Sony Vegas 5 Manual

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CHP. 16SAVING, RENDERING, AND PRINTING PROJECTS
CHAPTER269
Saving, Rendering, 
and Printing Projects
Vegas® software allows you to save and render projects into many different multimedia formats. When you 
render your Vegas project, the project itself is not altered, but rather can be rendered in any number of 
different formats.
This chapter explains saving a project and using the Save As and Render As functions. In addition, you will 
find reference information for the rendering options available. This chapter also describes the different 
options for delivering your projects, such as printing to DV tape, burning a Video CD, or burning a 
multimedia CD.
Using custom settings to render to streaming media formats is available only in the full version of Vegas software. 
Printing to tape from the timeline and CD burning are only available in the full version of Vegas software.
Saving a project
A Vegas project is saved as a small VEG file. This file contains all of the information needed to recreate your 
project: source file locations, trimming, track and bus plug-ins, volume and panning envelopes, bus 
assignments, assignable effects settings, etc. This is not the same as creating a final media file, which is done 
with the Render As command.
Note: The option is also provided of saving a project as an 
Edit Decision List (EDL). For more information, see 
Creating an EDL on page 200.
1.Click the Save button ( ). The first time a project is 
saved, the Save As dialog appears.
In subsequent saves, the Save As dialog is bypassed, 
your existing file name is retained, and your project is 
updated to include any changes.
2.Select Vegas Project File (.veg) from the Save as type list 
(default).
3.Select the drive and folder where you want to store the 
project.
4.Type the project name in the File name box.
5.Click Save.
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Creating a copy of a project (using Save As...)
After you have been working with your project, you can use the Save As command in the File menu to create 
a copy of the small project file with a different name. Since multimedia projects can be very complex, and 
since Vegas project files are so small, saving a number of different versions of a project is a low-risk way to try 
new techniques.
1.From the File menu, choose Save As. The Save As dialog appears. 
2.Select the drive and folder where you want to store the project.
3.Type a new name in the File name box.
4.Click the Save button on the Save As dialog.
Saving a project with media
The option of saving both the project file (VEG) and the media files to a common location is also provided. 
You can choose to save all media files along with the project file or allow Vegas software to consolidate and 
trim the media for you. With this second option, media storage is optimized by saving only those portions of 
files that are used in the project and by eliminating unused takes.
The option to consolidate and trim media when saving is only available in the full version of Vegas software.
Note: Peak files (.sfk) and audio proxy files (.sfap0) are not 
saved with the project when 
Copy and trim media with project 
is selected. Because these files can regenerate as needed, they 
do not need to be archived. For more information, see Peak 
File (.sfk) on page 333 or Audio proxy files (.sfap0) on page 
322.
1.From the File menu, choose Save As. The Save As dialog appears.
2.Select the drive and folder where you want to store the project.
3.Type the project name in the File name box.
4.Select the Copy and trim media with project check box. 
5.Click Save. The Copy Media Options dialog appears. 
6.Select the appropriate option:
Select the 
Copy all media radio button to copy all media files to the 
same location as the Vegas project file.
Select the 
Create trimmed copies of source media radio button to 
optimize media storage by saving only those portions of media files 
used in events and discarding unused takes. Audio files are saved as 
Wave format if under 2 GB (as Wave64 if over 2 GB) and DV 
video is saved as AVI. Non-DV video files are copied in full.
Enter an 
Extra head and tail (seconds) value to indicate how much time should be included before and after 
the trimmed media. For example, if the project contains a 2-minute media file, but the event on the 
timeline for that file lasts only from 1:00 to 1:20, you could enter 5 seconds in the 
Extra Head and Tail box 
to have the media file saved from 0:55 to 1:25 (5 seconds added to the head and tail of the event). 
Including this extra material allows space for future edits.
7.Click OK. The project file is saved and the related media files to the location you specified. 
						

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Autosaving a project
A backup copy of your project is automatically saved every five minutes. If your system crashes, you are 
prompted to open the backup file the next time you start the program.
Backup files are saved in the location specified in the 
Temporary files folder box on the General tab of the 
Preferences dialog. Files are saved with the .autosave.veg extension and are deleted when you close Vegas 
software.
If you prefer not to autosave your project, you can clear the 
Enable autosave check box on the General tab of 
the Preferences dialog.
Vegas software also creates .veg-bak files in your project folder when you save a project to allow you to return 
to the projects last-saved state. Creation of .veg-bak files is independent of autosaving. 
Rendering a project
Rendering refers to the process of converting a project into a single new multimedia file and formatting it for 
the desired playback method: media player, Internet streaming media, CD-ROM, video tape, etc. The 
project file is not overwritten, deleted, or altered during the rendering process. You can return to the original 
project to make edits or adjustments and render it again later.
Rendering a video file can take quite a bit of time, depending on the complexity of your project, the speed of 
your CPU, and the final format you have selected. For longer projects, you might want to plan to render your 
movie overnight or when you are not using your computer.
The process for rendering a project is essentially the same, regardless of the final format of the rendered file.
Note: For specific information on 5.1 surround projects, see 
Rendering surround projects on page 185.
1.From the File menu, choose Render As. The Render As dialog appears. 
2.Select the drive and folder where you want to save the rendered file.
3.Type a new name in the File name box, if necessary.
4.In the Save as type drop-down list, choose the 
appropriate format. For more information, see Selecting a 
file format on page 272.
5.In the Te m p l a t e drop-down list, select the appropriate 
template. 
Tip: If your source media is in DV format, select a DV 
template. For more information, see Working in DV format 
on page 200.
You can customize the rendering settings by clicking 
Custom. For more information, see Customizing the 
rendering process on page 275. 
						

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6.Select any check boxes as needed:
Select the 
Render loop region only check box to render only the portion of your project within the loop 
selection.
Select the 
Stretch video to fill output frame size (do not letterbox) check box to adjust the aspect ratio so the 
output frame is filled on all edges. Clear the check box to maintain the current aspect ratio and add 
black borders to fill the extra frame area (letterbox). This option is useful when the desired output 
format does not match the frame aspect ratio of your project.
Select the 
Save project markers in media file check box to save any regions and markers in your project to 
the final rendered file.
Select the 
Render using networked computers check box if you want to queue multiple renders on a single 
computer or to harness the power of those other computers to speed up your rendering times. For more 
information, see Rendering with networked computers on page 279.
7.Click Save. A small dialog box appears, displaying the progress of the render. You can cancel the 
rendering process by clicking the 
Cancel button in the dialog box. You can also view the progress of the 
render or cancel the render using the status bar in the lower-left corner of the window. 
Selecting a file format
The following table describes the formats available for rendering your project:
Format Name Extension Definition
Audio Interchange File Format.aifAn audio file format developed by Apple®. 
MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 .mpg Some versions of Vegas software also support MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 file 
creation through the use of MainConcept® MPEG technology (see notes 
following table).
MPEG Layer 3.mp3Compressed audio format. You may render up to 20 .mp3 files without 
registering the optional plug-in.
OggVorbis .ogg A patent-free audio encoding and streaming technology.
QuickTime™.movApple® QuickTime multimedia format.
RealMedia®.rm The RealNetworks® standard for streaming media via the Web. This option 
renders both audio and video into one file.
Perfect Clarity Audio®.pcaA proprietary format from Sony Pictures Digital that is compressed and 
completely lossless (see notes following table).
Wave64™.w64 A Sony Pictures Digital proprietary format that allows wave files that are 
(practically) unrestricted by file size (see notes following table).
Video for Windows®.aviThe standard video file format used on Microsoft® Windows®-based 
computers. This option renders both audio and video into one file.
Wave (Microsoft) .wav The standard audio file format used on Microsoft Windows-based computers. 
Wave (Scott Studios).wavStandard audio format used with Scott Studios systems.
Windows Media® Audio .wma The Microsoft audio-only format used to create files for streaming or 
downloading via the Web.
Windows Media Format.wmvThe Microsoft standard used for streaming audio and video media via the 
Web. 
						

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More about the MPEG format
MPEG renders can sometimes take more time than renders with some other formats. MPEG video files can 
be played back on most computer systems. MPEG video files can also be burned to CDs or DVDs for 
playback in standalone VCD, SCVD, and DVD players. Sony Pictures Digital cannot guarantee the 
compatibility of MPEG files with VCD/DVD authoring software or VCD, SCVD, and DVD standalone 
players. Consult your specific authoring software’s documentation for information on what constitutes a 
valid file and then customize the MPEG rendering properties to match.
Note: For information on preparing files for DVD 
Architect™ projects, please see the DVD Architect 
documentation.
More about the Wave64 and Perfect Clarity Audio formats
The Wave64 (.w64) and Perfect Clarity Audio (.pca) formats are proprietary formats developed by Sony 
Pictures Digital to work around some limitations inherent in other formats. Currently, neither is compatible 
with many other applications and may not be playable in other media players, but both are excellent choices 
for Sony Pictures Digital projects.
Wave64 files work around the maximum file size limitation inherent in the WAV format. The Wave64 
format has no maximum file size and is useful in long format productions.
Perfect Clarity Audio is a compressed format that is completely lossless. Unlike MP3 and other highly 
compressed formats which are lossy, 100% of the quality of your audio is maintained by using the PCA 
format.
More about video formats
When you create a final movie, you will find that there are dozens of formats to choose from, each having 
many customization options. The destination of your final movie is the most important factor in selecting a 
format. Movies created for broadcast television must be of the highest quality, but for many other 
destinations, such as a CD-ROM or the Internet, you may have to sacrifice some quality when you render 
the file. Heavy compression may create visible artifacts in the video, such as when you create streaming 
video for the Internet. Every case is different and it is necessary to experiment to obtain the best results.
VCR or television
If you are creating a movie that you want to send back out to a television, a VCR or a camcorder, there is 
only one choice: use the same settings as the original video.
There is no way to improve upon the quality of your original video (as far as compression is concerned). If 
you have captured your video at 640X480, at 24 fps in an MJPEG codec, then that is how you should set up 
your final movie. This is the only way to maintain 100% quality. For more information, see Wo r k i n g i n D V  
format on page 200.
Computer
This can be the most complicated case because you have to decide exactly which computer it is going to be 
played back on, how fast it is, what software is installed, and how you are going to get it there (e.g., burn to a 
CD). Your biggest concern with creating a video file is compatibility. When you create a movie, you must 
select a specific codec to compress the video. That same codec must then be used to view the movie. This is 
not a problem if you are viewing the movie on your own computer, since the appropriate codec is already 
installed. To ensure that your audience has the appropriate software, you should use a fairly universal codec. 
Intel Indeo, Cinepak, and QuickTime (which is not a codec, but installs with a number of different codecs) 
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Internet
When video on the Internet is discussed, people almost always mean streaming. There are two streaming 
media formats that come with Vegas software: RealMedia and Windows Media Format. There is nothing 
particularly magical about streaming video, and the three rules of creating video files for the Internet are as 
follows: compress, compress, and compress. The smaller the file size the better, and this inevitably results in a 
loss of quality. There are two main places where you can save space: frame dimensions and frame rate. 
Typical Internet video files should be about 160X120 and should rarely exceed 320X240. This is not very 
big, and video with lots of detail does not translate well to this frame size. The frame rate should also be as 
low as possible, with 15 fps being a good maximum. Fast action, pans, and moving backgrounds (e.g., tree 
leaves or ocean waves) do not compress well. Streaming media files must be placed on a special Internet 
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Customizing the rendering process
Every media file format has different variables and controls. You can use a template to automatically 
configure a particular format for a particular destination. 
You can also choose to create custom settings for your render by clicking 
Custom. Once you have customized 
the settings, you can create your own template so that you can reuse the custom settings at a later time.
Customizing the Render As settings
1.From the File menu, choose Render As.
2.In the Render As dialog, choose the format [e.g., Video for Windows (.avi)]. 
3.Click Custom. The Custom Template dialog appears. 
Note: Built-in templates cannot be edited.
4.Adjust the settings in each of the tabs as desired.
Note: When determining bit rates, 1K=1024.
5.Click OK to close the Custom Template dialog.
6.Enter a name and location for the new file and click Save.
Selected rendering
format
Selected template
Click Custom
to change
control settings
or create/delete
a templateand description 
						

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Saving custom settings as a template
You can save customized rendering settings for future use. One of the most important reasons to save a new 
template is to save the specific compression codec used to create the final media file, since this is not 
predetermined by the project properties.
1.Modify the parameters in the Custom Template dialog.
Note: When determining bit rates, 1K=1024.
2.In the Te m p l a t e drop-down list, enter a name for the new template.
Note: Built-in templates cannot be edited.
3.Click the Save Template button ( ).
To use the new template in the future, choose it from the 
Te m p l a t e list in the Save As dialog.
Tip: To delete a template, select it from the drop-down list 
and click the Delete button ( ).
Creating custom rendering settings for AVI files
The options that appear in the Custom Template dialog depend on which format you choose for your 
rendered file. This section provides descriptions of the Custom Template options for creating a Video for 
Windows (AVI) file. For descriptions of the options used to customize other formats, use the 
What’s This 
button ( ) in the specific Custom Template dialog for that format. For more information, see What’sThis? help 
on page 17.
Some of the rendering settings are identical to your Project Properties and can be saved as a part of a project 
template. Final render settings override Project Properties settings. For more information, see Modifying project 
video properties on page 203.
The Custom Template dialog for rendering to an AVI file has three tabs: 
Project, Video, and Audio. 
Project tab
Video rendering quality
Higher quality settings result in longer rendering times. Good is the default.
Video tab
Include video
Select this check box to include the video stream and enable the remaining fields on the dialog. If you do not 
want to include the video stream, clear this check box.
Frame size
Frame size contributes to quality and file size. The appropriate frame size is determined by the final 
destination of the movie. See your video capture card’s documentation for more information. The final 
frame size of the movie can be different from the project’s default settings.  
						

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Frame rate
Frame rate is important in determining the quality and size of the final media file. The appropriate frame rate 
is determined by the final destination of the movie. See your video capture card’s manual for more 
information. The final rendered multimedia file can have a different frame rate from the project itself. 
Field order
Video that is displayed on a television monitor is interlaced. This means that every frame of video is actually 
composed of two fields, each of which is made up of half of the lines that make the final frame. These two 
fields are woven together in alternate lines, but which of the two fields is displayed first can be important. 
Choose 
None (progressive scan) to ignore interlacing for video to be displayed on a computer. For video on a 
television, most hardware supports 
Lower Field First. If the output is jittery or shaky on a television, or your 
hardware’s manual specifies it, choose 
Upper Field First.
Pixel aspect ratio
A pixel is a single picture element or dot on a television or computer screen. Computers display pixels as 
squares: 1.0. Televisions display individual pixels as rectangles: 0.909, 0.899, or anything other than square. 
Using the wrong pixel aspect ratio can result in distortions or stretching of the video. Select the aspect ratio 
for the final movie’s destination. Consult your hardware manual if you are in doubt about the appropriate 
ratio. The pixel aspect ratio and frame size determine the frame’s aspect ratio.
Video format
Codec, which stands for COmpressor/DECompressor, is the mathematical algorithm used to compress a 
media file. The codec directly determines the size and quality of the movie, as well as its compatibility with 
various playback devices. The final destination for the movie dictates the choice of codec. Many of the 
codecs used for specific rendering formats are updated periodically by their creators. For information about 
specific codecs, contact the codec’s manufacturer.
Each codec is a small program that may have additional custom controls used to fine tune the output. Click 
Configure to adjust these parameters manually.
Quality slider
If the codec you choose in the Video format drop-down list supports it, use this slider to adjust the quality of 
the compression applied by the codec.
Interleave every
This control allows you to specify how often the audio and video streams are interleaved. Interleaving relates 
directly to how the data is saved in the file. For example, during the rendering process, the audio data is 
written in between the video data based on the frame setting that you specified. Interleaving allows for 
optimal playback of the AVI file.
Keyframe every
If the codec you choose in the Video format drop-down list supports compression keyframes, select this option 
to set compression keyframes to adjust the quality of the compression. More keyframes typically produce 
higher quality video, but a larger file size (and thus a higher data rate).
Data rate
If the codec you choose in the Video format drop-down list supports a data rate ceiling, select this option and 
enter a maximum data rate for the final file.
Render alpha channel
If the codec you choose in the Video format drop-down list supports alpha channel transparency, select this 
option to save this information with the file. 
						

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Create an OpenDML (AVI version 2.0) compatible file
Select this check box if you want to save your file as an OpenDML file. OpenDML files allow you to create 
files that are limited in size only by the format of your hard disk: 2GB using FAT32 or 4GB using NTFS.
Audio tab
Include audio
Select this check box to include the audio stream and enable the remaining fields on the dialog. If you do not 
want to include the audio stream, clear this check box.
Audio format 
This lists the audio rendering codecs that are available.
Attributes
If the codec you choose in the Audio format drop-down list supports it, select the appropriate attributes for the 
codec from this list.
Sample rate
The sample rate directly affects the audio’s quality. The sample rate is defined as the number of times a 
second that data is sampled in an audio file. It is similar to the concept of resolution in an image file. The 
higher the setting you choose, the better the quality, but the larger the file size.
Bit depth
The bit depth directly affects the audio’s quality. The bit depth is defined as how much data is used to save 
each sample. The higher the setting you choose, the better the quality, but the larger the file size.
Channels
You can render a project in either stereo or mono.