Whoops. In my lack of sleep induced fog, I read CODEC and interpreted that as PlugIn. I really need to get some sleep.

Codec issues come with two major occurrences in the OS and then determine how they affect applications. So all codecs appear in the OS registry. Some codecs are read only. Some are read and write.
For example a ProRes codec can be found in the OS registry and is compatible with read only as default on a Windows system. The appropriate quiktime library install will connect with VegasPro to give you this behavior.
However, you can install specialized Ffmpg libraries that will give you read and write of ProRes codec on a Windows OS. Depending on the flavor this behavior can be seen in VegasPro but not always.

The Render AS dialogue in VegasPro is your clue to writeable codecs and library calls that VegasPro can usually execute. For example an install of the Cineform codec with default to an .avi wrapper will be found in the Render AS dialogue under the .AVI wrapper call that VegasPro can usually see.

OK, here we go in order received, one by one, starting with...

Musicvid10:

1 - You said "Quicktime libraries and Windows vfw codecs installed on your system, period"

That mean Vegas ignores them since they do not install with Vegas... right? (Just confirming my understand)

2 - You said "I know of no File->Export command in Vegas. The correct path is File->Render As."

Well there is a File > Export on my Vegas 13 but you correctly perceived my intent to say "File > Render"

Gary James:

Now you tell me ! :-) Right after I went and found and downloaded Timeline Tools and spent an hour watching his 3-instructional videos... then discovered no codec display option in the tool !!
No problem however as it looks like a useful tool to have in the tool box.. so now we have it installed and a little quick start from those instructional video's.
So, thanks for suggesting it regardless.

videoTguy:

1 - I wouldn't know how search the registry for codec's unless I just open the registry browser and searched for the word "codec" ... would that find 'em all?

2 - Can't you pay $30 or so for Quicktime Pro and get Vegas to use the Apple Codec... ProRes... right?

Final Question on this post:

Bottom line it seems that you get the codecs that come with Vegas plus any you can "install" in Vegas such as Ciniform, Avid DNxHD, and Magic YUV, etc... right?

And... I've got questions now about Avid's DNxHD codec but I'm going to start a separate thread on that to make it easy for others to find.

Thanks again folks !

DonaldT, is this true?

I thought I read somewhere else that this would only show the codecs Window Media Player used or some such.

Is it in fact a complete list of codecs installed on the PC?

thanks for the help.

No = DonaldT is quite far- off in explaining the situation on a Windows OS....read my post above.

I read your post videoTguy. How do you search the registry for all installed codecs?

Can you just open RegEdit and search for the term Codec or must you manually enter the name of codecs to see if that one particular codec is installed?

Regedit - allows you to search the raw registry entries...names of codecs can be common names, but may also be lesser known name convention - and in some cases just a long serial number...

There are registry reading tools and in fact VegasPro app would be considered a registry reading app in the File Render AS dialogue sequence - just keep in mind the difference between containers, codecs, and formats.

Other registry reading tools can have more specialization - but AFAIK, there is no single one that can read all possible codecs and variations possible on a Windows OS

"How do you search the registry for all installed codecs?"

I have several programs that claim to show installed codecs but they give very different results.

But this is academic. The important thing is as musicvid10 has already said, Vegas will only see codecs it installed itself, MOV type (if Quicktime is installed) and Video for Windows (AVI type).

"Vegas will only see codecs it installed itself" -
No that is a mis-interpretation of information about VegasPro app and is not directly a succinct answer to the OP's original question.

Vegas as an app can poll the OS registry when a certain codec, container, or format may be required. All of that information repository is in the OS registry. Vegas as a registry interpeter can make calls to the system to see if it can for example read a codec that it DID NOT install! The key is in the configuration - so this is often why people have the right codec in mind but interpreted by the wrong container. Vegas is merely reflecting a subset of the make-up of the registry of the OS.

Vegas will only see codecs it installed itself

True, but one should extend this thought. Excluding the Quicktime and Video for Windows AVI systems, Vegas 12/13 does not install any codecs into any subsystem, nor does it use these other subsystems. These other systems being DirectShow and Media Foundation. Vegas does install/use use DirectX media objects for audio filters.

Vegas is pretty much self contained outside Qt and Vfw. Its codecs are in its File IO plugins folder and I have found no references to these objects anywhere. As to what codec(s) are supported in what container type is also explicitly clear by examining this folder and the DLLs within.

Vegas even special cases and bypasses some things in its Vfw implementation. Sony 10-bit YUV and Cineform.

Vegas can see vfw codecs, the list of codecs Vegas sees is shown in avi rendering template.
Note, that Vegas can only see and use vfw codecs of the same bitness as Vegas. That is, 64-bit Vegas version doesn't see and cannot use 32-bit vfw codecs.

You can see installed vfw codecs through GSpot utility. Note, that 32/64 bit restriction is applicable there as well, you need 64-bit version in order to see 64-bit vfw codecs

Don't know why my sentence was truncated and taken out of context.
That's soooo not what I said!

Thanks Peter Duke for getting it right.

This is waaaay to complicated...

And a grand opportunity for a brilliance programmer to develop a utility.

If I understand the original question correctly, then try:

1) select "Video for Windows (*.avi) -as suggested above.
2) select one of the existing templates - like HD720-50p YUV
3) click Customize Template
4) open the drop down menu Video format
5) now you can see the codecs available for Vegas and select one

This is how I use i.e. the lossless Lagarith codec for intermediary clips like complicated/ slow rendering tittles etc.

ritsmer, I'm going to give this a try when I get to the studio this morning. Thanks !

That is the means to see the .avi container and then review the codecs relatively handled in that container - just part of the codec list of the OS, and a subset of VegasPro can utilize - see all previous posts.

In particle Illusion I render out using Lagarith which needs to be installed for Vegas to read these AVI clips. BluffTitler can also read these PI clips, and then from Blufftitler it can be exported to AVI using Largarith. But when these clips all go into the Vegas project I can't render out using Largarith. I guess what's in Vegas stays in Vegas.

"But when these clips all go into the Vegas project I can't render out using Largarith. I guess what's in Vegas stays in Vegas."

Do you mean that you can't locate the Lagarith codec to render with, or do you mean that when you start to render, it fails?

Or did you mean that you are trying to render a Lagarith coded video to some other codec?

Right click the event in the timeline.
Go into the properties.
It will say what codec is being used to decode that particular event.

When you render out, the render as window will show all the options available to Vegas.