Audio Production

The Vegas Pro 8 collection includes a powerful set of audio tools for the most demanding productions. Mix audio in a multitrack environment on an unlimited number of tracks. Use on-the-fly punch-in recording, real-time record meters, 32 assignable effects, 26 Master and Aux outputs; perform automatic crossfades and take advantage of hands-on mixing using external control surfaces and envelope automation recording. No other NLE provides as robust an audio feature set as Vegas Pro software.

Multi-Threaded Audio Engine

Vegas Pro 8 software takes advantage of new multicore and hyper-threading computer systems to maximize available hardware resources. By leveraging the full capabilities of the hardware and reducing direct CPU load, you will notice:

• Greater number of tracks and audio/video effects for real-time preview
• Improved performance at lower latencies
• Faster audio render times

Mixing Console Window

The Mixer Console provides sophisticated hardware emulation to mix audio, specify routing, assign audio effects, and control automation. Customize your console layout and the details of all track and bus controls—including FX sends—to make working with your audio mixes efficient and productive.

Cinescore Support

Vegas Pro 8 automatically detects the existence of Sony Cinescore software, if installed, so you can use Cinescore software within the Vegas Pro environment. This allows you to edit your video and quickly create a custom soundtrack in one application.

24-Bit/192 kHz Audio Support

Vegas Pro 8 software supports full resolution 24-bit/32-bit 192 kHz files for the ultimate in audio fidelity. Import, save, and even record to this resolution if your hardware supports it.

Extensive Audio Effects

Apply over 30 customizable, real-time audio effects. Automate delays, reverbs, EQs and more with envelope control for each parameter. Use over ten automated effects such as Track EQ, Reverb, Chorus, Delay, Noise Gate, and Flange/Wah/Phase. 5.1 DirectX® effects for the master bus include EQ, Dither, and Wave Hammer Surround compression tools.

VST Plug-In Effect Support

You can use effects to manipulate the audio components of your project. The included audio plug-ins can improve the quality of the audio in your project or create unique sounds. Vegas software supports additional DirectX and VST effects from a variety of vendors. Audio effects can be applied to all events on a track, to busses, or as assignable effects.

5.1 Surround Mixing

The Vegas Pro 8 collection has extensive tools for the creation of 5.1 surround mixes*. Keyframeable surround panning for tracks and busses lets you mix the most demanding DVD soundtracks without leaving the Vegas environment. Apply 5.1-channel audio effects to the master bus for enhanced control over DVD mixes. Export projects as discrete tracks for post-encoding, or encode directly to Dolby Digital® surround with the Sony Creative Software Dolby-certified AC-3 encoder*. DVD Architect Pro 4.5 software imports AC-3 files for the creation of multichannel 5.1 DVDs.

On-The-Fly Punch-In Recording

The Vegas Pro 8 recording model allows for on-the-fly punch-in recording on armed tracks while playing back your Vegas Pro project. Record and maintain multiple takes of audio into an empty track, a time selection, an event, or a combination of time and events.

Auto-Input Record Monitoring

Perform tape style auto-input record monitoring with event ASR parameters applied to the incoming signal. Monitor input signal when playback is both stopped and during recording.

Audio Time Stretching

Vegas Pro 8 software includes 19 user-definable timestretch modes that let you choose the resampling method that best fits your audio material. Select: change pitch, change length; change length, preserve pitch; or change pitch and preserve length, by semitones or cents.

Tape-Style Audio Scrubbing

You can use scrubbing to scroll playback of your project at varying speeds. Vegas Pro 8 software also has a tape-style scrubber above the timeline that mimics dragging an analog tape past the playhead.

Keyboard Event Pitch-Shifting

Change the pitch of ACID loops, or any audio event that has had ACID metadata assigned to it, via keyboard commands and modify your audio mix in realtime. Pitch, tempo and stretch amount information is displayed in timeline events.

Downmix Monitoring

Vegas Pro 8 software provides real-time downmix previewing of audio from 5.1 surround to stereo, or from stereo to mono, to ensure that your mix will sound as intended no matter what the destination playback device.

ACID Loop Properties Support

Use ACID loops in your Vegas Pro project to perform easy video scoring and audio mixing. ACID loops, or any audio event that has had ACID metadata assigned to it, will auto-stretch to the existing project tempo.

Bus-To-Bus Routing

Create complex sub-mixes with bus-to-bus routing. The routing flexibility provided by Vegas software gives you a more robust structure for mixing audio projects.

ASIO Driver Support

In addition to supporting Microsoft Mapper™, Windows Classic Wave, and WDM drivers, Vegas Pro 8 software also supports professional-quality low latency ASIO™ drivers.

Film-Style 5.1 Surround Panning

The new film-style surround panning mode in Vegas Pro 8 software supports panning between pairs of adjacent speakers using a constant power model, and is optimized for theater-style speaker placement.

Master, Auxiliary, and Effects Bus Tracks

Modify your project's volume, effects, and panning at the sub-group level. Use bus envelopes to set track effect parameters, volume, and panning for your entire Vegas project.

Broadcast Wave Format Support

You can use Broadcast wave format files to exchange audio between audio editors or broadcasting platforms. Broadcast wave format files are similar to standard .wav files, but they contain additional metadata including timestamps that tell the software where to add audio on the Vegas Pro timeline.

Gracenote® MusicID™ CD Album Identification

Vegas Pro 8 software supports the Gracenote MusicID™ media recognition service. When you extract audio from a CD, you can now view information the tracks including title, artist, and song name.

DVD Creation

Nothing beats DVD Architect Pro software for professional DVD authoring. Its clean, drag-and-drop interface and powerful layout and authoring tools make it easy to develop dynamic menu-based DVDs, movies, picture slideshows, and music compilations. DVD Architect Pro 4.5 software works seamlessly within the Vegas Pro 8 environment.

Professional DVD Layout and Design

Author menu-based and single-title DVDs using backgrounds, motion menus, buttons, text, and effects. Set content to loop, hold, or timeout at the end of a scene. Import layered Photoshop (PSD) files for use as backgrounds, buttons, masks, and graphics.

DVD Scripting

DVD Architect 4.5 software supports the ability to create and run scripts in final DVD design. With scripting you can build robust interactivity into your DVD projects.

Blu-ray Disc Burning

With Vegas Pro 8 software you can burn a Blu-ray Disc directly from the timeline. Blu-ray Disc burning allows you to create a disc similar to a "single movie" DVD—the movie has no titles, menus, or buttons. Blu-ray Disc burning in Vegas Pro 8 software provides an alternate distribution option for high-definition content, rather than traditional file-based hard disk or streaming media formats. You can also use the Blu-ray Disc burning feature to create high-definition discs that can playback on a set-top Blu-ray Disc player or on a Sony PS3 gaming system.

Keyframes and Transformation

Add keyframes to the DVD Architect Pro timeline to animate objects such as buttons and graphics. You can also use keyframes to control pan/crop attributes over time.

Cinescore Integration

If you have Sony Cinescore software installed, you can use it within DVD Architect Pro 4.5 software to generate music for menus, slideshows, and media without leaving the DVD Architect Pro environment.

Varied Marker Types

Several different marker types give you complete control over:

• Scene selection
• Navigation
• Button-over-video placement

Buttons on Video

Add a button "hot-spot" over video and control its placement, duration, and link. This creates an interactive experience for the end user, allowing them to navigate to alternate media related to specific scene in your DVD.

Parental Control

With DVD Architect Pro 4.5 software you can set project properties to enable various parental control settings. These settings restrict the DVD's playback to match parental control levels set in the users DVD player, as set by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA):

• G—General audience
• PG—Parental Guidance
• PG-13—parents strongly cautioned—some material may be inappropriate for under 13
• R—Restricted. No child under 17 should watch without parent present
• NC-17—no one 17 or under should watch this content.

Burn Mastered Folder

Burn a functioning DVD from a previously mastered project without going through an extra prepare step.

DVD-R DL Support

DVD Architect Pro4.5 software now supports burning to DVD-R DL so you can author much longer projects on these double capacity discs.

Slideshow Animation

Automatically add pans and zooms to picture compilation slideshows

Button Overlap Indication

Button Overlap Indicator warns when buttons are overlapping.

Greater than 100% Zoom

Preview workspace at greater than 100% for precise editing when working with detailed graphics.

Graphical Subtitles

Add a graphic element in subtitle track. Gain complete control over look of subtitle, and even embed watermarks.

The Vegas Pro Workflow

The Vegas Pro 8 interface provides a fully customizable workspace for accomplishing a wide range of production requirements. Dock multiple windows and save layouts to fit certain tasks; nest Vegas Pro projects within the timeline, design and save keyboard commands, and use application scripting to automate repetitive tasks. System-wide media management produces maximum efficiency. Network rendering saves time by using multiple computers and networked drive arrays to render complex projects.* Vegas Pro software also supports 24p, HD and HDV editing.

Powerful Editing Tools

Efficiently edit and arrange events on the Vegas Pro timeline using drag-and-drop operations. Apply real-time effects, transitions, envelopes, color changes, reverse, time-stretching and motion effects. Expertly edit complex SD or HD long-form projects using mouse or keyboard trimming along with powerful ripple editing modes.

Real-Time Playback and Nondestructive Editing

Playback and edit video effects, transitions and composites on-the-fly without rendering while viewing each change instantly on external monitors in real-time. Vegas software takes advantage of the PC's processing power by caching complex processes or effects directly to RAM for smooth frame-rate playback and previews.

Export to PSP

Use Vegas Pro 8 software to author and export content to a Sony PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) directly from the timeline. Deliver projects to PSP® for personal enjoyment or to distribute content for client verification.

AVC/AAC Support

Vegas Pro 8 projects can be rendered to an iPod®-compatible file that can be transferred using iTunes. The project can be authored using traditional Vegas editing techniques and methods followed by explicitly rendering the file to an iPod compatible H.264 mpeg4 file.

Insert I-Frames at markers

The MainConcept MPEG-2 encode supports I-frame insertion at timeline markers. By providing I-frames at timeline markers, a rendered file has precise chapter and navigation point placement for DVD Architect Pro4 software.

Split-Screen A/B Previewing

Compare your affected and unaffected video, or compare the timeline with a clipboard image—all viewable in real-time on an external monitor via 1394 enabled hardware.

Flexible Window Docking

New in Vegas Pro 8 software are some radical advancements for customizing the layout and positioning of the traditional Vegas layout. The timeline can now be at the top or the bottom of the application. Docking window tabs can be at the top of bottom of the dock.

Project Nesting

Nesting allows you to add a Vegas project (.veg) to the timeline and edit and apply effects the same as you would a standard media event. Nesting can also help you organize a timeline or apply other effects

Enhanced Video Preview Options

View the Vegas timeline on both an internal monitor and an external device (or secondary display) simultaneously. Simultaneous preview provides editors working with clients in a studio environment to setup a professional viewing environment while preserving the editor's on-screen editing environment. Preview options provide solutions to common viewing requests, with auto-fit providing a maximum viewing effort for the space available.

System-Wide Media Management

You can use the Media Manager window to search and manage your collection of media assets so you can easily find the right file for your Vegas projects. The Media Manager maintains a database of your files, including the attributes, ACID metadata, and tags that you can assign to classify your audio and video clips.

AAF Import and Export

You can use AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) files to exchange projects between applications.

A/V Synchronization Detect and Repair

When audio and video events are not aligned, Vegas software will highlight the events in the timeline so you can see synchronization problems at a glance. The software determines whether source events are synchronized by comparing grouped and overlapping media.

Envelope Automation Recording

Record track envelope and keyframe parameters in real-time using a mouse or external control surface hardware with touch and latch record modes and automatic post-record keyframe thinning. Automation parameter control is available for both stereo and 5.1 tracks and buses, as well as for video track envelopes.

High-Definition Editing and Output

Vegas Pro 8 software supports HD editing and rendering, including output to 1080/60i, 1080/30p, 1080/24p, 720/60p, 720/30p, and 720/24p. Output high definition video to .AVI, .MOV, MPEG-2, Windows Media 9 Series, RealVideo 9, .PNG and .JPEG sequences. Work with project sizes up to 2048x2048.

Precision Snapping

Vegas Pro 8 offers several object "snapping" options. You can snap to events on any track. In addition, color-coded snap indicators denote a snap object type; marker, region, event, cursor, grid. Complex projects involving multiple tracks with each containing several events prove difficult and tedious to precise align events placement. By providing more snap objects across all tracks, precise event placement is simplified.

View Media Marker Names in Events

Media used in the timeline may contain markers. Vegas Pro 8 software can enable the display of these media markers directly on the timeline event. By displaying the individual media markers on the explicit media event and editor can quickly focus on key points of interest with out cluttering the entire workspace.

Enhanced Keyboard Mapping

Vegas Pro 8 offers improved flexibility to customize keyboard shortcuts for easy skill transfer from another application.

Project References in Rendered Files

When your Vegas project uses media that was rendered with an embedded project path reference, you can easily open the source project in the associated application if you need to edit the media later. For example, imagine that you have an audio file on the Vegas timeline that was rendered from an ACID project. In previewing your Vegas project, you discover that you accidentally rendered your ACID project with a critical track muted. You can simply right-click the event on the Vegas Pro timeline and choose Edit Source Project from the shortcut menu to reopen your ACID project, unmute the track, and then re-render it.

Trimmer Window

Use the Trimmer window to select portions of a piece of media that can be placed into events on tracks, and easily create media subclips that reference portions of a media file.

JKL Scrub; Timeline and Keyboard Trimming

Scan your project to quickly find edit points using new tape-style scrubbing. Control playback of your project at varying speeds. Scrub using JKL/shuttle, keyboard commands, or external devices such as the Contour A/V Solutions ShuttlePro (www.contourdesign.com).

Customizable User Interface

Vegas Pro 8 software has a clean and intuitive interface and uses familiar Windows keyboard commands. Windows XP theme support and interface color adjustments allow for a wide variety of customization that best suits your working style.

User-Definable Multiple Docking Window Layouts

Design the Vegas editing environment to maximize productivity. Dock multiple windows and save up to ten layout configurations for single and dual monitor systems. Easily recall a customized window layout for a specific editing task, and instantly switch to new layouts during playback.

Customizable Keyboard Mapping

Customize Vegas keyboard commands to fit your editing process. Create and edit new keyboard shortcuts, import a keyboard mapping scheme or save your current layout for use as a backup—even share keyboard layouts with other Vegas users.

Media Subclips

Use the Trimmer window to create subclips that reference portions of a media file. Subclips can also be created directly within the Vegas timeline. All subclips are added to the media pool and can be used like any other event in your Vegas project.

Real-Time A/V Event Reverse

Instantly reverse audio and video events on the timeline either as a locked A/V event group or as independent elements.

Effects Package Folders

Quickly recall frequently used chains of effects in your Vegas project. Effects packages in Vegas Pro 8 software retain their chain order and individual plug-in settings so you can quickly apply desired effects to media.

Additional Marker Support

Vegas Pro 8 software provides support for up to 99 numbered markers. The marker tool allows easy navigation between adjacent markers and editing of multiple selected markers.

Network Rendering

Speed up production time by rendering complex multimedia projects over networked computers. Divide Vegas projects into smaller sections that are distributed across multiple machines, and let Vegas software reassemble the pieces into a single rendered file. Each copy of Vegas software comes with two additional render-only installations.

Keyboard Trimming and Event Shuffling

Expertly edit complex long-form projects using mouse or keyboard trimming, event shuffling, as well as advanced ripple editing modes.

Unlimited Undo/Redo

Vegas software allows an unlimited number of edits to be undone or restored. Quickly and easily restore previous edits without needing to rework an entire Vegas project.

Capture, Import and Export

Vegas Pro 8 software has extensive capture, import, and export support for video and audio. With the Vegas Pro 8 collection you can efficiently 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.

DV Capture and Print-To-Tape Tools

Capture DV from a variety of sources with automatic scene detection, batch capture, tape logging, media bins and thumbnail previews. Print projects to DV tape directly from the Vegas Pro timeline with NTSC or PAL color bars, tone, and source file or timeline timecode windows.

Premium Encoding Tools

Vegas Pro 8 software has high-quality 2-pass VBR MPEG-2 encoding for DVD, broadcast, and other delivery targets. The high-quality DV codec delivers pristine colors, incredibly sharp images, artifact-free compositing and unparalleled recompression quality.

Option for No Audio Proxy Pre-Render for Print-To-Tape

On faster PCs Vegas software can now print to tape without creating an audio proxy.

BWF Import with Multichannel Support

Vegas Pro 8 can import and arrange multichannel Broadcast Wave files. These files are used by field/hard disc recorders such as Nagra, Sound Devices, Mackie, and Tascam. The field record is the target audience for this feature. Vegas Pro 8 provides a workflow by recognizing time-stamp information on multichannel files and working well with these filed recorders.

Import from DVD Camcorder Disc

Vegas Pro 8 can directly import stereo and 5.1 surround audio from Sony DVD Handycam camcorders directly to the timeline for editing. This feature is targeted for "traditional" consumers by providing and easy method to acquire and edit Handycam footage. In addition, Handycam footage that takes advantage of 5.1 audio recording can be imported and edited natively on the timeline.

VideoCD and Multimedia CD Burning

Burn your Vegas project directly to VideoCD for playback on most DVD players, multimedia CD for playback on your computer's CD-ROM, and take your project with you.

Multichannel SDI Capture

Capture via SDI (Serial Digital Interface) multichannel audio. Vegas can now import multichannel audio from pro cameras and decks over SDI. Further, Vegas Pro 8 software can treat audio files from these sources as logical grouped events.

ATRAC 3 In/Out

Vegas Pro 8 software is one of the few tools that can edit Atrac files and encode to a file format used by many Sony devices such as mp3 players, NET-MD players, and HI-MD players.

Red Book Audio CD Production

Master and burn Red Book Audio CD pre-masters suitable for professional replication directly from the Vegas timeline, with ISRC, UPC, and PQ list support.

Application Scripting for Task Automation

Automate repetitive processes with editable scripts*. Create user-customizable scripts for batch rendering, still image export, timecode export, XML-based project export and see how Vegas scripting can optimize your workflow.

Windows Media 9 Series Support, Including Surround Encoding

Vegas Pro 8 software supports Windows Media® Audio 9 file format, providing users with high-quality, low bitrate compression options, including lossless, CBR, VBR and 5.1 surround audio.

Supports Windows Media® and RealMedia® Commands

Insert metadata command markers to launch Web sites during media file playback, display captions and more. Use the Preview in Player feature to play back and preview a project using the target media player.

Exports Chapter Markers and Subtitles to DVD Architect Pro Software

Vegas Pro 8 chapter markers can be imported into DVD Architect Prosoftware as chapter points for quick scene creation. Named Vegas regions can be exported as a text file, and then imported into DVD Architect Pro software as frame-accurate subtitles.