V4/ timeline export / hardware encoding???

jascha wrote on 12/27/2003, 12:59 AM
Hello,
I am a liitle bit confused on what hardware to buy that will work well with Vegas 4 which i like very much for what i want to do. I have in mind either a Matrox Rt10/100 or a canopus DV Storm 2.
I have been experimenting with Vegas 4 but without any proper hardware (like the above mentioned editing cards) but when i want to render to say Mpeg2 to make a dvd file it takes AGES to process .
Can someone please tell me whether having in my system a canopus or matrox editing card which i believe have mpeg encoding hardware, will speed up the process of rendering ? How can i export directly to DVD architect (or if possible Adobe Encore) directly from the timeline?
If when working on an mpeg2 file in Vegas 4 (like deleting certain frames), or changing the audio track with another 48Khz wav file,does the edited file need rendering again?
I am a newbie to video editing on pcs and your suggestions and assistance are very appreciated.
My system at the moment is only a P3 866 Mhz 512 Ram with 2 HDD (80 and 160 GB) . I intend to build a dedicated computer just for video but before i go out there and buy the gear i need to get my confusion sorted out.
Thanks

Comments

jetdv wrote on 12/27/2003, 4:38 AM
Vegas does not use cards like the Matrox or Canopus so you will gain NO benefit if you purchase one. The BEST method for speeding up rendering will be to purchase a faster computer.
pb wrote on 12/27/2003, 7:59 AM
The Canopus Storm2 is overpriced, go with the Matrox X100 if you really need hardware encode.

You can capture with the Matrox or Canopus, edit in Vegas then Export for DVD-A or make a suitable file for Encore. Or you can edit in Vegas, render to AVI then import the AVI to Premiere Pro and go to Encore from there. I use Premiere 6.0 to print 2 hour files to tape from my 1.2 ghz box becasue for some reason Vegas won't do it very well.

If you do not need same day turn around for tape -> DVD buy a powerful PC wth a real Pentium chip (Celerons are chaeper but I won't get another), at least 512 RAM and a dedicated media drive.

I get better results with software encode via Main Concept 1.4. This requires rendering the timeline as an AVI first, though. To do this I bought a 2.6 Ghz box just for rendering.

Hardware is fast and okay but you don't have as much control. Opinion is based on owning and using Dazzle PCI DVC II, Matrox X100 and Canopus Storm2 (Media Cruise).

Peter
Spot|DSE wrote on 12/27/2003, 11:36 AM
Another method of using hardware for an encode works like this;
Do a PTT with Vegas, but before you start the print:
A. Connect a hardware encoder such as the ADS DV Link, set for MPEG output.
B. Have a software app that can capture MPEG directly, such as Ulead's DVD Workshop
C. Start Capture in software app
D. Start playback/ptt in Vegas
Print from Firewire to MPEG hardware device, output MPEG, captured do software capture app. This will not only be faster/totally real time, but also generally gives a better encode because it's hardware, not software doing the encode.

As previously mentioned though, for use in Vegas, a Canopus Storm, Matrox Extreme, Pinnacle anything, won't benefit you for editing/rendering speed. Vegas, like most of the other NLE's are now catching up to, does not use hardware to decode/recompress streams.