Comments

mlane2 wrote on 2/4/2003, 6:59 PM
Not sure I totally understand your question. If it is simply making an .avi or an .mpeg out of the video you have assembled on your timeline, go to "File" and choose "Render as". You can now choose which file type you would like to convert your movie to.

If you want to send your finished movie back to your DV camcorder, go to "Tools" and choose the "Print Video to DV tape" option.
wcoxe1 wrote on 2/4/2003, 7:06 PM
Don't panic! (Famous last words?)

After editing, you have several choices in Vegas on how to make an .AVI type movie.

You can Print-To-Tape, which will render the project into numerous small files and automatically send them, assembled, to a connected camcorder. Those files are your movie.

Or, under the File menu, you can RENDER. That will make a single, VERY large file, if possible, or a few large files, on your Hard Disk. That file(s)
is your movie.

You can also use the Video Capture section of Vegas to finish (Render) your project and send it to the camcorder, as well. That will also give you your movie.

I had VideoFactory for a short while about a year ago. I don't remember which of these options is in VF. At least one of them is available.

The main difference between the pre-render and the render is the flexibility of the pre-rendered project.

Between work sessions many people PRE-render when they are not actually working on the project, which makes MANY little 10 second segments. You weren't using Vegas at that time, actively, but it can still be working to save you time, later. Should you wish to go back and edit some more, only the pre-rendered segments which have changed are discarded. You need to pre-render, again, to finish your project before sending it to your camcorder.

NOTE: VV3 is touchy, and sometimes you will lose all the prerenders. Vegas 4 is MUCH improved, and you hardly ever lose more than you expect.

The RENDER, on the other hand, is one massive single file (if your operating system allows it), almost 13 Gigabytes per hour, or a few somewhat smaller files (if your operating system can't handle one single file of that size). If you go back and edit your project again, you have to COMPLETELY render the movie, again. That can be VERY time consuming.

Since rendering can take a good while, depending on how many effects, transitions, etc., some people pre-render to save time. However, if you need a single file for converting to make a CD or DVD, you may have to do a full render, first.

In Vegas 4, they have added a wonderful new feature, in addition to the improved pre-render. Now, if you pre-render, and then wish to make a SINGLE file, all you have to do is tell the system to render and it will take all those pre-rendered segments and JOIN them into a single file, saving MANY hours. Now, you have the best of both methods.

Personally, I think that the improvements in pre-render, along with the joining capability, are, alone, worth the upgrade price. But, that is just my opinion.

Enjoy.