Trouble rendering subtitles to 16.9 720p video in Virtualdub

[audiocurry]

Hi!

I urgently need help and would appreciate any pointers on how to sort out my situation:

I need to render a wmv video back in this format:
.wmv, at 720 x 480, 29fps, 7894kbps and 149kbps stereo audio, with 16:9 pixel aspect ratio and with both the video and subtitles in the correct 16:9 ratio.

Currently, that is also the format of the original video which has been sent by the client.

I have subtitles that I need to render in various languages.

I'm using Virtualdub to render the final video.

What I've been doing is:

1. Convert the .wmv to .avi using 16.9 NTSC DV Widescreen (it's in 29.97 fps format) in Vegas.
2. Import it into Virtualdub and use the Textsub filter to add the .ass file for rendering the subtitles.
3. Render it as .avi and then reconvert it back to .wmv in Vegas.

For the most part, it's worked.


The problem is - when I render the avi with the subtitles in Virtualdub, I'm not able to choose the output as 16.9 and widescreen, so my video comes out square - and squashed. The only way I could do it was use the Divx Avi codec in Virtualdub, but that lowered the resolution and the bitrate.


I've been told by the client that the final delivery has to in the above format (see top).


I'm stuck and need help desperately. I don't mind using another software which allows me to import the wmv and the subtitles and lets me render the video straight to the required format. That would be the best. Is there a way that Virtualdub can allow me that luxury - while letting me set preferences as well?

Thanks so much.

[Baldrick]

Are you converting to dv-avi with 720x480 in virtualdub?
Then to wmv in vegas? Can't you choose 16:9 display aspect ratio then?

The video is always 720x480 so it should always be correct...you just have to set the 16:9 display aspect ratio in the wmv output.

[audiocurry]

Hi Baldrick,

Thanks. Yes, I'm taking an avi file from Vegas (converted from wmv), then rendering with the subs in VD again as avi, and then re-rendering in Vegas as wmv.

Well, there were so many problems. I had to finally use the track motion setting in the video track and stretch it to fill up the video. Then it worked. Pixel ratio was 1.333. There isn't any 16.9 option available.

But then I had to use a 1440 x 1080 setting in the output, so in the end, my video is looking like the original, but it's a bigger file.

When I choose 720 x 480 at the output stage, it comes out with black edges on the sides.

I'm still at a loss as to how to go about fixing it.

[Baldrick]

I have never used vegas so I can't really help you with it....other than maybe try see if you can get the outputted dv-avi from virtualdub into 16:9 display aspect ratio before importing it in vegas.

(And 720p is 1280x720 and not 720x480.)

[audiocurry]

Ok - here's what I did. I still did the track motion - where I actually stretched the video a bit to make it fit the preview window and 'widen' it.


Then I changed the 1.333 to 1.2121 (NTSC Wide) and the black edges disappeared.

So now I have a video that's 720 x 480 and it's widescreen. I don't know if I cheated with the track motion, but it looked the same in quality in VLC or Nero Showtime.

Any thoughts? Could I have done without the 'stretching' bit? I tried, but it came out looking squashed - no matter what I did.

[audiocurry]

I have never used vegas so I can't really help you with it....other than maybe try see if you can get the outputted dv-avi from virtualdub into 16:9 display aspect ratio before importing it in vegas.

(And 720p is 1280x720 and not 720x480.)

You're right, Baldrick.

I haven't figured out how to output the dv-avi from Virtualdub into a 16:9 display. Where do I find that setting? I can't see it anywhere. If I could, that would be perfect, and this whole 'stretching' business could be put to rest.

[audiocurry]

I looked around and I found a .wmv plugin for Virtualdub but when I try to open a .wmv file in VD, it looks like it's going to work, but then I get a screen that says "Missing Codec". What codec do I need?
Thanks.

[Baldrick]

Yep, you can import wmv directly in virtualdub with the plugin. You probably need to install the WMV9 VCM codecs. You can also export to wmv BUT only in avi container(an avi with WMV video codec).

[audiocurry]

Hi Baldrick,

I'm getting closer to solving this mystery.

Now it opens the wmv fine - after installing the codec, but it says I need something to decompress the audio. What do I need?
Thanks.

This is the message:
No audio decompressor could be found to decompress the source audio format (source format tag: 0161)

[audiocurry]

BTW, will I get an option to have a display of 16:9 once I get the wmv option rolling?
Thanks so much.
That would totally solve my problem.

[audiocurry]

Yep, you can import wmv directly in virtualdub with the plugin. You probably need to install the WMV9 VCM codecs. You can also export to wmv BUT only in avi container(an avi with WMV video codec).

Does that mean I will still need to actually convert it to wmv again in Vegas?

Thanks so much.

[Baldrick]

Yep. But you can skip step 1.

[Budman1]

Just a quick add... not sure if this is what you want from Virtualdub but....

yields below

[audiocurry]

Hi Budman1,

This is exactly what I want! Thanks! Where do I find that filter?

Also, if you see above, I've installed the WMV filter, so it does import the wmv file, but it gives an error when I try to play it back.

This is the message:
No audio decompressor could be found to decompress the source audio format (source format tag: 0161)

What do you recommend?

Thanks again.

[Budman1]

That filter is one by Emiliano Ferrari (ef_AspectRatio.vdf) and can be downloaded at http://emiliano.deepabyss.org/. Download the BINARY (http://emiliano.deepabyss.org/All_filters/All_filters_Bin.zip) and unzip. It contains a lot of filters which you place in the plugins folder or the plugins32 folder in later versions of Virtualdub since they seem to have removed the plain plugins folder. All my plugins (.VDF & .VDPLUGIN) are in one folder, the plugins32 and they all work with VirtualDub version 1.10.2.

Anyway, I would just place the one plugin for aspect ratio in the folder unless you think you might need others. After that you should find that filter by selecting video->filters->add buttons.

The missing video codec for early versions of WMA (codec 0161) won't play unless the older Divx 3.11 codec or its composite Divx audio 4.02 is installed as a codec. http://www.free-codecs.com/download/divx_mpeg-4_audio_compressor.htm is one of the download sites and explains the missing codec 0161 and the WMA audio problem as do many other sites hosting this divx audio 4.02 codec. It also has the advantage of not installing the whole DIVX video codec that may overlay your more current one.

I tried everything until I found this information and after installing the audio 4.02 codec, WMA audio now plays fine in VirtualDub

UPDATE the link for Audio Codec 4.02 is broken above. Download from this site at https://www.videohelp.com/tools/DivX-WMA-Audio/old-versions.

[audiocurry]

Wow, Budman1! You're such a lifesaver! This is EXACTLY the information I needed. I've spent days agonizing over this stuff.
Thanks a million!

[audiocurry]

Hi Budman1,

I tried all your suggestions and they work great!

Only one problem: when I render from a wmv source file, somehow, while the video is ok, there is no audio stream.

Any suggestions?

Thanks again.

[Cauptain]

Hi Budman1,

I tried all your suggestions and they work great!

Only one problem: when I render from a wmv source file, somehow, while the video is ok, there is no audio stream.

Any suggestions?

Thanks again.

Install FFDSHOW and set this to decode all WMV audios. Its will enable audio in Virtualdub.




Claudio

[audiocurry]

Hi Claudio,

Thanks. I've done that, and things should be fine.

[Budman1]

Not sure what you mean but I assume when you said render FROM a wmv video you mean you rendered a new avi video. While above methods may allow you to play the audio in Virtualdub, you usually need to use a VFW codec for Video ENCODING and an ACM audio codec for ENCODING audio with Virtualdub.

It looks like you have everything solved so good luck with your work and I hope it all works well for you.
Happy converting.

[audiocurry]

Not sure what you mean but I assume when you said render FROM a wmv video you mean you rendered a new avi video. While above methods may allow you to play the audio in Virtualdub, you usually need to use a VFW codec for Video ENCODING and an ACM audio codec for ENCODING audio with Virtualdub.

It looks like you have everything solved so good luck with your work and I hope it all works well for you.
Happy converting.

Thanks again for your help.

So, I'm just wondering - how do I get the ACM audio codec?

Also, I still haven't figured out how to output a WMV file from VD yet. I can import them, though.

[yoda313]

Also, I still haven't figured out how to output a WMV file from VD yet. I can import them, though.

You can't directly. VD only does avi natively (ie divx and such). You would need to frameserve to a wmv encoder (perhaps windows media encoder?).

Thats a more drawn out process and I'm sure there are plenty of posts covering it.

Start here and search for "frameserving":

https://www.videohelp.com/convert

Others might be able to give a more succinct answer but this should get you started in the right direction. Good luck.

[Budman1]

It is possible to output to WMV9 video by using a VCM video codec:


but an WMA ACM audio codec is almost impossible to find and even if you did encode with WMV(video) and WMA (Audio), As Yoda313 pointed out , Virtualdub only outputs to an AVI container. So while you might have your video ENCODED with the codecs you want, its still going to be an AVI file.

You would be better off using your original method except skipping step 1 because you can import as a WMV directly into VirtualDub now and use better codecs creating the AVI.

[yoda313]

even if you did encode with WMV(video) and WMA (Audio), As Yoda313 pointed out , Virtualdub only outputs to an AVI container.

As I don't work with wmv much I was not aware of that option. Couldn't you remux the embedded wmv into .wmv with winff after you get the output from virtualdub? This wouldn't reencode it simply put it in a .wmv container.

[Budman1]

As I havent used WinFF, I can't speak directly about that, and FFmpeg does have the capability of muxing(coping) audio and video but most Guis and programs that used the term CONVERT do re-encode. I have even tried to used the exact same settings, thinking maybe I could fool a program into not altering during the conversion (it was worth a try) but it still reformatted the copy.

If I have the understanding right, the original aspect ratio will be converted to 16:9. That would be one conversion and converting back to WMV would be another conversion. So, it would seem that the best result would be to import the original WMV into VirtualDub and save as 16:9 AVI with Lossless codecs and then convert back to WMV. That would seem like the least damaging to the quality.

[Budman1]

Update:
I did a little experimenting and imported a WMV/WMA video into Virtualdub but I believe it used the ffinputdriver plugin. By specifying Video compression as WMV PCM 9 and audio as Divx Audio (Divx 4.02 audio) I created an avi with WMV/WMA formatting. You have to choose the audio formats that have the Divx smiley on the right:


Anyway, after that I re-encoded with Windows Media Encoder and the quality seemed very good considering I didn't really try hard to maintain the quality by going for the best bit rate, etc.

Anyway, this works if anyone wishes to import Windows media and create an AVI in the same formats.

[audiocurry]

Hi everyone, and thanks for your help.

So far, I'm just importing the wmv directly into VD, and then rendering it as an AVI, and converting it with Vegas into wmv. It works fine. Before I found out from here how to get the wma audio codec, I was just using the audio track of the original in Vegas - synced to the rendered avi from VD - and outputting the entire thing as wmv. That worked fine.

In this particular client's case, I need to output audio as 148 kbps - very strange. So I picked 160 kbps in Vegas.

For now, since VD outputs only in AVI - so it appears, and we have reconvert anyway, I'll still to the Vegas route.

Thanks so much.

[audiocurry]

Ok, so now I have a new problem:

Sorry about this.

I got a file - mov format from the client.

I converted it to a lower res wmv format to send to my subtitlers in various languages, since the mov was too big (2 GB).

I got the .srt files back and when I tried to render the first one, I'm still having problems with the audio not being rendered, but also, when I tried the other trick in Vegas - using the audio track of the original and syncing that with the video (rendered AVI from VD), I found strangely that the audio was out of sync with the video.

Ideally, if I could get audio on the render process from VD, it should be fine.

I have no clue why.

Any suggestions?

Thanks so much.

[Budman1]

You CAN get audio with VD. 2 panels up on this thread I show where you just select the "divx audio" and then one of the choices in the right hand pane that has the smiley( ) next to the right of it. That will render WMA audio, at least it does on mine.

Just make sure you have the DIVX Audio 4.02 compressor installed:

Also be sure you have selected Audio -> Full processing and then Audio -> Compression -> Divx Audio as shown earlier in this thread.

[audiocurry]

Hi Budman1, thanks so much once again.

I actually managed to fix the problem using the Vegas trick. I just re-rendered the video from VD and it was in sync with the audio in Vegas this time.

The problem with the Divx method would be a lower quality audio, but my client wants it above 148 kbps.