006, 3:51 PM

4) Marketing. Vegas needs to have a much larger presence at the NAB and elesewhere. I found huge exhibits by Avid, FCP, Premiere, etc. at the NAB. Couldn't find Vegas anywhere - Even the people at the Sony exhibit knew nothing about Vegas.

wow that says a mouth full

winrockpost wrote on 10/12/2006, 4:50 PM

do you really want the exposure of avid, fcp, pemiere, want to see a huge display at every show ? supersized at NAB.
Do you really want to spend 1500.00 or so for vegas ?
then you will see them at every show. I like the price just the way it is now, and as long as i know about vegas I'm happy. Who cares if billybob.or jim or jane or whoever knows about vegas. I DONT GET IT
Who cares!!
sorry, I'm done now

David Arbogast wrote on 10/12/2006, 5:11 PM

Spot, you say your Vegas Explorer background is grey. I tried the themes available at Vasst (thanks for making them available!), but none of them can make my Vegas explorer window non-white. What in the world am I doing wrong?...I must be really dense! Here's a screen shot from my PC: http://dave-an.net/camp_arbo/assets/pana3ccduser/VegasScreen.png
Thanks for your help!

GlennChan wrote on 10/12/2006, 5:31 PM

Cost is already good.
Now that I think about it, perhaps Vegas should be priced "higher"? Sometimes pricing a product higher will sell more product, since people associate quality with price.

Regardless, Vegas' current price is very very good. And what do I actually know about marketing??? (I'm not a marketer.)

As for other elements such as learning curve, I don't mean to say that Vegas is worse than the competition in that area. However, I think it would be valuable for users if certain elements were made more intuitive (i.e. pre/post order, split edit, slip and roll edits).

winrockpost wrote on 10/12/2006, 5:42 PM

.............Sometimes pricing a product higher will sell more product

I agree,, in my other life in the land of corporate stupid, one of the mfg
i was a distributor for always made sure he had the highest priced widget known to man,, making sure some would think his widget was the absolute best.. worked . Hope sony/vegas doesn't use that theory, but what the hell then they may then have a killer booth at NAB :)

GlennChan wrote on 10/12/2006, 6:09 PM

Sometimes perceived price is not the same as actual price. So you can still price something high, while the actual price is lower.

For example with the cosmetics industry, they often run buy X get Y free deals. So this in a way "doubles" the price of X.

The reverse:
Items priced $0.99 instead of $1.00.
Computer manufacturers like Dell price the base system very cheap (close to cost), and making their profit margin on the (overpriced) upgrades. People think they're getting a good deal when they're not.

IMO, pricing games are silly but we are human beings who are susceptible to them. We have an evolutionary background in hunting and gathering, not shopping.

2- Vegas already is priced "high" while the actual cost is low. i.e. you could get Vegas 6 for $99.
Whereas Final Cut doesn't have this split, and costs more than what Vegas costs. Before it was bundled, Final Cut Pro itself was like 2-3X what Vegas costs (plus the premium of buying a Mac). For the same or less features.

logiquem wrote on 10/12/2006, 6:48 PM

"Spot, you say your Vegas Explorer background is grey..."

>Display property > appearance > advanced > active window...

DataMeister wrote on 10/12/2006, 10:21 PM

... IMO, pricing games are silly but we are human beings who are susceptible to them. We have an evolutionary background in hunting and gathering, not shopping."

Or like gas being something and nine tenths of a cent. It should be illegal to price something in increments smaller than a countries currency. Besides, haven't those oil company guys ever heard of rounding? I learned that in my first few years of elementery school.

And back to topic, I like the fact that you can get a full audio/video suite Vegas, DVD, Sound Forge, (minus a real compositer) for the same price as Final Cut Pro. And it doesn't hurt that they all have a better interface.

On the topic of the dark gray color scheme, I sent in a suggestion just last week to suggest that. I love the way the new Cinema 4D R10 has three preset color themes. Light Gray, Dark Gray, and Classic. The icons, text, everything are preset to work on whichever background you choose. Really nice.

[r]Evolution wrote on 10/14/2006, 6:04 PM

David Arbogast
Which Theme are you using that gives you that GREY color?

So, is this supposed to be how I get my Explorer background to also go dark?
>Display property > appearance > advanced > active window...

I've been using WindowBlinds to 'Skin' VEGAS to a Dark Grey. I would Love to just be able to do it Natively.

masmedia wrote on 10/14/2006, 7:01 PM

Don't copy Avid for me! See my post on "I don't like Vegas" (I like Vegas better than Avid in many ways)