DCR-SR80 Problem with VS9 - NO AUDIO!

bluemax786 · Post by **bluemax786** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 7:16 pm

Hey guys,

I'm putting together a video for work. The camcorder we captured the video with is a Sony DCR-SR80. It has a hard drive and all that good stuff. I'm certain it captures in mpeg format. The problem is, I don't have the Sony software that came with the camera. All I have is the camera and docking station - so I have to browse the camera as a hard drive through Windows XP to access the video files.

When I copy the files to my PC, and load them into VideoStudio 9, the playback has no audio. I burnt a DVD to make sure, and the DVD has no audio, either. Also: When I play the files regularly through Windows XP, via WMP 9, they play WITH audio. It gives an error message about not having the right codec, but plays the audio and video perfectly anyway. It just won't play the audio in VS9 or on a burned disc.

Anyone have any ideas? I need this sort of quick

Thanks in advance!

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:59 pm

I believe your camera uses Dolby (AC3) audio. If you have an 'SE' version of Video Studio 9, or the trial version, it probably does not have the Dolby codec. (Dolby always gets paid!)

I am a bit surprised that the audio doesn't "pass through" to the DVD... All DVD players can play Dolby...

Also, some of us have sometimes had trouble when editing MPEGs. Personally, I've never totally lost the audio, but I have had 'lip-sync" problems and crashing!

I switched to a special-purpose MPEG editor (Womble), but I still use Ulead to author & burn DVDs.

bluemax786 · Post by **bluemax786** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:30 pm

Thanks for the reply! What are my options, besides using Womble? I need something that is free and won't put a watermark or limit the length of the video. I have the SE DVD version of Video Studio 9, also.

I figured the audio would passthrough to the burned DVD as well, but it doesn't. Anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks again!

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 11:51 pm

FREE???

If this is a one-time project, you might try the trial versions of Video Studio and Womble. I don't know if they can handle AC3 or not.

You might also try to find a copy of the Sony software. Maybe their website, their customer service, or maybe there is a Sony forum where another customer can make you a copy (assuming its "free" and legal to copy).

Like I said, Dolby always gets paid. There are no free ligitimate AC3 codecs. And, I've never seen a (ligitimate) stand-alone AC3 codec. They only come with video editing software.

I have heard rumors of unauthorized codecs. But, I've heard that they don't work very well, and they may no longer be available.

You can search the Net for "free DVD software" and/or "free AC3 codec". But, if you do find anything, you'll probably spend several days or weeks trying it out, and learning to use it. This stuff is hard enough with commercial software!

And, you are unlikely to find one free program that does everything like Video Studio. You'll probably need an editor, a DVD authoring program, a DVD burning program, and maybe an encoder.

Here are some websites where you might find some free software:

AfterDawn.co
Doom9.org
DigitalFAQ.com
VideoHelp.com
Burnworld.com
Free-Codecs.com
Softpedia.com
Freeware-guide.com
NoNags.com
SourcefForge.net (Open source software)

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:24 am

Hi DVDDoug,

now, that would be a paradox SONY and

assuming its "free" and legal to copy

I wouldn't touch anything SONY with a 10 foot barge pole because of their twisted approach to DRM

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:50 am

In VideoStudio 9 start a new project. Going directly to SHARE and select CREATE DISK (from an empty timeline).

In the CREATE DISK module insert your videos, don't edit them and they will be passed through. You can add chapters. And in that module under the GEAR Icon make sure "Do Not Convert Compliant Files" is checked ON.
You can't preview the audio but it will be on the final dvd.

bluemax786 · Post by **bluemax786** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 4:13 am

etech6355 wrote:In VideoStudio 9 start a new project. Going directly to SHARE and select CREATE DISK (from an empty timeline).

In the CREATE DISK module insert your videos, don't edit them and they will be passed through. You can add chapters. And in that module under the GEAR Icon make sure "Do Not Convert Compliant Files" is checked ON.
You can't preview the audio but it will be on the final dvd.

Made myself a shiny new coaster. Didn't work. Video still has no sound. Thanks for trying though! Anyone else have any suggestions?

I think so far, everyone else is right about the AC3 thing. When I tried to do the above, it gave me an error saying something along the lines of "the video you imported uses Dolby Digital AC3 audio which is not supported by VisualStudio 9." It didn't give me that error message until I did the "create disc" thing. Before, it gave no error message.

At least I know now that the AC3 audio is definitely what's pissing it off.

Ugh. I asked the person at work who owns the camcorder to bring me the Sony software tomorrow, if they can find it. I'm also considering using the video-out cable to capture the video with my DVD Xpress DX2. Capturing video from a camcorder that stores it digitally on a hard drive is kind of grungy, but hey, I'm sure it would capture the audio as well - right?

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 11:16 pm

Made myself a shiny new coaster. Didn't work. Video still has no sound. Thanks for trying though! Anyone else have any suggestions?

It's does work this way and will pass the audio through as long as the files are dvd compliant.
Somehow the program isn't seeing your videos as dvd compliant mpeg2 videos or it is a limitation of the SE version. It could be the way your copying them from the Sony's harddisk.

bluemax786 · Post by **bluemax786** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 1:29 pm

etech6355 wrote:
Made myself a shiny new coaster. Didn't work. Video still has no sound. Thanks for trying though! Anyone else have any suggestions?
It's does work this way and will pass the audio through as long as the files are dvd compliant.
Somehow the program isn't seeing your videos as dvd compliant mpeg2 videos or it is a limitation of the SE version. It could be the way your copying them from the Sony's harddisk.

I'm thinking it's a limitation of the SE version. Again, it said in the SE version, via pop up window, "These files are MPEG2 and have AC3 Dolby Audio. We don't support that audio." I'm thinking that's a pretty good indication that......it doesn't support the audio

New question: Would there be a significant loss of quality if I were to capture the video using the DVD Xpress DX2? I know it would output in analog, and then convert back to digital (redundant), but it's my best choice so far....I can't find any (free) good programs that will support the AC3 audio.

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 2:07 pm

As I saw on another similar post, the matter of quality loss is really in the eye of the beholder. Give it a try. If it looks ok to you then I guess the quality loss isn't bad.

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 2:49 pm

That error pops up either way in any version of VideoStudio that doesn't support the Dolby Audio.
If the files are already DVD Compliant they will get passed through the encoder even when that message is displayed.
You can tell when the files are being passed through the encoder.
In the last stage of the Burning Module the program should pause for a few seconds then immediately say "Multiplexing video/audio" and start writing to the harddisk. If you see converting video 1 or similar then VS is re-encoding them. I would try to make a simple dvd without any complex menus. No menu transisions, motion menus or background audio. When working correctly the process to create a dvd goes quickly. About 10 Minutes to create the dvd structures on the harddisk if burning dvd folders. If you can create dvd folders on the harddisk first and test playing the dvd from dvd folders. Saves wasting dvd's.

Exactly how are you getting the videos from the camcorders harddisk onto your machine. They should be in the -VR format and need to be extracted from their container files.
If you right click on the video and select media properites the video/audio properties will be displayed. You should post them back to this thread.

bluemax786 · Post by **bluemax786** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 3:53 pm

etech6355 wrote:That error pops up either way in any version of VideoStudio that doesn't support the Dolby Audio.
If the files are already DVD Compliant they will get passed through the encoder even when that message is displayed.
You can tell when the files are being passed through the encoder.
In the last stage of the Burning Module the program should pause for a few seconds then immediately say "Multiplexing video/audio" and start writing to the harddisk. If you see converting video 1 or similar then VS is re-encoding them. I would try to make a simple dvd without any complex menus. No menu transisions, motion menus or background audio. When working correctly the process to create a dvd goes quickly. About 10 Minutes to create the dvd structures on the harddisk if burning dvd folders. If you can create dvd folders on the harddisk first and test playing the dvd from dvd folders. Saves wasting dvd's.

Exactly how are you getting the videos from the camcorders harddisk onto your machine. They should be in the -VR format and need to be extracted from their container files.
If you right click on the video and select media properites the video/audio properties will be displayed. You should post them back to this thread.

I'm not sure what you are telling me to do in the first paragraph - sorry!

I'm getting the videos from the camcorder by simply copying the files over. The camcorder shows up as just another external hard drive, and I access the drive, find the movies, which are already in mpeg format, and copy them to my computer. The file names end with .mpg. I don't know what -VR format is, and why you would need to extract anything from an .mpeg file?

I will post the properties when I get off work today (I'm at work now). Thanks so much for the help etech6355! And everyone else, too. I am very happy with the support I've gotten so far!

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 4:16 pm

I haven't used that camcorder yet. If the file extensions are already in mpg then they should already be dvd compliant. Sounds great if can simply copy them over to your harddisk.

Important thing you have to take notice to is IF your original video files are being re-encoded. If the files aren't being re-encoded the dvd's should play correctly on your dvd players that will play dolby audio.

bluemax786 · Post by **bluemax786** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 4:38 pm

VideoStudio 9 SE DVD must be re-encoding them, then. That's the only explanation, right?

If you say you should be able to pass-through the files straight to a DVD, even if the application doesn't understand AC3, then they should work fine.

Is there a way to force it to not re-encode?

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 4:47 pm

If you have a DVD compatible mpeg, and you have Do Not Convert Compliant Mpeg File checked, it should not re-encode your file.