First time user of Dark Avenger Headac3he 0.23a

[satwar]

Need some help.

I'm trying to follow the instructions in Sefy's Original Official Guide to AVI to VCD tutorial https://www.videohelp.com/guides.php?link=403 and am in the process of Audio Extraction. I've extracted an audio AC3 file (with a WAV header) from the source AVI using Virtualdub and am now trying to run Headac3he (presumably to convert AC3 to WAV file).

Anyway, in Headac3he, when I try to select Source file I get an error " Can't find data chunk". Also there are a whole lot of loading errors on the left for missing plug-ins(except for Azid.dll). I have installed the P4 plug-ins but loading errors for .dlls continue.

I need help understanding why the instructions require me to use Headac3he, and how do I get it running properly?

[celtic_druid]

Well for AVI-->VCD presumably you are using HeadAC3he to recompress the audio to mp2.

Did you decode to wav or just create an m3/AC3 with a wav header? Not sure that HeadAC3he can handle a mp3/AC3 with a wav header or not.

You could try one of the 0.24 builds, although I never had any issues with 0.23a.

[satwar]

Well for AVI-->VCD presumably you are using HeadAC3he to recompress the audio to mp2.

Did you decode to wav or just create an m3/AC3 with a wav header? Not sure that HeadAC3he can handle a mp3/AC3 with a wav header or not.

You could try one of the 0.24 builds, although I never had any issues with 0.23a.

I guess what I'll have to do is figure out how to post the G-Spot screen I got. That way I can be sure I'm following the correct audio extraction procedure. I thought G-Spot had told me I had an AC3 audio track so I extracted using Virtualdub following the corresponding procedure.

Presumably I was extracting an AC3 file with a WAV header, which then requires Headac3he to convert to a full WAV file (These are the guide instructions talking, not me). The only thing that bothers me in the procedure is that it shows Headac3he using a .ac3 file as source (presumably output of preceeding Virtualdub extraction process) but my file has a .wav extension (which it should logically have since I used Virtualdub to extract a WAV file)

The other part that worries me is that Headac3he has all these loading errors. I'd sure like to resolve that issue before proceeding.

This procedure is really confusing to me.

[Abond]

To have a real wav output from VDub you should proceed the audio extraction in Full Processing mode. If you extract the audio with Direct stream copy setting you would have the same audio type as the source with wav header only - therefore with .wav extension. For orientation you can look at the file size - real .wav file is very big.

[satwar]

To have a real wav output from VDub you should proceed the audio extraction in Full Processing mode. If you extract the audio with Direct stream copy setting you would have the same audio type as the source with wav header only - therefore with .wav extension. For orientation you can look at the file size - real .wav file is very big.

Okay, thanks for the explanation of what is happening, I now understand better.

But I'm trying to follow the procedure of using Headac3he for WAV creation (presumably because Headac3he does a better job of conversion?):

https://www.videohelp.com/guides.php?link=403

(1) It would appear that there is a mistake in the instructions which show a AC3 file as input file for Headac3he, it should be a WAV (AC3 with WAV header)

(2) What do I have to do to get Headac3he running without .dll loading errors and what does error message "Missing data chunk" mean?

[celtic_druid]

I'd suggest AVIMuxGUI to extract the AC3. HeadAC3e has always worked fine for me with AC3 input. Never had any errors loading it though.

HeadAC3he v0.24-a13 by Dark Avenger 15.12.2004


Parsing INI-file...done
Loading     azid.dll 1.9 build 922...succeeded
Loading     ssrc.dll 1.01 (15.12.2004) engine 1.28...succeeded
Loading lame_enc.dll 1.32 (29.07.2004) engine 3.96...succeeded
Loading  hVorbis.dll 1.20 (15.12.2004) engine 1.74...succeeded
Loading   MP2enc.dll 1.15 (15.12.2004) engine 1.13...succeeded
Loading   MPAlib.dll 1.01 (15.12.2004) engine 1.50...succeeded
Loading   AC3enc.dll 1.00 (15.12.2004) engine 1.20...succeeded
Loading  libFAAC.dll...succeeded

Notes:
dumb mode: uses absolutely no temp space
float mode: (much) faster, but uses destfile
            as temp space on first pass

Choose appropriate target
and press Options 2 times for configuration.

HeadAC3he v0.25-a3 by Dark Avenger 14.08.2005


Parsing INI-file...done
Loading     azid.dll 1.9 build 922...succeeded
Loading    hSSRC.dll 1.10 (14.08.2005) engine 1.30...succeeded
Loading lame_enc.dll 1.32 (29.07.2004) engine 3.96...succeeded
Loading  hVorbis.dll 1.20 (14.08.2005) engine 1.74...succeeded
Loading   MP2enc.dll 1.15 (14.08.2005) engine 1.13...succeeded
Loading   MPAlib.dll 1.01 (14.08.2005) engine 1.50...succeeded
Loading   AC3enc.dll 1.00 (14.08.2005) engine 1.20...succeeded
Loading  libFAAC.dll...succeeded

Notes:
dumb mode: uses absolutely no temp space
float mode: (much) faster, but uses destfile
            as temp space on first pass

Choose appropriate target
and press Options 2 times for configuration.

[satwar]

Yes celtic_druid, thats what the dll messages should look like, but I haven't figured out how achieve that yet. Update: I finally got Headac3he working, it was my fault. It turns out I had to install a libmmd.dll file, in addition to all the plug-ins. Instructions were a little confusing for a newbie like me.

Unfortunately I'm still getting error message "Couldn't find data chunk" from Headac3he when I select the AC3 audio file with WAV header as a source file. Has anyone seen this kind of error message before and know what it means? When I ignore this message a press "Start" the next error message says my drive doesn't have enough space. This is kind of scary since I have 3.3 GB free space left on drive and the AC3 file is only 83 MB. I hope this doesn't make sense.

Help!, need guidance with this site procedure I'm trying to follow.

I have attached (well I'm still trying ) the GSpot screen, which I think tells me the audio track in my original AVI file is AC3, hence I should be following the correct audio extraction procedure.

[celtic_druid]

Yeah, I switched to linking with libmmds.lib to avoid that particular dependancy. Besides since I have ICL installed I have the dll anyway so I wouldn't really notice.

Did you try using AVIMuxGUI to extract like I suggested?

[NormaJ]

I have been reading the guide you are working with, and I think you don’t need to extract an AC3 audio with wav header, since you are converting to vcd, all you need is a proper wav audio file.
I would try the procedure of extracting audio as wav. Audio – full processing mode, Compression - No compression, then File – save wav.
If your mpeg encoder doesn’t support wav files as input (Tmpgenc does), then I would convert the wav file into mp2, for instance with ffmpeggui.

[satwar]

I have been reading the guide you are working with, and I think you don’t need to extract an AC3 audio with wav header, since you are converting to vcd, all you need is a proper wav audio file.
I would try the procedure of extracting audio as wav. Audio – full processing mode, Compression - No compression, then File – save wav.
If your mpeg encoder doesn’t support wav files as input (Tmpgenc does), then I would convert the wav file into mp2, for instance with ffmpeggui.

Yes NormaJ, I started thinking about that myself. At least I'll know if there's something seriously wrong with the audio track, which I don't think there is because it plays fine on my computer, just something about it that Headac3he doesn't like.

[celtic_druid]

HeadAC3he only supports PCM wav's. At least when I open an AC3 wav I get a popup error saying that it isn't PCM.

Like I said try demuxing to AC3, then try it or use BeSplit to remove the header.

[satwar]

Eureka, step 2 "Audio Extraction" is finally accomplished. Needed a plug-in for Virtualdub called AC3 ACM Decompressor installed and I finally could create a very nice WAV (well I'm not sure how nice) file.

I wasn't ignoring you celtic-druid, I just didn't want to get into a whole raft of new programs unless I got stopped cold with the tools I already have.

Thanks to everybody for the friendly help. I've said this once but I'll say it again, this video stuff isn't easy.

What is an AC3 anyway, where does the compression scheme come from and why is it so popular?

[celtic_druid]

It comes from Dolby and is popular because it is the most common format used for audio on DVD's.

In your case it won't make any difference because your AC3 is only 2 channel but HeadAC3he lets you have more control over the downmix from 5.1 to 2 channels.

[satwar]

It comes from Dolby and is popular because it is the most common format used for audio on DVD's.

In your case it won't make any difference because your AC3 is only 2 channel but HeadAC3he lets you have more control over the downmix from 5.1 to 2 channels.

Thanks for the information celtic_druid.

Do you know why I have to bother converting the AC3 audio to WAV audio file for producing a VCD? Is AC3 audio not compatible with VCD video? Seems a shame to have to convert, the WAV file is ten times larger than the AC3.

[celtic_druid]

Well for VCD you HAVE to convert to 224k 44.1KHz mp2 at some stage and no VCD doesn't support AC3, it also doesn't support 48KHz.

If your player supports it, you could create a mini DVD with VCD spec video and the AC3 audio.

[satwar]

Well for VCD you HAVE to convert to 224k 44.1KHz mp2 at some stage and no VCD doesn't support AC3, it also doesn't support 48KHz.

If your player supports it, you could create a mini DVD with VCD spec video and the AC3 audio.

My target player says it only plays DVD Video, and can not play DVD-R, +RW, so I think a mini DVD is not viable for me. I think I'll pursue the production of a DVD from an AVI as a second project though, once I get this VCD process under my belt.