Help to a newbie (TMPGEnc and audio related)

[stoico1]

Hello to all.
I'm making a video compilation,sourced from a dvd with dolby digital 2.0 audio.256 kbps.

Another source is a dvd with LPCM audio 1536 kbps.

I was cutting selected video portions of those dvds and I'll join all in adobe premiere,

I demuxed with DGIndex,getting the dv2,m2v,ac3 files (in the case of the dvd disc with LPCM audio I got a .wav file)

But I realized that ,later of using my avysynth 2.5 scripts in virtualdub,and frameserving every little clip that I cut to TMPGEnc plus 2.5,
I have now "MPEG-1 Audio Layer II" 384 kbits audio in all my little MPEG-2 clips...

So I am ending with a loss in audio quality...

and appear that, in TMPGEnc...exactly in MPEG Setting-> "Audio" tab ,
I can't modify the stream type (always is "MPEG-1 Audio Layer II")
or the bitrate (always 384 kbits)

the only feature that I can modify is "Channel mode"...and I always choose "Dual channel".

Please,someone would tell me what would I do for keep the original audio quality of each little video clip before of join all in Adobe premiere ?

Thanks in advance

[redwudz]

Simple answer, don't process the audio with TMPGEnc. I convert it all to AC3 first with either Aften or ffmpeggui and encode the video only with TMPGEnc. Then when I author, I add the AC3 along with the video and author. There is a AC3 plugin for TMPGEnc encoder, but I just use the external programs. If it's WAV, just convert that to AC3, If it's AC3, just mux it out and add later.

[guns1inger]

I'm not sure what you are asking.

You cannot keep the original quality of all the audio as it comes form mixed source. Eventually you have to encode the full audio track to a single format.

One thing to look at is working in elementary streams. This is where you frameserve the video to tmpgenc, and encode only the video. Don't let tmpgenc encode the audio as well.

Once this is done, you can save the audio out seperately in what ever format you choose. You then bring the two elements back together when you author.

What format do you want your audio in for the final project ?

[Cornucopia]

Why are you even re-encoding the video?

Seems to me, you could just demux, convert WAV-->AC3 (Aften), edit the MPEG2 (Cuttermaran) and re-author. Only 1 conversion, not too much loss, all similar rates, etc. now.

Scott

[Moontrash]

as stated above...to keep that ac3 file and use it with your vid..use your authoring app(i use tsunami dvd author) w/ the ac3 plug and it works just fine

[stoico1]

The problem is that I'm cutting only selected video portions
that aren't secuencially of each dvd...

Adobe premiere pro 2.0 only let me choose between MPEG or PCM audio...
so I'll choose PCM audio.

Ok,so I'll process only the video with the scripts for cut only the video
and frameserving with TMPGEnc.

Sorry for be so fool, but the problem will be that I'll have :

the ac3 file of the whole first dvd

and

the wav file of the whole second dvd.

when and I need only the ac3/wav files corresponding to each video clip.

(again,I am cutting selected video parts that are in diferent positions in each dvd)
I'll need put fade in fade out transitions between every video clip,for that I need adobe premiere also.

[guns1inger]

If Premiere wont edit with AC3 audio then PCM is your best bet until the end, the write the edit audio track out as PCM, and convert to AC3 with AftenGUI or ffmpeggui.

At least this way you compress one extra time.

[Cornucopia]

The problem is that I'm cutting only selected video portions
that aren't secuencially of each dvd...

So, like I said, use Cuttermaran (no need to re-encode...)

I'll need put fade in fade out transitions between every video clip,for that I need adobe premiere also.

THAT'S why! Why didn't you say so in the 1st place... That's a horse of a different color...

What I'd do is take a still of the last shot from Clip A, a still from the 1st shot of Clip B and do a dissolve between, encode once to MPEG2. However long this is, make a clip of silent audio and convert to AC3.

Do the same for Clip B end with Clip C start, etc.

Then, merge Clip A + Clip A/B xition + Clip B + Clip B/C xition + Clip C, etc.

No need to use Premiere, no need to re-encode ANY video, no loss, less time, only the LPCM/WAV audio clips need to be converted once to AC3.

You could author as one long title with chapter points at the dissolves (or just after, at the real beginning of the clips).

Scott

[stoico1]

So, like I said, use Cuttermaran (no need to re-encode...)

mmm....well,so I should use Cuttermaran ...but what you think about of mpg2cut2 ? ...(mpg2cut2 don't need the NET framework installed...)

What I'd do is take a still of the last shot from Clip A, a still from the 1st shot of Clip B and do a dissolve between, encode once to MPEG2. However long this is, make a clip of silent audio and convert to AC3.

Do the same for Clip B end with Clip C start, etc.

The same Cuttermaran can help me in make that "dissolve" effect ? or I need another tool
for that step?

Then, merge Clip A + Clip A/B xition + Clip B + Clip B/C xition + Clip C, etc.
.

only the LPCM/WAV audio clips need to be converted once to AC3.

So I'm guessing I'll convert the audio when I join all the clips...would you recommend me a tool for merge the clips ,please?

[tinker]

Hi
There are two softwares you can use and keep original audio for each clip.
Only think with DVD is that if you have different audio(AC3, LPCM, MPEG) or video (4:3,16:9) they can be on the same DVD, but not the same VTS. For that you will need authoring software like DVD Lab.
To make a clips from DVD there is MPEG Video Wizard
http://www.womble.com/products/
This will let you import DVD VOB files and cut what you want with audio attached. You can even make transitions and other tricks with that one.
In DVD Lab you can put all your clips into separate VTS's, make menus and produce DVD file to burn.

[stoico1]

Hey folks,I was working with Cuttermaran and is good for what I am making...
Thanks for help me ! ...
Although I understand the idea of Cornucopia I can't find a way or the tool for make the disolve effect...silly me

So premiere imported all the clips very well...I finally make the simple transitions...
the next step will be export to a mpeg-2 file and the authoring...

Many thanks to all for help me !

[Cornucopia]

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner...my "unread topics" somehow missed yours.

Cuttermaran can't do the transitions thing, but Womble can. As can most video editing apps. So in that instance, you might want to use Premiere. But you'd be bringing in ONLY the still framegrabs from the clips' bookends. Transition would be just whatever effect you wanted to apply (wipe, dissolve, 3Dpush, pagecurl, etc).

Yeah, there ought to be an app that just does batch transitions...

Good luck!

Scott

[stoico1]

Thanks Scott! and thanks to all for the help !