new camera old software

Suzham wrote on 1/3/2008, 7:38 AM

I have Vegas Movie Studio version 4. I've been very happy using it to create DVD movies of the thousands of slides I've taken over the years. I got my first digital camera for Christmas - a Canon A720IS (I know it's just a little point & shoot - I'm waiting a while before I invest in a digital SLR) The avi movie files play beautifully in Quicktime. They are jumpy and poor quality in Windows Media Player. When I try to place them in VMS, I get audio only.

I've been searching the forum here and on a camera site for two days. It seems I either need to download some codecs or get a software program that will convert my avi files to a more common format.

Before I start downloading, I need some specifics. What codecs do I need? or What video format will work in VMS version 4?

Please keep your answers simple and specific. I am a graphics oriented user, not a technical one. I can make VMS do some beautiful things, but don't have a clue what goes on behind the scene. I know the word codec, but I do not know what they do, or how to make them work.

Comments

ggrussell wrote on 1/3/2008, 8:20 AM

Most likely the still camera uses Quicktime format (AVI or MOV). I'm not sure if Vegas 4 supports that format. You could try updating your Quicktime to the latest to see if that helps.

Eugenia wrote on 1/3/2008, 10:48 AM

AFAIK, you need the latest version of Vegas to get full support for mjpeg in both avi and mov formats. I suggest you try the demo and buy it afterwards if it works for you.

Suzham wrote on 1/3/2008, 5:27 PM

I downloaded the trial version and the avi files play beautifully. I am pleased at the reasonable cost of an upgrade. I am even more pleased that I don't have to stress over codecs or whether my videos will survive a format change. Thanks for the good advice.