>> it's in there, Guy... I don't know why you keep insisting it's not.

Spot, what's "it"?

It's OK to reply. I'm not one of the Knights of Ni. ;>)

Mark

Here's an AC-3 question for those in the know.
Under Supported File Formats at the bottom of the
Capture, Import & Export page, both Open and Save are checked for Dolby Digital AC-3.
Yet, under Supported File Formats at the bottom of the Technical Specifications, AC-3 isn't listed :-(
Can we import AC-3 files or not?

Mike

"With the smart render in Pro 8, is anyone that uses Cineform changing their workflow and not using an intermediate?"
=============================

Yup!
I use cineform the odd time as opposed to straight M2T editing, but smart render changes all of that. I pointed out in previous posts that coming from Liquid, I have never heard of this "intermediate" technique before.... because Liquid has always had a smart render system.

I will still use cineform for capturing my 24P form my Canon HV20. From the sounds of it Vegas 8 is STILL looking for a 24P flag in order to see the 24p (which the HV20 doesn't give)... but that's about it. The cineform people MAY end up losing a bit of business over this new vegas smart rendering.

HappyFriar,

my bad, thought you were saying it would be in the e-mail. :) I signed up so we'll see if I get something! (couldn't find anything on that page about the end of the month though). :)

"Can we import AC-3 files or not?"
===================================
You CAN presently import AC3... but it has to be imported from a dvd. So if you have a AC3 file that needs to be imported, then just use dvdA to burn the AC3 to disk (or to Video_ts folder on the HDD) with some unimportant video, and then turn around and import the dvd. The AC3 audio will show up as separate wav files on the time line.

Now whether or not the issue has been SIMPLIFIED in Vegas 8 is a question I can't answer.

FWIW with apologies if I overlooked something and this is redundant.

On DVDA: it’s not as popular by any means as Vegas, suffers from a lack of documentation and support published by users on-line *as compared* to some other authoring apps, and the GUI works a bit differently. That said, it’s one of the more capable authoring programs out there at any price – with few exceptions it can do almost everything it’s possible to do with a SD DVD. Marketing trends have led to bundling the DVD app with the NLE however, so I’d guess there’s not a lot of incentive to make radical improvements, and the half a version jump might indicate mainly Vista support.

IMHO .psd import isn’t, shouldn’t, & hasn’t been an issue. Multilayered .psd import is unnecessarily complicated regardless the authoring app, and with few DVDA step by step guides available, maybe some folks have been rightly confused. It works today, and has for quite some time. OTOH it’s something that has frequently been obsessed about for no good reason... It’s easier, faster, less complicated, and more flexible to import layers individually from multiple sources including Vegas.

What it could use is import of rendered subtitle files – there’s stuff you can’t do in DVDA, so it’s an extra few steps if you render your subs elsewhere; that would be easier than building in a regular transcribing app.. It could also use CC support – something available in DVD Lab & Encore.

One of the most common and powerful Video DVD features is stories – the ability to chain whatever individual cells together in whatever order. Today – & it looks like tomorrow – this has to be done in PgcEdit after the fact.

Scripting is workable, but not at the level it should be – hopefully this will be improved. DVDA inserts boilerplate scripting that’s *activated* based on the options you select; added your own scripting is restricted re: where you can place it (ideally pre, post, and cell commands could be inserted).

It would be nice if 4:3 & 16:9 menus could both be included – this is a BIG work-a-round today.

RE: Vegas, everything’s been covered I think (it’s a looong thread ;?P) but I don’t recall seeing anything posted about the new 5.1 panning controls... May in fact be mostly cosmetic but it’s got my hopes up. Quicktime was mentioned – no reason to think quicktime alternative would stop working. As AC3 is not an editable format, a resource hog on playback compared to wav, and when created elsewhere is often enough a problem for Sony’s decoder, not sure why people want it on the Vegas timeline? It can be cut, but in my experience, and depending on the file, it’s a bit iffy.

but I don’t recall seeing anything posted about the new 5.1 panning controls...
((are you referign to the panners or the Mixigin console? Becuase the only new thing i can see is the colsole itself which takes me back to my old Logic days. lol Cant wait to get my hands dirty with it!
As for the panner, there doesnt seem to be anythign new.
What IS sad from what i can see (or not see) is the lack of Dolby Digital True HD or Dolby Digital Plus format encoding for BlueRay or HD DVD..
Id gladly pay an extra grand to have this included..

DJ,
What are the advantages to those two formats, or is it just that BR/HD won't do regular AC3?

I guess we will have to wait till release to see if there is an improved plug-in api.
Very happy with what I've read so far, as long as it works as expected. hehehe

"What are the advantages to those two formats, or is it just that BR/HD won't do regular AC3?
==========================
Both BD and HD DVD will do REGULAR ac3. Tends to be cheaper and easier on HD but that's about the only difference. I burn nothing but ac3 with my hd dvd's

I'm very glad to hear about the new titler, thx Douglas re the info on some of the new features in it. That's the single biggest thing I'm keen on seeing, and hopefully they'll have a decent 2-pass vbr on2 flv encoder too.

ken

HD SDI is supported since V7.

Marco

Will V8 now actually read and write 10-bit video files at the full 10-bits of resolution?

Will V8 now actually read and write 10-bit video files at the full 10-bits of resolution?
Assuming you've got a 10bit hardware card, yes.

Why would it need a card? other than for I/O, of course.

Rob Mack

Yes, you'd need a card for I/0.
If you capture elsewhere and Vegas can read the 10bit codec, then you don't need hardware.

I think that's the point...for I/O

So it sounds like Vegas will read and write the 10-but YUV files from the Blackmagic Intensity Pro. I guess I'll find out next week. Can't wait...

Or if you render to a 10-bit codec, which I suppose is conceivable too.

Rob

There could be the odd "but" in there but ten of them?

Good thing I'd finished my coffee, this keyboard is kinda expensive.

Bob.

Anyone else finding the "Vegas Pro 8" moniker a bit unwieldy?

"Pro 8" sounds a bit like "Preparation 8."

:O)

Also reminds me of Pro Cre8