Vegas 4.0 Gets a Custom Keyboard
I've known for some time that Sony Vegas can compete feature-for-feature with other well-known non-linear video and audio editing software on the market. Unfortunately, Vegas users were missing a custom keyboard that not only helps them edit faster, but looks great, too. The wait is over.
WorldTech Devices, Inc. teamed up with Sony Pictures Digital to create a custom keyboard with over 130 VegasŪ 4.0 commands laser etched onto their Specialist keyboard. This isn't some cheesy overlay or stickers that'll rub off after a few weeks of extended use. This Vegas keyboard is built for lasting professional use.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
The standard-sized USB keyboard comes in either black or off-white and connects to Windows XP and 2000 without the need for any specialized drivers. It's a standard QWERTY keyboard with number pad and snap on wrist rest. Hook-up was simple with an ample USB cable length for my (and probably most people's) computer setup. You can use it as your only keyboard, but when used with Vegas, that's when the real fun begins.
The Key Benefits
The most-used Vegas shortcuts are printed directly on the keys, of course. WorldTech Devices also uses color-coding: Purple for shortcuts related to playback and recording, yellow for changing what you see, pink for editing, and blue for navigation and selection. The colors are eye-pleasing pastels that are easy to see in a dimly lit editing suite. The remaining keys are black or off-white depending on your original color choice. They even printed the Vegas logo on the oversized spacebar. Nice.
The keyboard sits between my mouse and ShuttlePro forming a powerful triumvirate. Its colorful design will turn a few heads and impress clients when they visit. The keyboard responds well. The feel is solid, not flimsy, with just enough spring to be comfortable. It's a tad clacky, but that's probably a good thing helping you hear whether you pressed a key or two when your speakers are cranked (OK maybe that's just my studio).
 |
| WorldTech Devices Sony Vegas Keyboard |
The symbols printed on the keys are logical using the Vegas icons where applicable. Most of the others are easy to figure out, although I did need to consult the Vegas keyboard shortcuts listed in the on-line help a few times. The tiny manual is adequate for getting started, but I would have liked to see a key to the ... ahem ... keys. It would make it easier and faster to learn the Vegas shortcuts without having to cross reference what's on the keyboard with the software manual.
The manual does explain the map for keys that have multiple functions. The position of the icon on the key determines which key combination to use. Single key shortcuts reside in the lower left corner. The CTRL + Key on the lower right. ALT + Key, the middle left, CTRL + SHIFT + Key in the middle right, and Shift + Key in the upper right corner. Of course, the standard alphanumeric characters are there, too. This means a few keys are crowded, but I didn't find it a problem.
Seasoned Vegas veterans will love this device as it will remind them of a few shortcuts they forgot about or may not have known about at all. Novice and intermediate users will appreciate how the Vegas keyboard helps them learn and use the program's many shortcuts faster. They will spend less time memorizing and more time editing. I'd love to have these in the labs when I teach my Vegas college course; training time would drop significantly.
According to WorldTech Devices research, they claim that using shortcut commands and the mouse in tandem resulted in an average time savings of approximately 43%. The Vegas keyboard will speed up your editing efficiency. And my most unscientific findings agree with that observation.
Errata
Curiously, CTRL + SHIFT + Q, insert new video track, is not included on the keyboard icons, though CTRL + Q, insert new audio track is there. Also, in the manual CTRL + L is reported as inserting a picture slideshow; it should be toggle auto ripple mode instead. However, CTRL + L inserts a picture slideshow in Sony's DVD-A software, but the symbol on the key is the Vegas auto ripple icon.
Also of note, the keys marked for Shift 1, 2, and 3 erroneously report as displaying the Plug-in, Scopes, and Surround pan dialogs. The actual key combo is CTRL + ALT + 1 (2 or 3). I spoke with WorldTech Devices about this and they are making a notation in future manuals. To be fair, these three shortcuts are the only CTRL + ALT commands in all of Vegas.
Recommendation
Now Vegas users can show off the sophistication of their treasured software while speeding up their workflow efficiency through increased keyboard shortcut use. This is such a simple idea, smart, practical, and well executed. You'll wonder how you used Vegas without it. A few months ago I wrote an article about the top fifteen Vegas must-haves. The WorldTech Devices Specialist Vegas keyboard jumps to the top of my list. A definite must-have.
Contact:
WorldTech Devices
www.worldtechdevices.com
(877) 888-1400
Jeffrey P. Fisher is a composer, audio/video producer, and writer of four music industry books. He also co-hosts the Acid, Sound Forge, and Vegas forums on Digital Media Net. Check out what he's up to at www.jeffreypfisher.com or e-mail him at jpf@jeffreypfisher.com[an error occurred while processing this directive]
