I acquire video from the field using 1440x1080i 29.97 XDCAM HD video. My edited products are for Broadcast NTSC in the US on BetaSP. What project setting and render settings would you suggest for the cleanest output for broadcast from Vegas? I currently use the following: Project setting is D1 720x486 NTSC and the Render Output is SONY YUV 10 bit avi. I then bring that avi into a Matrox LE Premier Pro system and print to tape on BetaSP.

I realize this isn't the most elegant system in the world but it is the best for my situation that I have found so far. You see, I purchased the Matrox LE system thinking it was going to be my workhorse for doing long form doc work but boy was that a joke. I rely on Vegas for the editing work and generally I've been pretty satisfied. The big problem comes though when it is time for print to tape to BetaSP. I don't have any print to tape hardware that works with Vegas in my HP xw8600 workstation and have been forced to use this workaround import into Premier Pro for print to tape.

So I ask about the my settings and workflow because I feel a bit nervous about it still and don't have any overall confidence in it. I used to edit with the Autodesk Edit 6.5 system and would simple output to tape using the Targa3000 board and everything worked fine. But when we began to acquire HD footage for our video library that was the end of that system.

I guess I need to figure out what hardware to install into my HPxw8600 that will work with Vegas but since system was purchased a Matrox LE turnkey system I have been hesitant to do any of that. It's hard to find anyone else out there with the exact same hardware and software I'm using to get advice on the setup so that complicates the problem as well.

Any advice or pointers is needed and appreciated.

Erik