TMPGEnc Converts AVI to MPEG, but no sound????

[hardabz]

Hi,

I have converted several AVI movies to VCD format in TMPGEnc that have sound before conversion. After conversion, the MPEG file plays back the video, but no sound?

I've gone over the TMPGEnc settings several times, and everything looks fine. What's the deal? It was working fine before my last two conversions.

HardAbz

[Sefy]

TMPGEnc sometimes has a problem with some AVI's Audio when it's encoded, what I strongly suggest you do, is get VirtualDub, open your AVI, and select Save WAV, then when you open the file in TMPGEnc, use the WAV as your Audio Input instead of the AVI itself.

[kmorger]

Same problem here. One thing to note is that if you just press "Start" in TMPegEnc, the total number of frames is rougly (but NOT exactly) double the number of actual video frames. However, when looking from the wizard's range functionality, you see the correct length, alabeit no sound.

When using virtual dub to extract the audio into a WAV file, the program generates a warning about potential sync issues. The warning is, of cource, legit, as if you look at the length (in seconds) of the resulting WAV file, it won't match the play time of the video stream.

The problem appears to be increasing in regularity. I can only assume it is being caused by one of the following (these are SHOTS IN THE DARK!):

1. Newer versions of DivX not encoding in a backwards combatible way?
2. XPs AVI encoding libs are not backwards compatible? (A *lot* of new
XP machines have been sold as of late)
3. A new popular encoding program is generating AVIs incorrectly?

I mean, a *lot* of the latest AVIs won't convert with sound...

Anyway, whatever it is, I expect to see many more of these AVI files. I really hope a solution can be found. I too have downloaded tons of recomended codecs, converters, re-samplers, adnausium, cluttering up the hard disk with no solution in sight. It truely is frustrating.

I *know* there has to be a solution. I mean, if Media Player can play the audio with the video, and it's in sync, than the audio data is there. It's just that the current way of reading things is no longer working.

It wouldn't be such a problem if computer monitors were all as big as TVs. But to be blunt, DivX on a 19" montior doesn't hold a candle to watching a SVCD on a big screen. Is to too much to ask to be able to HEAR it too? :)

My first post here has grown quite large. Think I'll bang my head some more on the likes of 'dBpowerAmp' and 'tooLame' and 'SCMPX' and... I JUST WANT AUDIO!!!

[crywolfuhuu]

The audio is probably 48000 Hz. For TMPGE to encode it has to be 44100 Hz. So you need to convert it. That I dont know how to just yet. But I'm putting a post up on this. So look for it to get answers.

[KuskenLars]

Check this instead...

http://www.vcdhelp.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=78815

[kmorger]

Yes, the audio is at 48KHz vs. 44.1KHz, hence the SCMPX sample rate converter. However, I think it has much more to do with the audio being a different form of VBR in the DivX AVI, some new type of VBR?

On a side note, a friend just told me moments ago he had success ripping the WAV audio out of such a AVI with a program called AviInfo (a 'right click' type shell extension add-on program).

I haven't tried setting up a 'direct show' VFAPI frame server. It sounds like a good idea if I can figure out how to do it. I *do* hope that works, as I'm not entirely certain AviInfo will work on my computer (I don't have XP).

Virtual Dub seems like a nice prog, but I must say I had hoped it could deal with audio a bit better. On some AVIs, it won't even load them due to audio issues, and on these new ones, it outputs WAV files of the wrong length. Hopefully, Virtual Dubs creaters will add support for this type of DivX Layer 3 VBR audio. (maybe they have already? I haven't been to their site in a while).

If nothing else works, I'll bring the VDub created WAV into Sound Forge and try to stretch. I don't like this idea too much as it is all but guarenteed to lead to sync issues. Besides, Sound Forge was expensive so not to many people will have it. (I only have one copy, and it's not on the computer these AVIs are on.)

[hardabz]

Hey Sefy,

Thanks for the info. I'll try your suggestion, to see if that works.

I think that the other guys in this thread have valid points, about the AVI encoding that TMPGEnc may can't handle during conversions? It's definitely a strange, random occurence.

HardAbz

TMPGEnc sometimes has a problem with some AVI's Audio when it's encoded, what I strongly suggest you do, is get VirtualDub, open your AVI, and select Save WAV, then when you open the file in TMPGEnc, use the WAV as your Audio Input instead of the AVI itself.

[kmorger]

A *BIG* Thank You to KuskenLars for pointing me towards the articles on setting the Direct Show priority higher. That did the trick, I can now encode these GOOFY AVIs *with* sound!!!

Setting Direct Show VFAPI priority to 1 did the trick for me, now all my AVIs encode GREAT! Thank You!

BTW: I tried the AviInfo program, it really bites. Not only did it not do the trick, it would frequently hang on large AVI files.

I really wish Virtual Dub would have worked. Perhaps they have a simular setting I can tweek?

One last question, Is there any way to get to the 'select range' within TMpgEnc without going through the wizard? Just curious...

Thank you again!

[Sefy]

If you referring to the Source Range, then you can access it using the Settings / Advanced, no need to use the Wizard for it.

[dumwaldo]

Same problem here. One thing to note is that if you just press "Start" in TMPegEnc, the total number of frames is rougly (but NOT exactly) double the number of actual video frames.

just a thought but it kinda sounds to me like you are converting the framerate of the video as well.

you need to load the correct template before you use TMPGEnc. most of the DVD to DivX movies i have encountered have a framerate of 23.976 (NTSC Film) so if you convert it to 25 FPS (PAL) or 29,976 FPS (NTSC) you will create a longer video than your audio is. the result is out of sync audio.

framerate conversion is only done when it is COMPLETELY nescesary. if you are going to convert the framerate you will also have to use an audio editor to get the audio to the correct length to fit with the video.

[kmorger]

Here was the problem:

Video was 57 minutes 10 seconds, or N1 frames.
It wasn't able to read some of the audio.
Audio was 56 minutes 12 seconds, or N2 frames.

TMpgEnc would think the length was N1 + N2 frames (nearly double).

If you selected a range (N1 frames) it would encode a move of N1 length, but it would never read into the N2 frames to get the audio.

If you didn't select a range, it would create a movie almost twice as large as it was supposed to, the first half with no audio, and the second half with audio, but either black video or holding the last frame.

Of course, the source AVI movie would play back perfectly in media player.

It occured regardless of the source AVIs frame rates. I always use identical destination frame rates. It appeared to only occure on newer AVIs I've been seeing that use DivX Layer 3 *VBR* audio.

Setting Direct Show resolved the issue quite nicely, audio is in sync and complete.

[khelms]

I have an AVI file captured with VirtualDub that I converted to SVCD MPEG2 with TMPGEnc. The audio is definitely at 44100. The output MPG file has sound for about 102 seconds, then it is silent for the rest of the playback. Weird. I'm going to try splitting the audio out before encoding next to see if that works.