One other thing that I forgot to mention, was I did have to convert the original files which were *.mov files to _x264.mp4 video files. Could this be the problem?

The files that were given to me to work on were filmed off an iPhone XS MAX.

I am aware that the video I was looking at on youtube is outdated, however I couldn't find any video for 19.

Here is a print out of one of the video files you asked for @RogerS

General
Complete name                            : E:\Iconic Productions\Productions\VC Coronavirus Dare\2021.08.30 DavidP-Into Battle\Video Footage\x264.mp4 Files\01 Blooper Cut IMG_6175_x264.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media
Codec ID                                 : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size                                : 15.3 MiB
Duration                                 : 4 s 383 ms
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 29.3 Mb/s
Writing application                      : Lavf58.29.100

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L5.1
Format settings                          : CABAC / 3 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 3 frames
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 4 s 338 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 29.5 Mb/s
Maximum bit rate                         : 6 000 kb/s
Width                                    : 3 840 pixels
Height                                   : 2 160 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Rotation                                 : 90°
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 29.970 (30000/1001) FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.119
Stream size                              : 15.2 MiB (100%)
Title                                    : Core Media Video
Codec configuration box                  : avcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 4 s 383 ms
Duration_LastFrame                       : -6 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 129 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                              : 69.0 KiB (0%)
Title                                    : Core Media Audio
Default                                  : Yes
Alternate group                          : 1

For simplicity sake, could you try to go back to the original iPhone XS MAX file? Please share MediaInfo for that, too.

In preferences, file i/o reset it to defaults and restart Vegas. Then see if the iPhone file loads.

For this file how did you convert from the original file- can you share the settings you used? Nothing wrong with converting variable framerate to constant framerate (or h265 to h264) for editing, but for quality and performance getting the settings right is important. (was the original 4K30p?)

For playback speed, I'd like to know if the NVIDIA GPU is the only one available (if your Intel integrated GPU works that may help with the iPhone file). What does help/driver update say? Screenshot would be great.

Then when you playback the file go to task manager and take a look at performance. Click on the NVIDIA (or Intel GPU) and see if there is any GPU decoding activity. It helps with smooth playback.

If you want to look at help videos for Vegas look at 18, which 19 is refinement of.

All that being said, if playing back the file without Fx is working fine it may just be a limitation of this CPU and chroma keyer. You might want to reduce preview quality (preview/auto) or select a chunk of timeline and do a selective prerender (shift + m).

It could be the Vegas GPU decoder bug, check if the lag corresponds to the Decoder graph being unnaturally high. When you check task manger for GPU decoder information you will also discover if for some reason your computer is not using GPU decoding. For a lower powered computer like yours it may lag the way you have described without GPU decoding

Writing application                      : Lavf58.29.100

Small point - other than the way you named it, that file wasn't encoded using x264, It was made using a harsware encoder, which gives larger files and lower quality than the software x264 encoder.

Writing application                      : Lavf58.29.100

Small point - other than the way you named it, that file wasn't encoded using x264, It was made using a harsware encoder, which gives larger files and lower quality than the software x264 encoder.

If handbrake was used then he's probably experiencing the Vegas GPU decoding bug. Vegas is not compatible with Handbrake NVENC encoded files, and maybe Intel Quicksync encoded files

The original files will filmed with an iPhone and was filmed in *.mov 4k 30fps - as you know vegas doesn't support mov files because they have so many codecs inputed into them that it is hard to work with those files.

That isn't a correct statement. Vegas supports .mov files and has for years. ProRes is MOV, so are many types of h.264 (AVC), and both are decoded natively. The issue with phone files can be variable framerate (MediaInfo will show you that).

I'd use Handbrake, Shutter Encoder or other common software to convert to h.264, not mpeg2. Just don't use NVENC, QSV or other hardware encoders (x264 software encoder is great) and give it enough bitrate/high enough quality settings to not look worse than the original!

I stand corrected @RogerS . I thought that since they deprecated the QuickTime plugin which was often an issue with mov files in earlier versions that they stopped working with mov files.

I understand the issue lies more with phone recorded files rather than the file extension itself.

Thank you for the extra information.

Sure thing. The file types that force you to use the QT plugin include MotionJpeg, Dnxhr, etc. I avoid those and hope they will be migrated to the native Vegas decoders as well. Most of my own footage is Canon h.264 mov.

Cheers @RogerS . I use Sony HXR-NX80 4K NXCAM for our low paying customers and Sony PXW-Z150 4K XDCAM Camcorder for our more high paying customers. At the moment alot of our customers are filming off their smartphones and giving us the footage. Seems to be the way.

. At the moment alot of our customers are filming off their smartphones and giving us the footage. Seems to be the way.

If you are not using your Intel GPU for decoding it could be beneficial to you when you are receiving various formats from phones. Vegas supports more codecs using Intel's build in IGPU then external GPU's. It can effect you in 2 ways, either the video does not play with GPU decoding causing lag, or video does not play at all in rare cases.like some Iphone format

Thank you @Former user I will keep that in mind. I have a relatively powerful video card for the hard jobs so I have rarely used Intel's built in display driver.

Very nice camcorders. They seem to use standard formats (XAVC 8 bit 4:2:0 for 4K) and should edit happily in Vegas as is. I hear you on the phone footage- it is ubiquitous these days. I second what Todd B mentions about the Intel decoder. People think the dedicated graphics cards are far superior but when it comes to Intel QSV for decoding and encoding it can perform with the best of them (for 3D and other calculations of course the dedicated cards blow it away).

They definitely do @RogerS

I will definitely tryout the onboard Intel graphics and will compare the difference.