Sony Creative Software has announced Vegas Pro 9, the latest version of its nonlinear HD video and audio editing (NLE) application, and the Vegas Pro Production Assistant software plug-in.

Vegas Pro 9

Vegas Pro 9 features a new customizable interface for optimized viewing and enhanced usability, as well as significant improvements for professional video editors, including direct browsing and import of Sony XDCAM EX footage, native file support for the RED ONE camera, compress to MXF file format during capture from SD/HDSDI sources, a scalable 4K workflow, and powerful new effects and editing enhancements. The software includes both native 32-bit and 64-bit versions at no additional cost, enabling editors to take full advantage of today's most advanced hardware while retaining compatibility with older systems.

"Our Vegas Pro software was the first editing application to provide a comprehensive end-to-end solution for the Sony XDCAM format, including an innovative proxy workflow and extremely fast no-recompress smart render to MXF," said Dave Chaimson, vice-president of global marketing for Sony Creative Software. "Vegas Pro 9 broadens our commitment to the broadcast community by adding workflow enhancements throughout the production chain, including native .mp4 support for Sony XDCAM EX files and real-time baseband SD/HD recording to 50 Mb/s MXF files using industry-standard capture cards. Vegas Pro has always been a great choice for video journalists on the go, thanks to its ability to scale to a wide range of cost-effective mobile computing solutions. Vegas Pro 9 extends this scalability to a new level by offering the option of working in a full 64-bit mode, enabling power users to take advantage of today's multi-core/multi-processor workstations and 64-bit operating systems."

New Vegas Pro 9 Feature Highlights

Enhanced Native XDCAM and AVCHD Support
The new Device Explorer feature enables users to quickly browse the contents of both XDCAM EX devices and AVCHD cameras, allowing users to selectively import files and use them natively, without conversion to an intermediate format. Vegas Pro 9 also allows users to directly capture XDCAM-compatible MXF files from supported SD/HDSDI sources. The new capture-compress function allows broadcast editors to convert their legacy SD or HD tape-based material, including Digital Betacam, HDCAM, and DVCPRO 100, into high-quality, IT-friendly MXF clips conforming to the Sony XDCAM MPEG2 standard.

4K Workflow Enhancements
In addition to supporting frame sizes up to 4096x4096 (4K), Vegas Pro 9 software offers improved performance working with high-resolution still formats as well as added support for gigapixel-resolution images.

Unique New Video Effects
Six new effects plug-ins allow editors to create a variety of high-quality effects for video and still images. These provide original creative solutions for titles and special effects. The new Gradient Wipe Transition offers interesting new organic and artistic transitions.

New Editing Enhancements
New workflow enhancements in Vegas Pro 9 software help speed up production in a number of ways. Customizable layouts allow each user to arrange their workflow for maximum creativity. Enhancements have been made for importing and archiving media. New keyboard/mouse modifiers help to save even more time by streamlining editing commands.

Native Support for RED ONE Cameras
Vegas Pro 9 software now offers native support for opening and editing RED ONE (.r3d) files on the timeline to support 4K HD workflows using footage from RED high definition video cameras.

Improved Image Support
Vegas Pro 9 software provides native import and export support for industry standard still image formats. DPX and OpenEXR are highly flexible image formats that give editors more latitude for effects and color correction. By offering support for these additional high-end file formats, Vegas Pro 9 software provides an effect workflow with graphic effects packages. Vegas Pro 9 software also now supports gigapixel-size images directly on the timeline. This feature allows editors to use these large pictures for creating a movie sequence by using pan/scan and crop techniques while maintaining HD resolution.

Audio Editing Enhancements
Building on industry-leading audio capabilities, Vegas Pro 9 software now offers improved audio-waveform drawing during recording, which greatly increases workflow speed. Audio-only edits, such as event moves, trims and ASR envelopes, are no longer quantized to frame boundaries by default, helping editors match audio and video to an exact event on the timeline. A "Use all Streams and Channels" command has been added to the Trimmer window shortcut menu enabling users to choose how streams and channels are handled when adding media to the timeline.

Vegas Pro Production Assistant

The Vegas Pro Production Assistant software plug-in is a brand-new tool for Sony Vegas Pro 9 that takes advantage of powerful scripting capabilities to automate repetitive production processes to help editors meet their demanding deadlines faster than ever before. The Vegas Pro Production Assistant also works with Vegas Pro 8.

"In today's multi-format, multi-cast world, content producers are facing new challenges when it comes to creating and delivering their programs," said Dave Chaimson, vice president of global marketing for Sony Creative Software. "Mixing 4:3 SD clips with 16:9 HD source material is a common scenario for our broadcast customers, requiring some additional editorial decisions on whether to pan/crop, zoom, letterbox or pillarbox the material. On the output side, delivery targets range from traditional SD and HD broadcasts, to the Web, DVD and Blu-ray discs, to portable devices like cell phones, portable media players and the Sony PSP. The Vegas Pro Production Assistant plug-in streamlines the entire production process, enabling broadcasters to create consistent, high-quality content for multiple delivery platforms regardless of the original aspect ratio and resolution, all with a few simple mouse clicks."

Developed in partnership with VASST, developers of training and software tools for Sony Vegas Pro, the Vegas Pro Production Assistant software plug-in features an easy to use, three-tab interface for Input, Process and Output. Pre-built output presets for broadcast workflows are included to quickly begin finalizing content for television. Additional broadcast features include tools for creating lower thirds, splitting stereo track into two mono tracks, normalizing audio tracks, broadcast color process, audio ducking functions and outputting to multiple formats simultaneously.

Key Vegas Pro Production Assistant Features

In addition to a number of secondary tools, the Vegas Pro Production Assistant software plug-in features five primary productivity tools:

1. Montage Tool: Automates the process of creating a montage from your video or still images.
2. Motion Tool: Automates the motion of clips across the screen complete with motion backgrounds.
3. Lower Thirds Tool: Generates animated lower thirds automatically with complete control over placement and timing.
4. Workflow Automation Tools: Streamlines tasks such as normalization, stereo to mono split, crossfade creation, audio ducking and archiving.
5. Batch File Processing Tool: Treats multiple files simultaneously with processes such as playback rate adjustment, image sequence generation, reduce interlace flicker, convert to widescreen, broadcast color correction and more.

Product Demos at the 2009 NAB Show

The Vegas Pro 9 audio and video editing software and the Vegas Pro Production Assistant software plug-in will be demonstrated at the Sony Creative Software booth C10515, LVCC Hall C 5 at the 2009 NAB Show event in Las Vegas, April 20 - 23. Visit the Sony Creative Software booth for a complete schedule and session overviews.

Price and Availability

The Vegas Pro 9 software and is scheduled to be available on May 11th, 2009 at retailers worldwide and for purchase online at www.sonycreativesoftware.com (pre-orders start April 20th, 2009). Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for Vegas Pro 9 software is $699.95. Localized French, German, Spanish, and Japanese versions will also be shipping on May 11th, 2009.

The Vegas Pro Production Assistant software plug-in (English only) will also be available on May 11th, 2009 from the Sony Creative Software website and nationwide retailers. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the Vegas Pro Production Assistant software is $199.