Can See Video, But Cannot Hear Audio on DVD File

[dataczarina]

I am having problems with playing audio on a DVD formatted file. I have read the sticky on problems with TMPGEnc, and tried several suggestions offered there, but to no avail. Here is what I have done:

1. Source file was AVI produced with Sony Vegas Movie Studio.

2. Used VirtualDub 1.6 to seperate audio from AVI into WAV file.

3. Used BeSweet to convert WAV into AC3 file.

4. Used TMPGEnc to encode AVI into M2V file. (Used "ES video" option)

5. Used DVD lab Studio to author the DVD, and compiled the DVD to my hard drive.

6. Used InterVideo WinDVD to attempt to play the DVD from the hard drive. I could see the video, but was unable to hear the audio. I also tried playing the video using Windows Media Player. Again, I could see the video, but not hear the audio.

I have read several posts that describe similar issues. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Krispy Kritter]

Step 3: Try using PCM audio and make sure it is 48000 hz.

Step 6: Did you make sure to select the video and audio?

[dataczarina]

Krispy Kritter - Thank you very much for your reply.

(Warning...My ignorance is about to show)

Step 3: I used 48000 Hz sampling rate in the SRRC options of BeSweet. Do you mean to use PCM in place of AC3? Will this file format work with a NTSC DVD?

Step 5: With WinDVD, I selected the file VTS_01_1.VOB in the VIDEO_TS directory in my attempt to play the DVD. Should I have selected a different file?

Thank you again for your help.

[Abond]

Well, several things (some of the things are stupid wild guess)
1. Have you turn your system sound on?
2.Have you tried to hear something playing the besweet converted file?
3. What sampling has your source file?
4. What type is your source file at all?
5. Have you tried simply to drag'n'drop the VIDEO_TS folder in WinDVD?
6. Have you tried to change the sound track within WinDVD (even if there is only one audio track)?
One suggestion - use also another player (WMP is awfull) to check.

[Krispy Kritter]

I actually meant to say step 5. When you authored the DVD with DVD lab Studio, did you point it to the video file and the audio file?

[dataczarina]

Abond and Krispy Kritter,

Thank you both for your help! Al of your questions are very valid. Sometimes the easiest things to miss are the "d'oh" ones like "Did you have the sound on???"

Abond --------
1. I tested the sound system by playing the original AVI files. It was on.

2. I will find a AC3 player and test the AC3 file converted by BeSweet.

3 & 4. The source file was an AVI converted to that format from the output of a digital camcorder by Sony Vegas Movide Studio, V4.

5. No, and I will try that right now.

6. Yes, but was unable to do so.

I have read that WMP is rather awful (to put it mildly). I will find another player to test the file.

Krispy Kritter-------
I went back to DVDLab and re-muxed the audio and video files (M2V and AC3), just to make sure I did not miss the audio file. I had the same result. I also tested the resulting VOBs in a stand-along DVD player with the same result of no audio.

I will take the same source (M2V and AC3) files and using DVDauthor to create the DVD files. (After checking the output of the AC3 file as suggested by Abond). This is to check if something is going on with DVDLab.

Thanks again!

[Krispy Kritter]

I expect you have a bad AC3 file or it does not meet the DVD spec.

[dataczarina]

Just an Update----

I took the original AVI file that was created by Sony Vegas Movie Studio, and...

1) Used VirtualDubMod to demux the audio as a WAV file.

2) Used BeSweet to convert the WAV file into a AC3 file. Kept it to the DVD standard of 48000 Hz sampling rate and AC3 encoding bitrate of 224 Kbps.

3) Encoded the AVI into a M2V file using TMPGEnc (using "ES Video" option). Again used the DVD standards.

4) <<Note Difference Here>> Used DVDAuthor to author and remux the file into a DVD format, and saved the files to my hard drive.

5) Attempted to play the DVD using Core Media Player. I was able to successfully hear the audio and see the video. I was also able to successfully hear the audio using Windows Media Player.

SO======

Perhaps there is an issue with using DVDLab and some of these other products (BeSweet, VirtualDubMod, TMPGEnc)??? Just a guess. Again, thank you to Krispy Kritter and Abond for helping a beginner.

[Krispy Kritter]

No problem...I didn't really do much. In most cases it is just a matter of trial and error. Whenver possible, when trouble shooting anyway, verify your files after each step.