Vegas Pro

VEGAS Pro

Computer icon of Vegas Pro v13.0

A screenshot of the typical interface on Vegas Pro v13.0
Original author(s) Sonic Foundry
Developer(s) Magix Software GmbH
Stable release
14.0 / 20 September 2016 (2016-09-20)[1]
Operating system Windows 7 or later[2]
Platform x64;[2] .NET Framework 4.0 and QuickTime 7.1.6[2]
Type Video editing software
License Trialware
Website sonycreativesoftware.com/vegassoftware

VEGAS Pro is a video editing software package for non-linear editing (NLE) originally published by Sonic Foundry, then by Sony, now owned and run by Magix Software GmbH.[3]

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. Up to version 10, Vegas Pro runs on Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10. Version 11 dropped support for Windows XP, and version 12 is 64-bit only. Version 13 dropped Windows Vista support. On 24 May 2016, Sony announced that it sold Vegas (and most of its "Creative Software" line) to MAGIX, who would continue supporting and developing the software.[4]

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.

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.

As of version 8.0, Vegas 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.

One major omission of Vegas is that, although it started life as an Audio Multitrack NLE, it has no MIDI capability at all. (Apart from control-desk and synchronisation.) This restricts its use for Audio production, focusing the product on the post-production, Video NLE market only.

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 proprietary 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. 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. VEGAS provides sophisticated compositing including green screen, masking, and keyframe animation. Nesting allows a prior project to be included in another project modularizing the editing process so that an array of tracks and edits become one track for further editing. Any changes to the previous project become reflected in the later project. Nesting is especially helpful in large or complex or special effects projects as the final rendering suffers no generation loss.

Unlike other editors, MAGIX VEGAS Pro supports scripting technology which provides task automation, simplified workflow, and greater efficiency and productivity. Free and paid pre-written scripts are available from the VEGAS community on the web.

Version history

Vegas Pro 8.0

Released on 10 September 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 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 11 May 2009, Sony Creative Software released Sony Vegas Pro 9.0 with greater support for digital cinema including:

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.

In 2009, Sony Creative Software purchased the Velvetmatter Radiance suite of video FX plug-ins and these are included in Vegas 9. As a result, they are no longer available as a separate product from Velvetmatter.[5]

Vegas Pro 10

Sony Vegas Pro v10.0 interface

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

and a few more updates and UI changes.

Vegas Pro 11

Sony announced Vegas Pro 11 on 9 September 2011, and it was released on 17 October 2011. Updated features include GPGPU acceleration of video decoding, effects, playback, compositing, pan/crop, transitions, and motion. Other improvements are to include enhanced text tools, enhanced stereoscopic/3D features, RAW photo support, and new event synchronization mechanisms.[6] In addition,Vegas Pro 11 comes pre-loaded with "NewBlue" Titler Pro, a 2D and 3D titling plug-in.

Unlike previous versions of Vegas Pro, version 11 does not support Windows XP (with x64 Version - For switch compatible setup).

Vegas Pro 12

Sony released Vegas Pro 12 on 9 November 2012. Updated features include enhanced 4K support, more visual effects, and faster encoding performance. Vegas Pro 12 is dedicated to 64-bit versions of Windows.

Vegas Pro 13

Sony released Vegas Pro 13 on 10 April 2014. It brings new collaboration tools and streamlined workflows to professional content producers faced with a wide variety of multimedia production tasks.

Available in three new configurations:

Vegas Pro 14

MAGIX released Vegas Pro 14 on 20 September 2016. It features advanced 4K upscaling as well as various bug fixes, a higher video velocity limit, RED camera support and various other features.

Reception

Major broadcasters have utilized the software, including Nightline with Ted Koppel.[7][8] Several film festival winners have used Vegas to cut their features.[9]

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, or advanced DVD/Blu-ray Disc authoring. 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.

References

  1. ↑ "Sony Announces Vegas Pro 13".
  2. 1 2 3 "Vegas Pro 13: Technical Specifications". sonycreativesoftware.com. Sony Creative Software. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  3. ↑ Schmidt, Klaus (23 May 2016). "Magix aquires Sony's Video Editing and Music Software Portfolio today".
  4. ↑ http://www.engadget.com/2016/05/24/sony-sells-media-software-to-magix/
  5. ↑ "Old Velvetmatter Radiance page". Velvetmatter, LLC. 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  6. ↑ "Vegas Pro 11 Coming Soon". Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  7. ↑ Douglas Spotted Eagle (8 April 2005). "NIGHTLINE is the Right Line for Sony Vegas". VideoGuys Blog. VideoGuys.com. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "Dag-NAB-it! ABC Cancels 'Nightline' Director's Sony Spiel.". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media, LLC: 8. 18 April 2005. ISSN 1068-6827. Retrieved 11 May 2012. With industry veterans like George Murphy and his [Nightline] team using Sony Vegas 5 for international broadcasting, there is clearly a change in the winds of the editing world.
  9. ↑ First Place, First Time!, Digital Media Online.

Further reading

Book
  • Douglas Spotted Eagle (2008). Vegas Pro 8 Editing Workshop. Focal Press. ISBN 978-0-240-81046-1. 
News release
Review
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