"Output blanking" in Vegas Pro?

Norbert wrote on 8/31/2023, 4:31 AM

Is there a built in way to select a given "Output Blanking" like you can find it in DaVinci Resolve?

For ex. above the Video Preview tab there could be an option to globally apply a given "Output blanking" to mimic different aspect ratio crops that are applied to the whole project.

I know I can download some .png black bars with different aspect ratios and use them on a top track, but maybe a built in solution would be a nice to have.

And adding new universal aspect ratios to the event/pan dropdown menu, too.

If this option is added a new way could be added so the user can select to automatically add all new media to the timeline to fit the globally selected aspect ratio mimicking in their pan/crop - by scaling down to fit. Again, this is not a real aspect ratio that is resolution based or pixel squeezing but "black bars" that used to mimic one.

 

This setting would not affect the event pan/crop settings.

Comments

Robert Johnston wrote on 8/31/2023, 6:13 PM

@Norbert

Nothing yet like in DaVinci Resolve.

I would probably create the bars in Vegas in Media Generators in the Color Gradient category. Of course you would have to learn how to manipulate the controls in the Color Gradient designer. Once done, you would need to add a track on which to put the blanking bars media.

You have to restart Vegas before you see your own preset in the Color Gradient table.

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Norbert wrote on 9/1/2023, 6:29 AM

To make the bars as big as they need to be I use .png files as a top track instead. You can generate bars but the size won't match exactly a given aspect ratio. I just think it would be more professional to just apply this as a built in function.

Dexcon wrote on 9/1/2023, 6:44 AM

NewBlueFX's Essentials FX package has an excellent plugin called Aspect Ratio (AR) which has a range of AR presets as well as having the ability to set your own AR:

For many years, I've added this FX at the project level (2.35:1) so that the chosen AR applies to the entire project. Of course, it can also be added at all the other levels like most FX.

Last changed by Dexcon on 9/1/2023, 7:34 AM, changed a total of 1 times.

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Norbert wrote on 9/1/2023, 11:57 AM

Great idea to use a plugin like this, though I think it would be nice as an added feature.

Robert Johnston wrote on 9/1/2023, 7:25 PM

To make the bars as big as they need to be I use .png files as a top track instead. You can generate bars but the size won't match exactly a given aspect ratio.

@Norbert Not exactly true. If you generate bars in a 16:9 project for a 4:3 look, then it doesn't matter if your project is 1920x1080 or 960x540 or 480x270, etc., when you drag that preset down to the timeline, it will create perfect 4:3 blanking bars. That generated media is vector based and sizes itself to the project size. You don't have to start from scratch to create 16:9 bars for a 4:3 project. Just rotate the canvas 90 degrees and save as another preset.

Last changed by Robert Johnston on 9/1/2023, 7:26 PM, changed a total of 1 times.

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Vegas Pro 21.0 (Build 108) with Mocha Vegas

Windows 11 not pro

Norbert wrote on 9/13/2023, 8:30 AM

@Norbert You can configure this globally in project properties or in Pan Crop.

Not the same. That is a menu where real aspect ratio can be set. I talk about the mimicking black bars here and adding all the official aspect ratios.

Former user wrote on 9/13/2023, 10:34 AM

@Norbert 

 Hi, I'd use NB Aspect Ratio as Dexcon suggested but you can create your own, it might take a little time to create all the presets you want but once you've done it you won't have to do it again.

  1.  Find the aspect you want, this app will help with that (there's others that people could recommend) https://calculateaspectratio.com/
  2. Create a project the chosen aspect ratio, size, Pixel Aspect Ratio, or whatever parameters you want.
  3. Use Save Snapshot to File to create an image,
  4. Make a new 16:9 project & add that created image,
  5. Turn off Lock Aspect Ratio in Pan/Crop & set it to 16:9 size, 
  6. Add Bezier Masking & adjust the width to full width (1.000) & the height to the size of the image, you can zoom in & get it pretty much spot on, any discrepancy won't be noticeable if you're just adding black bars to a 16:9 screen/project.
  7. Save as a Preset in the option at the top of the Video Event FX window.

Then in any 16:9 project you create all you have to do is add the preset to the Preview window/Video Output FX & render at 16:9. 

Norbert wrote on 9/14/2023, 1:46 AM

I know I can manually add all presets to pan/crop window. I just wonder why the main universal aspect ratios are not there from the start. It's industry standard to support all main aspect ratios. Some user won't spend time to install a plus plugin or set up manually but switch the NLE.

3POINT wrote on 9/14/2023, 5:07 AM

I prefer to set my project aspect ratio to the wished aspect ratio and not leave it 16:9 with masking or cropping pseudo black bars.

Norbert wrote on 9/15/2023, 3:31 AM

Optionally you can use real aspect ratios or the 16:9 back bars version. You are right that some may want to use real aspect ratios.

I would still add all standard aspect ratios by default to the pan/crop window.