replace audio with quality MP3 recording from other recorder

[daka]

Hi

How can I replace the audio on a JVC Everio HD camera with audio from a separate recorder, a Zoom H4?

I use Ubuntu

daka

[filmboss80]

The Zoom H4 will record .wav files, which would be better than .mp3 when synchronizing to video. If you already recorded to .mp3, you should convert to .wav at 48kHz. You'll need a timeline video editor that allows you to visually see audio waveforms, so that you can match one audio in sync with the other. When everything is in sync, you can remove the camera's audio from the timeline and render the new audio with the video.

[Noahtuck]

replace audio with quality MP3 recording

Quality & MP3 in the same sentence

That must be some bad audio if an MP3 is better quality :P

[stantheman1976]

I have no idea what is available for Ubuntu but I use Vegas and run Windows.

What you want to do is not that difficult but it is intimidating if you've never done it before. I'm assuming you recorded music and want to replace it with a clearer recording from the Zoom mics or soundboard?

You need a NLE that you know a little about. You need to import the video and separate audio and use the visual waveforms of the audio as a cue to get the recordings synced up at the beginning so when you play it back it should sound like one track with no echo. This can be tedious and it's best to use some type of distinct event like a hand clap, drum stick count, or cymbal crash as a reference. Once you have the two matching you need to check to see later in the recording if the sources still match. Often one device might run a small amount faster or slower than the other and the sources will drift away from one another causing loss of sync. All digital devices run at constant speeds so once you know what the difference is it's easy to fix. Always alter the new audio track you want to keep. There are numerous methods to changing the timing. You can use any quality audio edito like Adobe Audition or Soundforge. With Vegas you can change teh speed in the timeline and match it visually. I use that method and get perfect sync by zooming in to tiny parts of the waveform and checking multiple times to make sure the changes I've made match up throughout.

For future reference it is best to record in WAV format. 16 bit/48KHz is DVD spec so if you start out with that you're good.

[daka]

Thanks for the advice! I am new to this video business. I don't use Windows so have to work in Linux. Are you people suggesting that the end product be a video with .wav audio instead of MP3?... sounds like it. I'm ok with that, all I know is that the file is larger.

Maybe Vegas works in Linux using 'Wine'... I can try. Is Vegas free or must it be bought?

I have something called Kino in Linux and KDenlive which are both supposed to be video editors. Does anyone know if these programs can do what I need to do?

Many thanks

Daka

[stantheman1976]

DVD audio can be 16 bit/48KHz PCM WAV, AC3, or MP2. WAV has a low level of compression so it sounds the best. MP3 is compressed to start with and when you start a DVD project it will need to be transcoded to another format and re-compressed if you use AC3 or MP2 as your final audio format for your DVD. WAV and AC3 offer the most compatibility.

Vegas is pay software. I don't know what Wine is. I'm assuming it runs Windows programs in Linux? If so it may work. You can get a trial of Vegas 8 and see how it works for you.