by Alan Sheckter, Videomaker news editor
Sonic Foundry recently announced Version 3.0 of Vegas Video, its professional video and audio editing software.
The new version incorporates new features and advancements in multimedia content development. These include, according to the manufacturer, fast and efficient DV capture and editing, and output capabilities to multiple formats for the Web, DVDs and broadcast.
Vegas Video is said to offer support for many OHCI-compatible IEEE 1394 DV devices and
can render projects in formats including: DV, MPEG-1 and 2, Real Media, Windows Media and QuickTime formats, uncompressed D1 for broadcast, NTSC, PAL and Red Book audio CDs, which feature Sonic Foundry’s CD Architect technology.
Sonic Foundry promises several new features for Vegas Video 3.0.
The Batch Capture with Automatic Scene Detection, the company said, includes — in addition to batch capturing — tape logging, still image capture and thumbnail preview features that should allow users to intuitively capture DV.
A long list of new, announced video effects include Lens Flare, Light Rays, Film FX, Color Curves, Mirror, Remap, Deform, Convolution, Linear Blur, Black Restore, Levels, Unsharp Mask, Color Grad, and Timecode Burn filter.
Version 3.0 arms users with the tools to burn professional-quality Red Book audio CD masters directly from the Vegas timeline. Users will also have a DV Print-to-Tape from the Timeline feature.
Vegas Video 3.0, Sonic Foundry said, offers Dynamic RAM Previewing timesaving, temporary render-free previews for quick examination and fine-tuning of complex video effects.
In addition, the new Sonic Foundry-developed DV codec should offer perfect colors, sharp images, artifact-free compositing, and DV chromakeying, the company promises.
Vegas Video 3.0 comes with a $599.95 MSRP, and is currently offered direct from Sonic Foundry for $419.97.
