Attaching an mp3 to a video without compression.

[Racoon29]

I have my video and the mp3. What I want to do is add that mp3 to the video and not have to compress the mp3. I don't want to compress the mp3

Any tools out there? Free ones I mean.

[KBeee]

If the video is a DivX/Xvid avi, then you can use VirtualDub.
Open the video file
Video -> Direct stream copy
Audio -> Audio from other file (choose your mp3)
Save as AVI

[redwudz]

What's the video format? You can use VirtualDub to mux the MP3 audio with AVI type video or AVIDemux. Both are freeware. They would be no losses or encoding if you use direct stream copy.

[Racoon29]

It's not an AVI but I could easily convert the vid to an AVI. Thanks for the help.

[chh]

If the video is in an AVI container, you could multiplex the mp3 audio into it, with Virtualdub, without having to recompress the video, as suggested above. I prefer the modified version: "Virtualdubmod", see:
https://www.videohelp.com/tools/VirtualdubMOD
Virtualdubmod gives you better options when it comes to multiplexing/demultiplexing audio (and subtitle) streams, than plain vanilla Virtualdub.
(Actually, I don't think plain Virtualdub can save other audio without recompresion, than PCM/Wav. If you load mp3 audio into Virtualdub, it see's it as PCM, and you will have to recompress the audio. This is not a problem with Virtualdubmod, which muxes both streams, without recompressing any).

If the video is not in an AVI container, and you still don't want to recompress, you could try the multiplex tool in MeGui:
https://www.videohelp.com/tools/MeGUI
MeGui can do a lot of other useful things, besides multiplexing your video and audio.

[Gavino]

Actually, I don't think plain Virtualdub can save other audio without recompresion, than PCM/Wav. If you load mp3 audio into Virtualdub, it see's it as PCM, and you will have to recompress the audio..

Not if you set the audio processing to "Direct stream copy".

[Racoon29]

The video size is too big when I use Virualdub and Avid doesn't add the mp3 file to the vid. I've downloaded the mp3 from many sources. It adds other mp3 files though. It just refuses to add this certain song

Ah well...

[guns1inger]

If you set the video and audio to Direct Stream Copy then all it will do is add the two together, so the size should not beyond the sum o fthe two existing files. if it is getting bigger than that then you are producing uncompressed output because you don't have Direct Stream Copy mode set correctly.

[PuzZLeR]

The video size is too big when I use Virualdub

I agree with Guns1linger. You're likely converting/re-encoding. If you use Video->Direct Stream Copy, not only will it be similar in file size (combined a/v) and lossless in quality without resorting to a (likely much larger) compressed format it will also be alot faster in processing. You're literally not changing much, only "copying" the "streams" "directly".

You can always also look into the MKV container instead of the aging AVI. It should store just about anything, including "stubborn" files and formats that can be problematic elsewhere, and a tool that does this muxing is MKVMerge from the MKVToolnix kit (free).

and Avid doesn't add the mp3 file to the vid. I've downloaded the mp3 from many sources. It adds other mp3 files though. It just refuses to add this certain song

Maybe the song sucks? :P

[Racoon29]

The video size is too big when I use Virualdub

I agree with Guns1linger. You're likely converting/re-encoding. If you use Video->Direct Stream Copy, not only will it be similar in file size (combined a/v) and lossless in quality without resorting to a (likely much larger) compressed format it will also be alot faster in processing. You're literally not changing much, only "copying" the "streams" "directly".

You can always also look into the MKV container instead of the aging AVI. It should store just about anything, including "stubborn" files and formats that can be problematic elsewhere, and a tool that does this muxing is MKVMerge from the MKVToolnix kit (free).

and Avid doesn't add the mp3 file to the vid. I've downloaded the mp3 from many sources. It adds other mp3 files though. It just refuses to add this certain song

Maybe the song sucks? :P

Works. Thanks. I just forgot about the video direct stream copy thingy. The song was 'a great day for freedom' by Pink Floyd. I don't think Avid can attach 4+ minute songs for some odd reason.

[PuzZLeR]

Thank Guns1inger for that, not me.

And when you mention Avid, are you talking about AviDemux or the editor Avid itself?

If nothing else muxes right for you, then I would just, as I suggested, stuff it in an MKV container, which can store all kinds of formats, sizes, bitrates, etc., even all kinds of, otherwise unconventional, a/v combos (ex:WMV and FLAC).

[Racoon29]

I thank you all.

1 more question. If you convert a music file to another format (keeping the bitrate the same), will there be any loss in quality? I ask because I know that videos loose quality even if you keep everything (bitrate, etc) exactly the same.

IE: Will it lower the bitrate even though it still says '320' in its properties?

[Gavino]

To convert to another format, the converter has to uncompress the audio and recompress in the new format. Even if the new bitrate is the same, there will be some loss in quality as a result of this process because of rounding errors, etc. Plus you may lose even more if the new format is inherently less efficient at compression (giving lower quality for the same bit rate).

You won't 'lower the bitrate', but the bits will be a less accurate representation of the original music.

[PuzZLeR]

If you re-encode audio to any lossy format, MP3, AAC, AC3, WMA, etc, you will lose quality regardless of the bitrate, no matter how high, but you can take advantage of certain efficiencies of a particular format to get something that sounds almost identical to the original given enough bitrate - but you will never be higher in quality than almost identical.

If you want to re-encode without loss, you'd need an uncompressed or lossless format like WAVE (LPCM) or FLAC, or others, which are considerably bigger than lossy formats with each having their respective advantages. For example FLAC is smaller than LPCM (at the same quality), but LPCM is compatible with DvD while FLAC would need MKV if it's used as the audio stream with a video clip.