Just been reading through all the new features Acid 4.0 has. Now I can assume most of these features will be in Vegas 4, right? Well, except the midi comositional stuff.
What I'm really curious about is the VST support. Does Acid 4.0 only support VSTi's, or normal VST effects plugins aswell? If so, will Vegas 4 be able to access VST plugins also? I'm not concerned about VSTi instruments, since all my music is composed on an MPC4000 now, but support for VST effects plugins would be brilliant. You see, I'm looking at getting those UAD-1 Powered Plugins (on a PCI card, www.mackie.com). This card only supports VST plugins. But the effects are among the best money can buy. Accurate emulations of classic valve gear by the same company who make that gear.
I honestly think that with VST plugin support, the ability to automate individual parameters of plugins (VST included), surround sound support, and the being able to mix external inputs alongside recorded audio channels would enable Vegas to compete with some of the more pricier appps like Nuendo and Pro Tools.
Of course I use Vegas Video for video aswell. So in that arena I'd love to see it competing with some of the big guns there. Final Cut Pro (I can't stand all these snobby Mac users talking about how good this is and disregarding Vegas Video as being unprofessional), Discreet Edit, Avid etc. What's really required here is support for larger output sizes. Such as DV 16.9, HD, and maybe even film sizes which FCP supports. Sonic Foundry included my suggestion for Vegas Video being able to load TGA image sequences in version 3.0, so hopefully they can do the same here.
For me, the more Vegas Video does, the better. If they included all the Acid features, that would be awesome. From the posts I've read here, I know that's not going to happen. But in my opinion, it could be done. Vegas Video is already Sonic Foundry's flagship product. My suggestion would be to add all the Acid features to Vegas Video, but NOT discontinue Acid. Just keep it as a more affordable product for those who don't require the extra features Vegas Video has. At the same time, bring back Vegas Audio for those who don't require any Acid or video features, but who just want a decnt multitracker. Include the 5.1 surround and VST support of course.
As an example of what I'm talking about here, look at all the Cakewalk products. They've got their top of the line product Sonar XL, then Sonar, Plasma and even Home Studio 2002. Of course Sonar XL has all the features the others have. In much the same way Sonic Foundry could have Vegas Video as the top of the line product doing everything all the other products do. Then there'd also be Vegas Audio, Acid, and Video Factory, each targeted at specific groups. The latter could have a few extra features added to it to compete with Premiere etc.
Vegas Video itself should be competing with all the big guns (regardless of platform). Programs such as Nuendo, Final Cut Pro, Avid, Pro Tools, Discreet Edit etc. Add a few more video compositing features such as motion tracking and stablisation, After Effects plugin support, difference keying etc, and VV could even be competing with apps such as the After Effects production bundle, Commotion and others. I've got Commotion myself for motion tracking and compositing, but the interface is slow. Having those features in Vegas Video would make life a lot easier.
That's my rant for the day.
What I'm really curious about is the VST support. Does Acid 4.0 only support VSTi's, or normal VST effects plugins aswell? If so, will Vegas 4 be able to access VST plugins also? I'm not concerned about VSTi instruments, since all my music is composed on an MPC4000 now, but support for VST effects plugins would be brilliant. You see, I'm looking at getting those UAD-1 Powered Plugins (on a PCI card, www.mackie.com). This card only supports VST plugins. But the effects are among the best money can buy. Accurate emulations of classic valve gear by the same company who make that gear.
I honestly think that with VST plugin support, the ability to automate individual parameters of plugins (VST included), surround sound support, and the being able to mix external inputs alongside recorded audio channels would enable Vegas to compete with some of the more pricier appps like Nuendo and Pro Tools.
Of course I use Vegas Video for video aswell. So in that arena I'd love to see it competing with some of the big guns there. Final Cut Pro (I can't stand all these snobby Mac users talking about how good this is and disregarding Vegas Video as being unprofessional), Discreet Edit, Avid etc. What's really required here is support for larger output sizes. Such as DV 16.9, HD, and maybe even film sizes which FCP supports. Sonic Foundry included my suggestion for Vegas Video being able to load TGA image sequences in version 3.0, so hopefully they can do the same here.
For me, the more Vegas Video does, the better. If they included all the Acid features, that would be awesome. From the posts I've read here, I know that's not going to happen. But in my opinion, it could be done. Vegas Video is already Sonic Foundry's flagship product. My suggestion would be to add all the Acid features to Vegas Video, but NOT discontinue Acid. Just keep it as a more affordable product for those who don't require the extra features Vegas Video has. At the same time, bring back Vegas Audio for those who don't require any Acid or video features, but who just want a decnt multitracker. Include the 5.1 surround and VST support of course.
As an example of what I'm talking about here, look at all the Cakewalk products. They've got their top of the line product Sonar XL, then Sonar, Plasma and even Home Studio 2002. Of course Sonar XL has all the features the others have. In much the same way Sonic Foundry could have Vegas Video as the top of the line product doing everything all the other products do. Then there'd also be Vegas Audio, Acid, and Video Factory, each targeted at specific groups. The latter could have a few extra features added to it to compete with Premiere etc.
Vegas Video itself should be competing with all the big guns (regardless of platform). Programs such as Nuendo, Final Cut Pro, Avid, Pro Tools, Discreet Edit etc. Add a few more video compositing features such as motion tracking and stablisation, After Effects plugin support, difference keying etc, and VV could even be competing with apps such as the After Effects production bundle, Commotion and others. I've got Commotion myself for motion tracking and compositing, but the interface is slow. Having those features in Vegas Video would make life a lot easier.
That's my rant for the day.