What Features Would You Like Added to V7b ??

ken c wrote on 9/15/2006, 3:59 AM
We've probably talked about this before, but let's give the developers an idea as to what features we REALLY need that are currently MISSING from V7a.

My list:

#1: A good TITLER that can do beveled text + other advanced titling functions such as 3d type text and better motion editing

#2: A better TEXT EDITOR in DVDA.. right now you can't do any horizontal compress or other features. And no I don't want to go make it in photoshop/fireworks and import alpha pngs... some advanced functions for better manipulation of text in DVDA would be great. Right now, the way it handles text is very clunky. Building in at least some decent 3d/shadowing/bevel text and other effects would be welcome.

#3: Faster rendering, of course, however that would be accomplished.

What other features would YOU like to *really* see that you've been asking for but (disappointedly) didn't see in V7a this time out?


thanks,

Ken

Comments

Grazie wrote on 9/15/2006, 4:24 AM
I hear you Ken - nice ideas.

However, from what and how we get improves, your 3 items fall outside of what would be a "bug-fix" update. The series 7a > 7b 7c . . . etc etc are what I would call bug fix updates.

Something like you are wishing would only appear, in a WHOLE number upgrade.
apit34356 wrote on 9/15/2006, 4:31 AM
1.) let the user select the use of directshow feactures for previewing,
2.) optional choice of external encoding (ie gpu) or not.

basicly, let vegas7 be as-is with the choice to use current plug-ins for less-stable speed-ups by 3nd parties.
Jonathan Neal wrote on 9/15/2006, 4:36 AM
Grazie, I've got to think kencalhoun's suggestions are all possible. Wasn't Sony & MainConcept MP4 video rendering brought in halfway through the v6 series? Of course, those features had a marketing advantage, but it's a valid point of optimism, right?

Here's to hoping for a great Vegas 8 run!
FrigidNDEditing wrote on 9/15/2006, 4:39 AM
those are all good ideas, and welcome ones too. #3 is easily accomplished with faster computers :), but I'm pretty sure that the only real way that Vegas can speed up much more is by locking us into hardware or further optimization (optimization can take substantial time)

Numbers 1 and 2 are something perhaps that should have been done already, but I must say that is asking for some MAJOR work, 3D text, improved motion controls, "other advanced titling functions". While certainly welcome, I would rather see workflow enhancements and the like, that speed up me getting my cutting done. It doesn't take me long to whip out Heroglyph or something like that as a plugin for less than a hundred bux, and Bluff Titler is pretty dang fast for a 3D titler (though not as high a quality as one might prefer, if you're in a hurry it does VERY well in a pinch).

I realize you don't want to hassle with "other apps", but fact is that when you head into high end machines everything is specialized, and I say sometimes that's good, because you get the best from each, I think what we really need is for some good titling software to be made available as a plugin that REALLY WORKS WELL with Vegas.

Don't forget about the cayman graphics plugin. They are known for their quality, mind you the plugin could function a little better, but the quality is much better than anything SMS is going to have time to develop for in a titler.

Dave
Jonathan Neal wrote on 9/15/2006, 5:14 AM
The features I would like in 7b,7c,etc would be:

#1: Non-destructive rendering for any of the video formats which currently do not support non-destructive rendering. I've read a few lack-luster posts where v7 users are thrilled with the speed improvements but taken-back by the long render times of unaltered footage.

#2: New and Improved Image Processing and Color Correction tools to rival Adobe Premiere's. Development to the video filters is needed and overdue anyway. Besides, we still haven't gotten the new Red Eye filter.

#3: New and Improved Titling tools that rivals Apple FinalCut's LiveType. Titling is requested over and over by the users here. Luckily, we know Madison listens.

#4: MIDI and VSTi/DXi support that remind us why Vegas is KING of video and audio. There is the Cineform plugin but that doesn't give power to the creative audiophiles. Adding my #4 makes Vegas the cinema / soundtrack solution that was intended when they combined Vegas Audio and Vegas Video.

Combine these enhancements with the various bug fixes that will come about and V7 will REIGN FOR ALL TIME!!! (until V8).
craftech wrote on 9/15/2006, 5:27 AM
Please fix that damned credit roll generator. It has been a ridiculous joke since version 2. If making it easier to adjust the speed to ANY length is too difficult then at least you can add a COMMON drop shadow to the text , can't you?

John
farss wrote on 9/15/2006, 6:07 AM
Throw all the text stuff OUT. Leave text to a 3rd party that knows how to do it right.

#1: Real EDL I/O
#2: 10 bit (or more) pipeline
#3: Full SMPTE MXF support, not just XDCAM.
#4: ASIO 2
#5: BWF export with T/C
#6: Preset T/C to tape
#7: Proper handling of A/V pairs, ditch the whole track grouping concept for handling this, it's not working, trying to make it work is flogging a dead horse.
#8: Capture logs to be included in projects.
#9: Track locking.
vitalforce wrote on 9/15/2006, 6:32 AM
Make the XDCAM Explorer window format available in the Project Media window!
rs170a wrote on 9/15/2006, 7:09 AM
In addition to the suggestion of at least adding a drop shadow to the credit roll, fix vidcap so that it at least recognizes the fact that I've created a specific capture folder.
I work at a community college and it's not uncommon to have 10 or more groups of students working on projects. If they don't remember to set the capture folder correctly, it defaults to the last one used and, consequently, their footage ends up in someone else's folder (and sometimes it's mine!!!).
And yes, I've submitted as a request in the past and I'm still waiting :-(

Mike
Jayster wrote on 9/15/2006, 8:17 AM
I agree that more sophisticated titling can be handled by third party apps. Plunk down one or two hundred bucks and there's no longer a need to rant for years on end. The things that are core to a good NLE's purpose (editing, workflow, mixing, managing FX's, rendering, and previewing(!) ) are what make Vegas excel. Keep bringing on the improvements in these core areas!

For new features, I'd like to be able to see the actual curves in keyframing, not just dots on a straight line. And I'd like to be able to edit the curves with bezier capability, like you can do with Pixelan Spicemaster. That's no small task, probably more suited to a major version.

I've heard FX vendors comment that Vegas's API constrains them more than other NLEs do. While we wouldn't see immediate benefit from the base NLE, that could be something that would open doors for us.
DataMeister wrote on 9/15/2006, 8:19 AM
You know, Sonic Foundy had been known to include new features in a letter fix update. Other companies like Maxon will add new features in a free point update just about every major version number with Cinema 4D.

Perhaps adding a 10bit pipeline would be more along the lines of what SoFo used to add. HD resolutions come to mind.

So maybe we can get something cool for what we already paid. Not that Vegas 7 doesn't alreay have some cool features.
JJKizak wrote on 9/15/2006, 8:28 AM
New credit roll, crawler, titles, and ability to add subtitles and graphics in Vegas which carry over to DVD-A.

JJK
Rosebud wrote on 9/15/2006, 8:54 AM
I often asked for an “Overwrite Mode” feature in Vegas.
Unfortunately Vegas7 still doesn’t have it.

For me, a way to add this feature is to replace the “Automatic crossfades” icon by a drop down list with those options:
*Create automatic crossfades
*Overlaps clip on Time Line
*Overwrite clip on Time Line
it could be like this : OM

Even if this is strange for me, I must admit we are a minority to ask for this feature. Consequently, I doubt Sony will add this basic feature in a near future.
[r]Evolution wrote on 9/15/2006, 9:45 AM
.FLV Export

PhotoShop Layer Support
(To where it could break down each layer on a Seperate track -ie Avid)
ken c wrote on 9/15/2006, 10:27 AM
Terrific list! Agree to re flv export would be *great*, that would save me a ton of time vs render to avi, then converting to flv. Great point Jayster re if that's a 3rd party constraint, the Vegas API, then if Sony could open up the architecture better for others to fill the huge gaping void that sony consistently makes by disappointing us when it comes to new releases, at least we could all buy more 3rd party plugins to turn vegas into the tool we need.


** SONY ARE YOU LISTENING **

I started this thread in the hopes that Sony's programmers (or more accurately, the project manager who has resources to allocate to programmers), would pay attention.

This is the VOICE of the CUSTOMER talking to you, Sony. Are you listening?


Thanks,

Ken Calhoun


by the way, on any other professionally-ran forum, like those run by Serious Magic and Digital Juice (they're great!!), you'd hear a response from the company here.

Sony Admin? You listening? Responses??????
MohammeD T wrote on 9/15/2006, 10:29 AM
A good TITLER, Somthing Similar to Bluff, but that would work in Vegas, i hate it when i have to use other softwares to complete a Vegas Project, i know you cant have everything in Vegas, but the Vegas Titler is a joke IMO, i could live without it.

New and Improved Image Processing.

alanfitch wrote on 9/15/2006, 11:00 AM
A good storyboard function has been on my wish list for a VERY long time. Even being able to arrange clips in a bin in something other than alphabetical order would work, as long as I can throw them all on the timeline at once in that order.

This would be a major time saver for me, and something that I sorely miss from my days editing on the Video Machine.

BTW, it was recently pointed out to me that a simple way to add a drop shadow under scrolling titles is to put them on their own track and add a drop shadow to the track itself.

- Alan
fwtep wrote on 9/15/2006, 11:02 AM
What I would LOVE LOVE LOVE though is to be able to assign audio FX to individual audio clips on the timeline (like you can with video), instead of only being able to apply audio FX to an entire track. That would make my projects way more managable and save me a whole lot of time.

A better credit roll system would be great, but since I only have to use it once in a great while, it's not at the top of my list.

Other than that, some of the other things mentioned would be nice, such as working in a higher color space, since I do a lot of color correcting and use a lot of video FX. It hasn't been a real problem yet thought. But PLEASE, audio FX per clip! All of my bits of video can have their own FX (color correction, grain, etc.) so why can't my audio?
deepfreezevideo wrote on 9/15/2006, 11:34 AM
My wish list:

industry standard EDL import /export
industry standard metafile support
compatibility with selected NLE's particularly FC, FCP and Avid

10-bit

10-bit capability and the ability to "play well with others" are the two things that Vegas
needs most, in my humble opinion, of course.
Jayster wrote on 9/15/2006, 11:42 AM
New and Improved Image Processing.

What does this mean? That's quite a broad and ambiguous statement.
pwppch wrote on 9/15/2006, 11:44 AM
>>#4: ASIO 2
Vegas already supports ASIO 2.

Peter
Spot|DSE wrote on 9/15/2006, 11:50 AM
A thought on why you can't use clip-dependent audio features...Audio can be temporally added to, whereas video cannot. There isn't a video "delay" or "reverb" that can over time, generate more frames of time in audio so to speak, where as in audio, events need to tail out, and have somewhere to go. I don't know that this is the exact explanation from Sony, but I do know it's a reason that another application out there used to function in much the same way.
JHendrix wrote on 9/15/2006, 12:33 PM
swap tracks between sessions - without veg...simple import of tracks and data ala Pro Tools


folder tracks



Maestro wrote on 9/15/2006, 12:38 PM
So let's say you have a track with one audio event on it. You apply reverb and play the track/event. What happens at the end of the event? Well, by simple experiment you find that the reverb trails off after the end of the event, as expected. So why is this such a major issue to ask that the events work in the exact same way? It shouldn't be a programming impossibility to have the FX stay active after the event is done. For crying out loud, the programmers should be easily able to tell when the effect is no longer generating audio even though the event is past the end point. If the excuse is that the FX needs to tie to an active event on the timeline then have the FX *appear* to tie to the event but really be active on the track with an active in/out point. It's perfectly doable.

I agree completely that this feature alone would have sent me begging Sony to take my upgrade money...

...same with a new credit roll generator...

...or a new titler...

It's just unendingly frustrating to me that these guys just keep missing the mark.