Newbie Q: Convert Video Mpeg w/AC3 into Editable mpeg file?

[CharlesSJ]

I've looked and looked but I can't find what I'm looking for.

I've found the majority of DVD audio today is AC3 (dolby digital) (let's just say that every single DVD I've ripped has AC3 audio)...

I'm trying to edit these files in Vegas, Premiere, etc. (NON-linear video editors) but none of the NON-Linear video editors, however, want to work with the AC3 encoded audio. While DVD programs such as Ulead DVD, Powerproducer, Sonic DVD, etc do work with these AC3 files these files don't work with NON-linear editors. (their editing is NOTHING like Vegas, etc)

Now to be on the same page, I don't want to re-encode the *video* an extra time if I don't have to just to get the audio working.

I've already figured out the "long" way to do this. Drop the vob/mpeg into cool edit, save the wav, bring the video and the wav seperately into an encoder, (there seems to be a shift of a few seconds which need to be corrected manually ugh) re-encode into a proper mpeg with mpeg sound and I have a file I can edit.

Whew! I may end up having to edit HUNDREDS of clips captured from my standalone DVD recorder - and I'd have to do that with every single clip?? There must be an easier way!

OK, I see you guys ripping DVD's into Mp3 files (God know WHY) and doing other things with the audio, so I'm thinking this is covered territory.

I simply want to drop an Mpeg+AC3 into a program and output an NON-REencoded Video Mpeg but with MPEG audio (program stream, not separate streams) that I can use in the many NON-linear video editors that (currently) don't support AC3.

What's the easiest way available?

[neuron2]

I won't address "easiest", but one thing you can do is use DGIndex to demux the AC3 and the video at the same time. Then transcode the audio to MPEG audio using, for example, BeSweet. Finally use Imago muxer to mux the audio and video streams together into a program stream.

[CharlesSJ]

I won't address "easiest", but one thing you can do is use DGIndex to demux the AC3 and the video at the same time. Then transcode the audio to MPEG audio using, for example, BeSweet. Finally use Imago muxer to mux the audio and video streams together into a program stream.

I'll check them out - so far, DGIndex looks pretty good!...

[CWR03]

Since you're already using .wav file for audio, it may be even easier to set DGIndex to output audio as .wav, then you can drop that in. It should also be properly compensated for synch.

[CharlesSJ]

Since you're already using .wav file for audio, it may be even easier to set DGIndex to output audio as .wav, then you can drop that in. It should also be properly compensated for synch.

The only reason I'm already using .wav is because I figure it's an audio file and it should work.

I don't care that it's a wav or whatever - I'd rather use NOTHING - but if I'm stuck with a multi-step process, I'd just as soon convert the ac3 audio into something a muxing program would natively use...

BTW, it seems that only freeware utils are discussed here. I have no problem buying some inexpensive commercial program (like $30-$40) that would do this one narrow function in one step.

These freeware programs seem to assume you know everything about audio and video or wish to know. That besweet is a good example - After I ran it (1st the gui) at the command line (whoopee - can't the gui run it me?) it failed with some error msg (Error 41: Unable to get MP2enc interfaces) and the only google page on it suggested to use an entirely different program, etc. I suppose if I knew everything about what "MP2enc interfaces" are it would be a snap, but then I don't think I'd be in this boat in the first place.

I'm just surprised that one has to jump through so many hoops for what is probably a very common desire, especially when AC-3 is the standard audio format that Toshiba / Panasonic / etc set-top DVD recorders use, and thousands of people are putting their home movies in there, etc. etc. I'm sure the next versions of Premiere, Vegas, etc etc will support AC3 natively.

thanks again for your suggestions.

[neuron2]

If you can't figure out BeSweet or don't want to, then take CWR03's advice and convert to WAV inside DGIndex.

[tigerman8u]

If you feel uncomfortable with besweet you can use the gui belight.

[CharlesSJ]

If you feel uncomfortable with besweet you can use the gui belight.

Thanks, but I found the problem...

Perhaps my problem was that the Gordian Knot release of Besweet omits the essential and needed mp2enc.dll - why isn't it fixed, leaving everyone to "figure it out"?

[neuron2]

Please report the matter to the author, len0x. Perhaps no-one has ever reported it.

[CharlesSJ]

I won't address "easiest", but one thing you can do is use DGIndex to demux the AC3 and the video at the same time. Then transcode the audio to MPEG audio using, for example, BeSweet. Finally use Imago muxer to mux the audio and video streams together into a program stream.

I just wanted to follow up to thank you for this original msg.

After troubles (like, installing Gordian Knot rather than the individual apps) this outline was exactly what I needed to do.

DGIndex (for some reason the "Knot" version didn't mux video) - http://neuron2.net/dgmpgdec/dgmpgdec.html has a good working version, however. (maybe I didn't install Gordian properly?)

One last note, in order to mux, I was using M2-Edit, which is a pretty pricey program (but edits Mpeg's without re-encoding) - anyway, the synch was off - whereas Imago works perfectly.

Again, thanks

[neuron2]

@CharlesSJ

Good to hear that you have it all working. I assume GK has not been updated to include the more recent versions of DGIndex that support video demuxing. Even if it has, you can't do it through the CLI unless you have DGIndex version 1.4.1 beta 5.