Pro 22 has stopped being able to handle my HEVC video files...suddenly

Kevin-vonDuuglas-Ittu wrote on 3/6/2026, 1:24 AM

Don't know what is up, but when starting a new project today all my new video imports (HEVC, ,mov files) do not show up as readable. I can import past videos from past projects and they show up fine, but my videos from my last shoot just do not register as video files. They get the file icon, but act like files that can't be properly read as videos. When I open them in the trimmer (or drop them in the timeline) there is just a black screen, but the audio plays. The video files seem fine, I can open and watch them in my window pc's media player, and they were shot with my usual camera.

Attached is a screenshot of the non-working new video file, in a project. Next to it in the timeline is a video file I've worked with in the past, which is showing.

I've uninstalled and reinstalled the program. I've updated my pc's software.

The computer does seem to labor when creating the Movie Pro program files on import, more than usual. I'm on a Lenova Legion Pro laptop with plenty of processing power.

edit in: I've noticed that the project media folder is having trouble consistently displaying the preview icons for even older videos that are working in the project. They just show the fixed icon and no image preview. If I hover over the working files the preview will come on, but will not remain. The program seems to be having a problem overall in displaying images.

follow up info:

1. I've also restored the computer to an earlier date, in case some Windows update is interfering. Did not help.

2. Ok, I've copied the new .mov videos that aren't working in Pro 22 to my old laptop which has the same Pro 22 on it and they work fine. So it seems like the problem is specifically with my new Lenova and Pro 22. The program has been working great on the Lenova, but today suddenly not. Any ideas on what I can do, where the incompatibility is?

Is it some change in how Pro 22 is creating .sfk files now? It makes no sense that videos I've worked with a week ago work fine still, but those project imported today do not work on this machine (but work on my old machine)? Has Pro 22 undergone any update lately?

3. It seems to be a (new) problem with Pro 22 on the Lenova machine handling .sfk files. I experimented and copied the .sfk files generated on my old laptop to the Lenova and then imported those videos into the new project. Normally the videos would just pop right up (as they already have .sfk files)...instead the machine was acting like it had to build new .sfk files, showing that it was "working" (the project media tab turns yellow, the machine hums). The issue seems to be at the level of .sfk files?

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Dexcon wrote on 3/8/2026, 6:40 AM

From RogerS's earlier comment:

Chroma subsampling :4:2:2

That doesn't presently work with 50XX GPUs and VEGAS Pro *unless* you disable hardware decoding in VEGAS's options/preferences/ file io menu.

That means turning the Hardware Decoder off in Options / Preferences / File I/O:

Dexcon wrote on 3/8/2026, 6:57 AM

Re:

Question 2: If I shoot in AVC will these RTX 50 problems be avoided? Is this problem particular to HEVC?

My understanding is yes to your AVC question and yes to your HEVC question. But the best thing to do is to test AVC out for yourself by recording an AVC video in your camera and load that AVC video into Vegas Pro 23 and see how it goes with VP23's hardware decoder not turned off in Options / Preferences / File I/O.

RogerS wrote on 3/8/2026, 6:59 AM

For your questions- that the 50XX series and its drivers supports the decoding of these files but VEGAS doesn't know that is likely the cause of the issue.

Turning off hardware decoding will hurt performance of AVC and HEVC media that is supported (10-bit 420, 8-bit, etc.)

For rendering it doesn't make a quality difference but the longer it takes VEGAS to read media the longer it takes to write it so I'd expect not great performance.

RogerS wrote on 3/8/2026, 7:27 AM

I just tested a few 10-bit 422 AVC videos (Sony, Panasonic) and my 5070 desktop loads them fine. No GPU activity as expected.

Howard-Vigorita wrote on 3/8/2026, 12:31 PM

Question 2: If I shoot in AVC will these RTX 50 problems be avoided? Is this problem particular to HEVC?

The issue is specific to Hevc 4:2:2 and does not affect Hevc 4:2:0. Avc 4:2:2 may work if Vegas is smart enough to always decode it with the cpu instead of a gpu. Fwiw, I only buy 4k cameras capable of shooting 10-bit Hevc 4:2:0 which has worked fine since vp16. My advice is to avoid 4:2:2 unless you have a triple sensor rgb camera and stick with either 8-bit Avc or 10-bit Hevc.

fr0sty wrote on 3/8/2026, 4:20 PM

4:2:2 does produce superior results, due to the fact that these cameras aren't shooting native resolution, but are downscaling from a higher pixel density, so even on single sensors you're still getting more than 4:2:0, but unless you plan on doing extensive color grading, in most cases 4:2:0 is just fine. It is, after all, the color compression used on literally every piece of digital video you've watched on TV, DVD. Blu-Ray, Youtube, etc.

Howard-Vigorita wrote on 3/9/2026, 11:59 AM

Been a while since I last tried 8k hevc so I just pulled up an online Fuji clip (thank you @wwaag ). Decodes fine on my laptop with 3060 in vp20 and 21 b208 but in vp22 & 23 only decodes on Nvidia with experimental hevc checked. On my Nuc/5080, however, it decodes without experimental checked in vp22 & 23. Also decodes all around with Intel igpu without experimental.

Speaking of Fuji, I was just reading reviews of the new Fuji x-h2s which has to be the most perfect 8k camera at the moment. It has an 8k 4:2:0 striped sensor that down-scales to 6k and 4k using the full sensor area by oversampling instead of cropping like the x-h2 and most of the others. Also has options to write 4:2:0 or generate 4:2:2 internally for avc & hevc. As well as freedom of choice for long gop or intra. Not to mention both ProRes Raw and Braw. Be interesting to construct a blind test of whether 6k 4:2:2 looks better to folks than 8k 4:2:0, which both have similar element counts.

Ramzes wrote on 3/9/2026, 1:17 PM

I'd like to buy the Vegas 22 version. There are various offers on the Internet and I would not want to buy a non-legal version. Here's an example. Is it legal?

fr0sty wrote on 3/9/2026, 11:04 PM

23 is the currently sold version, I'd be very weary of buying older versions from third parties.

3POINT wrote on 3/10/2026, 1:16 AM

I'd like to buy the Vegas 22 version.

Be aware that older Versions of Vegaspro (also 22) can not render with NVENC rendertemplates with recent NVIDIA drivers.

Kevin-vonDuuglas-Ittu wrote on 3/10/2026, 3:16 AM

Question 2: If I shoot in AVC will these RTX 50 problems be avoided? Is this problem particular to HEVC?

The issue is specific to Hevc 4:2:2 and does not affect Hevc 4:2:0. Avc 4:2:2 may work if Vegas is smart enough to always decode it with the cpu instead of a gpu. Fwiw, I only buy 4k cameras capable of shooting 10-bit Hevc 4:2:0 which has worked fine since vp16. My advice is to avoid 4:2:2 unless you have a triple sensor rgb camera and stick with either 8-bit Avc or 10-bit Hevc.

I do shoot in fairly dark conditions with high contrast lighting at times, and I do push my color grading a bit. It would be great if I could take advantage of 422.

Is there some sort of mechanism by which I could learn (without too much trouble) IF Vegas Pro gets to the point that they can handled these files and the NVIDIA processor? Or, is it something I just have to check each time Pro comes out with a new version to see if its an added feature?

RogerS wrote on 3/10/2026, 3:34 AM

@Kevin-vonDuuglas-Ittu Realistically 10-bit 420 should give you good results for challenging lighting, etc. It may not be as robust for keying if you do that though as there's less color resolution.

That's a great question on VEGAS. At present there are updates in VEGAS Hub about the status of new features. As 422 support has been promised since the release of 23 I'd have to think it's imminent (I've certainly been waiting for it!) so I'd check the release notes for any upcoming releases. Or feel free to just ask on the forum.

Howard-Vigorita wrote on 3/10/2026, 11:05 AM

@Kevin-vonDuuglas-Ittu Any chroma sub-sampling that starts with the number 4 records the same number of luminance values... so 4:4:4, 4:2:2, and 4:2:0 are all the same in that regard if the resolutions are the same, assuming the bit-rates for 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 are raised in proportion to their greater pixel data sizes. At equivalent resolutions and bit-rates, 4:2:0 would convey the most luminance data and should yield the best results editing low-light footage. Also note that capture bit-rates are limited by your camera's i/o performance which would further favor 4:2:0 with slower media.