XviD unable to use high quality audio?

[cybercat]

Hi, I'm trying to render a project to an XviD/avi file in Sony Vegas. When I choose the MPEG Layer-3 (mpga) option for audio codec it won't let me save to anything better then 24,000 Hz, 56kb/s, stereo, which is pretty low quality. With these settings it renders/plays fine, so no problems there it's just that I can't save to anything higher quality while using mpga. The other option is to save as uncompressed PCM audio which allows me to choose any quality settings, but that triples (or more) the file size.

So is this just a limitation of XviD? How do I save to high quality audio?

[shon3i]

That is not problem/limitation XviD, XviD is an video codec and don't have any connection to audio codecs . Problem is that you don't have instaled license to use Pro version of Fraunhofer MP3 encoder, so you have two options

1. By a license to encoder
2. Encode with PCM, demux that file with VirtualDub, encode that wav with BEST FREE Encoder called LAME, and mux back in VIrtualDub.

[cybercat]

Interesting, it's never said that I didn't have a full version of the encoder...

LAME is an open-source MP3 codec right? So, basically I have to render my Vegas project as XviD with PCM uncompressed audio, export the audio to a WAV file, convert the WAV to MP3 with LAME then replace the PCM audio track with the LAME MP3 audio track.

Do you know if it's possible to just install the LAME codec (if that's what it is) into Vegas so I can just render to that directly, and skip all those other steps?

[setarip_old]

Hi!

You probably have the LAME encoder, but don't have the LAME ACM codec. You can d/l it from:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Audio/Audio-CD-Rippers-Encoders/LAME-ACM-Codec.shtml

[Blue_MiSfit]

Roger that. The LAME ACM codec works well, assuming vegas handles 3rd party codecs correctly. I know premiere is a real bastard with this sort of thing.

~MiSfit

[jon.schaffer]

Interesting, it's never said that I didn't have a full version of the encoder...
It's because of:
it won't let me save to anything better then 24,000 Hz, 56kb/s, stereo, which is pretty low quality
It's a limitation of the free version of the codec. A full version of this encoder would let you encode up to 320 kbps.

[shon3i]

You can aslo install Windows Media Player 10, 11 to get Pro version of Fraunhofer ACM codec, up to 320kbps, if you don't like lame

[cybercat]

I can't install Windows Media Player 10 or 11 because I'm using Windows 2000 Professional.

(You can see the WMP 10 system requirements here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/10/readme.aspx#System)

I'll try installing the LAME ACM Codec 3.97 beta 3 codec setarip_old mentioned and post back with my results.

Thanks for your replies! :)

[shon3i]

I can't install Windows Media Player 10 or 11 because I'm using Windows 2000 Professional.

(You can see the WMP 10 system requirements here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/10/readme.aspx#System)

I'll try installing the LAME ACM Codec 3.97 beta 3 codec setarip_old mentioned and post back with my results.

Thanks for your replies! :)
OK then, but if you need Fraun ACM codec, seperate install (not need WMP 10 or 11) i will send you just PM me. Aslo you will probably sucess with Lame.

Bye

[cybercat]

Yay! I installed the LAME ACM codec and Vegas seems to have recognized it fine since it now gives me the option to use it when rendering.

I have one other question, can I commercially use/sell files (which contain content I own) encoded with XviD/LAME?

[setarip_old]

Yay! I installed the LAME ACM codec and Vegas seems to have recognized itGlad to hear it worked for you ;>}

[Sharktooth]

I have one other question, can I commercially use/sell files (which contain content I own) encoded with XviD/LAME?
No, unless you pay the licenses for the software patents...

[cybercat]

No, unless you pay the licenses for the software patents...

Ok. Do you know where I can find out more about this?

Thanks again for all your help! :)

[Sharktooth]

http://www.mpegla.com/m4v/

[cybercat]

http://www.mpegla.com/m4v/

Cool! Thanks again for your assistance.

[DarkZell666]

If you don't want to pay for patents, use the Ogg format (vorbis audio/theora video).

You can encode your stuff with ffmpeg2theora.

Info here : http://www.theora.org/
Binaries here : http://www.v2v.cc/~j/ffmpeg2theora/download.html

ffdshow/libavcodec also offers encoding to theora/ogg via directshow/vfw if you need it.

Note : Vorbis exists in it's ACM form but Theora isn't available as VFW (whereas XviD and DivX are).

[celtic_druid]

ffdshow can encode theora via VfW. Vorbis via ACM is not a good idea. The encoder is old and vorbis wasn't designed to be CBR.