TMPGenc crashes when I try to import the .ac3 audio file

[ninja_pimp]

I run dvd2avi to make a project file. It creates an .ac3 audio file and a .d2v file. All is good, but when I open TMPGenc and try to import the .ac3 file the program does 1 of 3 things,
1. it comes back with an error message saying ti can't support this format
2. crashes completely with no reason
3. error message box appears stating: The instruction at "0x77f51e3f" referenced memory at "0x240ceddb". The memory could not be "written".


I have rebooted my machine several times, made sure all foreign apps and closed and not running.

I also tried the previous version of TMPGEnc Plus-2.55.38.142 and that one just crashes or says it can't support that file also.

Can someone point me int he right direction so I can import the .ac3 file. I've also tried different ways od decoding the audio to .ac3 from dvd2avi v1.77.3 and still no better.

Thank you for reading this post.

[Jimmyvcdfuckwit]

You can't import ac3 into tmpeg. Yhave to select to decode it in DVD2AVI and then import the WAV file instead.
Thats what I do. Maybe someone can prove me wrong too and point me in the right direction aswell but I think I'm right.

[Will Hay]

You can't import ac3 into tmpeg.......maybe someone can prove me wrong too and point me in the right direction aswell but I think I'm right.

You're totally wrong
I use CladDVD, DVD2Avi and then TMPGEnc to encode, using the video and audio files created in DVD2Avi.
I've never converted to wav, ever.
Will

[TeeeRex]

Taking a step back - what you are you trying to achive by importing the ac3 in tmpgenc anyway ? As we are in the DVD to DVDR forum I assume you want to create a DVD with native AC3 ?. In which case there is no need to do ANYTHING with the AC3 - you just need to re-encode the video (in tmpgenc) and then remux it back together again (essentially create the vobs..) - Ifoedit, Spuce etc is used here and WILL directly import the AC3 (match the filename first).

(I too thought that Tmpgenc did not support AC3 - I've never had any success anyway...)

[Will Hay]

I use CladDVD and then DVD2Avi for all conversions: vcd, svcd and now dvd.
The ac3 file is the audio produced by DVD2Avi right?
I've always used this method.
I might be wrong but everytime I used to get an unsupported error (usually after first installation) it was due to the priority setting on the plugin.
Bumping it up the field order (I think it's in the environmental setting tab) *always* fixed it.
I'd be interested to learn why I don't need to encode the audio file using TMPGEnc, does it cut down on encoding time?
My encoding time for a two hour movie with an Athlon XP2000+ is double the movie length (ie 4hrs per 2hr movie), but if not adding the audio file to TMPGEnc doesn't reduce the encoding time, why worry?
Will

[TeeeRex]

Correct - the AC3 is ripped straight from DVD2AVI without the need for TMPGenc - once you have the file, that's it no need to do anything with it until you remux again to get the Vobs.

The only time you would need to process this AC3 is if you want to make a SVCD/VCD etc which won't support AC3 (MP2 only) or a DVD with MP2 (to lower the bitrate of the AC3 (384kbps+)). Of course you'll lose the DD5.1 channels if you do convert it to MP2.

I've got a feeling that by using the AC3 file in TMPGenc your end 'MPG' will indeed only contain MP2 - ie you're losing all the 5.1 information. You're probably getting it back again if you specify it directly in CladDVD but you're wasting time by tmpgenc having to mux it in the first place and then CladDVD having to demux it when you author ?!

Just my thoughts .....

[Will Hay]

Correct - the AC3 is ripped straight from DVD2AVI without the need for TMPGenc - once you have the file, that's it no need to do anything with it until you remux again to get the Vobs.

The only time you would need to process this AC3 is if you want to make a SVCD/VCD etc which won't support AC3 (MP2 only) or a DVD with MP2 (to lower the bitrate of the AC3 (384kbps+)). Of course you'll lose the DD5.1 channels if you do convert it to MP2.

I've got a feeling that by using the AC3 file in TMPGenc your end 'MPG' will indeed only contain MP2 - ie you're losing all the 5.1 information. You're probably getting it back again if you specify it directly in CladDVD but you're wasting time by tmpgenc having to mux it in the first place and then CladDVD having to demux it when you author ?!

Just my thoughts .....

Funny you should say that, a pal asked me if the dvd-r's I create have 5.1 sound, I said I didn't know, so probably not!
So, to achieve this, I need to add a fourth step to my dvd ripping process, namely after CladDVD rips, DVD2Avi converts and TMPGEnc encodes I need to do something else?
I don't want to drop TMPGEnc but I'm not sure what you mean by..."and then CladDVD having to demux it when you author", I don't use CladDVD to author, I use Ulead Movie Factory.
Maybe I'm not understanding what you mean by 'author' (and remux, which process does that describe?)
Thanks,
Will

[ninja_pimp]

I went over to my buddies house to see how he does the whole process of dvd-9 to dvd-r
process involved:
1. dvd dycrypter to rip movie to hdd
2. dvd2avi v1.77 to create a project which will demux all audio tracks to an .ac3 file (TMPGenc does support it), and create a .d2v file
3. He open TMPGenc v2.55, the wizard appeared and went thru the whole process in this manner keeping everything on default settings, he imported the .d2v then the .ac3.

by using TMPGenc he can splice the audio and video together to make one large mpeg file. 3 hours later it was done.

Spruce up then created an image of this mpeg and finally recordnow max burnt the files to 1 dvd-r disc.


from what i read yall left me a bit confused saying i dont need to do a .ac3??
using dvd2avi I have done it where a wav file comes out, but if I use TMPGenc to import the .d2v and .wav file, the final mpeg file, when played won't play audio. its strange. the proper proven way is to import an .ac3 file.

thus far no one explained why the errors happen, i know for a fact it supports .ac3 audio import.

[TeeeRex]

I am now certain that Tmpgenc does NOT support AC3 - and here are my reasons :-

I tried first on my current version - 2.54.37.135

Used DVD2AVI on a single VOB - used Audio, Output Method, Demux AC3 option.

Resulting files - 'test.d2v' and 'test AC3 T01 3_2ch 448Kbps DELAY 80ms.ac3'.

This resulting ac3 file is a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack.

I load the d2v file into the VIDEO section of tmpgenc - no problems. Tmpgenc does not pick up any audio as I would expect.
I try to load the ac3 file into the audio part - NO GO - unsupported format.

OK - I'll try the latest version ....

v 2.59.47.155

It now even states on the wizard that it only supports MP2 and now PCM (WAV) - I'll try again anyway.. same result, AC3 is NOT supported.

Perhaps you are getting confused with the DECODE TO WAV (AC3) option in DVD2AVI ? This creates a WAV file that CAN be imported into tmpgenc but is NOT an AC3 (it is a 2 channel 'mix' from the 5.1 channels). Having just done it, the filename is totally misleading ! -

'test AC3 T01 3_2ch 448Kbps 48KHz' is the filename but if you look at the file extension - it is a WAV file !! (also note the 2ch bit - 2 channel!)

Therefore, as I have been saying, YOU DO NOT NEED TO PROCESS THE AC3 FILE - If you are using Spruce, then just make sure that your video file is named 'whatever.M2V' and the AC3 file 'whatever.AC3' - SAME name. Spruce will then pick this up - and you'll have DD5.1 sound !

Unsure of other authoring apps - Ifoedit is great - again just load the M2V file from tmpgenc or whatever (may have to rename the ext) and untouched AC3 file, result - DVD with 5.1 sound.

[TeeeRex]

silky31 - after rereading your post - I'm sure that Ulead DVD Movie Factory does not support AC3 import - so I suggest changing authoring package to one that does.

IFoedit is free (I use it for all my stuff) - you won't get any fancy menu's but you will get 5.1 DD...

Spruce is good but you'll have to 'find' a copy as it's no longer available - again this supports AC3.

[ninja_pimp]

thx for the help teerexx
but I'm left a lil confused.
so lets assume i can't use TMPGenc to do the audio

do i still use TMPGenc to encode the .2dv file created by dvd2avi?

and once thats done i go to spruce.

the other day I was able to import an .ac3 file into TMPGenc and I've read many guides where they talk about that step.
but last nite I installed spruce up and record now max and for some reason i can't import .ac3 files into TMPGenc.

so now I'm trying to understand, how do I put audio into the movie.

do i use TMPGenc to make the mpeg still? but no audio file
and then go to spruce up and somehow it will merge audio to the file it created (img)

i know i was able to import an .ace file but this is old news now as it can't be done for some odd reason.
also if I decode audio from dvd2avi to a .wav file and then use TMPGenc to create the mpeg with the .wav audio file, i playback the mpeg but no uadio in movie....its like it never merges the audio into the mpeg...this i found odd also.

[Will Hay]

Perhaps you are getting confused with the DECODE TO WAV (AC3) option in DVD2AVI ? This creates a WAV file that CAN be imported into tmpgenc but is NOT an AC3 (it is a 2 channel 'mix' from the 5.1 channels). Having just done it, the filename is totally misleading ! -

I bow to your extensive testing and more experience.
You can see why I was adamant I was right!
I created my first 138 min rip last night, and whilst quality was superb sound got progessively out of synch, and I can't quite determine at which point it all goes haywire
Any thoughts, could it be me re-encoding the audio file in TMPGEnc (although I doubt it, all my vcd and svcd's were done in this manner without problem)
Will

[Will Hay]

One other thing (and please consider I know nothing about Spruce)...
...if, on my system, TMPGEnc is taking double the movie length to encode and, assuming I no longer encode the audio as I want to maintain 5.1, why can't I just forgetabout TMPGEnc and use Spruce?
If I can't (and I envisage the reason is it's not an encoder), how long will it take to merge the mpeg from TMPGEnc to the ac3 audio file from dvd2avi?
(Have I understood?)
Thanks,
Will

[Will Hay]

....I'm sure that Ulead DVD Movie Factory does not support AC3 import - so I suggest changing authoring package to one that does.

Using my current method (wav file, not an ac3 file!), I only use Ulead MF to add titles and chapters, then burning.
I have Nero but keep getting error messages, which I don't understand how to fix.
I have WinOnCD5, do you know anything about this?
Will

[TeeeRex]

ninjapimp,

'do i use TMPGenc to make the mpeg still? but no audio file
and then go to spruce up and somehow it will merge audio to the file it created (img)

'

Exactly! - use the d2v file from dvd2avi to make the VIDEO MPEG only. DVD2AVI is a 'frameserver' which provides a way for tmpgenc to read all the vobs in sequence. The other use for DVD2AVI is to extract the Audio - for SVCD/VCD use the WAV Output, for DVD use the AC3 output. For SVCD/VCD you DO and CAN use the output from DVD2AVI (WAV) and import it into Tmpenc - tmpgenc then converts it into MP2. Tmpgenc then muxes this to form the final MPG.

if I decode audio from dvd2avi to a .wav file and then use TMPGenc to create the mpeg with the .wav audio file, i playback the mpeg but no uadio in movie....its like it never merges the audio into the mpeg...this i found odd also.

Agree that this is odd. Can you play the WAV file in windows media player ?

If you're still stuck - I suggest reading the guides for DVD as they explain things better than I do and give screen shots as well ...

Good Luck.

[TeeeRex]

silky31,

Using my current method (wav file, not an ac3 file!), I only use Ulead MF to add titles and chapters, then burning.
I have Nero but keep getting error messages, which I don't understand how to fix.
I have WinOnCD5, do you know anything about this?

Ulead is fine if you don't want 5.1, if you do AND want menu's then you'll have to get something that supports AC3.

IMO Nero is unreliable and I have never used it since. Never used WinOnCD5.

Use IfoEdit (get it from doom9.org) and author - it's so simple you can't go wrong.

One other thing (and please consider I know nothing about Spruce)...
...if, on my system, TMPGEnc is taking double the movie length to encode and, assuming I no longer encode the audio as I want to maintain 5.1, why can't I just forgetabout TMPGEnc and use Spruce?
If I can't (and I envisage the reason is it's not an encoder), how long will it take to merge the mpeg from TMPGEnc to the ac3 audio file from dvd2avi?
(Have I understood?)

You probably NEED to reencode the vobs to get make the movie fit onto the disk (lower bitrate). Agreed, if the vobs are less than 4.3 Gbyte then you do not need to use tmpgenc. The final 'merge' of the M2V (mpeg video) and AC3 (audio) to make the VOB files will not take long at all - 5 mins max.

I bow to your extensive testing and more experience.
You can see why I was adamant I was right!
I created my first 138 min rip last night, and whilst quality was superb sound got progessively out of synch, and I can't quite determine at which point it all goes haywire
Any thoughts, could it be me re-encoding the audio file in TMPGEnc (although I doubt it, all my vcd and svcd's were done in this manner without problem)

Are you using NTSC or PAL ? - PAL rips are much easier as the framerate is always 25 - NTSC has to use things such as pulldown to match audio rate. I'm not too sure here myself as I use PAL !
The guides would be your best bet here as they go though it step by step and have screenshots as well.

PS - Have you tried DVD2SVCD (the package) ? - This automates the WHOLE process and will leave you with a M2V video file (properly uplled down if NTSC) and AC3 file. Again, if you read the guides on how to set this up for DVD (it defaults to SVCD spec) then this may be your best bet ?

Hope this helps.

Good luck!!

[Will Hay]

Thanks TeeeRex, I use PAL, and will be chekcing out your suggestions in the next twenty seconds!
Of all the rips I've done I've never seem less than 5 1gb VOB files, so I guess the easdy method isn't an option for me!
Thanks again,
Will

[miketree]

What an informative thread! I've learned load from this.

Thanks to all who contributed.

[Will Hay]

I was walked through (msn messenger) the benefits of importing a ac3 and m2v created by smartripper into Maestro and re-encoding, I'm at work now but I left it to burn this morning.
I've had problems using just VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folders with Prassi and Nero (I can only burn if I go through the TMPGEnc/Ulead Movie Maker process) but it was suggested I lower my burn speed to x1 so I'll report back as to whether it worked or not!
Thanks to all that contributed to a very informative thread (which I've saved for reference).
Will