20 years ago, VEGAS was a household name in the editing community – back in the Sonic Foundry and Sony days. There was (and actually still is) a loyal following of editors who recognized what the VEGAS developers were doing with their unique approach to workflow. If you had any experience with audio, you immediately understood – and appreciated – what they were up to.
And when you wandered the halls of NAB, you’d see the big platforms duking it out on the show floor – Avid, Media 100, Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, and VEGAS, it was like watching the Kentucky Derby with all the horses neck and neck….
A lot has changed in 20 years – the editing platform wars have ebbed and flowed with some of the usual suspects commanding the headlines and the discussion. But something’s changed recently – the resurgence of VEGAS Pro. Now owned by MAGIX and developed and managed by a team of developers under the VEGAS Creative Software banner, VEGAS Pro is on the comeback trail, and I have to say, they’re coming on strong.
And while the brand may be under new ownership, many of the original developers and engineers, going back to Sonic Foundry days, are still there and keeping VEGAS Pro true to its roots while at the same time, pouring significant time and energy into new features, new capabilities, new workflows that are making VEGAS Pro a compelling and viable addition to the editing ecosphere.
This week, the team released VEGAS Pro 18 – the press release below provides a lot of detailed information on – not only what’s new in VEGAS Pro 18 – but what’s coming very soon with new cloud-based media management and collaboration tools.
Check it out. And for a closer look, check out the updated website here.
Yeah, it’s time for another look.
Media Contact for VEGAS Creative Software:
Kevin M. Bourke, BourkePR
508.259.6018 kbourke@bourkepr.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VEGAS Creative Software Launches VEGAS Pro 18; Unveils Extensive Plans for Cloud-Based Media Management and Collaborative Workflows
Significant Upgrade to VEGAS Pro Adds GPU-Accelerated Workflows, Advanced Motion Tracking, Enhanced HDR Support and Improved Plug-In and Color Grading Workflow Support
Madison, Wisconsin (August 3, 2020) – VEGAS Creative Software (www.vegascreativesoftware.com) announced today a substantial new upgrade to VEGAS Pro, the Company’s signature video/audio editing, color grading and effects platform designed for professional editors, filmmakers, YouTubers and social media creators.
With this announcement, VEGAS Pro 18 adds a breadth of new features and major feature improvements to enhance workflow performance, including AI-driven effects, GPU-accelerated workflows, advanced motion tracking, HDR support, sophisticated color grading tools and plug-ins ideally suited for video professionals in post-production facilities of all sizes and requirements.
VEGAS Creative Software also announced today detailed plans to provide extensive, cloud-based media management, file transfer and backup and collaboration capabilities that will help VEGAS Pro users manage large amounts of media and collaborate remotely with colleagues like never before.. All VEGAS Pro 18 cloud-based media management and collaboration tools will be initially offered as free services to VEGAS Pro 18 subscription customers. Pricing for cloud-based services for perpetual licence customers will be announced when the services become available beginning in October 2020.
New Features in VEGAS Pro 18In addition to the extensive, high-value cloud-based media management and collaboration tools to come, VEGAS Pro 18 adds a significant number of new features and workflow enhancements available immediately, including:
- Professional multi-channel audio editing with SOUND FORGE Pro 14 is now included with VEGAS Pro 18. SOUND FORGE Pro integrates tightly with VEGAS Pro enabling users to send audio files directly from the VEGAS Pro timeline into SOUND FORGE Pro, make their edits and return to VEGAS Pro where all changes are instantly and automatically updated in the timeline;
- Artificial intelligence driven effects including Colorize and Style Transfer;
- GPU Driver detection and update utilities and automatic GPU configuration for hardware acceleration;
- New Motion Tracking Panel;
- VEGAS Capture enhancements, including a new capture folder configuration and new audio encoder;
- HDR improvements, including hardware encoding available for HDR presets and automatic selection of IDTs based on metadata;
- Completely redesigned Plug-in management windows including robust search, third-party plug-in filtering and the ability to mark favorites;
- The addition of a variety of new plug-ins, including:
- Flicker Reducer
- Black Bar Fill
- Denoise
- Significant Color Grading improvements, such as:
- Dockable Color Grading Panel
- Logarithmic Exposure Tool (“Camera Exposure”)
- Improved Auto Contrast
- Skin-Tone Line for Vectorscope
- Combined RGB Display for RGB Parade scope
- Optional trim handles for timeline events;
- Timeline cursor location storage saved with project files;
- Video engine performance improvements;
- New presets and animations for Titles and Text
VEGAS Pro Cloud-Based Services: What’s ComingIn the coming months, VEGAS Creative Software will unveil a comprehensive family of media management and collaboration tools to connect the VEGAS Pro community, including:
VEGAS Hub, The Central Information DepotThe VEGAS Pro 18 cloud-based workflow revolves around the VEGAS Hub, which provides teams with secure file storage and centralized media file access. Built on the Microsoft Azure platform, VEGAS Hub acts as the central repository of control and information, enabling VEGAS Pro and other applications to communicate directly with the Hub for file download and upload, collection creation and management, and more. Additionally through the Hub, individual applications will communicate with each other, and the system will continue to evolve into a critical centralized file organizational tool and a remote collaboration center.
VEGAS TransferFor video and still images captured on a mobile device, VEGAS Transfer will be available as iOS and Android apps, and serve as the entry point into the VEGAS Hub environment. Users can quickly transfer media files from a mobile device into the Hub cloud storage. Uploaded files can be organized into Collections to organize them and enable direct access from VEGAS Pro and VEGAS Prepare. Upload files with VEGAS Transfer, organize them further with VEGAS Prepare, and then download them directly into VEGAS Pro from anywhere to start editing.
VEGAS PrepareWith VEGAS Prepare, users will be able to wrangle out-of-control herds of media files with three efficient levels of organization. Users can create a library with all media organized according to the structure that makes sense for the user, the team, and their workflow. Users can then further organize files into custom collections that make it easy to target a media category or classification to find precisely what is needed. Finally, add tags to individual files for quick filtering and sorting. Each level of organization is tied into local databases or the VEGAS Hub for collaboration, and can be accessed directly from inside VEGAS Pro for editing.
VEGAS Pro Hub ExplorerAll of the the custom collections created in VEGAS Prepare show up instantly inside VEGAS Pro, whether working online or offline. When users create and manage collections directly inside VEGAS Pro, they automatically update in VEGAS Prepare so the two remain in sync, and changes made in VEGAS Prepare instantly appear in VEGAS Pro. Users can download files from cloud storage on the Hub for use on the VEGAS Pro Timeline, and upload files to the Hub from right inside VEGAS Pro. The Hub Explorer window is the portal for remote collaboration, file sharing, and organizing collections.
Also Coming Soon: Live StreamingLater this month, VEGAS Creative Software will also launch VEGAS Stream, a new live streaming platform designed to serve the needs of content creators and broadcasters in multiple markets. VEGAS Stream provides a professional-caliber live streaming feature set within a tightly integrated VEGAS ecosystem. When a live stream event is complete, users will be able to send recorded events to VEGAS Pro 18 or VEGAS POST Suite, with all visual effects, graphics, and titles in place for further editing and on-demand delivery. Additional details will be announced later this month.
Pricing and AvailabilityVEGAS Pro 18 is available immediately as a monthly subscription or as a perpetual license. Subscription plans start at $19.99 per month. For more information on subscription pricing plans, please visit https://www.vegascreativesoftware.com/us/vegas-post-365/. For more information on purchasing a perpetual license or upgrading from a previous version and for complete details and information, please visit https://www.vegascreativesoftware.com/us/vegas-post/.
All VEGAS Pro 18 cloud-based media management and collaboration tools will be offered initially as free services to VEGAS Pro 18 subscription customers. Pricing for cloud-based services for perpetual licence customers will be announced when the services become available beginning in October 2020.
About VEGAS Creative SoftwareIn May 2016, MAGIX acquired the multiple award-winning VEGAS Pro and VEGAS Movie Studio product lines and created the VEGAS Creative Software team, based in Madison, WI. Our development teams in Madison and Berlin, Germany work closely together on innovative solutions to old problems, and building tools that push the boundaries of what is currently possible. Our mission is to make VEGAS software faster, more efficient, and even more intuitive and ultimately provide users at all levels–from video editing amateurs to creative professionals–tools that are perfectly suited to their needs and demands. For more information, please visit www.vegascreativesoftware.com.
Bourke PR 