@vincent-k: Would it be possible for you upload a file for us to test out? We have tried a few clips from the related forum thread, and they should play back fine on a Intel system, though we do see issues with a Ryzen system, and are looking into that. In general, you should expect VEGAS to natively handle iPhone12 clips, even if we don't support Dolby Vision HDR processing (the ones we tried out were marked as HLG compatible, so that may be an option for grading).

i don't use an iphone so i'm reaching out to the person who created the clips for me. i'll upload them once i get them

 

here you go

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ky71J6ZKnzAsMf3NBVImPPFGVXgCzkSj/view?usp=sharing

this is HEVC DolbyVision according to MediaInfo and, as expected, Vegas imports a blank video clip

General
Complete name                            : IMG_0050.MOV
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : QuickTime
Codec ID                                 : qt   0000.00 (qt  )
File size                                : 20.7 MiB
Duration                                 : 19 s 313 ms
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 8 999 kb/s
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-12-24 00:01:19
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-12-24 00:01:39
Writing library                          : Apple QuickTime
com.apple.quicktime.make                 : Apple
com.apple.quicktime.model                : iPhone 12 mini
com.apple.quicktime.software             : 14.2.1
com.apple.quicktime.creationdate         : 2020-12-23T19:01:19-0500

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : HEVC
Format/Info                              : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile                           : Main 10@L4@Main
HDR format                               : Dolby Vision, Version 1.0, dvhe.08.04, BL+RPU, HLG compatible
Codec ID                                 : hvc1
Codec ID/Info                            : High Efficiency Video Coding
Duration                                 : 19 s 313 ms
Bit rate                                 : 8 792 kb/s
Width                                    : 1 920 pixels
Height                                   : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Rotation                                 : 90°
Frame rate mode                          : Variable
Frame rate                               : 29.970 (29970/1000) FPS
Minimum frame rate                       : 28.571 FPS
Maximum frame rate                       : 30.000 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 10 bits
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.141
Stream size                              : 20.2 MiB (98%)
Title                                    : Core Media Video
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-12-24 00:01:19
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-12-24 00:01:39
Color range                              : Limited
Color primaries                          : BT.2020
Transfer characteristics                 : HLG
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.2020 non-constant
Codec configuration box                  : hvcC+dvvC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 19 s 313 ms
Source duration                          : 19 s 365 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 155 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate                               : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 365 KiB (2%)
Source stream size                       : 365 KiB (2%)
Title                                    : Core Media Audio
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-12-24 00:01:19
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-12-24 00:01:39

Other #1
Type                                     : meta
Duration                                 : 19 s 313 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant

Other #2
Type                                     : meta
Duration                                 : 19 s 313 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant

Other #3
Type                                     : meta
Duration                                 : 19 s 313 ms

@vincent-k: Thank you for the file. I downloaded it, and am able to import it and play it in VP18, b373 (Update 2) using default settings. We are aware of issues with some of the iPhone12 files with the Intel Software HEVC decoder, but that would only matter if your system is AMD based, or a Intel CPU without integrated graphics. Can you describe your system configuration (CPU/GPU), and also a screen shot of File I/O preferences (Options -> Preferences -> File I/O)? I assume your GPU drivers are up to date (Help -> Check for Driver Updates).

Hi I am using an Intel i7 with an Nvidia 1050Ti card.

The file I/O preferences is as follows

I've tried both with legacy HEVC on and off based on another thread, but there's no difference. i noticed that you're using Vegas 17 while i'm on Vegas 18 (build 373)

@VEGASHeman

I get a black screen with audio in Vegas 17-452 an 18-373 with the i7-6850 / RX 480 from my signature.

@vincent-k: Thank you for the information - your screenshot shows that VEGAS cannot detect the Intel QSV decoder on your machine, and hence tries to use the NVIDIA NVDEC decoder instead. However, if that fails to load this file, it will end up with the software Intel HEVC decoder, which we know has trouble with this file (this is a similar situation to using VEGAS on a AMD system, without any other GPU).

I would recommend trying to enable QSV on your system, as it has the best hardware decoding support of all the vendors we support. Reasons why it may not show up vary, but can range from older drivers, not being enabled in BIOS, or not having a monitor connected to the integrated GPU HDMI/DP port on the motherboard.

In the meantime, I will try to decode the file using NVDEC at my end, and see what the problem might be.

@vincent-k: Thank you for the information - your screenshot shows that VEGAS cannot detect the Intel QSV decoder on your machine, and hence tries to use the NVIDIA NVDEC decoder instead. However, if that fails to load this file, it will end up with the software Intel HEVC decoder, which we know has trouble with this file (this is a similar situation to using VEGAS on a AMD system, without any other GPU).

I would recommend trying to enable QSV on your system, as it has the best hardware decoding support of all the vendors we support. Reasons why it may not show up vary, but can range from older drivers, not being enabled in BIOS, or not having a monitor connected to the integrated GPU HDMI/DP port on the motherboard.

In the meantime, I will try to decode the file using NVDEC at my end, and see what the problem might be.

 

 

thanks for the reply. how do i enable QSV?

I see it's enabled in the general preferences

@john_dennis: I looked up i7-6850, and it's an X-series processor, without any integrated graphics (QSV support), so you are probably also ending up with the software Intel decoder.

My past experience of the older Radeon GPUs is that their HEVC support is limited, and sometimes we do blacklist GPUs, but I will verify with a RX 470 (similar generation as your 480) and get back.

@vincent-k
No problem to show those files on my laptop, look to the specs.
Which GPU's do you see at Device management / Display adapters and which drivers are stated there?

@vincent-k
No problem to show those files on my laptop, look to the specs.
Which GPU's do you see at Device management / Display adapters and which drivers are stated there?

this is what is in device manager

I presume your i-7 has also a GPU, in that case you must (let) dive into the BIOS to allow it on your hardware so It can be used.
I could not found which i-7 you have, which one precisely?

I presume your i-7 has also a GPU, in that case you must (let) dive into the BIOS to allow it on your hardware so It can be used.
I could not found which i-7 you have, which one precisely?

this is what i have Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4790 CPU @ 3.60GHz, 3601 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)

although given that i already have a separate GPU, how does vegas determine which to use?
 

@vincent-k: The VEGAS preferences for QSV you showed just tells VEGAS to use it, if available, but it does not enable it for your machine, which is the problem.

As @j-v indicated, first we need to verify that your i7 does have an integrated GPU (most had them, but if it's an Extreme edition, like @john_dennis's, it may not). You can find the exact model of i7 CPU by going into Task Manager, and looking at the top right of the Performance tab (or alternately, look under the 'Processors' category in Device Manager). Once you know the exact CPU model, you can go to Intel's ARK website and find further details.

If your CPU does have an integrated GPU, then you will next need to go into BIOS and enable it - the exact procedure to do this varies, based on the type of motherboard you have.

Sorry, I missed your post. The i7-4790 is a fairly old CPU, and contains a Intel HD Graphics 4600. VEGAS only supports newer integrated GPUs (from HD Graphics 530 onwards). Even if you had it enabled, it would not help for these iPhone HEVC files, as those GPUs did not support HEVC decoding (that was added in Skylake processors and onwards, about two generations after your CPU).

And to answer your last question (how does VEGAS determine which GPU to use), VEGAS uses GPUs for two different things: 1.) Encoding/Decoding (for reading and rendering of files), and 2) Video Processing, to optimize performance of the Video Engine and Effects.

The File I/O preferences show you what VEGAS detects for decoding, and automatically selects the best option, but you can override it by selecting a non-auto option from the drop down list. For encoding, only the relevant presets are shown (based on GPUs detected), and you explicitly choose which encoder to use (for e.g. QSV vs. NVENC).

You can control the GPU used for Video Processing by going into Options -> Preferences -> Video -> "GPU acceleration for video processing". Again, VEGAS will choose what it thinks is the best GPU by default (which will typically be a discrete GPU, such as NVIDIA or AMD, over the integrated GPU), but again you can override this if needed.

And to answer your last question (how does VEGAS determine which GPU to use), VEGAS uses GPUs for two different things: 1.) Encoding/Decoding (for reading and rendering of files), and 2) Video Processing, to optimize performance of the Video Engine and Effects.

The File I/O preferences show you what VEGAS detects for decoding, and automatically selects the best option, but you can override it by selecting a non-auto option from the drop down list. For encoding, only the relevant presets are shown (based on GPUs detected), and you explicitly choose which encoder to use (for e.g. QSV vs. NVENC).

You can control the GPU used for Video Processing by going into Options -> Preferences -> Video -> "GPU acceleration for video processing". Again, VEGAS will choose what it thinks is the best GPU by default (which will typically be a discrete GPU, such as NVIDIA or AMD, over the integrated GPU), but again you can override this if needed.

Thank you for the informative post! Also, regarding my ancient i7 chip, that was one of the reasons I went and got a more modern GPU so I wouldn't have to rely on its onboard video. So I guess if you can figure out why the NVENC isn't working with Vegas that'd be great! If not, the workaround is to not have the clips created with HDR, which is what I'm doing currently

@VEGASHeman

The i7-4790 is a fairly old CPU, and contains a Intel HD Graphics 4600. VEGAS only supports newer integrated GPUs (from HD Graphics 530 onwards). Even if you had it enabled, it would not help for these iPhone HEVC files, as those GPUs did not support HEVC decoding (that was added in Skylake processors and onwards, about two generations after your CPU).

+1

Also, regarding my ancient i7 chip, that was one of the reasons I went and got a more modern GPU so I wouldn't have to rely on its onboard video.

For these tasks and Vegas 18 you need a much newer processor.

@VEGASHeman

My intel-based laptop:

OS Name    Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
Version    10.0.19042 Build 19042
Other OS Description     Not Available
OS Manufacturer    Microsoft Corporation
System Name    DELL-5770
System Manufacturer    Dell Inc.
System Model    Inspiron 5770
System Type    x64-based PC
System SKU    0811
Processor    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8550U CPU @ 1.80GHz, 1992 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date    Dell Inc. 1.3.1, 10/5/2020
SMBIOS Version    3.0
Embedded Controller Version    255.255
BIOS Mode    UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer    Dell Inc.
BaseBoard Product    0XH3XD
BaseBoard Version    A00
Platform Role    Mobile
Secure Boot State    On
PCR7 Configuration    Elevation Required to View
Windows Directory    C:\WINDOWS
System Directory    C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device    \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale    United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer    Version = "10.0.19041.488"
User Name    DELL-5770\John
Time Zone    Pacific Standard Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM)    16.0 GB
Total Physical Memory    15.9 GB
Available Physical Memory    9.96 GB
Total Virtual Memory    49.5 GB
Available Virtual Memory    41.8 GB
Page File Space    33.6 GB
Page File    C:\pagefile.sys
Kernel DMA Protection    Off
Virtualization-based security    Not enabled
Device Encryption Support    Elevation Required to View
Hyper-V - VM Monitor Mode Extensions    Yes
Hyper-V - Second Level Address Translation Extensions    Yes
Hyper-V - Virtualization Enabled in Firmware    Yes
Hyper-V - Data Execution Protection    Yes

Vegas 15-416

Vegas 17-452

Vegas 18-373