basic help plz

[super8guy]

I've tried searching, but my rudimentary knowledge precludes a proper search either on this forum or via the index in the SG VMS guide.

The problem: When I move media to the timeline, once on the timeline sometimes the video and audio portion of the event move together and sometimes they don't. For example, I'd like to shorted the entire event, not just the video. When i try to shorten, or split the event, either the top or bottom will be affected, not both. How does one "lock/unlock" both portions together?

Thanks for your help, failure to proceed is not an option.

[Steve Grisetti]

You're saying you're moving a single clip, right? An audio/video combination clip?

And you're saying that sometimes, when you move the clip on your timeline, you get either the audio or video but not both?

That sure shouldn't happen. Are you using a key combination when you drag the clip on your timeline?

[super8guy]

When I move the clip, both the video and audio portion are moved to the timeline. It's when I try to manipulate the event, the video portion is affected independently from the audio portion. When I attempt to shorten, spit, etc the event, I want both video and audio to be manipulated together, not independently.

When I drag the media to the timeline, I am using the left mouse button.

[Steve Grisetti]

Are you dragging your video from the Project Media panel or from the Trimmer?

The Trimmer has settings which let you pull in the audio and video independently.

Also, right-click on the event clip on the timeline and see if maybe something has been toggled to unlink or ungroup the audio from the video.

[super8guy]

Are you dragging your video from the Project Media panel or from the Trimmer?

From the project media panel by holding the left mouse button

The Trimmer has settings which let you pull in the audio and video independently.

Also, right-click on the event clip on the timeline and see if maybe something has been toggled to unlink or ungroup the audio from the video.

When I right click I see nothing I can tell that indicates I've ungrouped the audio from the video.

Perhaps this is relevant: This is the first time I've tried to edit clips from my Contour camera. The format is H.264, attributes: 848 x 480 x 24, 00:01:57;07
and in contrast to when I've successfully edited clips from my ACVHD Sony camera, the event has an unusual color, salmon, on the timeline if that is relevant or helpful.

(I just tried to pull in a video taken by the Sony camera and once it was on the timeline, it too was behaving similarly to the Contour camera clip so I conclude it had nothing to do w/ the source of the video.)

Then I launched a separate version of VMS HD in an attempt to see if my former projects behaved differently, and to my surprise they too now were behaving differently than when I last edited them. That is the video portion on the timeline now moves independently from the audio. I honestly don't recall changing the settings, but clearly something was changed. Anyone have any idea of where to look? I intend to reread the book in an attempt to learn how to get the video and audio to move together on the timeline.

[Steve Grisetti]

I'm not sure if the book will be of much help in this situation. It may not hurt -- but it may not help either.

Video from that Contour camera may not be a good fit for this program.

But your best bet at getting it to work is to start a new project using Project/New and then selecting the option to Match Project Settings. This will open an option screen so that you can browse to a sample clip. Vegas will then make its best guess for project settings based on the clip you provide it.

These little camcorders often employ some strange codecs in getting hi-def video to fit in such a small space. Sometimes their video doesn't behave like "normal" video. And that could be what's at work here.

And if that's the case, I'm afraid I can't be of much more help. It's sort of unmapped territory -- unless someone else on this forum has successfully worked with this same video.

[Steve Grisetti]

Just saw this though. It may be of some help.
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/for ... &Replies=2

[super8guy]

Steve,

Ok lets forget about the Contour camera. Heretofore, i've been successfully editing AVCHD files from my Sony HDR-SR11 and NEVER had this issue! Now my default value is as described: that is, when I go to make a change to an event on the timeline, the video/audio portions no longer move together. This would seem to be a simple issue to fix, but I'm unable. I've even tried, as you suggested, to match project settings...no joy!

Maybe if I ask how does one uncouple the video from the audio on the timeline, someone may recognize how to do that, and to fix my issue, I'll just reverse the process?

[Steve Grisetti]

Go to your Options menu and see if Ignore Event Grouping is selected.

If it is, toggle it off and see if that fixes it.

[super8guy]

Go to your Options menu and see if Ignore Event Grouping is selected.

If it is, toggle it off and see if that fixes it.

Wow, I sensed the fix was something basic and easy (just didn't know how to get there.) Yes, when I deselected Ignore Event Grouping as per your suggestion, both the audio and video move as one. Halleluiah!

Unless this fix is already somewhere in the newer edition (I'm using the VMS HD Plat 10 ver.) I'd suggest adding it, specifically to chapter six under the heading Separate a clip's audio and video which is on page 74.

Thank-you!

[Steve Grisetti]

Except that it's not a "fix", super8. It's how the program is designed to work.

You just inadvertently toggled this switch -- possibly by accidentally pressing the key combination.

But it may be worth mentioning, as you suggest, in that section of the book.

Glad we could help you out!