Why do project properties default to 44.1kHz sampling?

prairiedogpics wrote on 5/14/2004, 5:42 AM

When I digitize my Hi-8 footage with my ADVC-100, the audio is 16-bit with 48000 Hz sampling. DV footage from my friend's digicam via firewire is the same.

Why do Vegas' project properties default (upon installation of the software) to 16 bit, 44100 sampling? I can easily change the default to 48000 Hz, and have done so, but is there a reason I should use 44100 Hz sampling even though my source footage is 48000 Hz? Seems like 44100 Hz would make Vegas work harder.

Does everybody reset their default sampling rate to 48000 Hz?

(BTW: I always render audio to .ac3 files.)

Hoping to be enlightened,

Dan

Comments

SonyEPM wrote on 5/14/2004, 6:26 AM

Saving the default project settings as 48k is perfectly fine. We have historically defaulted to 44.1 because many low end soundcards do not work at 48k, so with those very common low end cards a first run of the app causes an immediate error message.

Chienworks wrote on 5/14/2004, 6:26 AM

Issue #1: Vegas is originally an audio editor and was designed around CD Audio standards, hence the 44.1KHz rate. It's use as a video editor didn't come about until much later.

Issue #2: the default sampling rate is pretty much only used for previewing from the timeline and saving to .wav files. When rendering Vegas will use whatever sample rate is chosen or appropriate for the output format.

When you render to DV the sampling rate will be set to 48KHz automatically because this is what DV uses. When you render to AC3 the sampling rate will likewise be set appropriately there. And no, the audio will not be resampled to the 44.1KHz project rate and then back to 48KHz. The audio will remain at 48KHz without being resampled.

Jay Gladwell wrote on 5/14/2004, 6:29 AM

Frankly, I can't hear any difference. I leave mine set at 44.1KHz.

J--

prairiedogpics wrote on 5/14/2004, 7:03 AM

Thanks for excellent explanations. I couldn't HEAR any difference, I just wanted to make sure my settings were optimized properly for the best quality.

Thanks again,

Dan

pwppch wrote on 5/14/2004, 7:31 AM

If all your audio is 48 kHz, then you SHOULD set your project defaults to 48 kHz. Why? Because Vegas has to resample your 48 kHz audio to 44.1 on the fly if you use the default of 44.1. This means CPU is used to resample the audio.

Peter

prairiedogpics wrote on 5/14/2004, 8:01 AM

Thanks, Peter (SonyPCH).

You confirmed my suspicion that this would make Vegas work harder.

So why don't you guys make the default 48000 Hz? I know Vegas is used as "audio only" by a lot of musicians, but it's marketed as a video tool....

Thanks for the confirmation, in any event.

Dan

Jay Gladwell wrote on 5/14/2004, 8:31 AM

Ditto! Thanks for the information, Peter!

J--

VOGuy wrote on 5/14/2004, 12:10 PM

I've found that I CAN hear a difference between 48khz and 44.1, even on a single narration track. However, remember that the world, outside of the video community is pretty much standardized at 44.1 . Too bad, as far as I'm concerned, I'm convinced that 44.1/16 can't repoduce the subtleties in audio material, which is one of the reasons that world is turning more and more to harsh, violent music.

Anyway, about half of the video folks I work with these days ask for voiceovers to be delivered at 44.1. Much of the other source material they work with comes in at CD sampling rates, so they want to keep things consistent.

Travis
Travis Voice Over Services - www.Announcing.biz

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