How to Import Video into Sony Vegas Movie Studio

: By: Derek Moran; In: VEGAS Movie Studio; Published: 27 March 2011; Last Updated: 02 September 2022

In this video tutorial I show some different ways to Import Video into your computer, ready for use in Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10.

I show how to Import from an SDHC Memory Card directly into a folder on your Hard Drive.
I also show how to use the inbuilt Device Explorer for Importing Video into Vegas.

Buy the latest version of Vegas Pro here !

About Derek Moran
Derek Moran is the author of all articles on Movie Studio Zen.
You can find me on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Read more about Derek...

Newest
- Best
- Popular
- Newest
- Oldest
Collapse All Expand All

You are a guest ( Sign Up ? )

or post as a guest

Loading comment... The comment will be refreshed after 00:00.

Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
Themba · 21:29 16/02/2019
Hi Derek
When adding video files on project media tap they come as MP4 and dragging it to editing platform it Only take the sound, is there anything am doing wrong.
- {"set":null,"list":null}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 01:16 17/02/2019
  
  Go to Options/Preferences/Audio Device and set Audio Device Type = Windows Classic Wave Driver
  Also try a different import method:
  If using Vegas Movie Studio, go to Project/Add Media
  If using Vegas Pro, go to File/Import/Media
  If you don't have audio after this, it sounds like the Video Codec your video was recorded with is not supported by Vegas. MP4 is only a generic file container, so your video could be using anything. Where did your video come from?
  
  {"set":null,"list":null}
  
  Reply
  
  Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  
  Themba · 05:32 20/02/2019
  
  Hi Derek
  Thanks for the feedback my videos I captured with camcorder Sony HD, even with the recommend options above it still import MP4
  
  {"set":null,"list":null}
  
  Reply
  
  Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 14:36 20/02/2019
  
  Video from Sony HD cameras work 100% with Audio in all versions of Vegas.
  This means you have probably turned on a setting in Vegas by accident, that is MUTING the audio. I recommend you do a FULL RESET of Vegas, which will restore all settings. After you do the reset, make sure to start a new project and then do a test. DON'T open an old project to test, in case you have wrong settings in saved project.
  Reset instructions here:
  https://www.moviestudiozen.com/doctor-zen-faq/573-how-to-reset-sony-software-to-default-settings
  
  {"set":null,"list":null}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
oxavet · 07:41 16/01/2018
Hi Derek I am having trouble with importing media taken form a iphone the message that sony keeps saying is the file is a unsupported format
- {"set":null,"list":null}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 09:43 16/01/2018
  
  Hi oxavet
  It sounds like you need to install Apple Quicktime.
  Quicktime is needed to decode some Apple video formats.
  There are download links in this tutorial here:
  https://www.moviestudiozen.com/free-tutorials/sony-movie-studio-platinum/75-install-apple-quicktime-when-using-sony-vegas-movie-studio-hd-platinum-11
  The important bit is in the section titled "[b]Important update about Apple Quicktime[/b]"
  
  {"set":null,"list":null}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
Trent · 20:40 29/10/2014
Hey there Derek,

I am TRYING to import media initially taken with an iphone. When I do, Sony Vegas gives me a message, stating:

"The Sony QuickTime plug-in was not able to initialize the QuickTime components on your system. It appears that QuickTime is not properly installed.

"QuickTime files cannot be read or written without a full installation of the QuickTime version 7.1.6 or greater components, including the authoring components".

I have QuickTime installed. I have used troubleshooter to ensure it is installed without error. Still, I have no luck bringing in any files from an iphone.

Would you be able to provide any help or insight into this problem please?

Many thanks in advance,
Trent
- {"set":null,"list":null}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 23:59 29/10/2014
  
  Hi Trent
  
  Quicktime does play up for some people. The reasons behind this are a bit complex.
  
  There are two solutions you can try.
  #1 Un-install Quicktime and then re-install it as the Administrator.
  Download newest version from Apple and then right-click install file and select [b]Run As Administrator[/b].
  [url]http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/[/url]
  
  #2 If this does not work, another solution that many people have success with is to install an older version of Quicktime.
  Try this:
  [url]http://support.apple.com/kb/DL762[/url]
  
  {"set":null,"list":null}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
Joyce Hunsaker · 06:58 22/10/2014
I have watched the Turt. however I still can't import. It gives me an error message "Warning: An error occurred while downloading one or more files. Reason could not be determined". I am trying to dwnld MP4 videos off of a SD card and into MSP12.0. Can you give me any other help?
- {"set":null,"list":null}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 17:25 22/10/2014
  
  Do you have Apple Quicktime installed on your computer ?
  This is a prerequisite for Movie Studio to work properly with certain files.
  
  Where are your videos coming from ?
  I will assume this is video recorded from a camera directly to the SD card.
  Which model camera are you using ?
  
  Most cameras come with software which helps you to download the video from the SD card into the computer. If your camera came with a disc and download software, use this to get the video off the SD card and then import the downloaded video directly into MSP12.
  
  Make sure to use Project - Import Media, when importing video into the program.
  
  {"set":null,"list":null}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
jose · 14:11 11/10/2014
hey im useing bandi cam to record my games , ive done all the steps youve listed above but it wont let me add too mediA
HELP!
- {"set":null,"list":null}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 15:25 11/10/2014
  
  I have never used Bandicam, however I see that it can record to many different formats.
  Not all Video Formats/Codecs are supported by Movie Studio Platinum and Vegas Pro.
  
  Which exact version of Movie Studio Platinum or Vegas Pro are you using ?
  Which format did you record to with Bandicam ?
  File extension ?
  
  The first thing I would do is to record 1 minute of video with Bandicam using ALL the different recording formats. So you should have a few different samples to test.
  Then see which ones work.
  
  An obvious format that definitely will not work is Xvid.
  
  {"set":null,"list":null}
  
  Reply
Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
Bruno DUBOIS · 03:21 10/03/2014
Hi Derek,

I started my 4 hours project again from scratch as I was unable to understand where the clips from the two cameras fit in the vacation. So from the Sony action cam, I created three folders : Day, night discovery. I edit the 190 clips from the Sony and sort them in the different folders. I am now trying to import the folders I create in Vegas movie 12 platinum. All I can do is import each file, which takes me back from the start, where all files are mixed. How can I import one folder at a time keeping the sorted files in each folder ?
Thank you,
Kind Regards,
Bruno
- {"set":null,"list":null}
- Reply
- Your comment will be reviewed by a moderator before it is published on the site.
  Derek
  
  Member
  
  Moderator
  
  · 12:05 10/03/2014
  
  Hi Bruno
  This tutorial is very old now. I need to up date it.
  Try this:
  Go to the Project Media Tab and press on top of [B]Media Bins[/B]
  Right-click and select [B]Create New Bin[/B]. Create your three folders this way.
  Now press on top of [B]Folder 1[/B]
  Go to Explorer Tab. First you need to find all your main folders and [B]Favourite[/B] them. Go to Computer - C or D Drive (drive that contains your media files) - Users - [I]your name[/I] - My Videos - [I]click on top and [B]Add to Favourites[/B][/I]. Repeat for Pictures, Music, etc.....
  Now using Favourites, find your 3x Sorted Folders. Open the first folder - same as the first one you selected in one of the 3x new Project Media Bin folders. Highlight all files, right-click and select [B]Add to Project Media List[/B].
  Go back to Project Media tab and you will see all files in the correct folder. Select the [B]next[/B] media bin folder and then go back to the Explorer Tab and repeat the process for each separate folder.
  Regards
  Derek.
  
  {"set":null,"list":null}
  
  Reply

How to Import Video into Sony Vegas Movie Studio

In this video tutorial I show some different ways to Import Video into your computer, ready for use in Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10.

You are a guest ( Sign Up ? )

or post as a guest

Subscribe to Newsletter

Get VEGAS Pro tips straight to your Inbox, when you subscribe to my Newsletter.

About Me

Make a Donation