Editing MPEG

[MTD]

Okay, so I took footage off a DVD and got the MPEG file. There are 3 clips that need to be edited together. When I play the MPEG in something like Windows Media Player, it works and I get sound. When I play it in Sony Vegas, I only get picture and no audio. I understand Vegas isn't really much of an MPEG editor, so how should I do this? Would converting it .AVI then editing it work?

[ozymango]

For straight mpeg editing, I love Womble MPEG Video Wizard; very fast, very clean. VirtualDub mpeg might also work but I've never tried it myself, but it's free for download so might be worth a check.

[MTD]

Alright I'll check those out. Are there any free DVD to AVI convertors? I haven't found any. And converting to MPEG to AVI looks like crap and gives me no audio anyway.

[jman98]

I use Womble's MPEG2VCR, which is an older product to the MPEG Video Wizard. MPEG2VCR has been the single most useful piece of software I ever purchased.

I would not really recommend TMPGenc, which some people use. It has been known on some PCs to cause audio sync problems. VirtualDub isn't very user friendly and I can't really recommend it either for that reason.

[MTD]

Well I found and tried DVD2AVI, but it seemed not so user friendly and I couldn't get it to work properly.

I just want something like VOB2MPG, except instead of MPG, convert it to AVI.

[pijetro]

except instead of MPG, convert it to AVI.

Well then you've overlooked VirtualDubMpeg.

Simply load the .VOB (or Mpeg), go to Video>Full Processing>choose the codec, and Save as .AVI...
Use DVD2AVI to decode you out a .WAV file..

Load these two elements into your advanced editor...

Good luck!!!

[MTD]

Oh, so I have to convert the video and audio separately using two programs, then put them into Vegas?

[ozymango]

Oh, so I have to convert the video and audio separately using two programs, then put them into Vegas?

I think it depends on what kind of audio you have; if the DVD audio is AC3 then various editors might not like it. I know there's a plug-in for AC3 sound for VirtualDubMpeg (all free), so that might do it right there. I know Womble will allow you to cut and join muxed mpeg (audio + video) no matter what kind of soundtrack you have (wav, mp2, or ac3) and it won't convert anything, just stream transfer, so no signal loss.

You can download a 30-day trial of Womble for free, so that might be worth a test. And checkout VirtualDubMpeg, I think that will allow you to cut/connect without having to convert to another format, a "direct stream" edit, no loss of quality.

[pijetro]

I believe you can cut the .AC3 stream if you follow this guide..
That way, you can try and minimize the apps....

You'll need the .AC3 compressor to boot...

Just follow the guide...

[edDV]

Use the correct tool for what you intend to do.

Vegas is for creating original video and has repurposing consumer MPeg2 as a low priority.

It is easy to edit MPeg2 on I frames but if you want frame accuracy you need to decompress to frames between I frames. Vegas assumes you want frame accuracy and will insist on decompression. Why else would you be using Vegas?

Those producing original video also don't have AC-3 sources.* That was the case until the advent of the DVD recorder and DVD camcorder. Prosumers wouldn't be using these as sources so again it is low priority for Vegas to support AC-3 input but it would now be a high priority for consumer targeted editing programs. Use those instead.

* or if they need it they have a differnet program to decompress AC-3 in their toolkit.