Alludo USER to USER Web Board

I downloaded the trial version of VideoStudio 11.5+ because I am trying to find something that will allow me to perform frame accurate edits on the files I am recording with my Hauppauge HD-PVR before outputting to AVCHD DVDs. I have .TS files that contain the video and audio streams, and I believe the audio is in AC-3 format.

Now, the first problem is I cannot find anywhere that allows me to select a 1920x1080 size for my project, even though the website claims that it can output AVCHDs. Is this feature excluded from the trial version?

Secondly, when I try to edit the video, I am getting the video with no audio, even though it plays fine with PowerDVD. I am guessing that VideoStudio doesn't know how to process the AC-3 audio stream. Does anyone have a suggestion how I can get this to work?

Welcome to the forums!

But I am sorry to say, you lose on both points. First, the trial version is not of VS11.5+ but 11+, and it is only VS11.5+ which can handle AVCHD. Believe me -- I know! And there is no trial version of 11.5+.

Moreover, no trial version of VS includes the Dolby AC-3 codec. This is because Dolby charges a fee for each use of its codec, and no software company that I know of will pay them a fee for what they are distributing as a free trial version.

If your PVR allows you to use a different audio codec -- for instance mpeg layer 2 -- that will resolve that side of the problem. But for AVCHD, you will need to buy the full version of VS11.5+. But at least Corel advertise a full refund if you are not fully satisfied with it within 30 days.

No, the HD-PVR is essentially a black box that encodes the audio/video externally before transferring to the computer via USB 2.0. About the only option the recorder offers is H.264 bitrate selection, and there is an expected future update that will allow the user to select a Dolby Digital passthrough mode, so that 5.1 channel audio can be taken directly from the cable box/satellite receiver. Currently, the SPDIF input only supports PCM, which it recodes as DD 2.0. Who knows when Hauppauge is going to start offering that.

I understand all about Dolby licensing, and I can understand why Corel wouldn't include it in a trial. I just wanted to make sure before I bought a program that turned out wasn't suitable to the task. If they offer a money back guarantee, then I will probably just go ahead and buy it.

Can you tell me if a purchased version will support 5.1 channel AC-3 files as project inputs, as I will probably not be able to test this feature for a while.

Yes, it will accept 5.1 channel input.

Thanks for the info. I just found out that it is actually post-processing software this is converting the audio to AC-3. The box records it as AAC which is included in the .TS transport stream along with H.264 video. Would it be fair to assume that the issues are still the same, namely that the trial version does not have an AAC codec but the full retail version does?

AAC is not one of the audio codecs that comes with Video Studio and never has been, as far as I am aware. You would need to find and install the AAC codec from another source and load it on your computer so that VS can use it. Ideally, you could search the Hauppage website to see if by chance they have such a codec available free which would obviously be identical to the one used in their PVR.

If not, then a simple Google search found this site which has a free version available: http://www.afreecodec.com/2/aac-audio-codec/

Please note, however, that I make no guarantees about using this codec as AAC is simply a format I have never used before. And in fact I am surprised your Hauppage uses it. Then again, it is supposed to be high quality and much better quality than .mp3 so it may be the wave of the future...

Still no dice. I've tried using the included software which is supposed to make an "XBOX360 compliant MP4 file" with AC3 audio and H.264 video. I get a "file type mismatch" error when I try to open this file with Videostudio, even though Windows Media Player can open it. The original file, with AAC audio, still doesn't have sound even after I installed ffdshow which has the Directshow filters for AAC but doesn't recognize Video studio as one of its compatible programs, and I can't find an AAC codec that will actually work with Video Studio. Can somebody help me???? I'm getting desperate and frustrated here.

jatoghia wrote:Still no dice. I've tried using the included software which is supposed to make an "XBOX360 compliant MP4 file" with AC3 audio and H.264 video. I get a "file type mismatch" error when I try to open this file with Videostudio, even though Windows Media Player can open it. The original file, with AAC audio, still doesn't have sound even after I installed ffdshow which has the Directshow filters for AAC but doesn't recognize Video studio as one of its compatible programs, and I can't find an AAC codec that will actually work with Video Studio. Can somebody help me???? I'm getting desperate and frustrated here.

1. Possible solution to your audio problem http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthre ... 17&page=62 post #1834. It is a little complex to setup and run. Follow his directions in the readme and his program will convert the TS file to a M2TS or M2T(PS3 hack) that can be used with a PS3 which requires AC3. His program only recodes the audio not the video and is very fast. I think this same new PS3 file is what you need for VS 11.5+ as well. If you have any problems getting the program to work I would ask "the_tom" over in avsforums for assistance. When I used it in hope of solving 2. below, it let me use video programs that do not understand HD PVR AAC audio to function correctly because the M2TS file is now AC3 audio which they understand. I left the file be set to M2TS rather than the M2T PS3 (hack).

2. My problem, which I have listed in the Movie Factory thread, is that I can not get this or any other M2TS file to get to the last step in MF6+. MF6+ will load the M2TS file created by 1., the Play works fines, but MF6+ loops forever when I push the next button to get to the disk/hard drive creation phase. Do I need Movie Factory 6+ Plus the HD Power Pack? I am trying to write these out so my toshiba A2 HD DVD can play my HD PVR recordings. I want to keep them in HD PVR MPEG4 smaller size format and was hoping MF6+ or MF6+ the HD Power Pack could do it without recoding. I did find another program, TMPGEnc 4.0 XPress, that would convert the HD PVR MPEG4 to mpeg 2 that would work, but the files sizes of the mpeg 2 are considerably larger, which would reguire many DVD/DVD-DL's and many hours of recoding time.