Rex,

Hopefully, if enough Vegas Users found this to be useful and helpful and possibly as decision making tool - we will be better prepared and have more access for next year's NAB and V6 !

Jay Mitchell

Yes, they were useful. OK I'll admit I watched them AFTER I bought the upgrade. I learned as a child that kicking Santa just 'cause I didn't get a bike this year wasn't the best way to get a bike next year.

Jay,
I am on dial-up so I didn't stream the files. I downloaded them and then throughly enjoyed the presentations. I have V4+DVDA and was wavering about the upgrade due to the negative comments about the 'UI' and the need for XP, but after seeing it I will definitely buy it. I first must buy a new computer system that is a little more powerful than my laptop. Thanks to everyone who participated in your V5 project.

Bob

The streams were great. It was an exceptional way to get over the learning curve for the new changes without going to nab.

I think it would be beneficial for Sony to make a couple more tutorials like that and allow them for download from their own site. It would make all vegas users more skillfull thus making the vegas productions around the world better, thereby giving vegas a better image. Similarly, the users would be more confident and therefore be better salespeople with their descriptions of vegas to non vegas users. I think it would definately be a win-win situation that wouldn't take much work on Sony's part. It could also be used as a salespitch for businesses to higher Gary Rebholz to come and give lectures to thier staff. Imagine how many more downloads than 5000 there would be if it were a little more scripted and composed (not that SCVUG didn't do a good job).

thanks a million. I really enjoyed it.
Cheroxy

Cheroxy,

Your Points are well stated and no doubtably will be viewed favorably by Sony!

The SCVUG took on this job on the fly - as a labor of love, for Vegas! And, to bring the NAB experience to those around the World who could not attend in person.

The results appear to be overwhelming postive - And, Sony is Very Appreciative.

It would have been nice to have had access to the Veg Files / Training Files used in the Seminars. And, it would have been nice to have had a week to prepare for everything that was involved in the production.

I can assure you that we will be better prepared for V6 !

BTW - Here are the names of the SCVUG Members who made this possible:

Liam Kennedy
Matt Reason
Ronald Rennie
Scott Carpenter

Regards to All,

Jay Mitchell

Jay---I should have been more specific--it was very helpful--particularly when you have all these new features in both programs. I watched the DVD Arch in its entirety and I really felt that it clearly and concisely brought me up to speed---By the way, I dont want to let it go to your head but you do one hell of a job--Next time I am in Southern California, I have to drop in on you--By the way, being a southern Ca boy, did you hear what Charles over at Pro Max in Irvine is up too--sounds very exciting.

Jay -

The video was great, but I too watched them after I upgraded. I think they helped solidify many of the concepts quickly (much more quickly than me plodding through them myself).

Rick

Rex,

Promax, has been embedded with Apple and FCP for a long long time. I was shocked to hear that they will now be selling Vegas Systems. I think they are smelling the $$$.

Promax, is a great and reliable company to do business with. And, I'm sure that whatever they put together, to run Vegas In - will rock!

BTW - DVDA2 Interface and features are so different from DVDA1 - The Video helps to Visualize the Upgrade Changes.

And Rex, If you do come to visit me - be prepared to work !!

Jay Mitchell

Thanks Jay & Co. The videos were very helpful in my decision regarding whether or not to upgrade.

I totally agree with Bob, Cheroxy and Rextilleon.

After I had seen your videos, I decided to buy.

I downloaded them and have seen them several times and learned a lot,

A very positive input among many negative.

Thanks to you and the rest of the team.


Rune

Rune,

I can say with absolute certainty, that Sony is very interested in the positive comments of this thread.

Keep up the good work, guys !

Jay Mitchell

It was great. hope to see it next year !

I am so grateful to your team for doing this. Not only did it give us remote folks a feeling of being connected to the Vegas community, but Gary's tutorials were the fastest possible way of getting up to speed with the new features.

I have a colleague who last year bought V4/DVDA1 on my recommendation, but has not yet used DVDA. I showed the tutes to him and he is of course upgrading, but the best part was that after one viewing of Gary's tute he now feels he knows how to make DVDs.

I strongly agree with cheroxy. Sony should be doing this sort of thing regularly. They obviously have the personnel, and what better way to let the world know how the product works.

Thanks again guys.

Not everyone can go to NAB and you should be congratulated for bringing NAB to us.

Got my 5.0 upgrade today!! Now to install it and get it going.

The stream was a lot of fun. I bought the upgrade before hand - it was the trial that sold me.

BUT...

I shared the stream with some non-forum-people in the industry and I'm certain it generated a lot of interest with them - mostly because it actually showed you how to use some of the new features in pretty good detail. When people on Premiere see things they can't do... that makes 'em think.

I know 81 unique IP addresses viewed the mirror streams I hosted. (Although the average view was less than 5 minutes. heheh... I guess people couldn't wait to go buy Vegas)

I was going to upgrade no matter what, but the stream convinced me not to wait for the box, but to download and use it right away. Glad I did!

I can't tell you enough times how grateful I am to the whol SoCal Vegas Users Group team for doing this.

I also second cheroxy's request for having more of these sorts of things in the future, not just once a year at NAB. I realize that this is potentially a touchy issue, because several people here on the forum make a living selling tutorial DVDs, and no one wants to undercut their business. However, a few "bare-bones" tutorials on the new feature might actually whet people's appetite so they would be more eager to purchase a professional training course.

Jay,

I have been so impressed by the dedication of the team that made this happen. You guys were out there on the front line for us. Watching the streams has been very, very helpful for me. Thank you so very much.

I had intended to upgrade anyway because it is so affordable, but I admit to having experienced some angst around wondering if I would know how to navigate V5 and DVD2 without slowing down my work and having to re-learn a bunch of stuff. The streams gave me the confidence that I would immediately recognize the new screens and know the basics of their navigation.

I think Sony could really win by publishing streams, each on a specific function, on some kind of regular basis (e.g., monthly or quarterly). I agree with John Meyer that this would not cut into the market for those producing training products for Vegas/DVD because such products are/would be much more extensive and comprehensive. As John said, the streams would likely induce people to buy the more extensive training material.

Once again, I want to thank you, the team and Sony for making the streams possible. It was really a brilliant idea.

Jessie

John Meyer / Jessie,

You guys are right on target with your views.

Jay Mitchell

Hiyah Jay!

London UK here - Just woke up 5:20GMT .. . - Got on the Net and straight to OUR site here. . . and well .. .

Education, Confidence . .and Pride!

You and the Lads have produced a truly amazing "Tool" not only for customers deciding to buy/upgrade, but also for SONY seeing and truly understanding the Global importance in pre-education and ongoing education of a User base. Personally I've "dabbled" in DVD production, not having the confidence to jump in and learn. This will/has changed! In one single leap the "SoCal-Team" has provided a simple way in, in understanding this leading edge technology. AND for a chap living and making a living from video making on the other side of the World! - Tell you what Jay, IMHO, "other" NLE software companies/producers must be looking very closely and seriously at what you have done . .. oh yes . . . oh yes . . ..

Q: What do you think of the value - Globally - of what you've done for SONY and its investment in appearing at NAB? [ . . . discuss . . . good eh? ]

My best regards to you and THE TEAM,

Grazie

Grazie,

Here's your answer.

I'd be happy to have a framed Letter of Appreciation from Sony to display on my edit suite wall for my clients and associates to see.

What do you think?

Jay Mitchell

I'll have a word with Mr Sony - <BIG WINK HERE>

But yes . . point taken! - Tell me YOU GOT ONE?

G

Yes.. it would be cool to get a letter of appreciation from Sony for this.... but...

Just to look at it from a different perspective I would also like to post my sincere "statement of Appreciation" to the Sony folks who <really> made this possible.

In the end all we did was show up and start capturing something that Sony had already put together. They had the content.. we just got that out to you.

Don't you find it really quite impressive that "Sony" allowed us to do this? I look back on how this crazy wacky idea came about and I think... if I were in Sony's shoes would I have given the go ahead?(well...of course I would still have to say "Yes")

So... here is my "Statement of Appreciation to Sony".

Thanks to Dave C for giving us the go ahead to do this. I appreciate the decision you made.
Thanks to Gary Rebholz (training specialist) for putting up with us and for taking up valuable space in the small seminar room.
Thanks to the Sony support staff who put up with us making quite a mess in the Sony meeting area where a lot of sony executives were conducting meetings with clients.

In the end the fact that we were even allowed to do this tells me a great deal about the sort of company that is behind our beloved Vegas software.

I do hope that more is done to connect with the Vegas community via the medium of video (that is <after all> exactly what we are about right).

Thanks again for all the positive comments and ideas that have been added to this thread (and others). I agree with Grazie... we have a very special community here and I for one am very proud to be among you all.

Seek excellence in all your Vegas editing projects!

-Liam