Recommended procedures and sound format

[adom01]

So i am using VideStudio 9 and capturing from a (sony) digitial video camera. My machine meets the recommended spec for capturing in mpeg 2 so I did. Recommended procedure seemed to be suggesting use dolby so I did.

Now I switch to edit and request Set Project Properties to Match when I import the mpeg. What I end up with is:

CAPTURE SETTINGS

MPEG Files
24 Bits, 720 x 576, 25.00 fps
Lower Field First
(DVD-PAL), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 448 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48.0 KHz, Stereo

PROJECT PROPERTIES

PAL (25 fps)
MPEG files
24 Bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
Lower Field First
(DVD-PAL), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 224 kbps
MPEG audio layer 2, 48 KHz, Stereo

So what is bothering me is

1. The captured mpeg files look fine in Media Player, but there is no sound?

2. I thought the idea was to have project properties identical to the captured mpeg properties in order for the share/create to work well, but clearly the audia specs are different and I can't find a way of setting the project properties to Dolby?

There may not even be a problem - asking now cos I don't want to go through the process of editing etc etc and then discover that I need to redo the capture in order to get a good result when I burn to DVD.


Thanks in advance

Adom

Thanks for any advice?

[sjj1805]

Please view:
http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=13421

[Ken Berry]

The easiest way to get the project properties to match the capture properties is to first check 'Show message when inserting first video clip into the timeline' under File > Preferences > General (fourth box down). That way, if you then open a project and drop one of your newly captured clips into the timeline, a little box will appear asking if you want the project properties to match those of the clip. Even though I have been using Video Studio since VS7 four years ago, I still use this method as it makes me think each time 'Now what exactly am I aiming to do with this project?' since sometimes I do NOT want the project properties to match those of the captured clips.

[PeterMilliken]

Hi Adom,

This is generic advice and in no way helps your specific questions

But consider troubleshooting these ideas yourself i.e. edit a small portion of the captured clips (not the whole thing - so you are potentially wasting little time) and see whether you can produce an acceptable product. (Re)Capture a (small) portion in avi format and see what results from editing that? i.e. do the project properties remain the same as the capture properties etc, does Media Player show sound.

Also, with Dolby capture - perhaps I am wrong here, but if the sound wasn't recorded in Dolby then there is "nothing" to capture? i.e. unless your camera records the sound as Dolby then asking VS to capture Dolby is the wrong thing to do? There is nothing wrong with asking VS to CONVERT the sound to Dolby but it may not be able to capture something that isn't there in the first place?

I don't know what camera you have so these are just some ideas you might want to consider.

BTW, the Recommended Procedure possibly steers towards capturing in mpeg2 - many people on this forum stick to capturing and editing in avi because they believe it is more advantageous - just a suggestion You can search the forum for the differing opinions on mpeg2 versus avi - there is plenty of information.

Peter

[Ken Berry]

Peter -- not sure I follow the logic of what you said about not being able to capture in Dolby if the original tape did not use Dolby. Most standard mini DV cameras, for instance, don't use mpeg layer 2 audio natively, but (L)PCM uncompressed audio. Yet there is no difficulty getting Video Studio to capture to mpeg layer 2 audio... i.e. converting the audio on the fly just as it is converting the original DV format to mpeg-2 on the fly. It's just what happens to the capture mpeg video and audio once you start editing that causes the difficulties...

[PeterMilliken]

Ken - you are undoubtedly right It is just I have seen several people on the forum lately say they are capturing in Dolby and finding no sound (when viewed from Media Player or whatever) - so I was wondering whether VS is doing the conversion (like it obviously does with mpeg capture) or whether it is a case of attempting to capture something that doesn't exist (as far as the input is concerned i.e. VS is looking for something that isn't there and ignoring what is there).

For example, I am trialing WS 2 at the moment. The trial version doesn't allow capture of Dolby sound (one of the things that is "crippled" in it). The first "test" capture I did was to capture an mpeg2 file that I had created using VS 9 - with the sound output set to Dolby. I ended up with a video clip with no sound in WS 2

I realise this isn't quite the same situation as attempting to capture from a mini-DV camera But it just made me wonder whether VS is expected to convert DV audio to Dolby during the capture or whether the setting is really only valid for cameras that record the sound in Dolby in the first place...

Hope my doubts here make sense, please feel free to correct me if I have it stuffed up

Peter

[Ken Berry]

Sorry, but you can in fact capture direct to Dolby (with mpeg-2 video) from a non-Dolby source. I happen to have, fortuitously, both my Canon 630i mini DV digital video camera and my Sony Digital 8 TRV480 on my desk, available for connection via Firewire to the computer. The Sony has an analogue 8mm tape in it. With each camera, I have just now selected PAL DVD as the capture option, and then go into the Options cogwheel icon and change mpeg properties to include Dolby audio. I then captured a small video from each, and in both cases, it happily captured DVD-compliant mpeg-2 video AND the audio in both was Dolby as requested. And both appear to play just fine.

As a footnote, I would add that if you select 'mpeg' as the capture option, you don't have the choice of Dolby -- only mpeg layer 2 audio. You have to select DVD as the capture option in order to have the choice between LPCM, mpeg and Dolby.

[PeterMilliken]

Well done!

That solves that one - I have just searched the VS 10 manual backwards and forwards and the word Dolby isn't even mentioned in it - let alone as a option in either the input or output Similar results with the VS 9 manual.

Peter

[Ken Berry]

Yes, you're right about the Manual. The only indirect reference is the rather unhelpful explanation of the 5.1 Surround Sound Mixer (which is of course Dolby) on pp. 110-111.

[DVDDoug]

1. The captured mpeg files look fine in Media Player, but there is no sound?

Some versions of Media JPlayer may not be able to play Dolby AC3. You can download Media Player free, but Dolby doesn't allow any free use of their technology. So, you probably don't have the right codec. Either you don't have an AC3 codec for Media Player, or your AC3 codec only works with DVDs.

I have just searched the VS 10 manual backwards and forwards and the word Dolby isn't even mentioned in it -

Look for "AC3". (I don't have my manual with me... so I dunno if it's in there either.) AC3 is just one of the many technologies owned by Dolby Labs.

[Ken Berry]

As I have the VS10 Manual in .PDF format, the search referred to above was made using as search words 'Dolby', 'AC-3' and 'AC3', and it found no matches at all!! As I said, the nearest it came, was the surround sound section, which of course uses Dolby though the D-word is not mentioned there either... It seems a strange omission since the Dolby elements of VS9 and 10 are a major selling point. But then again, this once-over-lightly treatment seems rather typical of Ulead VS Manuals...

[Trevor Andrew]

So i am using VideStudio 9 and capturing from a (sony) digitial video camera. My machine meets the recommended spec for capturing in mpeg 2 so I did. Recommended procedure seemed to be suggesting use dolby so I did.

Now I switch to edit and request Set Project Properties to Match when I import the mpeg. What I end up with is:

CAPTURE SETTINGS

MPEG Files
24 Bits, 720 x 576, 25.00 fps
Lower Field First ( Lower if you captured via firewire)(normally upper for analogue capture)
(DVD-PAL), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 448 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48.0 KHz, Stereo

PROJECT PROPERTIES

PAL (25 fps)
MPEG files
24 Bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
Lower Field First
(DVD-PAL), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 224 kbps
MPEG audio layer 2, 48 KHz, Stereo

So what is bothering me is

1. The captured mpeg files look fine in Media Player, but there is no sound? (Think it may be Media Player problem and Digital Dolby.
Try the AC 3 Filter from:- http://ac3filter.sourceforge.net/

2. I thought the idea was to have project properties identical to the captured mpeg properties in order for the share/create to work well, but clearly the audia specs are different and I can't find a way of setting the project properties to Dolby?
(You cannot set DD as part of the project properties. Just a glitch in the program. This is not a problem.
When you Share Create Video File-same as first clip, will use DD.
Or custom and select DD as the audio.)

There may not even be a problem - asking now cos I don't want to go through the process of editing etc etc and then discover that I need to redo the capture in order to get a good result when I burn to DVD.


Thanks in advance

Adom

Thanks for any advice?

Hope this helps

Trevor