Billyboy- I know what your saying- but the demo of each looks like the full featured version we have at a very low price. The Duh about it is- it ruins the market perception and future of the full blown product we have. This isn't a lite version really- its not like Sony introduced a Vegas Lite or Acid lite- its our version...am I seeing this wrong? I'm a bit frustrated about the marketing ploy- it does not change how I use my product- but it downgrades our full versions

Good values yes, but the real questin is will Vegas 5 be $1000 for the "Pro" version, and $500 for the "lite" version, that will leave stuff like mpeg-2 encoding out, for example.

I wouldn't be upgrading to Vegas 5 is it was expensive. i got Vegas because of it's "cheap" price. Great value for the $. Of course, if they DO jump the price, at least i'm stuck with a GREAT nle. :)

AZEdit, they're not the full versions. SONY has been selling VideoFactory as Screenblast movie studio and ACID Music as Screenblast ACID for quite some time now, maybe close to two years.

As mentioned, these are newer versions of VF and Acid Music.
In Screenblast Acid, where's the MIDI, the rewire, the surround mixing capabilities, etc?
In SMS, where's the colour correction, the surround, etc?

If your still not convinced, print out the features of SMS and Vegas, Screenblast Acid and Acid Pro 4.0, and compare.

M

It would seem Sony has already decided to continue with Screen Blaster as a sort of lighter version of Vegas, but a tad more than what Video Factory was. From a mareketing stand point... a good move that no doubt will get more people to try it, like it, then hopeful move up to the full version of Vegas.

If Sony splits Vegas directly, keeping a "prosumer" version as Vegas 4 is with modest improvements and at the same time roll out a so-called "pro" version with even more bells and whistles and a price to match, that would be a serious blunder and cause a lot of people to head for the exit... including me.

We don't need a super-duper ultra "pro" version of Vegas with support for hardware rendering, more superfluous little needed or wanted window dressing like fancier bins and assorted other fluff. Vegas should and likey will continue to evolve into a better and better editor, and with a reasonable price. If not, it will likely die because there are already several super fancy, grossly over priced video editor suites for those into ego building already on the market and human nature being what it is chances of cutting into the $1,000 plus market is slim to done and like I said, would be a major makerting blunder I don't think Sony will make.

Both products have this restriction:
END-USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
2. RESTRICTIONS ON USE
(d) use the Software commercially
Sure doesn't sound like PRO software to me.
VIVA VEGAS
Craig H.

Show me ANY software that doesn't have squirrelly language only ATTORNEYS love in the end user license agreement.

Has nothing to do with what the software is for, everything to protect the interests of the company issuing the license.

Now while we're at it, everybody that thinks the software they bought is theirs as in they own it raise your hand.

What is the likelihood of someone being so knowledgeable about nle market analysis for this assessment to be correct?

> If not, it will likely die because there are already several super fancy, grossly over priced video editor suites for those into ego building already on the market and human nature being what it is chances of cutting into the $1,000 plus market is slim to done and like I said, would be a major makerting blunder

There is ONE software package that I know for sure is yours when you buy it: WWIV BBS software. I bought a copy back in '96, and when you bought the software, you bought the software, not a liscence. Sourcecode included. Quite nice. :)

But, that's about it, unless i made it. :)

What is it some people don't understand about people expressing their OPINIONS in forums?

My O P I N I O N is you don't break what ain't broke. I sometimes get a little distressed when I see a few people suggesting oh... maybe now that Sony took over, Vegas will be seen as more "professional" a product, ie cost a few hundred dollars more for a handful of features MOST don't need or want.

Sorry, I just don't get people that judge "professionalism" by the name of the product, how much its costs and if or not your competitiors use it. Nor should you judge the person as "professional" because he says he needs a NTSC monitor, or "real time" hardware rendering or whatever. Heck, I do some of my best work still in my pajamas or shorts. Guess what, nobody is ever the wiser.

I am not questioning so much the direction Sony and Sonic Foundry plan together taking Vegas, be it Full/Lite/Trim/Pro or what ever, but what is their joint plans with Sonic Soulution. Sonic Solution as you all no make DVD Authoring software. Now that "Sony/Sonic Foundry" is bundling Sonic Solutions products into a their software suite "Sony's Screenblast Movie Studio" for example. Is the next Sony purchase going to be Sonic Solution for their DVD Authoring software products. This would be a double Sonic BOOM for Sony and us all.

If you do not think I am telling the truth about Sonic Solutions being involved just downlowd the movie studio PDF file for Sony's newest offering and read.

http://www.screenblast.com/main/content_assets/soft/manuals/movie_studio.pdf

Now if you think that is what Sony wants to do and that will not have an impact on any thing that Sony/Sonic Foundry will be doing, just think about who now owns Vegas and how it could be marketed. Even though Sonic Foundry is behind Vegas as the team that writes the code, it would make good dollars to join and market Vegas under another bage such as Sonic Solution's "Sonic DVEdit" as a new product Line for Home, Corporate & Small Business, and Professional Products.

There are many software choices for us to pick from, but to get the Vegas code out to more of the world, both Sony and Sonic Foundry needs to find and exploit good, great and grand options for marketing that Vegas code.

Just remeber that Kraft, Coke, Pepsi, GM, Ford and Nabisco did not sell just one product under one brand name only, so can you name all their products and all the stores that they sell them in. Now you can start to see the big picture.

Take Care

Duane

What probability would you assign to the correctness of your OPINION?

> What is it some people don't understand about people expressing their OPINIONS in forums?

Say Bobo, you related to Zippy by any chance?

As far as I know both videofactory and screenblast looked exactly the same as Vegas. Visually, there's no product distinction.

This isn't new. However, I think you're saying the lite versions ought to look different from Vegas. Maybe so, or maybe the full Vegas features should be disabled and greyed out so users always know there's "more where that came from".

Rob Mack

Are you able support your positions without attacking someone?

>>>maybe the full Vegas features should be disabled and greyed out so users always know there's "more where that came from".<<<

To add to that have those feature fully working, but have those features run in a demo mode. For those features in Demo mode would stamp a watermark on the image. The user can then choose to call or contact over the web and pay for getting the release key to remove the watermark. They get the full version up front just not fully production ready without paying for unlocking watermark.

Take Care

Duane

Yeah, I know. No-on wants to see the price go up. What I'd favor is a Vegas-light, Vegas, and Vegas Pro lineup. How to distinguish?

Vegas Lite as an entry-level program on the level of FCP Xpress. The lite version should also be a kiler app for capture, logging footage and extracting stills. The sorts of things that you might want to have an intern do.

Vegas should be as it is-a great app for DV25 and web. Add whatever features you like for the next rev-nested timelines and background renders and whatever else.

Vegas Pro might support hardware, have great EDL support, integrate with compositing software, and generally be a good tool for higher end shops who would be happy to pay for the added features.

Of course wondering about V5 seems premature.

Rob Mack

These kinds of threads always go around in circles and are high in speculation, since those of us out of the loop (99.99999% of us) don't really know what's coming down the road and the .0000001% that may know (SoFo/Sony employees) aren't and can't talk about it in the forum.

Sony being as big as it is no doubt has all kinds of deals going on. It isn't surprising they may be in bed or about to get in bed with what on the surface looks like a competitor of Vegas or DVD-A. Nothing earth shattering there either since it happens all the time in the corporate world.

Example: Microsoft with the recent worm attack went to some outfit that used Linux to protect their servers that offers up the worm patch. I'm still laughing about that one, but I understand why they did it.

Point of reference. I don't take serious posts that seriously and sometimes try to inject a little humor in them. None serious and border line goofy threads like this one that have no real purpose I'm even less serious, much to the annoyance of characters like Bobo I'm sure. Tough cookies. ;-)

You could not be more incorrect, I'm enjoying this immensely. You've made a statement, are unable to support it, have resorted to personal attacks, and are now dismissing your posts as frivolous. I think we're making good progress here.

>Point of reference. I don't take serious posts that seriously and sometimes try to inject a little humor in them. None serious and border line goofy threads like this one that have no real purpose I'm even less serious, much to the annoyance of characters like Bobo I'm sure. Tough cookies. ;-)

BillyBoy, I agree with you.

Even though we might not been in any loop to be in the know. There are ones that are in the know whom most likley browse these posts just looking for new ideas, thought, and angels ...opps angles. They will not tell us who they are and or they could be you or they could be me or anyone of us here, just poking nose and making some noise to see what bubbles up.

Take Care

Duane

Indeed we are making progess. Rather obvious you have a hard on for me Bobo, care to explain why?

You have made some valuable contributions to this list, why tarnish them with this nonsense?

> Rather obvious you have a hard on for me Bobo, care to explain why?