Vegas Pro

Vegas Pro (stylised as VEGAS Pro, also called Sony Vegas) is a video editing software package for non-linear editing (NLE). The first release of Vegas Beta was on 11 June 1999.[4] The software runs on Windows operating systems.

Vegas Pro
Original author(s)
Developer(s)MAGIX Software
Stable release
21 Build 108 / 14 August 2023 (2023-08-14)[1]
Written inC#, JScript[2]
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows[3]
Platformx64;[3] .NET Framework 4.0[3]
TypeVideo editing software
LicenseProprietary
Websitewww.vegascreativesoftware.com/us/vegas-pro/

Originally developed as an non-linear audio editing app, it became a non-linear video and audio editor, starting from version 2.0. Vegas Pro features real-time multitrack video and audio editing on unlimited tracks, resolution-independent video sequencing, complex effects, compositing tools, 24-bit/192 kHz audio support, VST and DirectX plug-in effect support, and Dolby Digital surround sound mixing.

The software was originally published by Sonic Foundry until May 2003, when Sony purchased Sonic Foundry and formed Sony Creative Software.[5] On 24 May 2016, Sony announced that Vegas was sold to MAGIX, which formed VEGAS Creative Software, to continue support and development of the software.[6][7]

Features

Vegas does not require any specialised hardware to run properly, allowing it to operate on any Windows computer that meets the system requirements.[8]

In the areas of compositing and motion graphics, Vegas provides a 3D track motion with control over z-depth and spatial arrangement of visual planes, including plane intersection.

Many of the visual effects processing in Vegas follow an audio-like paradigm. Effects can be applied at any stage of the visual signal flow or event level. Moreover, track level and output level effects, such as reverb, delay, and flange, are applied in a digital audio system, like Pro Tools, Cubase or Sonar. Master output effects can also be controlled and manipulated over time by the use of Master Bus track automation envelopes.

Although Vegas started as a non-linear multimedia audio editor, it has no MIDI capability at all (with the exception of control-desk and synchronisation). For this reason, the use of Vegas is restricted only for post-production audio or for the non-linear video editing market.

Vegas features integration with 24p DV. It is also one of the few non-linear video editors which can convert other formats to 24p (or any other format) without any kind of a plug-in or third-party application support. It is the only non-linear video editor that allows multiple instances of the application to be opened simultaneously. Clips and sequences can be copied and pasted between instances of Vegas. One example of this can be rendering a sequence in the background, while the user continues to edit in a different instance of Vegas in the foreground. Vegas provides compositing, including green screen, masking, and key-frame animation. Nesting allows a prior project to be included in another project, modularising the editing process so that an array of tracks and edits become one track for further editing. Any changes to the previous project become reflected in the later project. Nesting is helpful in large, complex or special effects projects, as the final rendering suffers no generation loss.

Version/variant history

Each release of Vegas is sold standalone, however upgrade discounts are sometimes provided.[9]

Vegas Beta

Sonic Foundry introduced a sneak preview version of Vegas Pro on 11 June 1999. It is called a "Multitrack Media Editing System".[4]

Vegas 1.0

Released on 23 July 1999 at the NAMM Show in Nashville, Tennessee, Vegas was an audio-only tool with a particular focus on rescaling and resampling audio. It supported formats like DivX and Real Networks RealSystem G2 file formats.[10]

Vegas Video beta (Vegas 2.0 beta)

Released on 10 April 2000,[11] this was the first version of Vegas to include video-editing tools.

Vegas Video (Vegas 2.0)

Released on 12 June 2000.[12]

Vegas Video 3.0

Released on 3 December 2001. This release added:[13]

  • New Video Effects – Lens Flare, Light Rays, Film FX, Colour Curves, Mirror, Remap, Deform, Convolution, Linear Blur, Black Restore, Levels, Unsharp Mask, Colour Grading, and Timecode Burn filter.
  • Batch Capture with Automatic Scene Detection – Captures DV with automatic scene detection, batch capture, tape logging, still image capture and thumbnail previews.
  • Red Book Audio CD Mastering with CD Architect (TM) Technology – Used for burning Red Book audio CD masters directly from the Vegas timeline with ISRC, UPC, and PQ list support.
  • New Sonic Foundry DV Codec – Introduces a DV codec developed by Sonic Foundry that offers artifact-free compositing and DV chromakeying.
  • DV Print-to-Tape from the Timeline – Prints projects to DV cameras and decks from the Vegas timeline.
  • Windows Media (TM) File Editing – Creates and edits Windows Media (TM) files.
  • New MPEG Encoding Tools – Used for producing MPEG-2 files for DVD productions.
  • Dynamic RAM Previewing – Temporary RAM/render-free previews for analysis and tweaking of complex video FX without rendering.
  • VideoCD and Data CD Burning – Burning projects directly to VideoCD for playback on most DVD players or data CDs for playback computers' CD-ROMs.

Vegas 4.0

Released on 6 February 2003. This release added:

  • Advanced Color Correction Tools
  • Searchable Media Pool Bins
  • Vectorscope, Histogram, Parade and Waveform Monitoring
  • Application Scripting
  • Improved Ripple Editing
  • Motion Blur and Super-Sampling Envelopes
  • 5.1 Surround Mixing
  • Dolby® Digital AC-3 Encoding certified and tested by Dolby Laboratories
  • DirectX® Audio Plug-In Effects Automation
  • ASIO Driver Support
  • Windows Media™ 9 Support, including Surround Encoding
  • DVD Authoring with AC-3 File Import Capabilities
  • Integration with DVD Architect Via Chapter Marker Passing

Vegas 4.0b

Released in April 2003; added HD editing and 24p support.

Vegas 4.0e

Released in November 2003; This is the first release of Vegas under the ownership of Sony; Sonic Foundry had sold Vegas alongside Sound Forge and other programs to Sony Pictures Digital for USD$18 million that same year.[14]

Vegas 5.0

Released in April 2004; added reversing, masking and 3D Track Motion.

  • 3D Track Motion and Compositing
  • Keyframeable Bezier Masking
  • Transition Progress Envelopes
  • Support for control surfaces including the Mackie Control Universal
  • Envelope automation recording
  • Envelope point thinning
  • Support for 5.1 audio plugins-ins on the master bus
  • Multiple docking windows
  • sub-clip creation
  • Realtime audio/video event reverse
  • Save and recall up to 10 different window layouts

Vegas 6.0

Released on 18 April 2005.

Vegas 7.0

Released in September 2006. Version 7 is the final Vegas release to include Windows 2000 support. It also gives the option to move the timeline to the bottom.

  • Improved video preview
  • Enhances window layout management
  • Improved snapping
  • User definable default smoothness for Pan/Crop and Track Motion
  • Freehand envelope drawing on timeline
  • Cut/Copy/Delete applies to grouped events
  • Red eye reduction for still images
  • DVD Import of 5.1 audio

Vegas Pro 8.0

Released on 10 September 2007.

The first Sony Vegas version to go with the "Sony Vegas Pro" branding instead of the regular "Sony Vegas" branding. It also moved the timeline to the bottom by default, but users can still move it back to the top.

  • Ability to burn Blu-Ray DVD discs
  • Added support for Matrox uncompressed formats
  • Added support for reading QuickTime files using the BitJazz SheerVideo codec
  • Added "General" tab to the event and media properties
  • 32-bit floating point processing
  • Multi-camera editing
  • ProType Titler
  • Digital Signage support
  • Tempo based audio effects
  • Scripting now allows Custom Command extensions

Vegas Pro 8.1

Vegas Pro 8.1 is the first version of Vegas Pro to be ported to 64-bit systems.

Vegas Pro 9.0

On 11 May 2009, Sony Creative Software released Sony Vegas Pro 9.0 with greater support for digital cinema including:

  • Support for 4K resolution
  • Native support for pro camcorder formats such as Red and XDCAM EX

The latest release of Sony Vegas Pro 9.0 is Vegas Pro 9.0e (Released on 13 May 2010), which includes features such as new white balance video FX.

In 2009, Sony Creative Software purchased the Velvetmatter Radiance suite of video FX plug-ins and these are included in Sony Vegas Pro 9.0. As a result, they are no longer available as a separate product from Velvetmatter.[15]

Vegas Pro 10

Sony Vegas Pro 10, released on 11 October 2010. This release added:

  • Stereoscopic 3D Editing
  • Comprehensive Subtitling
  • GPU-Accelerated AVC Encoding for limited formats (Using NVIDIA CUDA). With the release of Sony Vegas Pro 10.0d, support was extended to some AMD GPUs (via the OpenCL GPGPU API).
  • Image Stabilisation
  • Audio Event FX
  • Track Management
  • Elastique Pitch Method
  • OpenFX plugins support
  • A few more updates and UI changes

Version 10 is the final Vegas Pro release to include Windows XP support.

Vegas Pro 11

Sony announced Vegas Pro 11 on 9 September 2011, and it was released on 17 October 2011. Updated features include GPGPU acceleration of video decoding, effects, playback, compositing, pan/crop, transitions, and motion. Other improvements were to include enhanced text tools, enhanced stereoscopic/3D features, RAW photo support, and new event synchronisation mechanisms.[16] In addition, Vegas Pro 11 comes pre-loaded with "NewBlue" Titler Pro, a 2D and 3D titling plug-in.

Version 11 is the final Vegas Pro release to include 32-bit support.

  • GPU Accelerated Video Processing
  • New Titles and Text plugin
  • Improved usability for ProType Titler
  • Added Star Wipe transitions
  • Added Radial Pixelate effect
  • Added per parameter keyframing for many effects
  • Event Pan/Crop is now integrated into the Video Effect dialog
  • Improved usability for the Mixing console
  • Simplified Master Bus window
  • Sync Links help keep events synced on the timeline

Vegas Pro 12

Sony released Vegas Pro 12 on 9 November 2012. Updated features include enhanced 4K support, more visual effects, and faster encoding performance. Vegas Pro 12 is dedicated to 64-bit versions of Windows.

Starting with this release, it is available in three new configurations:

  • Vegas Pro 12 Edit: Professional Video and Audio Production
  • Vegas Pro 12: Professional Video, Audio, and Blu-ray Disc Creation
  • Vegas Pro 12 Suite: Professional Editing, Disc Authoring and Visual Effects Design

New Features

  • Added New Plugins (LAB Adjust, Color Adjust, Layer Dimensionality)
  • Added Lightness/a/b to Histogram view
  • Added tools for creating rectangular or oval masks
  • You can now use the Apply to FX control in the Event Pan/Crop to mask video event effects
  • You can pair stereoscopic 3D subclips at the track level
  • new Match Project settings option to match the project with a video clip

Vegas Pro 13

Sony released Vegas Pro 13 on 11 April 2014. It brings new collaboration tools and streamlined workflows to professional content producers faced with a wide variety of multimedia production tasks. This is the final Vegas Pro release under Sony's ownership. The last Sony Vegas Pro 13 build was #453. MAGIX released a rebranded version build #545.

  • Added render support up to 4096x4096
  • Added loudness meters and logging

Vegas Pro 14

MAGIX released Vegas Pro 14 on 20 September 2016. This is the first release of Vegas Pro under the ownership of MAGIX. It features advanced 4K upscaling as well as various bug fixes, a higher video velocity limit, RED camera support and various other features. This was the last version of Vegas Pro to have the light theme set by default.

  • Improved Velocity Envelope and added 20% and 40% presets
  • Increased number of scripts that can be shown in the script menu
  • Native support for reading ProRes 4444 files
  • ProRes Rendering
  • Support for reading HEVC hvc1 file variants

Vegas Pro 15

Released on 28 August 2017, Vegas Pro 15 features major UI changes which claimed to bring usability improvements and customisation. It was the first version of VEGAS Pro to have a dark theme, and it also allows more efficient editing speeds, including adding new shortcuts to speed up editing. Vegas Pro 15 includes support for Intel Quick Sync Video (QSV) and other technologies, as well as various other features. It introduced the VEGAS Pro icon to be a V.[17]

  • Selective Paste Attributes
  • Support for AMD VCE hardware acceleration for encoding 8-bit progressive HEVC files and H264 AVC/AAC files
  • Read timecode from MP4/MOV files from GoPro, SAVC-S, and Alpaha 7s cameras
  • Updated Support for RED Epic Dragon, Raven, Scarlet, and Weapon files
  • LUT, Picture in Picture, Crop OFX filters now uses the GPU
  • 5k and 6k files from Panasonic GH5 scaled to 4K for editing

Vegas Pro 16

Released on 27 August 2018, Vegas Pro 16 has some new features including file backup, motion tracking, improved video stabilisation, 360° editing and HDR support.[18]

Vegas Pro 17

Released on 5 August 2019. This release added:[19]

  • Nested timelines
  • Improved video stabilisation
  • Planar motion tracking/video tracking
  • Smart Split Edit
  • Dynamic storyboard and timeline interaction
  • Bézier masking OFX-Plugin
  • Lens correction plug
  • Improved Picture-In-Picture OFX plug-in
  • Automatic slideshow creator
  • Screen capture
  • Improved multicamera editing
  • Improved colour grading
  • Length show
  • Experimental MKV reader

Vegas Pro 18

Released on 3 August 2020. This release added:[20]

  • Motion Tracker Panel
  • Improved Video FX, Transitions and Media Generator windows
  • 8-Bit (full range) pixel format
  • Black Bar Fill plug-in
  • Denoiser plug-in
  • Flicker Control plug-in
  • Style Transfer plug-in
  • Integrated graphics card driver update check
  • The Lens Correction FX has got an additional zooming factor
  • Export and Import of VEGAS Pro preferences
  • Reworked screen capture utility VEGAS Capture
  • Incremental Save
  • A more detailed render progress dialogue box
  • Swap video files
  • New Video Scopes options
  • VEGAS Prepare
  • VEGAS Hub explorer window
  • Alternate High DPI mode
  • Logarithmic Exposure adjustment
  • Some more legacy features were hidden by default, use Preferences > Deprecated Features
  • Event edge handles

Vegas Pro 18 has suffered from serious stability issues, causing it to have a 35% positive review score on the distribution platform Steam.[21]

Vegas Pro 19

Released on 18 August 2021. This release added:

  • Improved user interface
  • Improved colour grading
  • Improved effects
  • New cloud-integrated content management and acquisition.
  • Live streaming

Vegas Pro 20

Released on 10 August 2022. This release added:[22][23]

  • File Drop for fast collaboration
  • Automatic project collections
  • Local project archives
  • Speech to Text functionality including automatic subtitle generation (official release - 365 subscribers only)
  • White Balance controls in the Colour Grading Panel
  • Hue adjustment curves in the Colour Grading Panel
  • VST3 Support for audio editing (beta)
  • VST 32-bit bridge (beta)
  • Optical Flow mode for Warp Flow and Smart Split
  • Real-time Optical Flow for the Slow Motion FX
  • Normalize button for events
  • Fade In/out included in Paste Event Attributes
  • Automatic region creation in Scene Detection
  • Honeycomb and Colour Planes presets for GL transitions

Vegas Pro 21

Released on 14 August 2023. This release added:[24]

  • VEGAS Z-Depth OFX plug-in and compositor
  • Adjustment events
  • Offset and Wrap OFX plug-in
  • Smart Masking
  • VEGAS Mocha
  • Cloud-based text to speech (365 only)
  • Quick Upload (365 only)
  • Online Help
  • New GL Transitions
  • Improved Button icons
  • VEGAS Content improvements (365 only)

Reception

Major broadcasters have utilised the software, such as Nightline with Ted Koppel.[25][26] Several films have used Vegas to cut their features.[27]

References
  1. "VEGAS Pro". VEGAS Community.
  2. "www.vegascreativesoftware.com/us/downloads". Listed in Script FAQ's.
  3. "Vegas Pro Technical Specifications". vegascreativesoftware.com. Vegas Creative Software. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  4. "Sonic Foundry Announces Sneak-Preview Version of Vegas™ Pro". Sonic Foundry. 14 June 1999. Archived from the original on 7 January 2000. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  5. Ferranti, Marc (2 May 2003). "Sony Buys Sonic Foundry Products - PC World". Archived from the original on 26 January 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  6. Schmidt, Klaus (30 May 2016). "MAGIX Acquires Sony Creative Software Products" (Press release) – via Business Wire.
  7. "Sony sells most of its media editing tools". Engadget.
  8. "VEGAS Creative Software system requirements". www.vegascreativesoftware.com. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  9. "Save 62% on Upgrade to VEGAS Pro 18 Edit on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  10. "Sonic Foundry Launches Vegas™ Pro". Sonic Foundry. Archived from the original on 7 January 2000. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  11. "Sonic Foundry Announces Launch of Vegas Video". Archived from the original on 19 June 2000.
  12. "Sonic Foundry's Vegas Video Available for Sale at sonicfoundry.com". Archived from the original on 15 December 2000.
  13. "Sonic Foundry Launches Vegas Video 3.0". Streaming Media Magazine. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  14. "Sony Buys Sonic Foundry Products". PCWorld. Archived from the original on 26 January 2009. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
  15. "Old Velvetmatter Radiance page". Velvetmatter, LLC. 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  16. "Vegas Pro 11 Coming Soon". Archived from the original on 23 September 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  17. "Vegas Pro 15 Release Date". forums.creativecow.net. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017.
  18. "New features & highlights in VEGAS Pro 16". www.vegascreativesoftware.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  19. "New features & highlights in VEGAS Pro 17". www.vegascreativesoftware.com. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  20. Mendelovich, Yossy (5 August 2020). "VEGAS Pro 18 Announced: GPU Utilization, Motion Tracking, HDR Support, and Advanced Color Grading Capabilities". Y.M.Cinema – News & Insights on Digital Cinema. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  21. "VEGAS Pro 18 Edit Steam Edition on Steam". Steam. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  22. "New features & highlights - VEGAS Pro".
  23. Bourke, Kevin (10 August 2022). "VEGAS Creative Software Launches VEGAS Pro 20". Broadcast Beat. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  24. https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/vegas-pro-21-now-available--142064/
  25. Douglas Spotted Eagle (8 April 2005). "NIGHTLINE is the Right Line for Sony Vegas". VideoGuys Blog. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  26. "Dag-NAB-it! ABC Cancels 'Nightline' Director's Sony Spiel". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media, LLC: 8. 18 April 2005. ISSN 1068-6827. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2012. With industry veterans like George Murphy and his [Nightline] team using Sony Vegas 5 for international broadcasting, there is clearly a change in the winds of the editing world.
  27. "First Place, First Time!". Digital Media Online. Archived from the original on 5 November 2016.

Further reading
Book
  • Douglas Spotted Eagle (2008). Vegas Pro 8 Editing Workshop. Focal Press. ISBN 978-0-240-81046-1.
News release
Review
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