Ok, specifically here's what happens. I open up TMPGenc XPress, load the default XDVD template, change just what needs to be changed (I'm not an uber-n00b to this stuff), wait the good 12hrs to output the MPEG, then author the DVD in DVD Author 1.5. My resulting files have great video but NO audio whatsoever. System (Audio + Video) was checked back in XP, so was MPEG-1 Layer II and a decent bittrate (44100 Hz), no AC-3 files or even the AC-3 plug-in, and the original clips were DivX50 + LAME MP3. I've tried rencoding 4 times now (taken forever) and I'm all out of ideas. Each time the resulting DVD files have NO audio, but the outputted MPEG does. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!!
TmpgEnc is free - the reason being is that it doesn't have the licences for the codecs to rip MP3. When using it it's good practice to just rip Audio for a few secs and see if it worked. Now you are supposed to be able to use an external decoder to do the sound, I have already tried EVERY so called compatible one and it didn't decode sound. Maybe someone can explain to you how that works, I gave up. This is what I do. Get Virtual Dub. Load the DivX file into it. Then goto file/Save Wav. This will extract the MP3 to a .WAV file (Or at least it tricks TmpG into thinking it is, it's fast only takes 30 secs or so) and allows TmpgEnc to see it. Then load the Divx into TmpgEnc but change the audio file from the one IT generates to the one you just ripped in VirtualDub. That has worked for me every time. NOTE: VirtualDub may throw an error dialog up where it says the Audio goes out of sync! Ignore it, it has never yet gone out for me. And you can always sort that in TmpG if required. Hope you don't mind me asking - 12Hours!!! - that seems a very long time. On my 2.2Ghz AMD it converts a file in about 70mins. If your PC is reasonably modern it should be under two hours for a 90min file. Seems like the Xpress version has some wierd settings in there. Only time I have seen it that slow is with 2-Pass (Not needed) and Motion search precision set to Slowest (Again not needed). Not used Xpress so I dunno if you can change these settings. Would change it to Constant Bit Rate and Motion Estiamte Search (Fast). No point in remastering the file as the quality loss is already there from the Divx compression. I don't want flaming - I know it will look better - but the difference doesn't justify a 12 hour conversion. Well anyway I hope that sorts you out. _X_X_X_X_X_[small]I don't know what I am doing.[/small]
Thanks for the info. I think the long time is because of VBR MPEG-1 Layer II audio and VBR video. I'm trying to fit about 17 old Red Skelton episodes onto one DVD w/o losing a ton of quality. I'll try CBR and see what I think. I'll also try VDub, I've used it before so it shouldn't be too hard to play w/. If I run into anymore trouble, I'll be back. Thanks alot.
Yeah, I just tested the CBR video and it took 20 mins opposed to 1 hour, however I'm not sure I like the quality. Still, good info, thanks again. Still
Ok, I just created the DVD in DVD Author 1.5 and I still get no sound, even after seperating the audio. =\
OK. As I said before - run Virtual Dub and extract the Audio. Run it in Winamp (Or similar) and see if there is sound there. I will assume there is. Run it throught TmpgEnc using the sound file you just created and extract the Audio+Video as seperate streams. Now in TmpG you can set it to do Audio Only - do that if you can in the Xpress version and let it run for 30 secs. Stop it and then run that file (MP2) in Winamp (Or whatever you use) and see if that works. If you have sound at this point then it is the Author Software that is messing it up. At least this way we can see were the conversion is arsing up.
OH and here is a great Money saver. Install some DVD software onto your PC - I think Cyberlink PowerDVD has a trial version that runs for 30mins or something - that is enough. This way you can load the .VOB files you Authored into PowerDVD and see if they work before you waste a DVD. It's also handy to check the last .VOB and make sure the Audio/Video are synched at the end of the film.
buxton, first and foremost, thank you VERY much for your help thusfar, I'm fairly novice when it comes to these kinds of things. Here's what I did, I took your advice and downloaded PowerDVD, loaded it up and popped in the first coaster I made (or so I thought) and it worked! I was using Media Player Classic to play the DVD before and it obviously didn't want to play my personalized DVD. So again, thank you very much. I'm sure I'll be back w/ more questions.
Thanks bud, no problem. Cool. Media Player (I don't think) will not play .VOB files without DVD software installed. And Media Player Classic may well not do it full stop. You may need to upgrade to Media Player 9. It's a free Download. In fact I am suprised you got Video and No Sound. Would have expected it to not play full stop.
May I just contribute to this thread with my problem, of similar nature: I have captured my old vhs tapes with power director 3.0 converting them to mpeg-2. Carried out cuting, editing, applying effects, transitions, etc. Tried to burn mpg files to TDK DVD-RW (over and over) with Power director 3.0, Nero 6.3, with same result: Perfect video and NO SOUND when played on my Pioneer DV-757 Ai player (tried my kids' Yamaha player with worse result: NO PLAY). Throughout the process (from mpg to Vob) files played without any problems (perfect video+audio)on my computer. I've been doing everything straight forward, by the book, no experiments. Need help bad!