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I've searched this forum top to bottom, and I too am having the strange clicking/popping sounds when importing dolby digital files. My laptop uses Sigmatel Major Audio, all the drivers are up to date, I've used ac3 filter, etc. I'm not dealing with a camcorder, just an mpeg file from a dvd-r. Has there been any update on this issue? I'm not an expert, but I'm not a novice, either. There doesn't seem to be any realtek issue in play, I've disabled my 1394 Wireless connection adapter, etc. I've installed the K-Lite codec pack.

I'll follow any suggestions made (if I haven't already)!

I had a similar problem when dealing with Dolby when using v10. I simply resorted to using LPCM and that solved the problem. I have not experienced any problems with Dolby using X2.

So, are you saying that you converted the audio separately, and then reimported it as LPCM alongside the same video? If so, wouldn't that make editing a pain? Everytime you cut, you would have to apply that to both tracks to keep in sync.

Also, were you able to then successfully render as a dolby digital file? I've been studying up on this, and there looks to be a connection between this and SPDIF, which I'm just starting to learn about.

Another thought, if you don't mind. When you used v10, were the pops and clicks only in the editing process, or did they wind up on the final rendered file, as well?

I've installed the K-Lite codec pack.

Might be part of your problem... Please read this: Codec Packs

The only clicks and pops issue that I've been familiar with is associated with MOV files using the MJPEG codec. Patch for Kodak MOV Files

So, are you saying that you converted the audio separately, and then reimported it as LPCM alongside the same video?

I'm sorry. I should clarify. I started out with WAV or MP3 files and was outputting to Dolby when I had my problems. Outputting to LPCM worked for me.

If so, wouldn't that make editing a pain? Everytime you cut, you would have to apply that to both tracks to keep in sync.

And just a side note, no you wouldn't have to do it that way. If you want to convert your audio separately you can export it quite easily. After your editing simply go to Share>Create Sound File. This creates a WAV file from the audio in your project that you can import to an audio editing program.

Appreciate the feedback, guys. I suspect I'm being less than clear, myself. I will definitely read up on the codec issue. I'm no expert, but I try not to have conflicing codecs, and all seems to be going well with all of my movies and audio files, with the exception of this one issue.

Also, it sounds like Black Lab was saying what I said. I know that you can export sound files separately, but once you have your NEW sound file (for example .WAV), then you have to import it into the project as the new sound for your video. So, now, you've got your muted video track, and your WAV audio track. Everytime you cut, you have to apply it to both your audio track and your video track, do you not?

For what it's worth, based on other threads in this forum, I've been studying up on SPDIF functions and how they interact with ac3 Filter, and I've now reached a point where I can import Dolby Digital, edit, render, and produce a CLEAN, POP-FREE, Dolby Digital mpeg without any sound coversions. The popping and crackling only occurs in PROJECT mode. Once the editing is done, the exported video is perfect.

Perhaps the issue indeed has to do with the comp sound card? Mine is sigmatel major audio. So, even though I'm HEARING pops, they're not on the soundtrack. Perhaps it's just the "monitor" so to speak, and not a reflection of the actual video, itself. Any further insight into what SPDIF is all about, and how ac3 Filter interacts with it would be helpful.

Meanwhile, I'll look into the codec issue. I wish I knew how to configure some of these codec packs, and if I have more codecs than necessary, etc. Any software besides Gspot, that might be helpful, here?

Everytime you cut, you have to apply it to both your audio track and your video track, do you not?

What is the "it" your are referring to?

If I were going to clean up or add effects to the audio it would be my very last step before rendering to a video file/burning my project.

Boy, I really stink at this. I'm sorry. What I'm saying is that if you import an mpeg with ac3 dolby, and then export the audio track as LPCM to get rid of the popping, you then have to re-import that audio track into the project to continue. So now, you've got your video track, and your audio track. Everytime you trim or cut the movie, you have to make sure that you cut and trim both the video and the audio to be sure everything stays in sync. It's just an extra step that makes things difficult, particularly if you have any other audio edits to do, along the way. Does that make sense?

Boy, I really stink at this. I'm sorry. What I'm saying is that if you import an mpeg with ac3 dolby, and then export the audio track as LPCM to get rid of the popping, you then have to re-import that audio track into the project to continue. So now, you've got your video track, and your audio track. Everytime you trim or cut the movie, you have to make sure that you cut and trim both the video and the audio to be sure everything stays in sync. It's just an extra step that makes things difficult, particularly if you have any other audio edits to do, along the way. Does that make sense?

Right. You don't want to cut & splice the audio & video separately, if you can avoid it...

I think the idea is to use the WAV file to create a new A/V file with LPCM audio and then edit that file, but it might be easier this way:

1. Import the video
2. Save the A/V file with the original MPEG-2 video properties, but with LPCM audio.
3. Open and edit the new file with LPCM audio. (After editing, save it with AC3 if you wish.)

Video Studio has its own AC3 CODEC and I don't think it's using AC3Filter.

...I've been studying up on SPDIF functions and how they interact with ac3 Filter, and I've now reached a point where I can import Dolby Digital, edit, render, and produce a CLEAN, POP-FREE, Dolby Digital mpeg without any sound coversions. The popping and crackling only occurs in PROJECT mode. Once the editing is done, the exported video is perfect.

I don't understand what you're doing with S/PDIF, but if you've got a work-around, cool!

Perhaps the issue indeed has to do with the comp sound card? Mine is sigmatel major audio. So, even though I'm HEARING pops, they're not on the soundtrack. Perhaps it's just the "monitor" so to speak, and not a reflection of the actual video, itself.

It's probably not your soundcard/driver. It might be the on-the-fly rendering. The video isn't usually as good in "preview" either.

Hey Dvd Doug!

Great responses, and I appreciate that you were getting my "language." I did think about saving the video with the LPCM sound and then importing that new video to work with, but I was afraid that I would lose some quality using a rendered mpg of the original mpg. Is there any loss in quality when you do that?

As with the SPDIF issue, it appears that it has to do with digital audio, and there's an SPDIF setting on ac3 Filter, which allows you to tell the computer that you're using PCM, when you're really using ac3. This allows you to hear your digital files more clearly, and that's what seemed to allow me to export a clean dolby digital file. Before that tweak, the rendered mpg sounded as bad as it did in the PROJECT.

I agree about the video quality being rough in the project stage. It's not always fluid. I'm used to that. Although it's almost always fluid on my laptop, but almost never fluid on my PC. What's that about? My PC has more RAM and everything! Strange.

I'm enjoying the learning experience, here. I've always got more questions, if y'all are willing to answer! Thanks!

oneking wrote:Boy, I really stink at this. I'm sorry. What I'm saying is that if you import an mpeg with ac3 dolby, and then export the audio track as LPCM to get rid of the popping, you then have to re-import that audio track into the project to continue. So now, you've got your video track, and your audio track. Everytime you trim or cut the movie, you have to make sure that you cut and trim both the video and the audio to be sure everything stays in sync. It's just an extra step that makes things difficult, particularly if you have any other audio edits to do, along the way. Does that make sense?

Right, and that's why I added:

If I were going to clean up or add effects to the audio it would be my very last step before rendering to a video file/burning my project.

In other words, do that after all of your editing.

Makes perfect sense, Black Lab. I appreciate that. Am I right in assuming that there's only two audio tracks to work with in project mode? Those being music and vocal. Is there a way to add more, like you can with overlay tracks? I don't believe I ever came across a way to do that.

Only 2 audio tracks. But you can work around that.

Say you have a project with a voice over on the voice track and sound effects on the audio track, but now you want to lay down a music bed. Start a new project and put just the music in the audio track. Now render that to a video file. Now open your original project and put that new video file, containing just your audio, on the lowest possible video track. (If you plan ahead you would put it on the main video track). Any subsequent videos on the overlay tracks will "cover" this track, but you still hear the audio!

That's quite clever, Black Lab. The sky becomes the limit, at that point, depending on how many tracks you're dealing with.

Might I ask another thought? I'm working with a dvd rip of a private party for a client. When I render a test mpg, I have an issue. Whenever the camera pans left or right, the pan is not smooth. It looks as if there's a stop/start kind of motion to it. But on the actual source mpg I'm working with, it's smooth.

I've noticed this with pretty much all straight dvd rips I've worked with. The camera pans are never smooth, in the rendered mpg of the finished project. Any idea why?

What are the properties of the source clip? What are your project and burn properties?