Properties Media Vegas 4

RickGB wrote on 7/30/2004, 10:48 AM

Using Vegas 4, everytime I drag in a clip it defaults to progressive scan and pixel aspect ratio 1:1. Whereas most of what I do is D2, interlaced bottom field first, Pal DV aspect ratio.

Is there some way to set prefs so clips I add automatically use these settings? As currently I have to change properties for each clip on the timeline.

Any tips on this would be appreciated :-)

Comments

stormstereo wrote on 7/31/2004, 8:17 PM

Okay, I'm going to have a go at this.

Method 1. Use project properties under the file menu, or click the properties icon under the menu, or hit alt+enter. Change all parameters to fit your prefs. Tick the check box "Start all new projects with these settings". Click OK.

Method 2. In the same Properties window there's a folder icon. Click on it and locate a video file which have the settings you want. Click OK. Vegas will now automatically match the project properties to the chosen media. Tick the same check box and click OK.

Now, I don't know if your video files has some special information in it that makes Vegas change the files properties. If you use the explorer in Vegas and click on a media file without adding it to the media bin, trimmer or timeline there's some useful information displayed just under the window. Maybe the files really are progressive and 1:1?

Best/Tommy

erratic wrote on 8/1/2004, 11:02 AM

Change the media properties and click on the floppy icon in the media properties window: Save settings to video profiles for future auto-detection.

But what resolution do you mean by D2? According to this page D2 PAL is 352x576 (aka 1/2 D1).
For 352x576 the PAR should be set to 2.1852.

PAL DV aspect ratio is for 704x576 and 720x576 (D1).
768x576 is 1:1 aspect ratio.

RickGB wrote on 8/1/2004, 5:04 PM

Thanks for the replies.

The clips are definitely D2 (or half D1) PAL 352x576, interlaced, lower field first and I am outputting stuff to D2 for DVDs.

Yes the key does seem to be the 'auto-detection'. It is possible I am setting the PAR wrong. However, Vegas won't accept 2.1852 and changes it to 2 as soon as I click away from the box. Maybe it just doesn't support D2 PAL? That would explain why it doesn't recognise it in the first place.

If so, what is the best work around? Must admit I am hazy on the subject of PAR...

I have had other problems with D2. For example TMPGEnc DVD Author won't accept D2 mpegs with 16:9 aspect ratio.

You say 704x576 and 720x576 both have the PAL DV aspect ratio, does that mean PAL DV has two different PAR?

erratic wrote on 8/2/2004, 7:26 AM

I remember now that Vegas 4 doesn't accept a higher PAR than 2. In fact that was my first ever complaint here. You need Vegas 5 for PAR 2.1852. In Vegas 4 you can switch off maintain aspect ratio but you have to do it for every clip on the timeline. It might be easier to set both project and media properties to PAR 2. But both options will have an effect on imported stills and transitions: a circle will be an oval for example. So if you often use 352x576 upgrading to Vegas 5 is a good idea.

TMPGEnc DVD Author doesn't accept 16:9 D2 because it's not DVD compliant. Only 704x576 and 720x576 are allowed for PAL 16:9. Of course some DVD players will play 16:9 D2 correctly anyway, but first you need authoring software that accepts it. Maybe DVD Lab does.
By the way, the PAR for 16:9 352x576 is 2.9136.

PAL DV 720x576 has two PARs, one for 4:3 and one for 16:9, but 704x576 is (or should be anyway) a cropped version of 720x576, so the pixels have the same aspect ratio.