Sony Vegas, Editing Sluggish??

[Lanno]

I wasn't too sure where to post this, but I was told to post it here if i'm not too sure.

Ok, so my problem WAS importing Xvid .avi files into Vegas, but I did some research here and came up with a few solutions.... thanks. :P

Now, i'm looking to edit another video, with these Xvid files, for a long long i've been using standard uncompressed .avi's when editing, quality is great and I have no problems editing with them in Vegas.

Anyways, back to my problem.... after importing the Xvid files, I had the same problem I have been having for a while, with pretty much every other single video format, except .avi..... which is why i've been editing with it for so long as I never had this problem with them.... my problem is that any video format like .wmv, .mpeg, and pretty much anything that isn't the standard DV .avi, stalls.
I have trouble playing them without it sticking, or when I preview the video it could be fine up until a added transition and then it will stall and stick, just general playback is the problem, .avi's are smooth and have no trouble, but this is a huge problem when you just need to preview the little things, like, even if I'm zoomed in alot .avi files seem to play fine, others dont.

Now, i'm pretty sure I have the optional system requirments for Vegas, I mean, if I can edit with uncompressed avi files without a problem, shouldn't editing with lower compressed files like .wmv, mpeg and the Xvid/DivX .avi files be easier for the programme??

Yes, I could always convert to .avi, problem solved, but I really don't need them to be top notch quality, uneeded disk space used too, some of the files arn't even very high quality so I don't need them to be bigger file sizes, than they need to be.

Hopefully someone here who uses Vegas understands what I mean, I know it seems easier to just convert all to .avi, but I need as much space as possible, the finished video doesn't even need to be high quality.

I recently downloaded the latest update of Vegas from the official site... still have the same problem.

Is there a solution which can help my video files play smoother??

Thanks guys.

[David K]

The conventional wisdom is that compressed video formats (like mpeg, xvid etc.) are not designed to be edited. Conventional wisdom is that you convert the compressed format into an uncompressed one to edit.
I've never tried to edit Xvids in Vegas, but I assume the problem is that Vegas is having to construct frames on the fly to make up for the compressed frames, and thus the sluggishness of the program. I know you want to save space on your disc drive, but try converting a short Xvid to uncompressed Avi (in Virtual Dub) and then open it up and work on it Vegas, and see if it solves your problem.

[Cunhambebe]

David,
Congratulations for your explanation - very straightforward. I guess no one could have put it better.
Cheers,
Mark

[Lanno]

Ah, ok, at least now I know that....

So I just converted the file to uncompressed .avi in Virtual Dub..... the file is just over 1min and the uncompressed file size is 1.8GB. :S

Way before I knew this I used to always convert with WinAvi video converter, convert to DV avi, which was fine, I tried that with this file and i'm getting a black screen, with audio, now I definately know I have the right codec to play that.

But, the main problem is Virtual Dub, what compression of avi should I chose, I mean, with uncompressed i'm getting 1.8GB for a 1minute file. :S
I really cant use that much for such a short clip, lol.

Any suggestions?

[edDV]

Mr. Lanno (Spielberg Wanabee) Why are you shooting your masterpiece in Xvid? Is this the new Anime or Film Noir (film blurred)?

Shoot in film or at least 480i/720x480p/24 like the rest of us.

If you think you've discovered a new genra are you prepared to give us a look?


PS: Vegas is for original work not editing compressed to the limit MPeg4.

[Lanno]

Haha, nah.

I'm basically editing a video from files I've backed up months ago, I compressed them to Xvid .avi's and deleted the original files.

Now, I have tried converting a simple .wmv file to DV avi (like I have done many times before) in WinAvi (as I'm more familar with it) and when I try to play I get a black screen, and the audio.

I have the programme called "Gspot" in there I have opened the converted avi file and another DV avi file, Gspot tells me they are exactly the same video codec, yet one plays with video, one doesn't?? :S

I hope this is clear for you all to understand haha, it's 5:50am here.

[edDV]

Vegas never pretended to any such thing.

I hope you didn't spend the big money for nothing.

[guns1inger]

Frankly, I would not use WinAVI to fill up unused space on my HDD. That you ever get anything useful is way more surprising than the fact that you often get useless output from it. Uninstall it now.

If you must convert formats for editing, use a lossless codec like lagarith or huffyuv, which Vegas will happily use, or a minimally lossy codec like DV. Use Virtualdub and the Panasonic DV codec for the conversion.

But as edDV rightly pointed out, Vegas is not designed as a toy for editing downloaded - sorry - archived material in highly compressed format. It's target audience just don't use this type of source material. In fact, I doubt many people who have paid for Vegas would have software like WinAVI on the same machine (or in fact, on any machine they own).

[Lanno]

Ah well, looks like i'll be converting to .avi once again, I have it sorted now...

Thanks for the help guys.

Also, Guns1inger, that was a little harsh.
Basically i'm making a video of err, wrestling, I have filmed some of the stuff myself from shows.... the rest are from DVD's which I have bought, I ripped them on a while ago, converted to Xvid, to keep the high quality and rather compressed file size.

I don't see what is wrong with WinAvi either, i've been using it for years for quick little things, does the job.
Vegas + WinAvi make up quite a nice combination, two of my most use programmes.

And no, I didn't buy Vegas, I have had an older version for a while though, my brother gave me the CD quite along time ago and the company do encourage fans to edit their own videos so it's not copyright infringement or anything...

ANYWAYS, thanks again.... you guys know your stuff.

[guns1inger]

Xvid, to keep the high quality and rather compressed file size

I have a bit of a problem reconciling this. At around half the bitrate of DVD, Xvid looks reasonably good. But when the bitrate drops to around 1000kbps or less, quality is not a word that springs to mind.

As for WinAVI, it has a few fans here, but they are diminishing with every release. Aside from the fact that it is pretty hit and miss as to what you will get out the other end, it's flawed cropping of widescreen material, and any number of other problems WinAVI users regularly bring to this forum, the companies that sell WinAVI and similar spend an inordinate amount of time spamming these forums telling us how good they and their product are. This is invariably followed soon after by a WinAVI user's tale of woe at being unable to get any of the support the company so proudly boasted of in their spamming session. So if I was harsh, it was necessarily directed at you, but the whole WinAVI fiasco.