Using Quicktime files with alpha channel

ggrussell wrote on 1/17/2008, 2:29 PM

I purchased some packages from Digital Juice which uses 24bit color Quicktime with alpha channel. In fact, Digital Juice even promotes Vegas pro on their website so these files should work.

I have Vegas Studio 8 Platinum. It appears that each track defaults to alpha channel compositing instead of 'muliply'. Do I have to do something special to get alpha channel to work? In most other editors, all I do is add the Quicktime file to the overlay and it works. Not in Vegas Studio. I get black in all the areas that should be transparent.

Any suggestions?

Comments

Eugenia wrote on 1/17/2008, 2:39 PM

If that's the case, then it's just a bug on Vegas Platinum not recognizing the transparency bit. Might have worked on older versions of Vegas, might be a new bug. If these are video files, I have no other suggestions other than using the green screen "keying" trick to get the transparency you are after. If these are png files, you can load them on photoshop and re-set their transparency and save them, and then Platinum might recognize them (gfx apps don't all use the same libraries to save files, so you might get lucky).

ggrussell wrote on 1/17/2008, 4:16 PM

These are 24bit color with alpha channel Quicktime .MOV video files. I might uninstall Vegas Studio 8.0c and reinstall my disc which I think is 8.0b. See if that makes a difference.

Anyone else have any of these or something similar to try it out?

Oh yeah, chroma key the black just wouldn't work correctly because the video also has transparency to it. It's like those overlays they use on news casts at the bottom of the screen except with motion and transparency.

Eugenia wrote on 1/17/2008, 4:21 PM

Try upgrading to the latest Quicktime version, there was a new one 2 days ago. If after that Vegas still doesn't support transparency, then you are out of luck.

Download the demo of Vegas Pro and see if it works there. If not, then ask for your money back from Digital Juice and file a bug report at Sony too.

ggrussell wrote on 1/17/2008, 5:33 PM

I'll file a bug report with Sony. The Digital Juice files work fine in two other editors so I have no reason to send them back.

At one time, I owned 10 different video editors. All had their strengths and weakness. I've narrowed it down to a few. Although I just recently purchased Vegas Studio, I'm finding it has too many limitations even at the reduced price with a rebate. I have another program that only cost $49 (US) that out performs and has many more features plus DJ files work flawless with it.

I have yet to find a single editor that does everything I want or have all the transitions, text effects, etc., that I like. I will most likely continue to use different editors for a single project fro sometime. I'm not even a professional. I can't even imagine what those guys go through to get a job done.

menopausal wrote on 1/17/2008, 7:40 PM

Have you gone into the clip properties? You can choose there how the alpha channel works. I use Digital Juice all the time with no problem.

Can you give me a specific Juice pack that you are having problems with? I can probably help.

You can even email me directly if you wish:

harvey@embarqmail.com

I would be happy to help.

ggrussell wrote on 1/18/2008, 6:43 AM

Thanks Harvey.
Works now as expected. Looks like they could have put that some where else that is a bit easier to find and/or had something in the HELP to explain it was even necessary.

menopausal wrote on 1/18/2008, 7:52 AM

I had a heck of a time finding it too, you are most welcome. The only bug is the bug in instructions!!

ggrussell wrote on 1/18/2008, 9:34 AM

LOL I agree

Many thanks... you made at least two people very happy. I recommended Studio 8 to a friend and she had also purchased some Digital Juice stuff so I passed on the information.