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Vegas Pro

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Sony Vegas
Developer(s)Sony Creative Software
Stable release
10.0c / December 19, 2010; 13 years ago (2010-12-19)
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows
TypeVideo editing software
LicenseProprietary
WebsiteSony Creative Software

Sony Vegas is a professional non-linear editing system (NLE) originally published by Sonic Foundry, now owned and run by Sony Creative Software. Originally developed as an audio editor, it eventually developed into an NLE for video and audio from version 2.0. Vegas features real-time multitrack video and audio editing on unlimited tracks, resolution-independent video sequencing, complex effects and compositing tools, 24-bit/192 kHz audio support, VST and DirectX plug-in effect support, and Dolby Digital surround sound mixing. It's designed for Microsoft Windows XP, Vista and 7. In April 2007, Sony along with AMD jointly demonstrated a 64-bit version of Vegas running on 64-bit Vista.

The consumer level Sony Vegas Movie Studio version (formerly titled VideoFactory and Screenblast) shares the same interface and underlying code base as the professional Vegas version, but does not include professional features such as advanced compositing tools and 24p editing support, nor does it contain the capability to burn DVDs or Blu-Ray Discs (without accompanying software DVD Architect Studio). In previous releases, the video editing portion of the professional suite could be purchased separately from Sony's DVD and Blu-ray Disc authoring software, DVD Architect Pro (previously called DVD Architect; DVD Architect Studio is the consumer version), then a package called 'Vegas + DVD' became available while Vegas 7 was out. Since the release of Vegas Pro 8.0, both DVD Architect Studio Pro 4.5, Vegas Pro 8.0, as well as Boris FX LTD and Magic Bullet Movie Looks HD are all bundled together and may not be purchased individually.

Features

Vegas does not require any specialized hardware to run properly, allowing it to operate on almost any standard Windows computer across a broad range of hardware.

In areas of compositing and motion graphics Vegas provides a broad tool set including 3D track motion compositing with control over z-depth, and spatial arrangement of visual planes including plane intersection. Unfortunately keyframing of simple 2D motion lacks bezier adjustments and multiple keyframed smooth motion is marred by slowdowns or hesitations at each keyframe.

Much of the visual effects processing in Vegas follows an audio-like paradigm. Effects can be applied at any stage of the visual signal flow — event level, track level and output level effects, much like reverb, delay and flange audio effects are applied in a digital audio system, like Pro Tools, Cubase or Sonar. Master output effects can also be controlled and manipulated over time by the use of Master Bus track automation envelopes.

With version 8.0, Vegas now reads MJPEG AVIs (usually from "video" setting on digital still cameras). (With prior versions of the software, installing an MJPEG codec sometimes fixed the problem.) Third-party codecs are supported but it can be difficult to see which codec is being used to play back an AVI. Some of Vegas's codecs are 'native' or built-in.

Vegas features integration with 24p DV. It is also one of the few NLEs which can convert other formats to 24p (or any format to any other format) without any kind of a plugin or third-party application support and is the only pro NLE that allows for multiple instances of the application to be opened simultaneously. Clips and sequences can be copied and pasted between instances of Vegas with ease. Moreover, one instance can be rendering a sequence in the background while the user continues to edit in a different instance of Vegas in the foreground. It also comes with a green screen feature where you can merge pictures into each other.

Vegas Pro 8.0

Released on September 10, 2007, the Vegas Pro collection combines Vegas Pro 8.0, DVD Architect Pro 4.5, and Dolby Digital AC-3 encoding software to offer an integrated environment for all phases of professional video, audio, DVD, and broadcast production. These tools let the user edit and process DV, AVCHD, HDV, SD/HD-SDI, and all XDCAM formats in real time, fine-tune audio with precision, and author surround sound, dual-layer DVDs.

  • Vegas was the second NLE that allowed users to put a variety of formats on the timeline and just edit them. Other NLEs would require the user to render or "conform" these down to a single format. Vegas Video 1.0 had this in 2000. Final Cut Pro got this feature in 2007 with FCP 6.
  • In 2003 when the 4.0b update was released, Vegas users got HD editing support and 24p support for free.
  • Vegas was the first NLE with "serious" audio tools, such as integrated 5.1 surround mixing, 24-bit/192 kHz audio support, and ASIO driver support.

Vegas started life as an audio-only tool with particular focus on rescaling and resampling audio, making it arguably a leader in its category with substantially more sophisticated audio tools than any other NLE.

Vegas was among the first NLEs to embrace HDV support both as native TS files and through lossless transcoding tools such as Cineform Connect HD.

Date Version Name Major features added
September 2007 8.0 Vegas Pro 8.0
  • ProType Titling technology
  • Multicamera editing tools
  • 32-bit floating point video processing
  • Customizable window layouts
  • Improved HDV/SDI/XDCAM support
  • Mixing console window
September 2006 7.0 Vegas 7
  • Support of AVCHD

Vegas Pro 9.0

On May 11, 2009, Sony Creative Software released Sony Vegas Pro 9.0 with greater support for digital cinema including:

  • support for 4K resolution
  • native support for pro camcorder formats like Red and XDCAM EX

The latest release of Sony Vegas Pro 9.0 is Vegas Pro 9.0e (Released on 13 May 2010), which includes features such as a new white balance video FX.

Also Sony Creative Software recently purchased the Velvetmatter Radiance suite of video FX and these are included in Vegas 9.

Vegas Pro 10

Sony Vegas 10, released October 11, 2010, introduces many new features such as:

  • Stereoscopic 3D Editing
  • Comprehensive Closed Captioning
  • GPU-Accelerated AVC Encoding (Using NVIDIA CUDA)
  • Image Stabilization
  • Audio Event FX
  • Track Management
  • OpenFX plugins support

and a few more updates and UI changes.

Awards

Vegas has won awards for major broadcasters using it, including Nightline with Ted Koppel.[1] Several film festival winners have used Vegas to cut their features.[2] The 2009 hit film Paranormal Activity was edited in Sony Vegas.[3]

Vegas has been used by engineers and artists as diverse as the 5.1 surround mix for Yes, as well as recordings by Shania Twain, Rod Stewart, and Quiet Riot and music video/live recordings for Sheryl Crow. Vegas is also popular for documentary video production and mobile news reporting because of its ability to run on moderately powered computer systems.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ NIGHTLINE is the Right Line for Sony Vegas, 404, Videoguys Blog.
  2. ^ First Place, First Time!, Digital Media Online.
  3. ^ Paranormal Activity
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