Attempting to Synchronize Audio and Video for a Concert DVD

[alchemy1]

I will try to make what I want to do as clear as possible. I have two sources for a music concert. An audience source recorded to minidisc, and a miniDV video source. The audio on this video source suffers from a lot of distortion, especially on the bass parts. So what I want to do is synchronize the audio from the pretty good MD recording to the miniDV video. What is the best way to do this, if you consider that I have the following:

- video as VOB files
- audio as wav@44.1 kHz

I have all sorts of audio and some video programs. I see that the new version of VirtualDub supports an MPEG2 import feature. You can use a source wav as the audio too, but is that really the best way?

Also, it is important that the sound on this DVD is encoded in the LPCM format. How would I go about making sure that this gets done too?

[Richard_G]

You say you have a MiniDV video source but then say that the video is vob files, which do you have or do you have both? If you still have the MiniDV tape, transfer it as DV avi, insert that file into a video editor, import and synchronise your wav audio and save. Most editors will allow you to mix two audio sources so you can use a bit of both if you want. Even Windows Movie Maker will do this job. Once you are happy that the two audio source levels are correct and in sync, save as DV avi. This will give you a file ready to put into whatever you choose to author to DVD using whatever format audio you want.

[alchemy1]

You say you have a MiniDV video source but then say that the video is vob files, which do you have or do you have both? If you still have the MiniDV tape, transfer it as DV avi, insert that file into a video editor, import and synchronise your wav audio and save. Most editors will allow you to mix two audio sources so you can use a bit of both if you want. Even Windows Movie Maker will do this job. Once you are happy that the two audio source levels are correct and in sync, save as DV avi. This will give you a file ready to put into whatever you choose to author to DVD using whatever format audio you want.

Thanks for your response.

I didn't exaplin that part very well. I didn't record the video myself. I just know it was recorded using a miniDV camera. So I have to deal with the video from the DVD instead. How much of a problem would this pose?

I'm guessing I would need a program that can import MPEG2 from VOB, right?

[edDV]

I don't get it. Your project was contracted to provide LPCM quality 2 channel but you acquired audio with a MD recorder?

A total botch job. Fire everyone.

Next time tap the mixer and find a way to sync video if only with a camera flash.

[Richard_G]

Try downloading the 30 day free trial of Ulead DVD Moviefactory from www.ulead.com and have a play. It will import video direct from DVD and allow you to add a second audio track (intended for background music). You SHOULD be able to adjust the relative levels between the two audio streams. How easy it will be to synchronise the streams though I don't know, I use a full blown editor for doing it (but I am synchronising 3 video tracks with audio and a separate audio track).

Otherwise you'll need to extract the mpeg info from the DVD and use something else to do it.

[alchemy1]

Try downloading the 30 day free trial of Ulead DVD Moviefactory from www.ulead.com and have a play. It will import video direct from DVD and allow you to add a second audio track (intended for background music). You SHOULD be able to adjust the relative levels between the two audio streams. How easy it will be to synchronise the streams though I don't know, I use a full blown editor for doing it (but I am synchronising 3 video tracks with audio and a separate audio track).

Otherwise you'll need to extract the mpeg info from the DVD and use something else to do it.

Full blown editor that goes by the name of...

Song Vegas?

[alchemy1]

Try downloading the 30 day free trial of Ulead DVD Moviefactory from www.ulead.com and have a play. It will import video direct from DVD and allow you to add a second audio track (intended for background music). You SHOULD be able to adjust the relative levels between the two audio streams. How easy it will be to synchronise the streams though I don't know, I use a full blown editor for doing it (but I am synchronising 3 video tracks with audio and a separate audio track).

Otherwise you'll need to extract the mpeg info from the DVD and use something else to do it.

EDIT: double post

[alchemy1]

I don't get it. Your project was contracted to provide LPCM quality 2 channel but you acquired audio with a MD recorder?

A total botch job. Fire everyone.

Next time tap the mixer and find a way to sync video if only with a camera flash.

Right.

Like encoding a lossy recording again into the dreaded ac3 would be any better by compressing twice. I didn't think so.

[Richard_G]

No not Vegas, I use Ulead Mediastudio Pro. But, only because when I first started doing multi camera editing it was the only editor that gave me the option of displaying the audio as a waveform which makes intial synching far easier. Most of the others will also do it now, but as I'm used to using MSP, why should I have to re-learn a new bit of software. I've also not found anything the others can do that I can't do in MSP.

I also agree totally with edDV. Shoot video with a camcorder (or, if you want to do it properly, a number of camcorders) and take a clean audio feed straight off the stage mixer. Sync them up and adjust the relative levels BEFORE turning it into a DVD, not try to do a botch job afterwards.

[alchemy1]

No not Vegas, I use Ulead Mediastudio Pro. But, only because when I first started doing multi camera editing it was the only editor that gave me the option of displaying the audio as a waveform which makes intial synching far easier. Most of the others will also do it now, but as I'm used to using MSP, why should I have to re-learn a new bit of software. I've also not found anything the others can do that I can't do in MSP.

I also agree totally with edDV. Shoot video with a camcorder (or, if you want to do it properly, a number of camcorders) and take a clean audio feed straight off the stage mixer. Sync them up and adjust the relative levels BEFORE turning it into a DVD, not try to do a botch job afterwards.

No-no. I agree with you. But these are the only sources that are available and I would rather have good audio over the distortion. The only reason why I felt that LPCM sound is important is to prevent double compression of the audio.

A board mix is certainly off limits here as this is a pretty popular artist.

[edDV]

I don't get it. Your project was contracted to provide LPCM quality 2 channel but you acquired audio with a MD recorder?

A total botch job. Fire everyone.

Next time tap the mixer and find a way to sync video if only with a camera flash.

Right.

Like encoding a lossy recording again into the dreaded ac3 would be any better by compressing twice. I didn't think so.

Admit your situation. Are you trying to save your rear end after botching a legally contracted project or are you ripping somebody's concert?

[Richard_G]

Ahh, what used to be called a bootleg.......

[alchemy1]

I don't get it. Your project was contracted to provide LPCM quality 2 channel but you acquired audio with a MD recorder?

A total botch job. Fire everyone.

Next time tap the mixer and find a way to sync video if only with a camera flash.

Right.

Like encoding a lossy recording again into the dreaded ac3 would be any better by compressing twice. I didn't think so.

Admit your situation. Are you trying to save your rear end after botching a legally contracted project or are you ripping somebody's concert?

No. You are misunderstanding me.

The artist in question here is Mark Knopfler. Mark openly allows recordings of his concert on both audio and video as part of his taping policy. I have permission from both the audiographer and videographer (2 seperate people) to use their recordings for this project. And, when I create these sorts of things I give them out freely via trades and electronic means. I don't make any money from these projects, but I do invest a lot of time in them because they can be the source of some fun for me. This project is by no means professional, it is only from the love of MK music by his fans, so all projects are homemade.

[edDV]

I'm a Dire Straights fan. I'll have to haul my gear in next time they hit here.

What video-sound editor are you using? You need to sync audio to video with key frame events (e.g. on cam drum beat, flash bulb or gesture), for approx sync and pay attention to cloeups where absolute lipsync can be detected.

You'll need to open the waveform for tight sync.

[iLuvLandingStrips]

I'm pretty sure that neither Dire Straits or Mark Knopfler is going to let you "tap" in to the Soundboard for a recording.

[edDV]

I'm pretty sure that neither Dire Straits or Mark Knopfler is going to let you "tap" in to the Soundboard for a recording.

You think? I'd settle for a case of my own gear.