A Little "Shutter" and Popping from Source mp4 Audio

crown2020 wrote on 6/14/2020, 5:48 PM

Hi everyone. I hope this post finds each of you well. Here is my issue:

I have always been able to download, view, and listen, (without any audio issues), to a particular .mp4 file(s), using my at home "Plex" media server OR simply using VLC. I've never tried to create any new project or projects using these files, (all from the same source of persons), in Vegas Pro 17, until today. When I try to loaded ANY of these file(s) into Vegas Pro 17, I hear slight "shutter" and popping in the AUDIO. I will try and post an example, if this form will allow it.

Why would the file play fine on a Plex Media Home Server or VLC, then, exhibit a little shuttering and popping, in the AUDIO, when I am working with the file in Vegas Pro 17? I tried looking at the codec info, (from VLC), while it was playing. On occasion, I notice a few drooped frames for the VIDEO, but none dropped for the AUDIO. The sample rate of the AUDIO stream is 48,000 Hz just as Vegas Pro 17. The AAC Extension is SBR, (per VLC). I can't find this setting in Vegas Pro 17 to compare. I'm not sure if I even need to. If I dig deeper into the properties for this .mp4 file in VLC, I notice the "Audio Sample Rate" is at 24.000 kHz. Is this value the same terminology as Vegas Pro's "Bit depth"? If so, by default, Vegas used a "Bit depth" of 16. My changing it to 24 helped nothing.

It might be worth noting that the file I downloaded, (the source file), was encoded with "Lavf57.71.100" I tried to render out a short sample of the file as meg2. The AUDIO trouble still remains in the output file. The Video and Audio are otherwise in sync.

However, using Handbreak's default settings, other than selecting a 2 pass encode on the video itself, renders a file that plays PERFECT and no distortions in the audio.

In Vegas Pro 17, under preferences, then "audio device", I tried increasing the playback and track buffering by double the default values. It also helped nothing. It seems it's a codec issue of sort concerning the audio stream. Any thoughts or guidance would be appreciated. I'd rather not have to re-encode these files JUST to get the audio cleared up. It's already an mp4. I'd be compressing an already compressed file AGAIN for the audio issue, then, AGAIN for the final project file. Well, at least once for the AUDIO issue. I suppose I can output to a DVD spec for the final file. Thanks again. I look forward to some solutions. I'm perplexed.

 

Comments

Musicvid wrote on 6/14/2020, 5:59 PM

Upload a sample of the audio that is bothering you to Drive or Dropbox.

crown2020 wrote on 6/14/2020, 8:31 PM

@Musicvid, I have managed to upload an approximate 6 second clip of the BAD audio, then another approximate 6 second clip of the same audio after handbrake, (to demonstrate what it should sound like). I hope this is what your looking for. I look forward to a possible solution. Thanks for taking time from your day/evening to try and help.

I just figured the Dropbox thing out. Bad audio is here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qtow3kjtv7ktoek/Bad%20Audio%20Example.mp3?dl=0

Good Audio is Here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2786lwesrlr5t0b/Good%20Audio%20Through%20HandBrake.mp3?dl=0

 

Musicvid wrote on 6/14/2020, 8:51 PM

I've looked at your mp3 properties, and I honestly can't tell you why Plex doesn't like it. All looks pretty reasonable.

crown2020 wrote on 6/14/2020, 8:59 PM

Plex and VLC actually play it well. It's Vegas Pro 17, upon import, that you hear those issues with the audio. No where else. Can you hear what I'm hearing? Am I describing the audio issue correctly and with the correct terminology?

Former user wrote on 6/14/2020, 9:05 PM

Match your project audio settings, meaning you need to make it 24khz. Or upscale your audio to standard 48k.

Musicvid wrote on 6/14/2020, 9:14 PM

No problem here in VP14. Try selecting different audio driver in Preferences.

crown2020 wrote on 6/14/2020, 9:25 PM

@Musicvid, I'm attaching a screen shot. Is this what you want me to try changing?

Musicvid wrote on 6/14/2020, 9:27 PM

No. Options->Preferences->Audio Device.

Project Properties are not Vegas Preferences.

crown2020 wrote on 6/14/2020, 9:39 PM

@Former user, Here are screen shots of properties I see on Vegas Pro 17 side, after import, as well as (3) screen shoots from VLC info boxes. I THINK I may have already tried what your suggesting with no luck.

Musicvid wrote on 6/14/2020, 9:46 PM

I don't get it. The properties you posted above are for an MP4 video file with AAC audio, not an mp3 audio file??

Please start over, and post the complete MediaInfo Properties for the file that is giving you problems in Vegas. Thanks.

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/faq-how-to-post-mediainfo-and-vegas-pro-file-properties--104561/

crown2020 wrote on 6/14/2020, 9:47 PM

@Musicvid, the screen shot I sent you is "Options->Preferences->Audio Device". I tried all 3. No luck.

Former user wrote on 6/14/2020, 9:49 PM

Follow musicvid's link and use Mediainfo. The other apps are giving erroneous info.

crown2020 wrote on 6/14/2020, 10:05 PM

@Musicvid, Yes. I sent an audio mp3 over at first so one could hear what I was hearing. BUT, it did come from an mp4 video that has an issue with the audio, at least on my end. Here is the "MediaInfo Properties" you requested:

 

General
Complete name                            : Z:\Videos\TV Shows\WABC - Season 1\Sunday March 22, 2020 (COVID-19) - s01e04.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media
Codec ID                                 : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size                                : 356 MiB
Duration                                 : 32 min 11 s
Overall bit rate                         : 1 548 kb/s
Movie name                               : 163137821397277
Writing application                      : Lavf58.20.100

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : Main@L4
Format settings                          : CABAC / 5 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 5 frames
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 32 min 11 s
Bit rate                                 : 1 494 kb/s
Width                                    : 1 920 pixels
Height                                   : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 29.970 (29970/1000) FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.024
Stream size                              : 344 MiB (96%)
Writing library                          : x264 core 157
Encoding settings                        : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x1:0x111 / me=hex / subme=8 / psy=0 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=2 / 8x8dct=0 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=34 / lookahead_threads=5 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=60 / keyint_min=31 / scenecut=0 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=50 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=26.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=16200 / vbv_bufsize=32400 / crf_max=0.0 / nal_hrd=none / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=2:1.00
Color range                              : Limited
Color primaries                          : BT.709
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709
Codec configuration box                  : avcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC SBR
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity with Spectral Band Replication
Commercial name                          : HE-AAC
Format settings                          : NBC
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-5
Duration                                 : 32 min 11 s
Duration_LastFrame                       : -1 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 48.0 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 23.438 FPS (2048 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 11.1 MiB (3%)
Default                                  : Yes
Alternate group                          : 1

crown2020 wrote on 6/14/2020, 10:11 PM

Here are the "File Properties from VEGAS" as well.

General
  Name: Sunday March 22, 2020 (COVID-19) - s01e04.mp4
  Folder: Z:\Videos\TV Shows\WABC - Season 1
  Type: AVC
  Size: 365.01 MB (373,774,740 bytes)
  Created: Sunday, March 22, 2020, 2:03:25 PM
  Modified: Sunday, March 22, 2020, 2:04:00 PM
  Accessed: Sunday, June 14, 2020, 10:09:28 PM
  Attributes: Archive

Streams
  Video: 00:32:11.098, 29.970 fps progressive, 1920x1080x32, AVC
  Audio: 00:32:11.177, 48,000 Hz, Stereo, AAC

Summary
  [TCFM]: 6

ACID information
  ACID chunk: no
  Stretch chunk: no
  Stretch list: no
  Stretch info2: no
  Beat markers: no
  Detected beats: no

Other metadata
  Regions/markers: no
  Command markers: no

Media manager
  Media tags: no

Plug-In
  Name: so4compoundplug.dll
  Folder: C:\Program Files\VEGAS\VEGAS Pro 17.0\FileIO Plug-Ins\so4compoundplug
  Format: AVC
  Version: Version 1.0 (Build 8532)
  Company: MAGIX Computer Products Intl. Co.

Musicvid wrote on 6/14/2020, 10:23 PM

Thank you for clearing that up. For evalution purposes, second generation files of any type are useless. Don't overthink.

Now that we have straight information, all I can see is that you probably have a broadcast recording, all of which come loaded with stream errors. They will preview with errors in an NLE like Vegas, but will not play with errors in a Player such as VLC. because of the way they are designed. The normal method for removing stream errors is VideoRedo. I don't know how much it will help, but there is a free trial. Good luck.

 

crown2020 wrote on 6/14/2020, 10:34 PM

@Musicvid, Thanks for the info. I'm guessing it would also be normal for these "stream errors" to be in my finished file without using VideoRedo? Also, I'm curious why when I encode again with Hand Brake, all with the audio is then well and good. I also had another project about 14 files total and around 5 gigs per file that gave no trouble at all with the audio. They were "broadcast" as well, I do believe. Why no trouble with them. I am not try to be argumentative. I just want to learn.

Musicvid wrote on 6/14/2020, 10:38 PM

Not having your source file, I don't have a good answer for you.

crown2020 wrote on 6/14/2020, 11:41 PM

@Musicvid, Thank you for all the information you were able to provide. Sounds like I just need to run them back through Hand Break and then onto a DVD. It looks like VideoRedo re encodes as well. I might as well use the one that is free an open source in that case, even if I still do not understand how or why hand break is fixing my issue.

Musicvid wrote on 6/14/2020, 11:49 PM

No, VRD is a muxer. It only encodes if you tell it to.

crown2020 wrote on 6/15/2020, 12:50 AM

@Musicvid, Ok. Thanks again.