text Problem in Vegas Pro 8.0

Alsone wrote on 4/10/2010, 4:55 AM

Hi,

I'm trying to overlay text on top of my video.

I have a time line with 1 stills picture, 3 video clips and then a timeline above with 4 text inserts on it. Text has been added using the "Insert" drop down from the top menu and choosing "Text Media".

All the 4 text inserts appear exactly the same in settings and when 1st added to the timeline work as normal ie the text appears over the video.

However, once I render the video as an MPEG 4 using project settings (PAL DV) then on the video the 1st text insert still shows the stills picture below it but on all the 3 subsqeunet inserts, they obscure the video entirely - it appear the text has a black background once rendered instead of a transparent one although the settings appear the same.

Further after rendering, the video on the timeline has suffered the same fate. The stills picture is still seen below the the 1st text insert yet the videos are now obscured by the mysteriously appearing no transparent text background on the 3 subsequent video clips.

Further it can't be remedied by deleting the video clip and pulling in another copy. Doing this results in a red video on the timeline with no preview and a still black opaque background to the text.

the only way to rememdy it is to start a new project or re-open it as a saved one. however, the minute you render the project out to MPEG4, the same happens again. The video is obscured by the text on both timeline and rendered video.

Help Needed!

PS Just discovered that if rendered using custom 720x576, opacity problem doesn't appear. Its only there when using project settings.

Comments

Grazie wrote on 4/10/2010, 5:06 AM

I, for one, really need to see a screen-grab of your Workspace. I can't get my head around your description - my failing not yours. Post that grab somewhere.

Cheers,

Grazie

Alsone wrote on 4/10/2010, 5:27 AM

Hi Grazie,

This is the workspace before a render using "Project Settings":

(You may need to copy and paste the links into a seperate window as I'm having trouble getting them to embed into the forum)

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6271/vegastextproblem.jpg

You can clearly see the firework behind the text.

This is the workspace after the render with the cursor unmoved:

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/1944/vegastextproblem2.jpg

You can see in the preview window the firework has now disappeared and only the text is left on an entirely black background. This is the same in the video as in the workspace and seems irreversible.

An attempt to reverse it by replacing the video clip with a copy pulled from the Project Media Window results in a red clip on the timeline as seen here:

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/5637/vegastextproblem3.jpg

Grazie wrote on 4/10/2010, 5:41 AM

OK, I can see the grabs now.

Now, what is exactly your issue with this? I need you to spell out what it is you think you should be seeing.

Grazie

Alsone wrote on 4/10/2010, 6:14 AM

Its the text.

Before rendering the text lies over the top with the video visible behind.

After rendering, the text is on top of a black background which obscures the video behind. There's also no sound from the video.

It affects both the timeline and the rendered video after a video has been rendered out.

farss wrote on 4/10/2010, 6:45 AM

I think your problem isn't the text but rather the video.
Try this simple test. Add a track of gen media, say solid green between the text track and the video track. Mute it and render the project as before.
Now when you get your problem unmute the track of green and I think you''ll see the green behind the text. A clue is that when you try to replace the video you get red frames, this usually seems to indicate that for some reason Vegas cannot decode the media.

What codec does the video use, you might be able to work around the problem by rendering it to another codec.

Bob.

xberk wrote on 4/10/2010, 7:32 AM

I agree with Bob. Something is up with your video. Another tip off is that the sound goes away too. Why it goes bad after you do a render is not clear ---memory ? I note that you are using V8.1 --

I had similar weird problems with 8.1 ... One possible (if you haven't done it) is to install a 64 bit codec as you are using 64 bit Vegas. BUt it seems the video is no longer decoding properly after the render operation.

Do you have this problem in 8.0c ? .. You can use both on the same machine.

Just curious --- why is preview set to Good/Half ?

BTW always good to post your system specs. It helps when you need help.

Alsone wrote on 4/10/2010, 11:27 AM

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

Its also doing it intermittently with the custom setting. Some times it renders fine, sometimes it renders with an opaque text background. it also then reports the media offline in the Vegas screen, not just the video but also the title media.

I'm also having some lock ups in Vegas itself. Windows Manager reports it as waiting for a response for me although the interface window is frozen.

My system specs are high:

Intel C2D E6600+ overclocked to 3ghz and stable
Windows 7 64 bit Professional
4GB Kingston Hyper X gaming Memory
2x WD SE 16 Caviar's in RAID 0 SATA
Gforce 8800GT 756MB Graphics
Enermax 650W PSU

Vegas Pro Version is 8.1 Build 171.

Should add that sometimes on start up it reports Vegas does not support that type of media when you try to import media and then you have to restart the programme sometimes multiple times befoer it will allow and import (although I've not had that today). Did this in Windows Vista 64 also. I reported it to Tech Support but they denied it was a Vegas problem.

xberk wrote on 4/10/2010, 11:36 AM

You can download Vegas Pro 8.0c and use the same serial number to activate .. if you are running a Trial Version download the Trial for 8.0c .. Your 64 bit windows will run the 32 bit Versions of Vegas. Most here would avoid using 8.1 and prefer using 8.0c for stability etc...You can run both on the same machine.

Alsone wrote on 4/10/2010, 11:40 AM

Ok thanks I might try reverting to 8.0c especially if I can install both versions.

Sony really should sort these problems out or give a free upgrade to version 9.0 for those on 64 bit machines who are affected. Its ridiculous when you've paid hundreds of pounds for a professional level programme to have something thats essentially unusable.

I'm rendering for a friends business, have hundreds of clips to do and its now taken me 12 hours to render 1 clip successfully!!!

Not very happy with Sony!