No audio with converted video files

[TomLJ]

I have some .MP4 files (HD) that have to be converted to edit in Windows Movie Maker. I converted them to both .wmv and .avi with Prism video file converter but got no audio with them. I then tried it with AVS4YOU and was able to get audio, but it's a non-activated program which leaves a watermark on the output file, so I can't use that program.

I have quite a bit of experience in video production as a cameraman, but I'm a total noob to handling digital video on my computer. I have converted .mov files to .wmv with Prism and had no trouble with the audio, so I have no idea why I wouldn't get audio on these converted files. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

[Baldrick]

Have you only tried 2 tools? I would first try mp4cam2avi as it will just change it to an avi without any conversion. If it wont work hen try format factory, any video converter, winff, xvid4psp, avidemux.

Or try windows live movie maker, it might support more formats if you just have installed the correct codecs like haali media splitter and ffdshow.

[TomLJ]

Thanks, Baldrick. I wasn't aware of any of those tools, so I'm eager to try them tomorrow.

I was hoping there was a simple solution, a box I didn't tick or something, but that's probably too much to hope for. I have a lot of education ahead of me.

[TomLJ]

First, I checked out Windows Live Movie Maker but apparently it won't run on XP. So I downloaded MP4CAM2AVI and converted one file as a test, but can't import it into Windows Movie Maker because the codec needed to play it isn't installed on the computer. I don't know what the codec is called or how to find it. Any suggestions?

[AlanHK]

I don't know what the codec is called or how to find it. Any suggestions?

Use GSpot to tell for sure.

But probably ffdshow would cover it.

[TomLJ]

It turned out that Format Factory did the job very nicely. I've started editing already. Thanks so much for the help, Baldrick, and I'll check out GSpot for future reference, Alan.

[TomLJ]

Another glitch has come up. Several of the .wmv files can't be imported into Windows Movie Maker because they're not indexed, as the message says. I removed those files from their folder and reconverted the original .mpg4 files, but the new .wmv's weren't indexed either and can't be used. What's going on with that?

By the way, the files play fine in Media Player. It seems they don't need to be indexed for that.

[Ai Haibara]

Asfbin might be able to help fix the indexing, for those videos.

[TomLJ]

Just finished trying Asfbin, but when I open it, a window appears for an instant and disappears, never to be seen again...

(WinXP Media Center Edition, SP3)

[Ai Haibara]

It's a command-line utility. If you want a GUI version, there's an older version (1.5.0) available at the program's homepage. Look for the "AsfBin window GUI version 1.5.0" link.

[TomLJ]

Yes, the GUI version is what I needed and it worked great. Thanks, Ai Haibara.