Hey guys,
 
I don't do much with video and have never done anything with video in Sonar, but now I have to and I'm running into a few issues. Firstly, it doesn't seem to be reading the 4GB MOV file I got. I do have Quicktime installed. Is there any way to get it to do that? I don't necessarily need to export to MOV but I do need to read it.
 
Export-wise, the settings are a little abracadabra to me. It asks for a screen size and a bitrate, I find both hard to judge. Is there any way I can get it to follow the "original" settings? Or is there a way (other than a calculator) to say I want it to be, say 500MB?

Sanderxpander...It asks for a screen size and a bitrate...

It does--? - Sonar isn't a video editing program.  You can import video and then compose a soundtrack, but if you need to make changes to the video, that has to be done in a video editing program.
 
It's best to make a scratch copy of the video at a lower resolution so it plays more easily in Sonar - It doesn't matter, since it's only standing in for the real video.  After you have your soundtrack done, then that audio and the real vid are brought into a video editing program where the two are married.
 
But there shouldn't be any settings involving the video when you're ready to export the audio from Sonar -- you're only exporting the audio.
 
Randy B.

No when I choose to export video I have to set all that stuff. I don't have a separate video editing program. And I don't really need to change the rate, it just makes me set something.

Sonar and Quicktime and Windows are all a roll of the dice regarding playability.   I get Quicktime files from multiple sources to work on daily and never know which ones will play and which ones will not.  Some will play in Sonar,  some will not.
 
I avoid issues by using a video program(s) (Vegas, Quicktime Pro ..both very inexpensive) to do the video chores.  I create an AVI file to work on in Sonar.  When I finish I export a stereo wav and generate a new picture file from one of the video programs. That is the quickest, safest, most efficient way to work picture files and Sonar.

Vegas is like 400 bucks. Quicktime Pro seems to be 30? Will I be able to convert into a more common Windows format reliably using QT Pro, and set different quality and stuff? I have Roxio Video Converter and no matter which setting I use I always get bad quality somehow.

Sanderxpander
No when I choose to export video I have to set all that stuff. I don't have a separate video editing program. And I don't really need to change the rate, it just makes me set something.

AH - I see - Your posts made me go take a look in Sonar, Sanderxpander.  Get this - When working with video in Sonar, all I've ever wanted is to export the audio mix, so I have been blind to the fact that there's even an export video option! - I literally never paid attention, since I generally work with a dumbed down lower rez copy of the vid, work on audio, then go to my video program for final work.
 
So now I've tested exporting an .avi file from Sonar.  I saw that there's an "Encoding Options" menu, but the defaults for both video and audio are "No compression."  In other words, without changing anything, the export will be a straight copy of the original, which is what you want.  You're not required to make any settings - there's just that pop-up to ignore.  You thought you Had to make choices?  You don't.
 
--This is a side issue - but now that I've tried exporting video from Sonar, twice now, I've discovered something's wonky.  Sonar crashed both times - I'm not able to do it!  But I can do what I usually do - I tested exporting just the audio from the video, and that worked perfectly.
 
As Jimbo suggested, you really need to get a video editing program if you want to be doing more with video.  There is the free Windows Movie Maker - I don't know if you can import video and audio separately in it, I've never tried that.
 
Randy B.

So you say you ignore the popup and then it crashes? What happens if you don't ignore it?

I don't mind paying 30 bucks for QT Pro if it does what I want but video is a tiny part of my work so I'm not really planning to invest 400 bucks into an entire video editing suite. All I need is to put different audio under it and possibly make the file a little smaller (like, 1GB for a 3 min vid instead of 4GB).

Sanderxpander
So you say you ignore the popup and then it crashes? What happens if you don't ignore it?...

The crashing is a side issue - I have no idea why it's happening, but it has to be something going on here on my computer.  I'm sure video export is working for most people - So, I wouldn't worry about my crashing problem.
 
But yes, I'm suggesting you ignore the popup since the default settings are simply to render an exact copy of the video without compression - without changing it.
 
Do try the free Windows video program - It's worth looking into in case it does what you need.
 
RB

I bought Quicktime Pro now. I don't really see how I can replace the existing soundtrack with it, although it can seemingly extract video and audio separately (as can Sonar). Hints from experienced users are welcome.

Sanderxpander
I bought Quicktime Pro now. I don't really see how I can replace the existing soundtrack with it, although it can seemingly extract video and audio separately (as can Sonar). Hints from experienced users are welcome.

OK, I use Power Director - The first step in putting a project together is to import media.  So I'll have video clips, still images, as well as audio files.  I drag what media I want on to the timeline.  If I'm replacing a soundtrack, I unlink the video and audio on the master clip, delete or mute the original audio, drag in the new soundtrack which is already in sync since it was developed in Sonar parallel to the video.  See?  It must work in a similar way with your program.
 
Randy B.