Help newbie to change audio format

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Hello everybody,

Please advise whether what I describe below is an effective way to the job.

I have a DVD movie backup that is missing the last part of the movie and I want to create the missing part from an avi file (the same movie).

I used VirtualDub to create a new avi file (consists of the missing part) from the big avi file. Then I have converted the new avi file to VOB with Canopus Procoder 2.0.

Everything was fine but the major VOBs and the new one have different audio formats – the first ones are ac3 while the new one is mpeg2.

I used IMTOO MPG Encoder to convert the new VOB audio format from mpeg2 to ac3. I decided to get this one as it looks pretty easy to use though I have no experience working with it. I opened the new VOB in the program window, selected target as ac3 format and as a result I have received a file with extension ac3 (12,3 mb).

Sorry for the ignorance but I do not know how I should use the file in order to change the audio format of the VOB. I contacted technical support of IMTOO MPEG Encoder but it looks like it will take a while to get an answer.

I believe I should use a tool to put the new audio on the VOB. Probably muxman that Baldrick kindly advised me (https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?p=1578039#1578039 ) can do the job. But in the manual to muxman I read that audio in the same track must have the same bit rate and channels.

In my case the major VOBs audio has bit rate 448 while the newly created VOB audio has 192 kbps. The major VOB channels are 5.1 while the new one is just stereo.

I tried to set channels to 5.1 and 448 kbps in IMTOO MPEG Encoder (manually as there is no such setting in the option, the highest is 320 kbps) before encoding but the resulting file produces no sound. How can I make them the same as in the major VOBs?

Thank you!

[mats.hogberg]

I think your best option is to make all audio 2 channel AC3. Or make a new backup of the movie, make a full backup this time.

/Mats

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Thank you for your reply!

There is no chance to make a full backup.

As for making all audio 2 channel AC3, that's what I am trying to - to encode the second to the sane format as the first ones but I am not sure how to do this.

[Scorpion King]

Have you tried ffmpegGUI ? It is a very easy to use ac3 converter, and it supports 448. But only 2 channels.

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Thank you!

But the question is if the first VOBs have channels 5.1 and the secon one has 2 channels, will they be compatible? It looks like not.

Can I change the major VOBs audio from 5.1 to 2 channels with ffmprgGUI?

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Hi,

I have made all audio, major and the new one, as 448 kbps 2 channels Stereo. After that I tried to use Muxman to create new video file with the new audio but I cannot load VOB files into Muxman. In the “Open” window, it only gives the option “useable video files”. If try to load a VOB file it rejects it.

What does this mean? What am I missing?

I also tried to use Rejig for the same purpose. I loaded one of the VOBs into the “Video” window (DVD Author mode) and the corresponding VTS_01_....ac3 file into the Audio window. But once I click “Create”, the program crashes.

When I go to the destination folder, I see there new Audio and Video TS folders and mux.vob file. The last one plays sound only.

What am I doing wrong? Please help. Thank you!

[mats.hogberg]

You're missing the simple fact that VOB files are the output from authoring, not what you feed into the process.

Demux your VOBs with ReJig to m2v and AC3 and use that as source files for authoring.

Another alternative is to extract the mpg out of the VOBs with vob2mpg.

/Mats

[AlanHK]

You're missing the simple fact that VOB files are the output from authoring, not what you feed into the process.

What he said. There's no advantage, and much complication, in trying to work with VOBs.
Use one of many methods (eg VOB2MPG) to get the first version as an MPEG. Use a MPEG editor like Womble MPEG2VCR to join with the new file. Author.

You won't lose any quality this way, MPEG2VCR doesn't reencode frivolously.

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Thank you, guys.

I also realized my mistake. It is so confusing to go through it for the first time.

[Scorpion King]

My programs of choice would be Tmpgenc Encoder to demux the vobs. ffmpegGUI to reencode the audio. Then Tmpgenc DVDAuthor to create the new dvd. These are the easiest for me to use.

Good luck.

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Scorping King,

Thank you for your input.

I read about 10 or may be more reviews "Procoder vs. CCE" and CCE vs. Tmpgen" and "Procoder vs. Tmpgen".

So many opinions and what's most confusing, all are different. Some people praise Procoder, others praise Tmpgen or CCE.

It looks like it is a matter of personal preference. I am a newbie in every sense and cannot dispute any of those opinions. I invested money in Procoder 2.0 and so far I am happy with it.

The only problem is that is has very scetchy manual if the thing can be called a manual at all. I cannot find instructions how to use filters. I would really appreciate if somebody could advise reading for a non-technical person.

I plan to buy CCE and run some tests in transcoding. I will dare to post the results though they will be very subjective as I am a non-technical person and the only thing that matters to me is what I see on my TV screen.

Good luck to you too.