Sony Vegas 5 Manual

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Resampling video
Resampling allows Vegas software to interpolate frames in an event when the frame rate of a media file is 
lower than the project’s frame rate. With resampling, the intervening frames are interpolated from the 
source frames, much like a crossfade between the original frames. 
You can instruct Vegas software to resample the video of a single video event or to resample the entire 
project at the time of final rendering:
To resample an event, right-click a video event and choose 
Properties from the shortcut menu. In the 
Video Event tab of the Properties dialog, choose the Smart resample, Force resample, or Disable resample radio 
button. For more information, see Accessing event properties on page 136.
To resample the project, choose 
Render As from the File menu. In the Render As dialog, click the Custom 
button to access custom rendering settings. Select the 
Resample the frame rate of all video check box. For 
more information, see Customizing the rendering process on page 275.
Resampling at either the event or project level perform the same function. There are few cases where 
resampling may be particularly important:
When the frame rate of the source media for an event is slower than the project’s frame rate. For example, 
when you are using a source media file that has a 10 fps rate in a 29.97 fps rate project, resampling is 
recommended.
When changing the speed of a video event. For example, when slowing a clip to 30% using a velocity 
envelope, resampling is recommended.
When creating vertically scrolling titles.
Without resampling, the intervening frames are simply the previous frame repeated.
With resampling, the intervening frames are interpolated from the source frames.  The original media file looks
To convert these three frames into nine frames for a faster frame rate, Vegas software must generate something like this over
three frames.
It is similar to a crossfade effect between the original frames. the intervening frames. 
						

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When any of the above situations are true, there are only ten frames of source material for every second of 
project time. When the project is rendered, there must be roughly thirty frames in each second. The frames 
must be created between the source media frames, sometimes known as padding. The easiest way to do this is 
to simply duplicate the previous frame. This can result in less than smooth video playback. Resampling 
allows Vegas software to interpolate the intervening frames more smoothly.
Using Edit Decision Lists (EDL)
Vegas Edit Decision Lists (EDL) are text lists of all of the media files used, where they are placed, and how 
they are trimmed. Vegas EDLs are not the same as those used in traditional linear editing suites and are not 
intended as a project interchange for other editing applications.
Creating an EDL
1.From the File menu, choose Save As. The Save As dialog appears.
2.From the Save as type list choose EDL Text File (.txt).
3.Enter a name for the file and browse for a destination.
4.Click Save.
You can open EDLs created in another application in order to work with a rough copy of a project. For 
example, you could create an EDL from a project in a third-party editing application and then import the 
project into Vegas software via the EDL. For best results, save the EDL file and source media files in a single 
folder before opening the EDL. 
Opening an EDL
1.From the File menu, choose Open.
2.Locate the EDL file, select it, and click the Open button. If you are working on another project, you are 
prompted to save your work before a new project is opened.
Note: EDLs do not contain any information about the 
location of source media. Therefore, the EDL file should be 
saved in the same directory as the source media. If it is not, or 
if media is stored in a number of different locations, you are 
prompted to relink these files when the EDL is imported.
Because of the significant differences between editing applications, third-party EDL files may not bring all of 
the project data into Vegas software. Among other differences, events are inserted into the timeline on a 
single track, all transition effects are replaced with crossfades, and only four audio tracks can be imported.
Working in DV format
Vegas software is optimized for DV editing. If your project is destined for tape or television, the DV format is 
an excellent choice. The Sony Pictures Digital DV codec provides video with excellent image quality, even 
over multiple generations, and provides audio that is better than CD-quality. If you start with well-shot DV 
footage and stay within the DV format throughout the editing process, you can output broadcast-quality 
video programs. This section provides guidelines for working in the DV format. 
						

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Selecting source media
Wherever possible, use DV source video clips. You can capture video from DV cameras and decks using an 
IEEE-1394 card with no quality loss. You can also convert analog footage to DV using a media converter or 
by passing the video through a DV camcorder.
Setting project properties
Set your project to match the DV format of your final output. This provides a true WYSIWYG view of the 
project when you use an external monitor for previewing. This also prevents you from stretching output or 
changing field order unnecessarily. You can match the project settings to a DV source file by using the 
Match 
Media Settings
 button ( ) in the Project Properties dialog. For more information, see Setting video properties 
based on a media file on page 38 and Modifying project video properties on page 203.
Selecting templates
Always select a DV template when performing any of the following tasks in a DV project:
prerendering video (pg. 255)
rendering to a new track (pg. 116)
printing video to tape from the timeline (pg. 283)
rendering a project (pg. 271)
Rendering to a new track and printing video to tape from the timeline are only available in the full version of Vegas 
software.
When prerendering video or rendering to a new track, a DV template not only optimizes playback 
performance, but also helps you avoid needless recompression of DV footage. DV material is recompressed 
only when necessary. Cuts-only DV sequences are not recompressed when you output the project to DV 
from the timeline or in Video Capture.
The DV templates are designed to provide high quality, pixel aspect-correct, DV-compliant renders when 
rendering a project or printing to tape from the timeline. Do not select an uncompressed setting when 
choosing rendering or print-to-tape options. An uncompressed setting produces a large file that will not 
print back to DV tape from Video Capture or from the timeline. 
						

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Eliminating out-of-range colors
The DV format allows color values to exceed broadcast 
NTSC and PAL color level standards. If you have a 
scene whose colors are too hot, or if you want to be sure 
that your video stays within legal broadcast levels, apply 
the Broadcast Colors effect to specific events or the 
entire project. 
Be aware that applying the Broadcast Colors effect 
results in recompression of the video. As a result, render 
times can increase significantly when the effect is 
applied to the entire project.  
						

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Modifying video properties
Modifying project video properties 
You can access project video properties by clicking the File menu and choosing Properties or by clicking the 
Project Video Properties button ( ) on the Video Preview window. Many of these settings are identical to the 
settings found on the 
Project tab of the Custom Template dialog. Final render properties set up in the Custom 
Template dialog override the following Project Properties settings. For more information, see Video tab on page 
276.
These properties control all of the default settings for your project. Without making any changes, these are 
also the settings that are used to create a final rendered movie file.
Select a preset template from the 
Te m p l a t e  drop-down 
list to automatically configure the remaining video 
controls in this dialog. Many popular formats are 
included, but you should consult your hardware manuals 
if you have any questions. You can also save your own 
custom template.
Click the 
Match Media Settings button ( ) to set your 
project properties to match the properties of a media file 
of your choosing.
The values in the 
Width and Height boxes set the frame 
size of your final movie.
Choose an option from the 
Field Order drop-down list to 
set the field order. Choose 
None (Progressive) for video to 
be viewed on a computer monitor. For DV output, 
choose 
Lower Field First. If the output is jittery or shaky, 
or your hardware’s manual specifies it, choose 
Upper Field 
First
. For more information, see Interlacing and field order 
on page 322.
Choose the pixel aspect ratio for the final movie’s destination from the
 Pixel aspect ratio drop-down list. 
For more information, see Pixel Aspect Ratio on page 333.
Choose a frame rate for the final movies destination from the 
Frame rate drop-down list. For more 
information, see Frame Rate (Video) on page 331.
Choose a rendering quality level from the 
Full resolution rendering quality drop-down list. For most projects, 
Good is the recommended setting. If you have critical material where nothing but the highest quality 
rendering will do, select 
Best. Please note that rendering time may increase dramatically as large amounts 
of extra processing is required for the 
Best setting.
Some effects and transitions can involve motion or animation. The 
Motion blur type drop-down list allows 
you to select whether the frames are blurred slightly to create the illusion of motion on individual frames. 
This can make computer generated animation appear more smooth and natural. 
Gaussian is the best 
choice in most situations where blurring is required.
The 
Deinterlace method drop-down list provides several options relating to interlacing. Source video from a 
television is interlaced. When Vegas software renders effects, it needs to deinterlace the two fields that 
make up a frame. You can choose the exact method used in this list. If you choose the 
None option, the 
fields are left interlaced. If you choose the 
Blend option, contents are used from both fields, which is a 
good choice for high-detail, low-motion material. If you choose the 
Interpolate option, a single field is used 
at a time, which is good for low-detail, high-motion material.
Choose the location for saving prerendered preview files in the 
Prerendered files folder box. For more 
information, see Prerendering video on page 255.
Select the 
Start all new projects with these settings check box to always use these settings for new projects. 
						

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Modifying media file properties
Vegas software tries to automatically detect the properties of your media files. In most cases, these properties 
do not need to be modified, but there are times when you may need manual control over some of these 
attributes, depending on the type of file and your specific hardware configuration.
1.Right-click a file in the Media Pool or an event on the timeline and, from the shortcut menu, choose 
Properties
.
2.Modify the parameters on the Media tab as needed. See Setting 
general media properties on page 204 and Setting custom stream 
properties on page 205.
3.Click OK.
Setting general media properties
The following general properties appear in the top of the Media 
tab: 
The 
File name box displays the file name (cannot be edited).
The 
Tape name box displays the name of the tape for media files 
captured in Video Capture. You can edit the name here or in 
the corresponding column in the Edit Details window.
Setting timecode media properties
These properties appear in the Timecode section of the Media tab:
The 
Use timecode in file radio button is the default setting, 
where the media file’s timecode is used.
The 
Use custom timecode radio button allows you to set the 
media file’s timecode manually.
If you have selected the 
Use Custom timecode radio button, a drop-down list contains the available 
timecode formats. 
SMPTE Drop (29.97 fps, Video) for example, is the timecode format for NTSC DV. 
Changing the timecode format does not change the source media file in any way. It merely changes how 
the file is measured in time. For more information, see Timecode on page 324. 
						

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Setting custom stream properties
Media files are opened with a set of default values based on the media file type. When you change any of the 
values for a media file, these changes are saved for that file in the current project only. If you want to change 
the default settings for a particular type of video file whenever that type of file is used, click the 
Save settings 
to video profiles for future auto-detection 
button ( ) to the right of the Stream list. This adds an entry to a file 
called 
vegas video profiles.ini that can be referenced for future use.
The following properties appear in the Stream properties section of the Media tab:
If the file has more than one stream of the given type, you can choose the particular stream to work with 
from the 
Stream drop-down list.
The 
Attributes, Format, and Frame rate boxes display basic information about the file.
Choose an option from the 
Field order drop-down list to control how the video field order is handled on a 
television monitor. Choose 
None (Progressive) for video to be viewed on a computer monitor. For DV 
output, choose 
Lower Field First. If the output is jittery or shaky, or your hardware’s manual specifies it, 
choose 
Upper Field First. For more information, see Interlacing and field order on page 322.
•While you can choose a different value from the 
Pixel aspect ratio drop-down list, this value should always 
match the source video’s properties.
The option selected in the 
Alpha channel drop-down list determines how transparency is handled in a file. 
The default alpha channel setting for most video files is 
None. PNG image files can have an alpha channel 
that is automatically detected. The options in this drop-down list are described below.
Modifying output properties
You can adjust final output properties when you render your movie. For more information, see Creating custom 
rendering settings for AVI files on page 276. 
Alpha channel option Description
UndefinedBecause the image format provides no alpha channel information, this 
setting ignores any alpha channel information in the file.
None Either there is no alpha channel or there is an alpha channel but it’s 
completely opaque (solid).
Straight (unmatted)Transparency information is maintained in only the alpha channel. Alpha 
information must be applied to the RGB channels before compositing.
Premultiplied The standard method of handling alpha information. Transparency 
information is maintained in the alpha and RGB channels, and the image is 
ready for compositing.  No RGB component exceeds the alpha value.
Premultiplied (dirty)Similar to Premultiplied, but RGB components may exceed the alpha 
value. This option is used mainly for images created by 3D applications 
involving compositing of 3D images over a non-solid color image 
background. 
						

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							13
CHP. 13USING VIDEO FX, COMPOSITING, AND MASKS
CHAPTER207
Using Video FX, 
Compositing, and 
Masks
Video plug-ins in Vegas® software include effects and generators. Effects cover a broad range of electronic 
modifications that can be used to improve substandard video or artistically enhance a production. 
Generators can be used to create custom video events such as credit rolls or gradient overlays. 
A variety of options are provided in compositing video and using masks. Compositing involves mixing visual 
elements together into a final output. Multiple compositing modes are provided from which to choose. 
Masks, which are used extensively in television and movies, are an important part of creating overlays. 
Together, these professional tools can help you polish your productions.
Note: The compositing model in Vegas 5.0 software differs 
significantly from the Vegas 4.0 model. To reproduce the 
Vegas 4.0 parent/child masking behavior, set the compositing 
mode of the parent track to Multiply, and then apply the 
Mask Generator plug-in as a track effect on the parent track.
Using video effects
A great variety of video effects plug-ins are provided that are 
ready for you to drag-and-drop onto your projects, media 
files, tracks, and events. Previews of the different effect 
presets appear in the Video FX window. In addition to the 
presets, each plug-in has individual controls that allow you 
to customize the effects in precise detail. You can also 
animate video effects using keyframes. For more information, 
see Using keyframe animation on page 237.
The mix of video effects applied at different levels (to 
events, tracks, files, etc.) is important to the final mix of a 
project. For more information, see Video signal flow on page 35. 
In general, effects are applied in the following order: 
to files in the Media Pool
to events
to tracks
to the project (video output effects)
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Adding a video effects plug-in
You can apply video effects to events, tracks, files in the Media Pool, or to an entire project. You can add a 
plug-in by selecting it in the Plug-In Chooser dialog, or you can drag-and-drop the plug-in from the Video 
FX or Plug-Ins windows.
Adding a plug-in using the Plug-In Chooser
1.
Click the Video FX button ( ) in one of the following locations (see the illustration):

Media FX are applied before a media file is inserted into an event on the timeline. Every occurrence of 
this media file in a project has the effect applied to it.

Event FX are applied to events on the timeline.

Track FX are applied to the output of a particular track.

Video Output FX are applied to the final output and affect every event in a project.
2.In the Plug-In Chooser dialog, select the effect that you would like to apply and click OK.
3.Modify the effect in the Video FX window and close the window when you are finished. For help on the 
different controls in the Video FX window, click the 
Plug-In Help button ( ) to access online help.
Track FX Video Output FXEvent FXMedia FX