MP4 File - No audio playing in Project

[David Ellis]

I am using VS Pro X2 - I have 3 small MP4 files in my project timeline (filmed on my mobile phone) and for some reason although they play fine on the clip, the audio doesn't come out on the Project, or on the finished DVD, which is a real pain...I have 94 minutes of good quality DVD and 45 seconds of silence! If there was no audio at all I could understand it, but the MP4 clips all play fine on the "clip"...it''s just that when I play them under the 'Project', there is no audio.

My original DV files (which are all ok) are MPEG Audio Layer 2 files - 48000Hz, 16 Bit Stereo - bitrate 224kbps
The MP4 clips are MPEG AAC Audio files - 48000Hz, 16 Bit Stereo - bitrate 113kbps

I expect the bit rate is the problem, but no idea why it's a problem or how to resolve.

Can anyone advise? Thanks.

[lata]

Hi

It does appear that Video Studio is not reading the clips correctly, maybe a codec problem.

Things to try…..

1 / right click the clip and choose properties, what are they? Attach an image of the window. If the frame size is non standard, use another program to convert the clip to a more editable format. Maybe DV-Avi as you indicate the others are DV, do you mean from a “Mini-DV camcorder”?

3 / Update your Quicktime player

4 / make a copy of the clips, then re-name to use Mov as the extension instead of Mp4, do they play in project playback mode.

5 / with the clip in a new project try Share Create Sound file. Does that file play, if so, place in sound track below video clip, mute video clip.
Render that to DV-AVI, use the new clip in your main project.

[David Ellis]

Hi,

Many thanks for the suggestions.

1. Properties - see image file attached. The video frame size is 1280 x 780 (24 frames / sec), compared to my AVI files (from a Sony Mini-DV camcorder) 720 x 576 (25 frames / sec).
The audio rate is 113 kbps compared to my AVI files of 224 kbps. Not sure if the image helps solve the mystery?

2. Didn't try that one

3. I was using the latest Quicktime Player...it's a brand new pc with all the latest versions loaded

4. Tried renaming the clips...the renamed mov clips do exactly the same thing (plays audio fine on the clip but all quiet on the project)

5. Tried doing this from both the mp4 files and the renamed mov files...the original mp4 files produces totally silent files...the renamed mov files don't fare much better...producing about 2 seconds of sound at the beginning and the rest of the clip is silent.

It really seems like VS does not like my files, no matter what I do with them...so still puzzled.

Thanks for the suggestions though (and thanks again for sorting my other problem!)

[Ken Berry]

Unfortunately, your image is of the properties as given by Windows, and tells us nothing about the exact audio format. I suspect it could be something like AAC audio. Can you right click on one of the video files, either in the VS timeline or in its library window, and tells us the Audio properties from that. Either it will give the audio format or report that there is no audio.

One thing you might try, though, is to go into audio mode and raise or lower the audio level by 1 i.e. change the default 100 to either 101 or 99. Some people with similar problems have found that this sometimes works -- though why remains a complete mystery.

[David Ellis]

Hi Ken,

I have attached the correct Timeline properties screen print...you were right, it is AAC Audio. I gave your suggestion a go, altering the volume to 101 or 99 but sadly it didn't make any difference...worth a try though!

I did encounter a different problem though in that the audio is now not working when playing the Clip as well as the Project...the source videos play fine in the library, but after dragging them to the timeline the audio is now not playing at all, which is odd. One thing I did notice is that there was a strange little logo in the thumbnail for these clips, which doesn't appear on any of my mini-DV clips (see attached image)...perhaps this little symbol is a clue to the problem?

David.

[David Ellis]

I take it that the lack of any subsequent posts means that nobody has any idea of the solution to my problem.
Surely someone will have seen that odd logo before and know what it means.

Thanks,
David.

[kwarner]

Just wanted to add I have the exact same problem. Audio in the clips is fine. But no audio when playing the project. No audio when creating an output file too (with a different codec. Can't output MP3). I'm using VS X4 Pro.

Here are the properties from the first clip:

VSproj.png (32.19 KiB) Viewed 17294 times

[lata]

Hi David

For some reason your post seems to have slipped to the bottom of the pile, so sorry for the delay in our reply…….

The icons you see on the clip thumbnail are indications that Smart Proxy files have been creates, other icons may indicate the addition of FX filters etc, but the double one like that is Smart Proxy files.

kwarner

Your video file is using XVid compression, have you updated XVid on your pc to the latest version.

The video frame is quite unusual, non standard size at 640 x 272, I assume you have used some sort of screen capture program to create this file, or maybe a mobile phone?

You may be best using another program to convert the video to a more suitable editable format? Then use Video Studio to edit?

Mp3 lame codec can be trouble some are you able to set Digital Dolby (ac3) or maybe MP2Audio?

[brunodeceuk]

Hello,

I have a similar problem. My videos files (.mts format from JVC Everio, see attached image) when imported into VS Pro X2 have sound when in sound mixer or clip mode, but not in project mode. However, sometimes this does not always happen, and I can't figure out when.


After looking online and in this forum, what I've tried without success:
- (re-)installing the different codecs (vlc, divx...)
- split the audio, with no change.
- using Internet Video Converter, converted a file (to .avi) and inserted it, same thing
- Increasing or decreasing audio volume

What does work:
- sharing the project, with mpg optimizer then importing this file

Any thoughts on how to solve this?

[lata]

Hi Bruno
Welcome to the forums

I have noticed an audio playback problem associated with Video Filters.

I don’t know if it is simply my system or whether it affects others.

After adding a Video Filter the Attributes tab shows the filter panel allowing you to Customise the filter.
With this panel showing I have issues in playing audio.
Closing the Attributes tab by clicking the Video tab seems to play ok,
playing in Project Mode will also close that Tab

Can you try that……….

If that is the problem I don’t have a solution to fix this but just used to closing the Filter tab.

Later versions of Video Studio have a similar problem with audio, at least for me?

[brunodeceuk]

Hello lata, and thanks for your welcoming words and advice!
I've tried your method, but no changes... As a clip (and thus with the filter tab open), it still plays the audio, but once I'm on project, not a sound to be heard... So it is possible to work, but very annoying....
Anybody any other ideas?

[lata]

Hi Bruno

Video Studio 12 is quite old being produces during XP/Vista times.
There were several patches for the program, one called UVS125_Win7_Patch.exe, I guess that shows how old the program is.

Have you installed all patches for VS12.
http://www.corel.com/corel/pages/index. ... id=1300014

One fix for SP1 reads as :-

H.264(MPEG-TS) Audio now plays correctly

However you are running Windows 8 and it may be just not compatible to run efficiently.
Maybe you should download the trial version VS X7 to see if the problem still persists…………

[Ken Berry]

Your raw video is .mts which is of course AVCHD/h.264, and I am assuming you transferred the video directlyfrom the camera to your computer using Windows Copy and Paste. Some camera manufacturers provide software to transfer the video from the camcorder, and I am wondering whether JVC also does so. The transferred video in those cases remains AVCHD but has the extension .m2ts. To me this indicates that at least some flags in the video are changed, and this could also affect the audio...

In other words, I am wondering if you get the same problem using any JVC software which came with the camera.

Otherwise, I think Trevor has identified that main problem.

[brunodeceuk]

Dear Ken and Trevor,

I've followed your suggestions:
- installed the latest patch, no change
- downloaded trial version of X7, where it didn't have the same problem

However, I don't believe it's related to the type of video file, as, when I insert music as an audio clip (even the ones standard included in VS), even that sound doesn't play in project mode, only as clip or on the sound mixer tab.

Sorry, it's probably something quite simple as a setting to change, but even though I've spend hours looking, can't seem to find it...

[Terfyn]

Can I presume you have checked the obvious? Click on the speaker icon and then on mixer and check that the volume for VS is set fairly high.