What would you do?

[Michael_Bott]

Hi everyone.

I've just begun work on a great project - a documentary for DVD on the ancient prehistoric sites up and down the British Isles - passionate about it and I know there's a large market for this. It's not been done before.

BUT I'm working with a Z1 in HDV (would have loved to use my DVX but landscape demands HD) and that presents a workflow problem. As you can imagine, this will be a big project and the final programme will possibly be close to two hours - it may even be a double DVD (You won't believe how much stuff there is out there!). I'll probably end up working from 40 hours of shot material.

It didn't take me long after I started working with intermediate files in Vegas to figure out that the workflow is a complete pain with such a large project. Moreover, without being able to log and batch capture, the sheer volume of captured material is going to be overwhelming unless I painstakingly capture precise clips one by one in Vegas' own capture device. Even then, every clip needs to be doubled up with its intermediary and my disk space is taking an expensive hit. I also HATE not having the security of a batch capture file in case things go pear-shaped.

Now, given the above problems, I am sore tempted to jump ship to Premiere Pro 2.0. We are told it works natively with M2t files AND it does batch capture of HDV. The thing is, I have an old registered copy of Prem 6.5 and so I am entitled to upgrade to Pro 2.0 for a very reasonable £200.

Or even Edius? I can get a 'crossgrade' promotion for even less.

I was really, really hoping that Vegas 7.0 would be out after NAB and I was really, really sure it would offer batch capture and improved HDV handling. But Autumn (Fall) is too late for me and there ain't no guarantee that it'll solve my problems even then.

I way, way prefer WORKING with Vegas than Premiere but WORKFLOW is going to be crucial to me in the coming months.

Can Pro 2.0 REALLY work with native M2t efficiently? Does anyone have experience?

What would you do?

 

[William_Robinette]

Forgive me if I am wrong (I just edit SD)

But doesn't Vegas have a batch capture tool? Advanced Capture I think it's called?
Also, isn't it possible to just drop m2t files into Vegas' timeline? I am pretty sure I have done this before.

Again, I don't work with HD but I am pretty sure Vegas can do what you are describing.

 

[Michael_Bott]

Yeah, certainly the Vegas capture tools are very good when dealing with DV but definitely NO BATCH CAPTURE when dealing with HDV. And yes, you can put an M2t file on the timeline and it will 'play' - but no possibility of dealing with it usefully in realtime - yet, hence the need for Connect HD and Gearshift.

 

[Sol M.]

Native and realtime M2t support are two very different things that rely on different factors. Both Vegas and Premier Pro 2 can work with M2t files, but if your computer isn't up to spec, then getting reliable realtime performance is unlikely with either NLE.

It looks like batch capture is the only real improvement PPro 2 has over Vegas in regards to what you need. Batch capture really is an important feature, so upgrading to PPro 2 may be your best bet if you need to do the project now. You'll just have to put up with all the issues of Premier Pro tho

 

[Michael_Bott]

Well, I've been playing with the tryout of Edius Pro 3.

Batch capture and a lightning fast HDV codec that plays realtime at full res. Plus promotional crossgrade at £149 inc. tax.

I'm afraid, despite being nowhere near as powerful as Vegas, at the moment it is THE answer to HDV workflow for me.

Sorry guys. I love Vegas and I'm sure I'll be back but workability is the name of the game at this time.:crybaby:

 

[donatello]

40 hrs = no problem ...
i capture whole 60 min tapes .. (you change to cineform )
drop them into TL and create "subclips" ( could be 20-100 subclips from each tape) - you then edited using the subclips into TL ..

some friends are now working with 30hrs of HDV and they capture m2t ..drop those in TL - delete sections they do not want .. they then use regions ( long detailed names) for other sections .. they then render out the remaining selected material as one file ( could be 15-20 min from 60 min tape) = note the named regions will be with rendered clip... you can then see all the named regions in v explore and you drag those sections to TL as needed ... the name you gave the region will be with the clip in TL ....

you could probably find a script to let you batch render out each region as a individual clip ?? if you prefer small clips

 

[Michael_Bott]

40 hrs = no problem ...
i capture whole 60 min tapes .. (you change to cineform )
drop them into TL and create "subclips" ( could be 20-100 subclips from each tape) - you then edited using the subclips into TL ..

some friends are now working with 30hrs of HDV and they capture m2t ..drop those in TL - delete sections they do not want .. they then use regions ( long detailed names) for other sections .. they then render out the remaining selected material as one file ( could be 15-20 min from 60 min tape) = note the named regions will be with rendered clip... you can then see all the named regions in v explore and you drag those sections to TL as needed ... the name you gave the region will be with the clip in TL ....

you could probably find a script to let you batch render out each region as a individual clip ?? if you prefer small clips

Ingenious.

I prefer logging in and outs, hitting batch capture and going and getting a beer :beer: .

Seriously, I have ordered the Edius promotional crossgrade for £149.00 'cos aside from the beer issue, I have a doc to make in finite amount of time. The editing experience may not be up to the sophistication of Vegas, Premiere, Liquid et al., but the Canopus HQ codec is excellent. I tested slo mo on an action clip yesterday - took it down to 33% and hit play. No render. It played absoluteley glass smooth off the timeline in Hi Res. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I'll get back to Vegas when HDV workflow is sorted I'm sure - but sadly it does not work for me right now.

PS another plus is that I will have a batch capture list to recreate the project later down the line when I need to make the HD-DVD version - no need to buy extra hard drives to archive all the project files on.