Recommended way to compress HD?

L

Lynos

Well-known member
Hey guys

I have 1080p footage I need to edit on Vegas Pro 10. It's H.264 MOV files from Cannon T2i.

My laptop is 4 years old and can't handle this kind of stuff. Footage is choppy and slow in preview window. (I did transcode to Avi but it didn't help).

I searched online for software that will enable me to compress the HD to SD so I can edit it, but got a little overwhelmed. It seems most compression info is regarding output. I don't need output for now, I need footage I can edit with my old computer.

Can someone recommend a good tool for this kind of stuff?
I guess it's not a specific Vegas question but I wasn't sure where else to put it.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Sounds like proxy files is what you are looking for. Basically you are replacing your large HD files with small low quality copies during the editing process. Then once you have the video cut the way you like you switch the files back to the large HD ones for final render.

I used proxy files for a few projects but it was kind of a pain so I just build myself a fast computer and haven't messed with them since. But if upgrading your computer is not is not within your budget then give this a try.

http://eugenia.queru.com/2007/12/12/proxy-editing-with-sony-vegas/
http://eugenia.queru.com/2009/04/13/proxy-editing-with-sony-vegas-part-ii/
 
Alright, I did this method and it worked like gangbusters.

Now I'm finished and want to convert back to the t2i source files... I open the scripting tool, and click "switch" where I should, but 0 files are being converted, and I get a message: "Proxy and source files must be in the same directory".

But they are in the same directory! Unless I don't know what directory means. I have a folder called "source" and inside it a folder called "proxy". I even tried to copy all the proxy files manually to the source folder, but got the same result.

Anybody know how make the final stage in the great method Lowlypawn posted above (second link) to work?

Much appreciated.
 
When I did it I was using Sony Vegas Platinum so I had to move the files manually. It sounds like the files need to be in the same folder but if again I don't know for sure because I did it manually. I just made sure the file name and folder names were exactly the same when I switched them. Basically you are tricking Vegas into using the large HD files for render by switching the names of the folders.

I'll explain in another way. Say you have two folders:

"project HD" contains the original HD media files
"project proxy" contains the proxy files you made

When I wanted to edit with the proxy files I would change the folder name "project proxy" to simply "project", then load Vegas and do my editing. Once I was finished I would close Vegas. Rename the folder "project" back to "project Proxy". Then I would change "Project HD" to "project"...

Now what would happen when I load Vegas and my project is it looks in the "project" folder. Sees the large HD files with the exact same file name as the Proxy files and loads them up. It takes awhile for Vegas to create the audio peaks but once it finishes I was able to render the project.

Now again that's how I did it using the manual method, so it sounds like if you renamed your "source" file to "source-Proxy" then renamed your "proxy" folder to "source" and put in in the same folder that the previous source has been. Once you reloaded Sony Vegas and your project it should look in the new "source" folder for the media files. And of course it would now find large HD versions with the same file name and use them.

Anyway it's kind of difficult to explain so hopefully that made sense. Here is the link where she talks about if you don't have Vegas Pro and how to do it the manual way.
http://eugenia.queru.com/2007/12/12/proxy-editing-with-sony-vegas/


 
Well, The change-folder-name method didn't work. Vegas still didn't find anything. It doesn't give me a "yes to all" option but asking me individually for each file and I can't remember what in the source files respond to what in the editing.

After that failed, I decided to change all the file names so the source and proxy match - while changing the folder names - and maybe that will make Vegas pick up the HD. But half-way through I realized I was changing the wrong files, I was changing the proxy to resemble the source instead of the other way around. Now Vegas can't even find the proxy and I don't remember what was what. I don't remember what were the names of the proxy files/takes I used for the editing, because I didn't use all of them. What a mess.

I just don't understand why the "simple" switch tab in the scripting tool didn't work if everything was in the same folder to begin with. How utterly annoying.

Edit: Okay, I got all my proxy files back (had another copy of them buried somewhere... phew!), but I still can't switch back to source. When I change the source folder name to "proxy" Vegas just asks me individually instead of giving me the "yes to all" option. Maybe it's because my workflow wasn't using different folders from the get-go and I'm only changing it now?

After my previous blunder, I'm afraid to play around with the files names. I don't wanna screw anything up...

Should I use rename-it? My process was that after I saved the proxy files I changed all the file names because I needed to know which takes I'm looking at. If I left it like the source files - just using numbers - it would've been very confusing to say the least.
So I have the same number of files, only they're named differently. Now when I wanna switch back to source, Vegas doesn't recognize them. Is that the reason? Is there any solution to that other than renaming all source files like the proxy?
In the instructions it doesn't say anything about making sure both proxy and source files have the exact same names.

Thanks again.
 
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Sucks you haven't got it working. I would try this.

You could try creating a new test project with only one media file and one proxy file. Then switch between the two until you you get it to work perfectly. And you only need to use rename-it if you have lots of files and want to speed the process up. Since I only had about 20 files in my project I simply renamed then manually. It's probably something simple but since I didn't use the scripting tools I can't offer more help :(



Wait, I just thought of something else. Try saving your project with the "save as" command. Pick a different folder say c:\testvid and then make sure you check the box "copy media with project". What this will do is copy everything used on your project into a new folder (and I mean everything). So now you can experiment without fear of screwing up your old project. Note: If your project is large it will take awhile.

Ok once it copied all your Proxy file into c:\testvid. Now close Vegas, Then switch out all the proxy files with the original files in the c:\testvid. For example if one of your video files was called "Camera-forward-1.MP4" 363,482 KB the Proxy file would also be called "Camera-forward-1.MP4" 37,849 KB, notice the same file name, it's just smaller because of the lower resolution. You can even delete the .SFK files (Vegas will remake them once you reload the project but I think it works even is you leave them).

Once you reload Vegas and select your project it "should" remake the audio peaks and then be ready to render. Again that's the "manual" way. But since the script isn't working for you I see no reason to not give this a try.

As you can see, this is why I stopped using proxy files and built a 6 core 3.2gig Phenom system. Good luck and I hope you get it to work.
 
Okay, first stage complete!

I created the new folder and did "save as" along with the media. Now I have all the proxy files I actually used for the edit neatly arranged in one place.
Now let me see if I follow you here:

So right now I basically need to find the corresponding source file to each proxy file, rename it to match, and then drag it into the new folder so it replaces the proxy file? Or just drag so they're together? So for example, I have a proxy file called "Intro 1.mpg". I go to the source files and find the corresponding one is called "005.mov" I change it from "005.mov" to "intro 1.mpg". I drag it into the new test folder. Rinse and repeat...?

I just wanna make sure I got it right. I'm a little anxious of messing with the source files but I guess that's what I need to do. Rename them.

I'm pretty sure the scripting tool doesn't work simply because the file names do not match.

So did I get it right?

You're right. Buying a new computer is so much easier...

Thanks.
 
Yea sounds like you got it right, and I would suggest you make copies of the source file so you don't risk messing them up.

The easiest way I found to do this, using my previous example of c:\testvid

1) Rename "C:\testvid" to "C:\testvid-proxy"
2) Make a new folder called C:\testvid
3) Copy the original files into the now empty C:\testvid
4) Make sure the files names match the proxy files
5) Load Vegas, then your project

What SHOULD happen is Vegas will spend awhile rebuilding the audio peaks and then you will be ready to render your final video.

As long as the files names match and they are the same length (time wise) Vegas should use them with no issues. If it can't find a file it will let you know. Just make sure you got the file names correct and they match the corresponding proxy file. After you render your final video and If you find something you don't like and want to make some changes, then do the following.

1) Change the "C:\testvid" to "C:\testvid-HD"
2) Change the "C:\testvid-proxy" back to "C:\testvid"
3) Reload Vegas, make your editing changes, then switch the folder names back. Render again. Keep switching until until you are satisfied.
 
It worked!

Thanks so much for all your help. I can't stress it enough. You've been great.

Hopefully the info here will help someone else who's stuck in this stage. The main thing I learned is that before using proxy files, file names MUST match. It's the basis for the whole process...

Thanks again.
 
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