Noob Help with VPro 9 settings?
by Norman Willis
on
Jul 2, 2009 at 8:53:29 pm
Hello everyone.
OK, I'm not done learning, but I need to upload a few short videos to YouTube and Vimeo in HD/H.264 by tomorrow night, and also embed them on my website. I have some training DVD's by VASST and COD (which are great), but I am out of time.
Can anyone please help me set the right project properties in Sony Vegas Pro 9?
I recorded some footage on a Canon HF S10 in AVCHD at 30p, and converted it to .avi using Cineform NeoScene, so the files will be .avi. Data storage is on D:. Machine is Dell CoreDuo Quad at 3.0 GHz, 8GB RAM, 4GB ReadyBoost RAM, GTX 260, Vista x64 Ultimate, C: and D: in RAID 0, with external backups). My NLE is Vegas Pro 9 x32 (because Cineform x64 for VPro9 is still in Beta). I think I can maybe handle the edits, but at the moment I just need help setting the Project Properties.
I opened a new project. In Project Properties, I have selected:
VIDEO TAB:
Template: Custom (1920 x 1080, 29.970 fps)
Field Order: None (progressive scan)
Frame Rate: 29.970
Pixel format: I have a choice of 8-bit, 32-bit floating point (video levels) or 32-bit floating point (full range). Which do I choose/select? For the moment I put 32-bit floating point (full range), because that sounded like the best quality.
For Compositing Gamma do I want 1.000 (Linear) or 2.222 (Video)? Default was 1.000, so I left it there.
Full-resolution rendering quality I set to 'best'.
De-interlace method I set to 'None'.
Do I check "Adjust source media to better match project or render settings"? Or do I leave that alone/unchecked?
For the Prerendered Files Folder, VPro suggests: C:UsersVideoAppDataLocalSonyVegasPro9.0. Do I leave it there? Or should I create a similar folder on D: [Data] and use that? At the moment I just left it where it is.
AUDIO TAB:
I just left Master Bus Mode in Stereo (even though it will be mono/single microphone), 44,100 Hz, 16 bit. Sample and re-stretch quality I set to 'best.'
VPro gives me a default 'Recorded Files Folder' as C:UsersVideo [computer name]Documents. Do I leave it here, or create a folder on D:?
I must post by tomorrow night. Any advice or suggestions you could give me would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help.
Re: Noob Help with VPro 9 settings? by John Rofrano on Jul 3, 2009 at 2:29:06 pm
I would NOT use 32-bit video levels. Lots of people have been complaining about crashes with it. It's a brand new feature and there are very few instance when you need that kind of accuracy. We've been using 8-bit for years and it's certainly plenty good enough for a video targeted for YouTube.
I would use the Match Media Settings button in the Project Properties to have Vegas match your source footage. Then leave everything else at the default. Just make sure that it set the Field Order to None (progressive scan).
Re: Noob Help with VPro 9 settings? by Norman Willis on Jul 3, 2009 at 3:27:46 pm
Wow, that helps. Thanks!!
The Cineform files have no audio track. The original .MTS files have an audio track. I wrote Cineform, to see what they say.
Since the narration track is only 4 minutes long I decided to try to try using the original .MTS files. However, although the audio waveform shows up, there is no sound. (I can get sound by playing music in Windows Media Player.)
Re: Noob Help with VPro 9 settings? by Norman Willis on Jul 3, 2009 at 5:06:04 pm
I was using vpro9x32 by default, because I wanted to use Cineform. (But as previously stated, there was no sound.) I have not loaded the NeoScene x64 Beta yet, but would be interested to know how people find it.
Funny. As you suggested, I opened vpro9x64, and I get sound on the .MTS file! Project Properties is at 32-bit floating point (full range). I played through the timeline once, and so far it works.
Re: Noob Help with VPro 9 settings? by Norman Willis on Jul 3, 2009 at 5:48:26 pm
Great! I'll probably install it next week, since the .MTS files are working.
I am working on EQ, and then Noise Reduction. I can open Noise Reduction as a copy in Sound Forge, but then how do I send it back to Vegas when I am done?
Re: Noob Help with VPro 9 settings? by Mike Kujbida on Jul 4, 2009 at 1:37:28 am
"Is it possible to import a .pdf?"
Sorry but no.
If you want the text and/or images from the document, you'll need to import the PDF into something like Photoshop and save each page out as a PSD or PNG.
Re: Noob Help with VPro 9 settings? by Norman Willis on Jul 5, 2009 at 6:46:38 am
Thanks Mike.
I don't know Photoshop yet, but it is on the list.
I got this video posted in time, but it came up as SD (not HD) both on YouTube and Vimeo. I still need to play around and find what settings will give me HD on Vimeo and YouTube.
Thanks for the tip on .png. I will give that a try next time.
Re: Noob Help with VPro 9 settings? by Mike Kujbida on Jul 5, 2009 at 4:24:36 pm
[Norman Willis]"I don't know Photoshop yet, but it is on the list."
If you're saying that you don't have Photoshop yet, take a look at GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program).
It's a Photoshop lookalike and is open source which means it's free.
Re: Noob Help with VPro 9 settings? by Norman Willis on Jul 5, 2009 at 5:21:34 pm
Actually, I already have Photoshop 2 (long story), and the VASST training DVD's for Photoshop 1 and 2 (Richard Harrington). I just need time to get to them, as I work 18 x 6 (including video stuff). But thank you for the tip.
Re: Noob Help with VPro 9 settings? by John Rofrano on Jul 4, 2009 at 2:34:14 pm
You can use Noise Reduction in Vegas without needing Sound Forge. If you use Sound Forge, open a copy he first time and when you save it, it will automatically get replaced as a take in Vegas.
Re: Noob Help with VPro 9 settings? by Norman Willis on Jul 4, 2009 at 3:19:27 pm
OK, I got it. Thanks.
I think I used too much reduction, because my voice sounds just a hint like it is underwater. But this particular one is not a permanent video, so it should be OK.
Is there a best resource for finding out how to do it right? Will that be on the "Now Hear This" DVD?
Re: Noob Help with VPro 9 settings? by John Rofrano on Jul 4, 2009 at 4:36:36 pm
> I think I used too much reduction, because my voice sounds just a hint like it is underwater.
There is an option to just listen to the noise. You should use this to see if you hear any source audio that you want to keep. If you do hear some source, back off the amount of reduction. It is better to use less reduction and process several times than to try and get it all with one pass.
> Is there a best resource for finding out how to do it right? Will that be on the "Now Hear This" DVD?
I don't have my copy of the "Now Hear This" DVD with me but I seem to remember Spot going over this and Noise Reduction is listed in the table of contents. I won't be back where I can check the DVD for a couple of days (sorry)
Re: Noob Help with VPro 9 settings? by Norman Willis on Jul 5, 2009 at 6:59:52 am
>There is an option to just listen to the noise. You should use this to see if you hear any source audio that you want to keep. If you do hear some source, back off the amount of reduction. It is better to use less reduction and process several times than to try and get it all with one pass.
Good tip. Thanks. I will try that.
I am praying that this will all somehow turn into a long-term positive for Spot. I am not sure how, but miracles do happen.
