I created a Vegas GPT assistant

Petersson wrote on 11/17/2023, 6:25 AM

Besides audio I also do a lot of development and enginering.

So I created an "artificial assistant" that helps you with all the questions, related to Vegas.

It works very simple; ask a question and VegasGPT answers;

_______________________________

How do I level audio?

To level audio in Vegas Pro, you can use audio event envelopes which allow you to control an event's fade-in, fade-out, and overall level. Here are the steps to adjust an audio event's volume:

1. Hover over the top of an audio event.
2. When you see the envelope cursor, drag the volume line to the desired level. As you drag the line, the event’s gain is displayed in dB.

Tip: You can hold the Ctrl key (or hold the right mouse button) while dragging the sustain portion of the envelope to adjust the value in fine increments.

_______________________________

Is there an option to save my file automatically? Like with an interval or something.

Yes, Vegas Pro offers an option for automatic saving of your files. The "Advanced Save - Live Save & Automatic Backups" feature allows you to have flexibility in saving and backing up your projects. This feature replaces the legacy Autosave function.

  • - Live Save: Activating this option will save your current project after every edit. However, it's important to note that this could potentially lead to reduced performance on your system. Live Save will be operational only after the project has been saved once.
  • - Timed Project Backups: By checking "Use Advanced Backup", you get several options for automatically backing up your project at set interval.

_______________________________

I want to add text with shadows and effects to my timeline. Can this be done?

Yes, you can add text with shadows and effects to your timeline in Vegas Pro 17. Here are the methods you can use:

1. Using the Titles & Text Plug-In:
   - Choose `View > Window > Media Generators` to open the Media Generators window.
   - Select the Titles & Text plug-in from the left pane.
   - Drag a preset to a position on the timeline to create a generated media event.
   - For overlay text, add it to a track above the video you want to overlay with a transparent background

2. Using the ProType Titler:
   - This tool allows you to create static text, animated text effects with splined paths, per-character animation, and advanced curves.
   - You can add shadows, glows, blurs, and gradients for unique text treatments.
   - To access this, again go to `View > Window > Media Generators` and follow similar steps as above

Both methods provide various options to customize your text and add effects like shadows for enhanced visual appeal.

 

The knowledge of this GPT comes straight out of the manual in PDF-format.

Because of copyright infringements I did delete this GPT direct after creating and testing.

But maybe it is interesting for others to create once (private use).

Even MAGIX can create one and forward all questions (at first degree) to this gatekeeper.

Comments

RogerS wrote on 11/17/2023, 6:47 AM

That's an interesting proof of concept.

As the VEGAS help manual has migrated online, turning the interface into a smart Q&A could be easier for users to deal with than doing a search.

J-Toresen wrote on 11/17/2023, 6:50 AM

@Petersson

Did you delete the app, or just the link to the app?

Jøran Toresen

Petersson wrote on 11/17/2023, 6:53 AM

@RogerS

Yeah, it's a proof of concept (but it works perfectly).

It is not only good in straight answers to straight question, but you can also crosslink his knowledge.

Like "show me all available shortcuts, format them in a table with a key / value pair and render it out as a HTML-file I can use for offline reference".

1 second later, you will have the file.

I created it in less than 5 minutes, so I simply uploaded an older PDF-file (Vegas 17) as it's "knowledge".

But you can also feed the thing with HTML / SQL / vector databases, XLS, etc...

The knowledge itself is not that impressive (it's all in the document), but the way you can interact with it (in a humanlike form) is kinda need.

Dexcon wrote on 11/17/2023, 6:56 AM

 

Did you delete the app, or just the link to the app?

I don't think that a link was given. In any original OP post, any changes to the original post will be available to be viewed under the "changed ..." note under the post - of which there is no such 'change note' here.

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Petersson wrote on 11/17/2023, 6:57 AM

@J-Toresen

Deleted all.

I made it in 5 minutes or less.

For those who are new to this GPT-thing;

It is basically a chatbot, but this time kind of smart.

You can ask for everything and it will anser in a human-like way.

And it speaks it languages, so the knowledge base can be English, but if I ask in German, Japanese, or whatever it will answer in that language as well (translating his knowledge to that language in real time).

And it is not only "searching for an answer", it can also "think" and has a "chain of thoughts".

Meaning it can act like "if water is liquid, and liquid is fluid, than water must be fluid as well".

Of course when your system crashes and you are like "Vegas GPT, why do my system crash?!!!", than it can not answer (it can, but not with this strict "knowledge" file).

But questions about "what is this", "how do I do that", "what does interpolation mean", "what is compression for", it will answer out of the blue.

vkmast wrote on 11/17/2023, 7:01 AM

Will this beat the (in)famous "VEGAS Support Assistant" experiment from way back when (ca. 2020)?

Meanwhile you can still "exchange tips & tricks for video editing and examine today's challenges together with the community".

 

VEGASDerek wrote on 11/17/2023, 7:03 AM

We do have some "Virtual Assistant" features in the works. I do not have any estimate on when this would be rolled out, but I know it is something that is being worked on.

Petersson wrote on 11/17/2023, 7:08 AM

@vkmast

Vegas GPT is smarter, it can really think as an editor and average user.

EDIT the image above is an example of the response of Vegas GPT at the following question :

Give me a list of all known keyboard shortcuts for the video editing software Vegas Pro by Magix.
 

Format those shortcuts in a table with two cells per row, like "CTRL + A" and "Select All", or "CTRL + S", "Save Project".

After that, offer me a HTML file I can use for reference.

 

Than I asked "translate the meaning of every shortcut to Japanese" (see output in the image above).

Petersson wrote on 11/17/2023, 7:10 AM

@VEGASDerek

Yeah, every company is jumping on the GPT AI bandwagon.

For me it was just a test.

I speak some very old language (not native) like 350 years old.

The language is almost extinct.

So I uploaded a file (dictionary) of that language to GPT.

Now I can communicate with it, in that language, lol.

RogerS wrote on 11/17/2023, 7:14 AM

Very nice, that Japanese is comprehensible.

Petersson wrote on 11/17/2023, 7:17 AM

@VEGASDerek @vkmast @RogerS

You can also ask about techniques and things like that, e.g;

I want to shoot a movie, but can't find out what the "Dutch angle" is used for.

The "Dutch angle," also known as a "Dutch tilt," is a cinematic technique where the camera is tilted to one side, resulting in a frame that is not level. This technique is used for various artistic and narrative purposes in filmmaking.

Here are some of the key reasons why a director might choose to use a Dutch angle:

  1. Creating a Sense of Disorientation or Unease: By tilting the camera, the usual balance and symmetry of the scene are disrupted, which can make the viewer feel disoriented. This is often used in scenes to convey psychological unrest, confusion, or tension.
  2. Emphasizing Power Dynamics or Instability: Dutch angles can be used to highlight the power dynamics between characters or to suggest instability in a situation. It can make a character or setting appear more menacing or out of control.
  3. Visual Interest and Style: Some directors use the Dutch angle simply for its visual appeal. It can add a unique and stylistic look to a scene, differentiating it from more conventional shots.
  4. Portraying a Character's Perspective: When used to show a character's point of view, a Dutch angle can indicate that the character is in a state of emotional or mental distress, or that their view of the world is skewed.
  5. Enhancing Action Sequences: In action scenes, Dutch angles can intensify the dynamism and chaos, making the scene more thrilling and engaging.
  6. Symbolism: Sometimes, the Dutch angle is used for symbolic reasons, to hint at something being amiss or to foreshadow future events.

The Dutch angle is a versatile tool in a filmmaker's arsenal, allowing for a wide range of creative and expressive possibilities. It's important, however, to use it judiciously, as overuse or inappropriate use can be jarring and distract from the storytelling.

And then you can ask for an example in images - can you create an image, like from a movie, where this "Dutch Tilt" is clearly visible? Don't be shy to demonstrate it, even "over do" it for visual reasons.

It renders the image with the discussed technique in real time for you.

vkmast wrote on 11/17/2023, 7:27 AM

@Petersson can you ask your GPT assistant what will happen to user forums such as this one?

RogerS wrote on 11/17/2023, 7:41 AM

I'd be happy training a chatbot with the cumulative knowledge of this forum (though would want to give preference to newer information as VEGAS has changed over the years). A lot of the questions and replies are frequently repeated.

Petersson wrote on 11/17/2023, 7:45 AM

@vkmast

You know a lot of things which people normally discussed before in online forums.

Do you think the whole concept of "artificial intelligence assistants" will replace those user forums, or will they still be meaningful? For example, a forum dedicated to video- and audio editing.

The concept of "artificial intelligence assistants," like the one you're interacting with now, certainly has the potential to impact the way people use online forums, but it's unlikely to completely replace them. Here's a breakdown of how AI assistants and forums might coexist and influence each other:

Complementary Roles

  1. Expertise and Personal Experience : Forums often contain a wealth of personal experiences and niche expertise. While AI can provide general answers and aggregate information from a broad range of sources, it may not always match the depth of personal experiences shared in forums.
  2. Community and Discussion : Forums foster community and discussion, allowing for diverse perspectives and in-depth conversations. AI, in contrast, provides direct answers without the community aspect. People often seek not just answers but also engagement, discussion, and validation from peers, which forums offer.
  3. Dynamic and Evolving Topics : In fields like video and audio editing, technologies and trends evolve rapidly. Forums can be more agile in discussing and adapting to these changes. While AI can learn and update its knowledge base, it may not always be as quick or as nuanced in capturing the latest trends or software updates as a dedicated community might be.

AI as a Supplement

  1. Quick Information Retrieval : For straightforward queries, AI can provide quick and concise answers, potentially reducing the need to sift through forum threads for basic information.
  2. Learning and Tutorials : AI can guide users through learning materials or tutorials, complementing forum discussions. It can serve as a starting point for beginners before they dive into more complex forum discussions.
  3. Filtering and Summarization : AI can help users navigate forums by summarizing discussions or pointing out relevant threads, enhancing the forum experience.

Coexistence and Integration

  1. Hybrid Models : There could be a future where AI is integrated into forums, assisting with moderating discussions, providing quick answers where appropriate, and even suggesting relevant threads based on the user's query.
  2. Specialized Queries : For highly specialized or nuanced questions, users might still prefer forums where they can engage with experts or enthusiasts who have practical, hands-on experience.
  3. Human Touch : The human element — empathy, understanding context, shared experiences — is something AI currently cannot replicate. This aspect keeps forums relevant, especially in areas where emotional support or encouragement is as important as technical advice.

Conclusion

In summary, while AI assistants will undoubtedly change the way people seek information online, they are more likely to complement rather than replace user forums.

Each has its strengths and serves different needs. Forums provide community, depth, and a human touch, while AI offers quick, broad, and easily accessible information.

Their coexistence could lead to a more enriched online experience.

Petersson wrote on 11/17/2023, 7:47 AM

I'd be happy training a chatbot with the cumulative knowledge of this forum (though would want to give preference to newer information as VEGAS has changed over the years). A lot of the questions and replies are frequently repeated.

@RogerS

You can feed the bot with a PDF-file, but also a complete forum.

Than it will harvest / scrape that forum knowledge and give answers, based on the earlier given answers in the forum.

At the moment I am building an API myself which will connect 'through the bot' to a database of about 150.000 high-end articles.

I ask GPT a question, the question is forwarded (by the API) to the database, the database gives abstract data, GPT responses in a human-like way.

Petersson wrote on 11/17/2023, 8:13 AM

DID SOME TESTING

I used this thread for it's "knowledge";

HEVC lag in the preview.

Than I fed GPT with those two HTML pages (from that thread) with possible answers, ideas and thoughts.

______________________________________________

After that I asked GPT the same question;

I am editing a video in Vegas, but the preview is laggy.

My used codec is HEVC. What could be the reason for this lag in the video preview?

Based on the information from the provided sources, there are several potential reasons for the lag in the video preview while editing HEVC codec videos in Vegas:

  1. GPU Decoding Issues: There may be issues related to GPU decoding not being properly utilized by Vegas Pro. This can cause the software to rely more on the CPU, which may not be as efficient in handling HEVC codec, leading to lag in the video preview.
  2. Dynamic RAM Allocation: Setting the Dynamic RAM preview too high can cause performance issues. It is recommended to reset it back to the default value (which is typically around 5%) to potentially resolve the lag.
  3. Version-Specific Behavior: Different versions of Vegas Pro might handle GPU decoding differently. For example, one user mentioned that Vegas Pro 20 did not use GPU decode even though it was turned on, but Vegas Pro 21 used the new decoder and did decode.
  4. Hardware Limitations: The performance could also be related to the specifications of your hardware, such as the GPU and CPU capabilities. HEVC is a high-efficiency codec that requires significant processing power for decoding.
  5. Software Comparison: It was noted that there were no issues with Resolve software, suggesting that the issue might be specific to Vegas Pro's handling of HEVC.
  6. Integrated GPU: If your system doesn't have an integrated GPU, it might impact the performance.

Unfortunately, without specific details about your system's hardware and the version of Vegas Pro you're using, it's difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the lag.

You may want to try adjusting the Dynamic RAM preview settings, updating to the latest version of Vegas Pro, and checking your system's hardware capabilities, particularly the GPU, for compatibility with HEVC decoding.

______________________________________________

It is important to know that the GPT is not smart, it can not think answers by itself.

So what it does here, is reading the complete thread and about 40+ answers.

Than it decides what the best possible reasons are and creates a text about it.

vkmast wrote on 11/17/2023, 8:16 AM

Thanks @Petersson for answering my q. And in view of your testing,do you agree with this (Wikipedia) statement:

"Modern AI gathers knowledge by "scraping" the internet (including Wikipedia). The knowledge itself was collected by the volunteers and professionals who published the information (who may or may not have agreed to provide their work to AI companies).[29] This "crowd sourced" technique does not guarantee that the knowledge is correct or reliable. The knowledge of Large Language Models (such as ChatGPT) is highly unreliable -- it generates misinformation and falsehoods (known as "hallucinations"). Providing accurate knowledge for these modern AI applications is an unsolved problem."

(I don't know if this content was AI-"created" as well.)

Petersson wrote on 11/17/2023, 8:29 AM

@vkmast

Wikipedia doesn't allow articles, written by AI.

There are also lot's of "AI detectors" right now... those are "AI bots that are trained to discover articles written by AI", lol.

But I think the Wikipedia is kind of biased in it's very strong opinion (first time I have seen an opinion in a Wiki-article, by the way).

ChatGPT is a LLM and those LLM's are not highly unreliable.

It very depends on what you do with it.

I mean, they are like "Google on steroids".

You ask a question to Google and Google gives you a bunch of sites with "possible answers".

But that doesn't make Google unreliable, you have to find out for yourself if the sources are trustworthy.

And a GPT works the same; never trust it's output for 100%, always check the references (which you can ask for).

It works like this principle;

Garbage goes in, garbage comes out.

So when you feed the GPT with garbage, it will spit out garbage.

But when you feed the GPT with (human checked) knowledge, it will create very good answers.

RogerS wrote on 11/17/2023, 8:44 AM

Humans are also quite capable of sharing misinformation, outdated information and falsehoods and we see that here every day. An AI bot that summarizes based on prevalent thinking is as likely to be right as the data that's fed into it (so may be more reliable than some humans who are misled by inadequate information such as too small sample size for the conclusion they are trying to make and various cognitive biases).

There is an amusing case of a lawyer who attempted to use a chatbot as a paralegal and it literally invented case law (the citations he asked for were themselves fabricated) so I wouldn't put it in a high stakes situation.

Advice on video editing software- pretty benign in comparison. It's a starting point that would be useful some of the time and not useful for new issues (problems with a new build), unusual questions, unusual configurations, etc. Having it be multilingual would be helpful as much knowledge of VEGAS is only available in English (or German) which shuts out much of the world.

Petersson wrote on 11/17/2023, 9:22 AM

@RogerS

For personal, hardware related, issues this GPT is not the best solution.

But as a shared database for "common questions about how Vegas (and video editing in general) works", it can come in quite handy.

Also, lot's of people use it (in our industry) for things like storyboards and production design.

Storyboard

Create a four panel sketched storyboard about a little bird, growing up and leaving it's nest.

Production design

Create a polaroid photo, made with a disposable camera from the '80s, about a funny clown with flowers in the background (use a bokeh effect)

Sorry, I made a mistake. Keep the flowers out and replace them by people, the "out of focus effect" must remain. The clown is okay, you can reuse him.

_______________________________________

To point things out : all those images are created in one second by the GPT, based on that single prompt.

fr0sty wrote on 11/18/2023, 10:25 AM

Very interesting. Perhaps this can serve to help guide development of such features officially. It definitely works better than any manual ever could, as you don't have to dig for the info you want, and you can ask for it to go more in-depth with the instructions than a manual may have, if need be. It would be nice if you could even get it to show you how to do certain things... like...

"Show me how to motion track this soccer ball."

1. OK, please put the media containing the soccer ball on the timeline.

2. OK, now click the button to launch the motion tracker dialogue, you can find it here (highlights it).

3. etc... have it guide you step by step through doing each thing.

set wrote on 11/19/2023, 3:39 PM

I'm surprised that ChatGPT can now generate an image, and curious to find out.

So the free version is ChatGPT 3.5, that I currently use, but there's an option for ChatGPT 4, but must subscribe to it.

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* I don't work for VEGAS Creative Software Team. I'm just Voluntary Moderator in this forum.

Petersson wrote on 11/19/2023, 5:01 PM

@set @fr0sty

Creating images is the number one thing I do while doing the other businesses I do (like drawing cartoons, graphical design, etc...).

It is extreme useful for production design.

You can do things like this;

  1. Create a still where a man eats an apple - image created
  2. Okay, nice image - can you dim the lights - image created
  3. The light is to dark, add a fluorescent light source - image created
  4. Nice, move the camera closer - image created
  5. Not that close! Keep more distance - image created

GPT simply spits out those image, in every style you want.

Polaroid? Disposable camera? DSLR? Bokeh? 80mm? Birds-eye perspective? it does the job.

Of course this technique is brand new, it has bugs, it's not perfect for real production. But as a storyboard, idea, concept, it is very promising... just give it your idea and it will visualize it... BTW is has perfect AI generated voices as well (including your own voice!) with optional hiss / pop / mic / and plop sounds, if you like (Whisper, it's called).

Yeah, it costs US$ 20,- a month, but I also use it for writing, making excerpts, images, storyboards, sketches, etc...

Picture of a man, eating an apple

Make it a pencil sketch

Back to the photo, but claire obscure

O crap! I forgot, it's the '80s!

john_dennis wrote on 11/19/2023, 5:53 PM

@Petersson

Knock yourself out, as long as it doesn't end up like this...

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/could-we-lose-the-search-assistant--119033/?page=8#ca771908