Audio Sync Problems using .vro file in Ulead WS and DVD-Lab

[Roll Tide]

I've tried to find this particular issue in the other forums with no luck, so sorry if this has been covered. I am using the Panasonic DMR-E80H to record college football games this season. I am editing out the commercials on the recorder, dubbing to DVD-RAM, and then copying the .vro file to my hard drive. I am then changing the extension to .mpg. (This game is 2 h 45min w/o commercials.) When authoring in both Ulead DVD WS and DVD-Lab, I am getting audio out of sync with the video. It is okay at the beginning, but about 1 1/2 hours in, it is out of sync. Has anyone else experienced this and found a fix? I would assume it has to do with the editing of the MPEG2 format.

BTW...when finalizing a DVD-R copy on the recorder itself, it plays with perfect audio sync in all of my standalones. I am just trying to add custom menus and chapter points.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[Specialist]

What are the properties of your captured video?

For example, when I've worked with the Panasonic VDR-M30 DVD disc camcorder using Ulead DVD Workshop and Ulead MediaStudio Pro, I always make sure my project settings precisely *match* the properties of the SOURCE MPEG.

The Panasonic VDR-M30 DVD disc camcorder - when set to record in Xtra (highest) quality mode - produces video with the following properties:

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 Bits, 704 x 480, 29.97 fps
Field Order B
(DVD-NTSC), 4 : 3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8800 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
MPEG audio layer 2, 48 KHz, Stereo

When I've worked with video recorded in a Panasonic DMR-E50, I got video with the following properties:

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 Bits, 704 x 480, 29.97 fps
Field Order B
(DVD-NTSC), 4 : 3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 9558 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
AC-3 Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

In each case, I was able to edit using Ulead MediaStudio Pro or Ulead DVD Workshop without difficulty and without any audio synchronization issues - as long as I set my project settings to match.

In addition, I'm using the Ulead DVD Workshop 1.3 version - with the AC-3 PowerPack installed.

What are the properties of your video?

Have you downloaded and applied the update patches for Ulead DVD Workshop?

The update patches are located here:

http://www.ulead.com/tech/dws/dws_ftp.htm

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[FOO]

Some of the apps have sophisticated error detection
algorithms, and may fail to operate properly if
the quality of the video is near zero, which would
be the case in something like football.

[Roll Tide]

Sorry Foo,

You lost me. This is not low quality video in the sense of reception. It is recorded from digital cable - very clear. Are you referring to the large amount of high motion scenes in football?

[Roll Tide]

Jerry,
Thanks for the info. I haven't had much time to play with this, but the properties of my .vro file is exactly the same as what you gave for the DMR-E50 recorder. Regarding setting project properties to match the source video, where do you do this in DVD WS? Are you referring to creating a disc template custom to these properties? Right now, when choosing "make disc" it just gives low, medium, high quality "template" options. I always check "do not convert compliant files," so I never thought the quality setting mattered. Can you set me straight?

BTW... I redubbed the video on the recorder and reauthored it in DVD WS. I chose the 4kbps Low Quality make disc option with do not convert selected. The result was much better, with the halftime interviews at about 1.5 hours still in sync. At the very end of the file, it was slightly out of sync, but much better than before. Could it be that the Low Quality template was closer to the properties of my source file than what I used previously (I think I clicked High Quality).

I am at work now, but I believe I am using either version 1.1 or 1.2 of DVD WS. I haven't downloaded any patches in a while.

Thanks again. I really appreciate your detailed responses and help.

[Specialist]

Regarding setting project properties to match the source video, where do you do this in DVD WS?

During the MAKE DISC step, click CUSTOMIZE and then specify project settings that precisely *match* the properties of your SOURCE video.

The DISC TEMPLATE OPTIONS serve a different purpose.

They let you create a template that can be used for future burns.

If you do create such a template, make certain it is accurate in every way.

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Bob W]

I have used NeoDVD Plus to edit VRO files from my Panasonic E50 recorder and the audio was fine all the way through the two hour movies.

[Specialist]

Users of ULEAD DVD Workshop will achieve perfect video/audio synchronization if they follow the correct steps.

I have the Panasonic VDR-M30 DVD disc camcorder and it works great with...

1. DVD Workshop AC-3...

http://www.ulead.com/dws/ac3.htm

2. DVD MovieFactory 2...

http://www.ulead.com/dmf/features.htm

3. VideoStudio 7...

http://www.ulead.com/vs/features.htm

4. MediaStudio Pro 7...

http://www.ulead.com/msp/features.htm

...as I have all four of the above products and have tested them successfully with the .VRO files recorded by the Panasonic VDR-M30 DVD disc camcorder.

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Roll Tide]

Jerry,

Since the original post I have done several trials and learned the following:

Using the customize function, and exactly matching the input .vro file, or using one of the standard templates made no difference in the outcome - I had what seemed to be identical out of sync conditions. This happened with both Movie Factory and Workshop.

Now for a question: Can you help me understand why Movie Factory takes an hour to read the .vro file when using the Import DVD-Video function? (I can copy the .vro file in ~24 min.) The frame of the dialog box says it is "capturing," which doesn't make sense because the footage is already captured and encoded to MPEG2. Also, the final result is still slightly out of sync at the end.

I also performed another experiment in which I divided the program into the 4 quarters of the game (on the recorder). MF2 recogized the 4 segments when using the Import DVD-Video function. I selected all 4, let it "capture," then compiled the project. What I got was a first quarter with audio, and the last 3 quarters with no audio at all. I still haven't figured out what happened here.

The only thing that seems to have an effect on synchronization is the dubbing of the disc on the Panasonic recorder. I redubbed last week's game and got better results (although still out of sync slightly) with Movie Factory 2. This week's game was in perfect sync after being authored in MF2 and I even used either the fair or good quality template (not customized)?

Does any of this make any sense? Again, Jerry I appreciate your comments. You are a great asset to this board with your knowledge that you are willing to pass on to me and others.

[jeff dye]

i would like to add again i have had some good results from windvd creator but for the out of sync audio to the video. as for the ulead program i am trying with out luck to down load a free trial so i can compare. hope i hope it will work.[/list]

[Specialist]

See my next post.

[Specialist]

Using the customize function, and exactly matching the input .vro file, or using one of the standard templates made no difference in the outcome - I had what seemed to be identical out of sync conditions. This happened with both Movie Factory and Workshop.

Please know I am a big fan of the Panasonic DVD player/recorders and I also have the Panasonic VDR-M30 DVD disc camcorder and I love it.

As for the issue you've described - please know I did considerable testing following your initial posts.

I was able to reproduce the issue.

I have reported it to Ulead's key people.

I am confident they'll confirm and fix.

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Specialist]

By the way, the reason I was unable to detect this problem in the earlier posts was because it does not become apparent - on my system - unless long clips are used in the tests.

Short clips seem to work fine.

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Roll Tide]

Thanks for the update Jerry. I have generally had this problem even with long (2.25 hrs +) PC captures when authoring with Ulead products. Like you, I really like the Panasonic recorders.

[Specialist]

I received a proposed solution from Ulead's tech support.

In the testing I've done with my Panasonic VDR-M30 DVD disc camcorder, I have concluded the proposed solution works to solve the video/audio synchronization problem.

On my Windows XP computer,

1. I clicked START;

2. I clicked MY COMPUTER;

3. I clicked C: drive;

4. I clicked the DOCUMENTS & SETTINGS folder;

5. In the WINDOWS TOOLS menu, I clicked FOLDER OPTIONS;

6. I clicked the VIEW tab;

7. I ticked the option to SHOW HIDDEN FILES AND FOLDERS;

8. I clicked OK;

9. I clicked the ALL USERS folder;

10. I clicked the APPLICATION DATA folder;

11. I clicked the ULEAD SYSTEMS folder;

12. I clicked the ULEAD MEDIASTUDIO PRO folder;

13. I clicked 7.0 folder;

14. I clicked the MSP I-N-I (configuration) file;

15. Under the [VIODRIVER] heading, I typed CloseAudioDTR=1;

16. I saved the change.

Next, I inserted all of my separate MPEG files recorded by the Panasonic DVD disc camcorder.

I rendered them out to become a single file using project settings that matched their attributes:

NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 Bits, 704 x 480, 29.97 fps
Field Order B
(DVD-NTSC), 4 : 3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8800 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
MPEG audio layer 2, 48 KHz, Stereo

The file writing process this time seemed a little slower.

I wondered if maybe the audio was being re-rendered.

At any rate, I authored the single, rendered file using Ulead DVD Workshop.

The video/audio synchronization - upon playback of the DVD-R disc - was perfect.

To my eye, there seemed to be no video quality loss.

So if the video was re-rendered, I truly couldn't discern it.

I suspect only the audio was re-rendered - not the video.

At any rate, this setting definitely resolves the issue.

Now it's possible to extract, edit, and burn the raw MPEGs recorded by Panasonic and other DVD recorder devices.

Hope this helps,

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net