Can you convert mpeg audio to AC3 VS7 toVS9

[mghia]

Hi, I have a short movie that I did in VS7 SE as in the recommended settings but did not have the Dolby choice. I saved the file from VSP to mpeg.

I would like to use this mpeg2 video as part of a larger capture. I just upgraded and wanted to know if there is a way I can convert the mpeg audio to AC3 so that I can edit it to a new video made in VS9 with AC3 audio?

I am guessing from reading this forum that I really should have matched files when editing two videos together yes? If not, what will happen if part of the new video has mpeg audio and part Dolby?

I tried to SHARE>create video file>Custom>Options>Compression and then changed the audio format to the AC3 but I get an error message that the "failed to open MPEG encoder"

I just got the program so am not sure I have all updates. As far as I can see it is up to date.

Thanks for any insight.

MG

[THoff]

The easiest way is to treat the existing MPEG2 file like any other file in the Recommended procedure -- Videostudio will convert it as needed.

For the best video quality (and the fastest conversion), keep the output video parameters the same as those of the existing MPEG file. If you do that, the video will be untouched and Videostudio will merely convert the audio format -- the whole thing should go very quickly.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi MG

The most secure way of matching your video properties is to use the Tools—Make Movie Manager, at least you don’t have to manually input the settings, vs will do it for you.

From the first window select

1 / Add—Browse your hard drive for your Mpeg 2 file.
2 / Give it a template name
3 / Select OK (a template is made to the file properties)
4 / Select Edit-Compression tab--change the audio to Digital Dolby.

Do not change any other settings select OK then Close.

The template will show in the Share Create Video File Window

Start a new project, insert your video file.
Share Create Video File—Select your template, Rendering should be quick.

What is a worry is the failure to open mpeg encoder.
What you did I thought should have worked.
What are the properties of the Mpeg file? right click the file in the timeline and select properties.

Trevor

[mghia]

HI,


As mentioned I followed the Sticky and made the first file in VS7 as

(This is a VCR capture)

NTSC DVD
Size 654,825 KB
MPEG-2, Upper field first
24 bits, 720x480, 4:3
29.970 Frames/sec
Variable Rate (8000 Max)

MPEG Audio 2 Files
48000 Hz 16 bit Stereo
Layer 2
224 kpbs

[mghia]

Hmmm
Trevor- I just followed your instructions and It only shows MPEG-4 templates. Is this normal or should I be seeing the MPEG-2 tempates as well? or do they just want you to create one?

So I created one and got the same error message. Did adding the MPEG-4 plug in do something to the encoder?

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi MG


You may well go Mmmm! that was my reaction.

First of all Vs 7 afaik does not support Mpeg 4.

I realise you are now using VS 9 to import a Mpeg file created in VS 7. There should be no problem with this approach.
Changing the audio to Digital Dolby should be easy.

I do not understand where Mpeg 4 has appeared from.

If you go to Tools-Make Movie Manager and select ADD, Browse your hard drive for any video file, mpeg or avi, the template you get is using the same properties as the video file selected.

So where did the mpeg 4 come from?

Start a new project
Insert the video file to the timeline.
Right click the file
Select Properties
What are they?????????

Trevor

[mghia]

Trevor,
Thanks for the help.
You asked what the properties of the file I already listed them two replies up from this one.

Let me try to clarify to insure we are on the same page-
I am using VS-9
Ulead offers a Free plug in to MPEG-4 and HD so I registered installed those.

The file is NOT in MPEG-4. I mentioned that in your original instructions,
on the first page. it shows AVAILABLE TEMPLATES- There are 5 or 6 choices and they are all in MPEG-4. There were no standard options already listed for any other form
So I assume the MPEG-4 templates were added in that box by the plug in installation.

So I created the MPEG-2 template as per your instructions.

After following each step the same error message appears "Failed to open MPEG encoder"

NTSC DVD
Size 654,825 KB
MPEG-2, Upper field first
24 bits, 720x480, 4:3
29.970 Frames/sec
Variable Rate (8000 Max)

MPEG Audio 2 Files
48000 Hz 16 bit Stereo
Layer 2
224 kpbs

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi MG

Yes I think we are on the same page
I do not have the mpeg 4 templates installed, but do not think this is your problem.

Can you convert other files using Share-Create Video File.

Or is the problem just with the one VS 7 File.

Trevor

[mghia]

I just tried a capture in VS 9 with an mpeg setting.
Then I tried to convert it to Dolby as discussed above.

Darn, it still created that "failed to open MPEG encoder" pop up.

Any other thoughts of what to try/test?

[mghia]

After a an hour of reading other posts I found one related to the MPEG 4 plug in wiping out info.
The suggestion was to load the installation disk and choose the repair option. Not only did it restore his lost info but also kept the MPEG4 and HD templates.

I tried this and it was easy as 1,2,3 to convert my file.

SO the final work from me, unless something else pops up, is that installing hte plug in created the mpeg encoder error message.

So the repair option worked great!

PS- the AC3 file was slightly larger. Is that normal?
mpeg 2 audio the total file is 654,842 KB The new AC3 file is 654,894 Kb

[Ken Berry]

Re your PS: mpeg layer 2 audio and Dolby/AC-3, being totally different formats, will inevitably produce different size files. That is why we usually say that they produce roughly the same size files, rather than equal size files. And in the general scheme of the huge size of video files, the difference in your case of about 50 bytes, is so small as to make little difference anyway.

[THoff]

Actually, the size of MPEG2 and AC3 audio is generally the same for the default templates: 256Kbps.

[Ken Berry]

Thanks for the clarification, Torsten. I had realised that if you were using the same bit rate for the two audio formats, the files would be much the same size. But I had thought that given that the two formats use different methods to produce the final file, it would be inevitable that some difference in final file size would creep in.

[THoff]

No, you're absolutely correct, and one should not expect two files encoded using different parameters to wind up being the exact same size.

I just wanted to point out that the default audio bitrates for MPEG2 audio and AC3 audio are the same, so there is no space to be gained from using one format instead of another. LPCM is a different story altogether, it requires six times as much disk space as the other two.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi MG

Glad to hear that you managed to fix the problem and were able to convert your mpeg files.

Trevor