Switching from FCP to Vegas

JoeFowler

JoeFowler

Well-known member
Fellows-

The CFO of our company is tired of spending money on Macs. So... they have asked me to see what it would take to switch to PC's for all our editing needs.

Here are my concerns: Can Vegas import a FCP project? And, because I know that it is already unlikely, is there a plug in that can do it?

We are in the middle of a dozen projects and switching right now seems unwise. You don't need to tell me that "just stick with what you are doing" or "why do they want to switch in the middle... don't they know..."

No, they don't. They are business men. They care about money. It will cost less to move to PC. But if there is no way to import exsisting FCP projects into Vegas (or another PC compatable NLE) then the whole idea is moot.

So, what can be done?

Thanks guys.
 
I would suggest check the EDL path.

Or finish current projects on the Mac's and start the new ones on the Windows systems. So you have a step-by-step conversion.
 
Not easily and not without losing certain aspects of the edit (due to possibly incompatible features of either NLE).

One possibility may be to use Automatic Duck (link) with FCP to export an AAF file to import into Vegas (AAF import/export is supported as of version 6). While AAF is supposed to be a unified standard, I have heard of incompatibilities regarding importing AAF files from one application into another so YMMV.
 
Try using a program like virtualdub and see if that works if it does then great. PS it is FREE.
 
More like a DSE question. I thought they just addressed this on the Sony Vegas board within the last week or two... try searching there.
 
They do know the differences between the two apps/suites right? FCP is a complete solution with more powerful features....if you need them. If you're doing your own corporate vids then Vegas would be fine for the most part. Why you'd want to shift I dunno. The total cost of ownership of PC's versus Macs are very comparable. And yes, I was a PC and Vegas guy for many years, who has just switched to a Mac.

Final Cut Studio as a suite, blows Vegas out of the water in almost every respect.
 
There is only one problem..Mac G5 about $2000. for a dual 2.0ghz power pc. then you add $1299. for the FCP Suite. So it is now 3299.00 before taxes. Not to mention you have to buy OSX to run it. HMM PC's versus Mac as compariable..unless you have deep pockets..I don't think so. Not to mention a lot of people build their own PC's at considerable price savings. So that theory is out. As for blowing Vegas out of the water..the sound aspect in relying on Soundtrack Pro as a decent DAW for audio is so subpar to Vegas. It is like a glorified garageband program. Remember Vegas was originally a Sonic Foundry product and has one of the best audio interfaces for a NLE on the market. That is why Apple had to buy Logic just to compete...just as Avid had to buy Digidesign to control protools. Granted FCP has done a lot in the past few years but it still needs some work. Hopefully with the help of the new INTEL chip (PC) in their new computers they can finally solve the high heat overload in their dog IBM based computers. Not to mention they finally caught up to using DDR2's for their memory sticks. If you want to keep up with the latest...watch what AMD is doing..they are ahead of Intel in terms of 64 bit technology. Afterall they came out with the Opteron months before Apples so called first 64bit computer. Intel is falling behind and now Intel is in Mac's..go figure.
 
I agree, I would have preferred Apple to have gone with AMD, but who knows how it will pan out. Raw computing power shouldn't be the main reason for switching unless you're doing masive renders and need it fast.

FCP is way more powerful than vegas
Titling in Vegas is useless
DVD Studio pro, is in a totally different class to DVD Architect (Assuming you're going that route)
Noone in their right mind would by a G5 now unless they HAD to have it now. This year will see Intel Powermacs and they will fly.
You always get an OS with a new Mac.

I think Vegas is really, really great (See my post in another thread where I applaud Vegas' features) but I feel FCP is in a way different class to Vegas for those doing non DV only work. Although that said, with the new HVX FCP has missed the boat a little by not supporting all the formats.

Anyway, of course, it's your choice ;) Just don't forget the intangibles.
 
Naaah. Vegas womps FCP in quite a few areas, and by this I mean mano a mano, not the FCP Studio suite. (That's not a fair comparison.)

Including (and these apply in any resolution, DV, HD, whatever):

24p handling (except DVCPRO, but because of support for the codec as a whole, not because of the 24p)
Audio
Compositing/Chromakey
Flexibility -- file types, timebases, output
Flexibility -- hardware requirements
Networked render
Customizability
Price
 
David Jimerson said:
Naaah. Vegas womps FCP in quite a few areas, and by this I mean mano a mano, not the FCP Studio suite. (That's not a fair comparison.)

Including (and these apply in any resolution, DV, HD, whatever):

24p handling (except DVCPRO, but because of support for the codec as a whole, not because of the 24p)
Audio
Compositing/Chromakey
Flexibility -- file types, timebases, output
Flexibility -- hardware requirements
Networked render
Customizability
Price
Click to expand...


What about stability? FCP, at least when I have used it, crashes quite often. I've had under five crashes of Vegas.

-Jeremy
 
I would like to hear the areas in which Aza believes FCP is more powerful, as he has experience with both.

What were your "wow" moments?

And again, FCP itself, not other programs used with it. If you gotta go outside FCP to use it, it's not a feature of FCP.


(As an aside, no one's ever been able to explain what it means to say that the "total cost of ownership" is the same between PCs and Macs. I mean, I just built a smokin' machine for $900 a little while ago -- what are my add-on costs going to be to bring my total cost of ownership up to the $3000 purchase price of a comparable Mac? Seriously?)
 
David Jimerson said:
Naaah. Vegas womps FCP in quite a few areas, and by this I mean mano a mano, not the FCP Studio suite. (That's not a fair comparison.)

Including (and these apply in any resolution, DV, HD, whatever):

24p handling (except DVCPRO, but because of support for the codec as a whole, not because of the 24p)
Audio
Compositing/Chromakey
Flexibility -- file types, timebases, output
Flexibility -- hardware requirements
Networked render
Customizability
Price
Click to expand...

Don't forget its Audio friendliness.
 
I think it may be a "grass is greener..." case for Aza. I used FCP since v.1 for 5 years before trying out Vegas (which I called a "toy" before getting really deep into it). Now, I still use both for client work, but will use Vegas on any of my own projects.
 
Jive said:
I think it may be a "grass is greener..." case for Aza. I used FCP since v.1 for 5 years before trying out Vegas (which I called a "toy" before getting really deep into it). Now, I still use both for client work, but will use Vegas on any of my own projects.
Click to expand...

Dunno. Which is why I'd like his feedback.
 
Yup, it's greener for me here in FCP land now. Remember I was a Vegas user for a number of years solely and I still think it's a kick arse system and I promote it to all PC owners I know who are interested in editing. But for me it's hard to not talk about FC Studio because that's what I was comparing when I switched (But my main impetus for switching was the OS, not the apps). Things that I did not like about Vegas compared to my experience with FCP.

Media Management - Vegas' media management is very poor. The v6 Media Manager was slow and boggy. Useless for project management IMO.

How Scrubbing always marks selection areas. Always hated systems like that, always will.

I haven't tried FCP's network rendering, but Vegas' was troublesome and very unstable. And I did try numerous times.

Editing, once you have the keys sussed, you're quicker in FCP - well is for me.

Capture and logging in FCP, is more powerful.

It's more industry standard.

And I have to mention DVD Studio Pro, Livetype (Try finding anything half decent on the PC that doesn't look like it's made in the 80's with an archaic interface and doesn't cost the earth), Motion, well Vegas can't start to compete here. I know there's a big price difference, about $1299 vs $650 (This is site retail) but I feel you get more than twice the power for the price difference. (And you can buy an old version and upgrade for $199 at the moment)


Believe me, I don't want to start a war here cause I think they're both great pieces of software and there are things that truly SUCK about FCP too and from time to time I REALLY, and I mean REALLY miss Vegas (audio tools mainly). And I didn't get WOW moments either, except, believe it or not, with Livetype. That little "freebie" is wonderful IMO. Vegas' titling sucks, and when I searched around for alternatives they all were awful until you paid many hundreds of dollars.


Regards to the total cost of ownership, it generally includes software for sure (And we are talking about 'normal' users who want to manage photos, web pages etc) but also includes the troubleshooting periods. I'm a software engineer, so I'm the family computer guy, where I'm always asked to come repair someone's Windows box cause it's spat the dummy, or infected with viruses. Without me, they'd be spending hundreds in shop fees. That said, I agree, you can build a gruntier box for cheaper, I did it for years before switching......but OSX is just so damned sexy ;)
 
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David Jimerson said:
Item #2. Looping, manipulating, processing 5.1 surround . . . it's in there.
Click to expand...


Can you elucidate on this a bit? On Vegas's timeline editing and audio features for audio?

FCP makes automation (keyframing) audio a little harder than it needs to be, and for me ties too many things (such as, e.g., panning) to clips rather than tracks. Does Vegas handle this better?

And a bit more about the surround... do you know what algorithm is used for surround panning, what the controls are like, and what types of surround plug-ins are included/available?


As for 24P - Just for the record, some of us actually prefer FCPs approach over Vegas's... it's a matter of taste and workflow. And as for hardware requirements - other than the Mac/PC issue - I can run FCP on old crappy Macs pretty decently, old laptops, whatever... so I find FCP to be fairly flexible in that regard; requirements for it to be useful (not "stunningly fast") are fairly low.

-Barry
 
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