Advice needed on splitting audio and video from avi file.

[msimon7]

hello. i'm capturing an old band tape from VHS into the PC. planned process was capturing it and then splitting the audio & video files apart, EQ the audio and join back up with the video, convert to mpeg2, and make a DVD of it.
my set-up is sVHS VCR to Sony TVR20 Camcorder (a/d conversion) to PC via firewire. capturing it with vegas video 4.0d using the DV codec (which i assume is the only one i can use with this app).
here is the issue i'm having...
I opened up the avi file in virtual dub (versions 1.3c and 1.5.1) and both gave me the error "Couldn't locate the decompressor for format 'dvsd' (unknown)". thought virtualdub would have been the easiest route.
since that didn't work, I'd love some advice about how to go about splitting this file (probably preferably to a wav file so i can use CoolEdit)
and then join them back up to convert to mpeg - hopefully still in sync.
searched for "splitting avi audio video" and didn't come up with what i was looking for. if i can provide any other info, please let me know. thanks for any help!!! marc

[bugster]

Personally, I use Premiere for editing DV Video, and this allows me to save out the audio as a wav file seperate from the video, I would expect Vegas to have this capability too.

[indolikaa]

I opened up the avi file in virtual dub (versions 1.3c and 1.5.1) and both gave me the error "Couldn't locate the decompressor for format 'dvsd' (unknown)". thought virtualdub would have been the easiest route.

I know this feeling, I had the same problem.

http://users.tpg.com.au/mtam/install_panvfwdv.htm. You can use the Panasonic DV Codec found at this link, and there's no charge for the codec. The directions look like they were written for WinXP, but they worked for my WinME machine.

.indolikaa.

[Ejoc]

Sounds like a missing codec

[steptoe]

You need the Adaptec DVSoft Codec

Have a hunt on the web for it, it's aslo supposed to be in the Ace Megacodec Pack, but these codec packs 'can' screw up your system

Not all the time, but they have a nasty habit of overwriting installed codec, and also when you unistall them, an even nastier habit of removing much needed codec, if you're not very careful



This codec is supposed to be from Sony DV cameras, from teh information I've tracked down in the very brief serach I made

[msimon7]

thanks for all the replies. I have MainConcept mpeg encoder installed on my PC (which is prior to Vegas Video) and at one point I thought that mainconcept had cleared this problem up for me. i'm wondering if after installing Vegas it overwrote the DV codec i once had? don't know if that's possible or not.
since I captured it in vegas, i assuming it used it's DV codec to encode to avi. I wonder if I can make vegas use a different codec - don't know too much about that app yet.

would you also use VirtualDub to join the re-EQ'd wave file back to the video file? thanks again for all the help!

[Poplar]

As far as I know, VDub has problems with DV codecs. I don't understand why you chose to capture with DV codec. All DV codecs are lossy. You are much better off with HuffYUV.

You don't need to join EQed audio back with video. Encode audio and video separately and mux them later, if needed.

[msimon7]

thanks. HUffyUV is very much something i'd like to use, but if i'm not mistaken, virtualDub can't capture from firewire. correct? I have an ATI all-in-wonder 128 pro card installed on my PC and never had good luck running a/v lines into that for capturing.
when running thru my camcorder for analog-to-digital conversion isn't that step already using a DV codec to create the file to pass it along via firewire?
i'm up for anything that will yeild the best results. there seems to be so many options/software/codecs out there it is quite confusing which way to go. don't mind the old trial and error route, but you need to first understand what to try.
really appreciate the help! thanks, marc

[FOO]

Just get the Panasonic codec and everything will be OK.

[bugster]

when running thru my camcorder for analog-to-digital conversion isn't that step already using a DV codec to create the file to pass it along via firewire?

Correct.

There are two different types of DV avi file, type1 and type2. Most DV capturing apps capture into type 1, but vdub will only open type 2, so even sintalling a DV codec wont help. There is atype 1 to type 2 converter available, from Canopus I think. Take a look in the tools section of this site, there should be a link to it.

[msimon7]

thanks for the insight. I see in the tools section you have a "DV Type 1 to DV Type 2 Converter", seems its from ulead. i imagine that is what you are talking about. i'm going to install the codecs and try this conversion tonight.

what application would allow me to use my firewire connection and the HuffyUV codec to capture video? or does that set-up completely conflict and make no sense?

thanks again! marc

[ZippyP.]

what application would allow me to use my firewire connection and the HuffyUV codec to capture video? or does that set-up completely conflict and make no sense?

Makes no sense. You're not capturing via firewire, only transferring DV encoded video from your camera to your PC. Converting to Huffy (or any other codec) wouldn't be useful and would surely result in quality loss, although Huffy is supposed to be near lossless.

[msimon7]

hello. i tried the type 1/type 2 conversion tool and the app said "not a dv type 1 file". surprised me.
then installed the Pansonic codec (thanks) and that allow me to open it and extract the wav.

still not sure what codec this file is using. posted a pic of it from gspot. are DV codecs all the same, within types at least? doesn't seem like it.
if i recorded the video in vegas (from my camcorder/firewire) and that's supposed to be type 1, but the converter says it isn't, but panasonic codec allowed it to be open in vdub which only opens type 2. then what the hell is it?
thanks.

[bugster]

if i recorded the video in vegas (from my camcorder/firewire) and that's supposed to be type 1, but the converter says it isn't, but panasonic codec allowed it to be open in vdub which only opens type 2. then what the hell is it?

Must admit it beats me!
Just noticed from your Gspot screenshot, your audio is 32Khz. Dont forget to re-sample to 48Khz for DVD. Goldwave is good for this, or vdub at the same time as you extract it from the avi.

[FOO]

Where did the 878 kb/s video rate come from ?
DV is around 28 Mb/s

[msimon7]

i didn't change any settings in Vegas (other than to "turn off camcorder control"). i'm thinking i should recapture this video again. seems like a lot is wrong with it already and i don't want to start editing it if it's a mess to begin with.
what do you guys use to capture from firewire?
maybe I'll try and re-setup my direct input via my ATI AIW 128pro card again. that seemed to give me lots of headaches which is why i went back to the camcorder/firewire route.

[FOO]

DVIO simple, free, etc.

[bugster]

Believe it or not, Windows Movie Maker. Used for capture only.

[msimon7]

thanks for the replies. even if I used either of those apps to capture (which i'm going to try this weekend) won't the resulting file still be encoded using the DVSD codec. read that is what the camcorder is putting the file out as (i think). seems like that codec is causing me all of my issues.
when you capture can you adjust the bitrate? one post suggested mine was extremely low from using camcorder/vegas. can I set this in either DVIO or WMM2? thanks again!

[FOO]

DV from a camera is not capture. The camera generates a
fixed format DV file and just transfers it to the computer.
No user adjustments possible.

Some of the software hides that fact by offering to convert
the DV file immediately to something else which does have
lots of options.

I think Gspot is not telling the truth about the bitrate or the file is trashed
or modified. How big is the file ? is it about 3.6 Mb/second ?

Just grab some of it with DVIO (or whatever) and open it with Vdub and
see what it looks like