A friend asked me if Vegas could play this video clip with sound. I tried VP17 and 18.
The video played back, but the sound was loud static noise.
What did play it was Video Pro X (11) and Hitfilm Pro 16.
Here is the clip:
They're a small team, they make mistakes. One of the magix guys was saying they didn't deliberately remove the decoding, they just didn't know what they were doing when they changed decoders. They said they're planning on fixing it, I think the bug has only been with vegas for 1 1/2 years, and they are a small team.
[Video removed by moderator due to probable copyright infringement]
Here in the original text what "one of the magix guys" said.
https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/vegas-pro-18-update-2-build-373-general-discussion--124911/?page=6#ca784403
(if that's what you meant)
Thanks @walter-i. for the link. I was asked if VP was able to play back the clip. They tried in in VMS16 and it didn't work. I'll let him know the developers are aware and that a fix is coming for Vegas. VMS should also happen then too.
Thanks @set
Link to g-drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KFnGLuaZbw2Dx7DPF4BRWy2Oe3z45-dd/view?usp=sharing
Ok - confirmed of static sound
General Complete name : D:\Convert sample 2007_07_31_06H45M_AM - Movie 1.mp4 Format : MPEG-4 Format profile : Base Media Codec ID : isom (isom/iso2/mp41) File size : 12.4 MiB Duration : 30 s 16 ms Overall bit rate mode : Constant Overall bit rate : 3 471 kb/s Writing application : Lavf58.12.100 Video ID : 1 Format : MPEG-4 Visual Format profile : Advanced Simple@L1 Format settings, BVOP : No Format settings, QPel : No Format settings, GMC : No warppoints Format settings, Matrix : Default (H.263) Codec ID : mp4v-20 Duration : 29 s 997 ms Bit rate mode : Constant Bit rate : 3 205 kb/s Width : 720 pixels Height : 480 pixels Display aspect ratio : 16:9 Original display aspect ratio : 16:9 Frame rate : 29.936 FPS Color space : YUV Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0 Bit depth : 8 bits Scan type : Progressive Compression mode : Lossy Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.310 Stream size : 11.5 MiB (92%) Writing library : Lavc58.18.100 Audio ID : 2 Format : AC-3 Format/Info : Audio Coding 3 Commercial name : Dolby Digital Codec ID : ac-3 Duration : 30 s 16 ms Bit rate mode : Constant Bit rate : 256 kb/s Channel(s) : 2 channels Channel layout : L R Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz Frame rate : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF) Compression mode : Lossy Stream size : 938 KiB (7%) Service kind : Complete Main Default : Yes Alternate group : 1 Text ID : 3 Format : VobSub Codec ID : mp4s-E0 Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs Duration : 18 s 519 ms Bit rate mode : Constant Bit rate : 14.1 kb/s Stream size : 32.0 KiB (0%) Language : English Default : Yes Forced : No Alternate group : 3
....and it's LOUD static sound!
As I wrote, I tested it in VP17 and 18 because the user of VMS16 could not get the proper audio. As long as the devs are aware, I am sure he would rather not wait, but has to.
Confirmed of static - LOUD sound in Vegas Pro 15, 17, 18
Confirmed here too with v16, 17, & 18. Supplemental MS and K-Lite codec packs made no difference. But transcoding the audio track to aac with this ffmpeg command works:
ffmpeg -i "Convert sample 2007_07_31_06H45M_AM - Movie 1.mp4" -c:v copy -c:a aac new.mp4
Interestingly I couldn't get the file to play at all in VMS17 until I switched off "Enable legacy AVC decoding" in the File I/O Preferences. VMS17 then opened it (with the screeching) using so4compoundplug.
@Reyfox if your VMS16 user doesn't want to wait they could convert with Handbrake. If they are concerned about any possible video quality loss they could use just the audio from the Handbrake file with the video from the original file. I get the impression this audio problem may be different to that discussed which is about ac3 in mpg files not being read at all.
@Reyfox Link here to my util (ver. 1.0.0.10) to copy video and convert audio to AAC, (Audio only output option also) requires ffmpeg utils installed. Handbrake and @wwaag's HOS will also do the job.
I tested the clip in VP18, just noise. When I converted the clip then played aok.
A related thread here.
Note that if the VMS/P 16 user wants to wait for an update of that version, it's not likely to happen.
@Reyfox Link here to my util (ver. 1.0.0.7) to copy video and convert audio to AAC, requires ffmpeg utils installed. Handbrake and @wwaag's HOS will also do the job.
I tested the clip in VP18, just noise. When I converted the clip then played aok.
A related thread here.
It's also a simple task using free Shutter Encoder for only modifying the audio. Also encodes apple prores422. I'm not sure why handbrake is so popular when Shutter Encoder has so many more options. It's crazy
,
@Reyfox I've amended your thread title (hope you don't mind) to clarify the problem being discussed here which is different to the silent AC3 audio in mpeg files issue which Vegas are addressing.
This also rang bells and a forum search brought up threads in which a comment (by Marco.) said that Vegas doesn't handle AC3 audio in mp4 wrapper. Searching the net revealed that AC3 in mp4 isn't recommended. Apparently some players including Quicktime won't handle it either.
So it appears the short answer is if you come across AC3 audio in an mp4 file you are going to have to convert.
Thank you everyone. Converting seems to be the way to handle this type of footage. I will recommend it to the user, considering VMS isn't going to be updated anymore.
I am aware in the specifications for Vegas that AC3 is not listed as supported audio.
@JN- thanks for the file. I will pass it along. @EricLNZ no problem amending the thread!
@lenard sometimes it's great to have something that is just "simple" to use and does the job. While having loads of options are a good thing, overwhelming basic editors with it could add to the already confusion.
Still, Hitfilm Pro 16 and Video Pro X handled the file just fine without converting.
Which brings me to another question.... what is the viability of AC3 "today" and is it still commonly supported by video cameras?
what is the viability of AC3 and is it still commonly supported by video cameras?
I could be very wrong, but my impression for a long time has been that AC3 is used as a finalisation render process for distribution media such as DVD, BD and the like. Though my knowledge is limited with cameras, I can't recall seeing specs for a consumer or pro camera that listed ac3 as an audio recording format - this of course does not mean that there aren't cameras that do have this ability.
I've never been successful in getting AC3 to work on any version of Vegas Pro during the last 10 years. I did ask the question on the forum years ago, but the suggestion to rename the .ac3 extension on the audio only media to another extension name which I can't recall right now didn't work.
"Which brings me to another question.... what is the viability of AC3 "today" and is it still commonly supported by video cameras?"
Read the wiki on AVCHD for more background on the use of AC3 in cameras.
Many cameras, including my own, that shoot more capable video formats also shoot AVCHD. I've never used ACVHD, but my son had a camera that did.
I just recorded some AVCHD, and except for having to validate the codec from Magix, it seems to work fine.
@john_dennis I guess the Wiki page needs some updating....🙂
The following video-editing software features support for the AVCHD format:
Sony Vegas Pro (from version 8 onwards)
Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum (from version 8 onwards)
@lenard sometimes it's great to have something that is just "simple" to use and does the job. While having loads of options are a good thing, overwhelming basic editors with it could add to the already confusion.
That has to be the reason, but anyone that does editing will find the choice very limited, and if you are needing to convert a video may as well use an editor friendly format, especially for Vegas as it has so many problems with hardware decoding, and timeline playback of h.264/h.265 formats
Handbrake is frequently recommended as it provides a Vegas friendly mp4 format.
Yes, constant frame rate x264, but shutter encoder also does that plus so many editor friendly formats. AND not that you should use NVENC for a transcode anyway, but for the search engine i'll add, NVENC h.264 encode edits just as terrible as VFR and causes the same timeline lagging when using hardware decoding (so4) in my experience in VP18
Please read this article on the mp4 wrapper and report if you find any reference to AC3 listed under Data Streams for files with the mp4 extension. There is nothing "legal" about the file format you happen to have, I can see no reason for grousing about Vegas not decoding your Frankenfile.
Please read this article on the mp4 wrapper and report if you find any reference to AC3 listed under Data Streams for files with the mp4 extension. There is nothing "legal" about the file format you happen to have, I can see no reason for grousing about Vegas not decoding your Frankenfile.
I have heard that said before, I think it was in reference to why OBS can't encode in AC3 with Mp4. The argument was that it wasn't a valid format and should only be used in an MKV. But here's the thing, all my editors open and edit mp4 with AC3 audio fine, all but vegas. My current installed editors are Windows10 Video Editor, Davinci Resolve17, Filmora 9, Premiere Pro. I believe that the adoption of NLE's to support mp4 with AC3 show's the demand by users such as Reyfox and his friend.
Also if we go by the OBS example. and the AC3 was saved as an MKV which many editors still refuse to load then for many they would go straight for the mp4 conversion with AC3. @john_dennis Vegas must keep up with the wants and needs of it's users
Most Vegas users are not members of any audio/video standards committees and are not competent to decide what they want or need. Without standards you have cacophony.
So, you want Vegas to handle anything an open-source encoder
Writing application : Lavf58.12.100
can throw together including a would-be proprietary audio encoder, AC3.
You want Magix to accommodate any kludge that Moravi can dream up so they can sell video conversion services?