The answer was "Catalyst" - but what was the question?

1) Why use Vegas... when you can use Catalyst?

2) The future is in Catalyst and not Vegas?

3) Development will move with Catalyst and stop with Vegas?

Has anyone been given the chance to beta test Catalyst Edit?

I think you can assume that there are some betatester. But since they are under a NDA, they will not be allowed to say a lot.

If they decide to EOL Vegas Pro, I hope they give us a heads up instead of simply ignoring it like Acid Pro. There are things I would like to see added to V Pro (Like 7.1 surround mixing, support for popular LUT formats...). No matter what happens, it has a lot of life left in it. If they skip the traditional upgrade schedule (in Sep at IBC) I guess we will have an idea.

I did see a demonstration of Catalyst Edit at NAB. From what was shown the feature set looked pretty basic with cuts and dissolves about the extent of what was shown. My take is Sony Creative needs to resolve more strongly with Sony hardware and they will be agnostic regarding MAC vs. PC. Even though there is a strong, deep base of Vegas users they must make changes if they're going to be relevant in the future. Sony is not going to throw unlimited resources at them which we've all watched being played out regarding support and new features over the past few years. Catalyst is their best effort moving forward.

-tom

catalyst

ˈkat(ə)lɪst/
noun
noun: catalyst; plural noun: catalysts

a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.

My thoughts/opinions? As news gathering continues to demand faster, "of-the-now" reports - after all it IS their biz to do so - I can imagine that those companies that are using SONY cameras, would be wanting an impressive, blown-away, cheap cost-to-reach, shortened delivery from news event to public broadcast. The concept of OUR Cameras and OUR Delivery must have been far too enticing for SONY to let things "be" to NOT have a fleet of integrated and integrating s/w that would be shipped with the camera. Now, chappies, who'd you think that they'd approach to come up with the solution? - Aha! - You got it!

Next month Cata for Apple? - Kinda not surprised. Somebody or a Team at SCS must've been approached with the "invitation" from Mr Sony to respond to: "Hey guys, you do this Event editing stuff? We also need a "bullet-proof" (now that's interesting . . . . ) way of supplying our a s/w that would do this for us?" - These are purely my speculative thoughts on this emerging Darwinian scenario.

The future for Vegas Pro? I've got a better chance of predicting the outcome of the 3pm at Newmarket! What I will add is that the reason I fell in with Vegas, over a decade ago, was that I had found with SonicFoundry a growing sense of "Yes We Can!"; a Team that was open to my more outlandish wishes and here a Forum that is both intensely passionate about the product but founded on a bedrock of professional shooters an editors that I understood the value and values being espoused on these threads.

Be happy people . . . What we have, we have it now.

Toodles

Grazie

For those interested in getting a feel for Catalyst, here is Gary Rebholz's presentation at NAB:

Not being a pro I'm very positive on this after seeing the demo. But one wonders what direction Vegas Pro is heading for as more and more "Catalyst" thingys are added such as "Catalyst Final Edit", "Catalyst Audio", "Catalyst Subtitling", Etc.
JJK

Just another tidbit in an interview with Gary Rebholz:



At the very end Gary expresses the intentions of Sony Creative regarding the Catalyst line of products.

Nothing about Vegas though when asked about product plans though.

I don't think and hope NO!
Catalyst cannot replace Vegas Pro, it looks as a different tool for a different use. I think that Catalyst will be used for quick editing like FCPX, TV programs etc... And Vegas Pro still remain for biggest and complicated projects with special FX layering, masks and a good sound mixing.
Then I hope the Sony keeps those two tools in parallel.

How's this thread looking now?

G

Like one year old? :-D

VMP

We have permission to move on to the 5th (final) stage of grief?

-- tom

so my question is this. how will they fix the issue for bmpc 4k users? I think catalyst looks more suitable for bmmc 2.5k and bmpc 4k users. personally I just started shooting in 4k which I can careless about because I don't have the machine for it yet. however, I notice that even the 1080p files from the bmpc 4k that I own doesn't sit well with vegas at all. computer always crash and I can' edit with vegas anymore. t's to the point I starfted using media composer which isn't a bad NLE but the workflow is boring and takes too long to get your point across. Also on hitfilm website I notice you can buy a hit film bundle with Catalyst. now if that's not sony saying they're going to consider catalyst as a professional editor down the lines, then don't know. That made me think and also made me feel like should I finally convert over to mac. (Even though I still want to build a monster PC). I think like fcp and imovie had merged, we're going to see vegas and catalyst as one software. I love vegas but I wish it was a little more polished as far as how the software looks (which isn't a issue but will attract more people if they did so) buecause most people think it looks like me and you made the software instead of a company like sony that name rings bells. If it's anything like resolve, Ill convert over because so far that's been the software that's worked for me and I'm a sony guy till the end of me. I feel like this a pro tools verse presonus studio one situation and if i had to choose between pro tools and studio one i'll choice studio one only because I can cut and make quick adjustments and than move into hitfilm or fusion 8 and add on to my project with ease. most professionals are moving towards studio one because of the workflow doesn't require 3 to 5 menus just to get to the point which goes back to script writing keeping it simple stupid (not saying you just in general). So I personally would like to either see Vegas with a new twist, fixing some simple bugs allowing more gpu's and stop being so locked in to just your own codecs or fuse vegas with catalyst and create a baby we all can grow to love which already have some decent codecs (I'm a black magic user so of course I'm looking fir a work around other than fcp, adobe and etc) and a up to date look or the worst of the worst drop vegas altogether and use it's coding call vegas something new. Once again I'm a vegas and that will never change unless they're ready to change.

what do you think?

I think since Vegas was just bought by Magix, we'll have to wait and see what they do with it. If it is to be a viable 4k platform going forward, Magix is going to have to do some major rewriting, IMHO.

-- tom

And so the answer is Catalyst isn't Sony's replacement for Vegas Pro. Sony chose to abandon Vegas . . . probably at least two years ago. It answers the frustration we've all felt over that time frame.

-- tom

Catalyst edit suite has nothing to do with VegasPro and the like. It is a kind of new project for the current market which Sony would like to delve into. You can bet they are "hoping" that this new market will mature and be satisfactory for their future.

Vegas has been sold, as a brand and a historic entity of a different time and place in the market.

> "what do you think?"

I think paragraphs are a great aid to readability.