VEGAS Pro is a professional video editing software available for Windows operating systems only. The first release of Vegas Beta was on June 11, 1999. It was originally published by Sonic Foundry, then by Sony Creative Software, and now by Magix.
Originally developed as audio editing software, it became a NLE (non-linear editing) for video and audio, 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.
On May 26, 2016, Sony announced that Vegas (and most of its "Creative Software" line) was sold to MAGIX, which would continue supporting and developing the software.
In logo editing culture[]
VEGAS Pro, as of 2022, is the most used video editing software in the community of logo editing. It is ranked to be the most used and easiest software, since there are a variety set of effects and filters. Logo editors also install video plug-ins, known as OFX plug-ins, such as NewBlueFX and GenArts Sapphire, onto the software, as well as audio plug-ins, known as VST plug-ins. With the extra plug-ins they included, a wide number of effects are created every day, such as Videoups, Audioups, G Major effects, and more. A most popular and most-used effect, G Major, was created and originated in a VEGAS Pro version back in 2010-2012.
Distribution of full/cracked versions[]
VEGAS Pro is a paid video editing software, with a 30-day free trial included to try out. However, logo editors disagree with the price for the full software. Instead of them purchasing the full version respectfully, they search for cracked versions of VEGAS Pro, more likely versions 12-20, on Google and YouTube. They easily get away with using the full versions.
Features[]
VEGAS does not require any specialized hardware to run properly, allowing it to operate on almost any standard Windows computers across a wide range of hardware.
In areas of compositing and motion graphics, VEGAS provides a wide tool set, including 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 audio effects 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.
One major drawback of VEGAS is that although it started life as an Audio Multitrack NLE, it has no MIDI capability at all (with the exception of control-desk and synchronization). For this reason, the use of VEGAS is restricted only for post-production Audio or for the Video NLE market.
VEGAS features integration with 24p DV. It is also one of the few NLEs which can convert other formats to 24p (or any format to any other format) without any kind of a plug-in or third-party application support. Moreover, it is the only NLE 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 sophisticated compositing including green screen, masking, and keyframe animation. Nesting allows a prior project to be included in another project, modularizing 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 especially helpful in large, complex or special effects projects, as the final rendering suffers no generation loss.
MAGIX VEGAS Pro supports scripting technology which provides task automation, simplified workflow, and greater efficiency and productivity. Free and paid pre-written scripts are available from the VEGAS community on the web.
Timeline of versions[]
Each release of VEGAS is sold standalone, however upgrade discounts are sometimes provided.
Vegas Beta (Sonic Foundry's ownership)[]
Sonic Foundry introduced a sneak preview version of Vegas on June 11, 1999. It is known as a "Multitrack Media Editing System".
Full release[]
Vegas 1.0[]
Released on July 23, 1999 at the NAMM Show in Nashville, Tennessee, Vegas was an audio-only tool with a particular focus on rescaling and resampling audio. It boasted support for popular formats like DivX and Real Networks RealSystem G2 file formats.
Vegas Video beta (Vegas 2.0 beta)[]
Released on April 10, 2000, this was the first version of Vegas to include video-editing tools.
Vegas Video (Vegas 2.0)[]
Released on June 12, 2000.
Vegas Video LE 3.0[]
Unknown information was found.
Vegas Video 3.0[]
Released on December 3, 2001.
This release offered:
- New Video Effects – Lens Flare, Light Rays, Film FX, Color Curves, Mirror, Remap, Deform, Convolution, Linear Blur, Black Restore, Levels, Unsharp Mask, Color Grad, and Timecode Burn filter.
- Batch Capture with Automatic Scene Detection – Capture 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 – Burn professional-quality Red Book audio CD masters directly from the Vegas timeline, with ISRC, UPC, and PQ list support.
- New Sonic Foundry DV Codec – This high-quality DV codec developed by Sonic Foundry offers pristine colors, sharp images, artifact-free compositing, and DV chromakeying.
- DV Print-To-Tape From The Timeline – Print finished projects, with bars and tone, to DV cameras and decks from the Vegas timeline.
- Windows Media (TM) File Editing – Create and edit Windows Media (TM) files in Vegas Video 3.0.
- New MPEG Encoding Tools – The new MPEG plug-in in Vegas Video produces superior MPEG-2 files for DVD productions, with significantly faster render times.
- Dynamic RAM Previewing – Temporary RAM/render-free previews allow quick analysis and tweaking of complex video FX without time consuming rendering.
- VideoCD and Data CD Burning – Burn your project directly to VideoCD for playback on most DVD players, or data CD for playback on your computer's CD-ROM.
Vegas 4.0[]
Released on February 6, 2003. This release included:
- Advanced Color Correction Tools
- Searchable Media Pool Bins
- Vectorscope, Histogram, Parade and Waveform Monitoring
- Application Scripting
- Improved Ripple Editing
- Motion Blur and Supersampling 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 (Sony's ownership)[]
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 US$18 Million that same year.
Vegas 5.0[]
Released in April 2004.
Vegas 6.0[]
Released on April 18, 2005.
Vegas 7.0[]
Released in September 2006. Version 7 is the final Vegas release to include Windows 2000 support.
Vegas Pro 8.0[]
Released on September 10, 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.
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 May 11, 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 Vegas 9. As a result, they are no longer available as a separate product from Velvetmatter.
Vegas Pro 10.0[]
Sony Vegas Pro 10.0 was released on October 10, 2010, in which introduced many new features such as:
- Stereoscopic 3D Editing
- Comprehensive Closed Captioning
- GPU-Accelerated AVC Encoding for limited formats (Using NVIDIA CUDA). With the release of Vegas 10d, support was extended to some AMD GPUs (via the OpenCL GPGPU API).
- Image Stabilization
- 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 11.0 on September 9, 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 synchronization mechanisms. In addition, Vegas Pro 11 comes pre-loaded with "NewBlue" Titler Pro, a 2D and 3D titling plug-in.
Vegas Pro 12[]
Sony released Vegas Pro 12.0 on November 9, 2012. It was the first version of VEGAS Pro to have an on screen watermark that appeared every 15 seconds. Updated features include enhanced 4K support, more visual effects, and faster encoding performance. Vegas Pro 12.0 is dedicated to 64-bit versions of Windows.
Vegas Pro 13[]
Sony released Vegas Pro 13 in 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.
Available in three new configurations:
- Vegas Pro 13 Edit: Video and Audio Production
- Vegas Pro 13: Video, Audio, and Blu-ray Disc Creation
- Vegas Pro 13 Suite: Editing, Disc Authoring, and Visual Effects
This version dropped support for Windows Vista.
VEGAS Pro 14[]
MAGIX released Vegas Pro 14.0 on September 20, 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.
VEGAS Pro 15[]
Released on August 28, 2017, VEGAS Pro 15.0 features major UI changes which claimed to bring usability improvements and customization. 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 included 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.
Bugs[]
- In 2024, if you have bought VEGAS Pro 15.0 from Steam, then it would become unusable and be removed from your Steam library.
VEGAS Pro 16[]
Released on August 27, 2018, VEGAS Pro 16.0 has some new features including file backup, motion tracking, improved video stabilization, 360° editing and HDR support.
Version 16 is the final Vegas Pro release to include Windows 7 support.
VEGAS Pro 17[]
Released on August 5, 2019. It contains these new features:
- Nested timelines
- Improved video stabilization
- 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 color grading
- Length show
- Experimental MKV reader
VEGAS Pro 18[]
Released on August 3, 2020. New features:
- 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 dialog
- 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
Bugs[]
- VEGAS Pro 18.0 has suffered from serious stability issues, causing it to have a 35% positive review score on the distribution platform Steam.
VEGAS Pro 19[]
Released on August 18, 2021. New features:
- Improved user interface
- Improved color grading
- Improved effects
- New cloud-integrated content management and acquisition.
- Live streaming
VEGAS Pro 20[]
Released on August 10, 2022. New features:
- 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 Color Grading Panel
- Hue adjustment curves in the Color 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 Color Planes presets for GL transitions
Bugs[]
- There is a graphical bug with UI-less VST plugins, where they will be badly cropped.
VEGAS Pro 21[]
Released on 14 August 2023. This version dropped support for Windows 8.1. This release added:
- VEGAS Z-Depth OFX plug-in and compositor
- Adjustment events
- Offset and Wrap OFX plug-in
- Smart Masking
- Mocha VEGAS
- Cloud-based text to speech (365 only)
- Quick Upload (365 only)
- Online Help
- New GL Transitions
- Improved Button icons
- VEGAS Content improvements (365 only)
Bugs[]
- If you install the first build of VEGAS Pro 21.0, then your project files from older versions may become corrupted, as audio effects like Vibrato become unusable. To fix this, replace the contents of "C:\Program Files (x86)\VEGAS\Shared Plug-Ins\Audio_x64" with DLLs from VEGAS Pro 18.0.
VEGAS Pro 22[]
Released on 29 July 2024. New features:
- AI Auto Reframe
- Tempo Detection
- Beat Detection
- Audio Sync
- AI Text-Based Editing
- Performance Improvements
- Media Management
- New Welcome Screen
- Perfect Your Image
- AI Dehaze
- AI Sharpen
- AI Smoothen
Trivia[]
- VEGAS Pro 15.0 to 21.0's release dates were announced in the same month each year.
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