Yes you should upgrade. Version 6 frame rate conversion is incredible. If doing 24p renders of 60i source material is at all important for you, or if you ever find yourself wanting to do NTSC to PAL or vice versa, Vegas 6's new frame rate conversion algorythms are way better than Vegas 5 (or anything else I've seen for that matter). There are other version 6 features as well, but that's the one that makes it worth it for me.

Also, don't forget that Vegas 5 will still run after you upgrade.

Hi MarcS!

I was in your position, and undecided, but two nights ago I jumped in before the price went up. I've installed it, and DVDA 3, along with Excalibur, but as yet haven't done much with it.

Spot advised: It's worth it for the decreased rendering time alone. That one fact, and also that DVDA3 is apparently better, sold me.

Then I saw the Sony HDR-FX1 and thought mmmm wouldn't mind that, but at $5,400 AUD, that might have to wait! :)

Here's where you can find the demo.
Give it a thorough going over and then you can decide.

http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/download/step2.asp?DID=585

Mario

Edit: I just re-read your post.
If you mean that you have a dual Xeon, V6 makes better use of dual processors also.

Vegas 6 - no, vegas 6b definitely YES, smoother than 5. Feels good now. If money is not the big concern, most definitely yes.

Z

Well, I just ordered it. If the fixed release is stable then I presume it will be an asset. Thanks.

- Marc

What happened to the $199 Vegas 6 + DVDA for registered owners of V5-DVDA2 if they purchase by end of May? It will only give me $249 price and Im registered owner.

I called them on the phone and got the upgrade deal.

I went from the link in my email to the site and added to cart. Found a few Acid loops to add to my cart. Checked out and the price of Vegas+DVD went up to $249. Deleted it from my cart, launched from my email link again. Added to cart. $199. Checked out everything OK.

Add Vegas last to your cart , or do nothing but buy from that link, and it's $199.

Do anything in between, and it jumps to $249.

Bug in the Shopping Cart. Be careful.

Definitely, yes. Upgrade.

I just completed a reasonably large project *before* the B update.

Now that the B update is out, the only issue I see is Vegas' inabilty to play files output by SteadyHand.

While this can be significant if you use SteadyHand, that is all I see.

Yes! No comparison with the first ill-tested release. I got so p***d off with 6.0 not being able to see any VCRs (DSR 2000a, DSR45, DSR 20 and even my camera) i uninstalled it. The lockups drove me nuts. However, the bug fixes listed in the release notes convinced me to give 6b a try and I think it is wonderful. Not to the same extent that SF8 is, for me at least, but a great product nontheless. Just wish someone would drop a hint about when the 2/3" XDCAM HD camcorder is going to be available. Yeah there is the 1/2" but I am not fond of 1/2" chips. Better to wait and won't it be wonderful to just drag the clips stright into the project instead of having to digitize?

Peter

Vegas 6 is not all rosy. If you work with PAL files and slow motion, it somehow screws up the field order and produces juddery output. (At least, that is my experience with it.) The same files rendered with the same settings from Vegas 5 are silky smooth as always.

For me, Vegas 6b has brought the software back on its "development track". Another excellent reason for me to stay with this product. The Programmers/SONY put things right! Having had the bad tech support experience of very lowly NLEs, Team-Vegas just keeps on reassuring me that "things" DO get sorted out - and QUICKLY!

Grazie-Real-World Experience? . . .

Vegas 6b
* Nested Projects - Gives me Edit Decisions options I would never had thought was possible! Totally refreshed my approach to editing approach.

* Media Manager - As I'm getting to grips with this SQL method of reporting and "viewing" media, it again, will provide me with edit decisions that IS taking me to another level of subtily & complexity in my work - this is a good thing! Hey, I didn't know I had 66,500 pieces of media on my drives?

* 2nd Monitor Previewing - On one of my Samsung 172vs I can see Full Screen action directly without passing through via f/w to my external monitor. Excellent option when I need it. And, I guess, I can here check for work that will need to show on pc etc etc . .

DVDA3
* Logical Arrow System - The Navigation Overlay now shows me where I'm going with which button AND direction I've elected to go from and WHERE I will end up - for me, invaluable . . LOL!

* Smart project reprepare - Think of Spilling Mustikes? Say no more . . .

* Adobe Photoshop layer support - I use Paint Shop Pro BUT I can save to PSD file layers. Just started to get to grips with this. I can already see the value and creative options in using layers created/manipulated in PSP - thank you Team-Vegas!

Get it! And end up with Vegas6b . . . Brill!

Grazie

I just edited a short piece using bezier masking, colour corrections, multiple layers and track motion. V6b "seems" to render faster than V5, though I might be wrong. It didn't blue screen on me...which is NOT the case with V5d running on my LAN-connected W2K dual processor 2.8 c/w 1.5 gig RAM. That PC blue screens at least five times a day. Once I get another V6b upgrade I think I'll try it on the two LAN-connected editing PCs.