No Audio and no rendering possible with m2ts files in Win11 24H2

GoToVegas wrote on 12/6/2024, 11:13 AM

Hello folks,

because it's christmas and I have time, I've updated to VP22 pro.

I want to edit lots of old video files from Sony/Panasonic camcorders. The files are in AVCHD format *.m2ts with AC-3 5.1 audio. In VP 18, AC-3 was already limited to stereo only. I now have the following problem. The audio tracks are created but remain empty and also the files can no longer be rendered at all. If you try to render, an error message appears saying "COM. could not be initialized."

I can neither render in the same format *.m2ts on CPU nor in other formats h264/h265. Not even in Voukoder or with/without NVENC. I've tried everything. The format no longer works in principle? The Sony/Panasonic format was very popular and should/must be supported by VP22 Pro! Everything worked with VP18/20.

I've activate the option import "old AVC" files, but it doesn't help

Is there an option or trick how it works or it's a bug??

Comments

john_dennis wrote on 12/6/2024, 12:54 PM

@GoToVegas

Upload a sample file to Google Drive, One Drive, etc. and share the link here.
I have some old AVCHD from a Sony camera that still works in Vegas 22-194 on the machine in my signature.
State your Windows version.

vegas-edit-user wrote on 12/6/2024, 1:02 PM

If it is a windows 11 24H2 system, the following could be important:

"Beginning with Windows 11, version 24H2, the AC-3 codec is no longer included with Windows. However, many device manufacturers will pre-install an AC-3 codec. Also, if you upgrade to Windows 11, version 24H2 from an earlier version of Windows, the AC-3 codec will be retained. In these cases, you will still be able to play files encoded with the AC-3 audio codec."

( https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/codecs-in-media-player-d5c2cdcd-83a2-4805-abb0-c6888138e456 )

According to my information, Magix Vegas and other programs access the codec provided by the operating system.

GoToVegas wrote on 12/6/2024, 1:41 PM

Yes actually, I have a complete new installation of Win 11 Pro version 24h2.

And it actually seems that AC-3 is really no longer installed. That is why the error message appears as soon as the AC codec is called or required. Many applications like VLC etc. have their own codec and do not use the Win codec. But Vegas actually seems to use the system codec. I hope there is a solution for this soon. Thanks

VEGASDerek wrote on 12/6/2024, 3:37 PM

We are working on a solution to this and hope to have an option for AC-3 decoding in place in an update soon. Many other commercial NLEs are having to deal with this same problem now.

john_dennis wrote on 12/6/2024, 4:50 PM

I just installed Vegas Pro 22-194 on my laptop after updating to 24H2 (out of curiosity). I didn't find in my image notes whether it was out-of-the-box or an in-place update from Windows 10 Pro for the device. In any case there were no VCS applications on the machine. I was able to open multi-channel AVCHD files.

I rendered to AVCHD as two-channel files.

General
ID                                       : 0 (0x0)
Complete name                            : C:\Users\John\Desktop\Render\Untitled.m2ts
Format                                   : BDAV
Format/Info                              : Blu-ray Video
File size                                : 61.1 MiB
Duration                                 : 33 s 280 ms
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 15.4 Mb/s
Maximum Overall bit rate                 : 18.0 Mb/s
Frame rate                               : 29.970 FPS

Video
ID                                       : 4113 (0x1011)
Menu ID                                  : 1 (0x1)
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L4
Format settings                          : CABAC / 2 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 2 frames
Format settings, GOP                     : M=2, N=15
Codec ID                                 : 27
Duration                                 : 33 s 16 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 14.6 Mb/s
Maximum bit rate                         : 16.0 Mb/s
Width                                    : 1 920 pixels
Height                                   : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate                               : 29.970 (30000/1001) FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Interlaced
Scan type, store method                  : Separated fields
Scan order                               : Top Field First
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.235
Stream size                              : 57.4 MiB (94%)

Audio
ID                                       : 4352 (0x1100)
Menu ID                                  : 1 (0x1)
Format                                   : AC-3
Format/Info                              : Audio Coding 3
Commercial name                          : Dolby Digital
Codec ID                                 : 129
Duration                                 : 33 s 24 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 192 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
Delay relative to video                  : -33 ms
Stream size                              : 774 KiB (1%)
Service kind                             : Complete Main
Dialog Normalization                     : -31 dB
compr                                    : -11.02 dB
dialnorm_Average                         : -31 dB
dialnorm_Minimum                         : -31 dB
dialnorm_Maximum                         : -31 dB

@VEGASDerek @vegas-edit-user @GoToVegas

It must be the clean living?

EricLNZ wrote on 12/6/2024, 6:45 PM

@john_dennis Thanks for your post as it confirms I shouldn't lose AC3 input/output with VP21 when I update to 24H2 on my Win11. As mentioned in a previous post it's only new installs of 24H2 that won't have the codec. Updates from Win11 or 10 retain the existing AC3 codec.

EricLNZ wrote on 12/6/2024, 6:46 PM

I wonder what's behind this Windows change?

john_dennis wrote on 12/6/2024, 7:21 PM

@EricLNZ Money.

GoToVegas wrote on 12/7/2024, 1:49 AM

@VEGASDerek

Thank you for taking care of the AC-3 problem.

@john_dennis

For you it works because you did an update and not a new installation.

About the Forum:

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EricLNZ wrote on 12/7/2024, 2:08 AM

To be honest I'm amazed at Microsoft. They aren't even making AC-3 available as an additional codec pack available from the Microsoft Store.

Whilst AC-3 may be considered an old codec and streaming services nowadays use others there are trillions of video files around the world on hard drives and thumbdrives using ac3. Plus cameras like mine that use AC-3 audio. I checked my TV earlier and even my local Freeview aerial reception is AC-3 audio.

johnny-s wrote on 12/7/2024, 7:37 AM

This depreciation issue is not only confined to Windows. VP depreciated the module that captures old DV tapes.

I'm sure there are trillions of tapes still not captured.

3POINT wrote on 12/7/2024, 11:18 AM

This depreciation issue is not only confined to Windows. VP depreciated the module that captures old DV tapes.

I'm sure there are trillions of tapes still not captured.

The necessary Firewire connection port for (H)DV capturing is already no longer standard present at todays PC's (like CD/DVD/bluray drives) so why keeping Vegas capture module alive (and authoring modules, I'm sure there are trillions of CD/DVD/bluray discs still not burned)?

johnny-s wrote on 12/7/2024, 1:03 PM

If u have a suitable DV Camcorder that supports usb output (using UVC protocol) then a firewire card is not required to capture/copy DV from tape.

3POINT wrote on 12/7/2024, 2:10 PM

If u have a suitable DV Camcorder that supports usb output (using UVC protocol) then a firewire card is not required to capture/copy DV from tape.

The HDV-camcorder I had, the legendary Sony HC1 (2006), used the USB output to transfer pictures taken with HC1, not AV signals. Also I don't think USB1 is fast enough to transfer the necessary 25Mbs for H(DV).

The Vegaspro (H)DV capture feature could only capture from Firewire, which also controls tapetransport.

johnny-s wrote on 12/7/2024, 2:23 PM

The majority of camcorders don't support outputting full DV via USB, all I know is that some Panasonic ones do.

3POINT wrote on 12/7/2024, 3:02 PM

Let's keep on topic, which is AVCHD and not DV.

EricLNZ wrote on 12/7/2024, 6:35 PM

@GoToVegas I've edited the thread title to reflect what we now know is the problem. Hope that's okay with you.

VEGASDerek wrote on 12/7/2024, 8:27 PM

I wonder what's behind this Windows change?

Hard to say exactly, but I would make a guess that it is a similar situation that caused us (and other NLEs) to remove the AC3 codec.

gienek wrote on 12/27/2024, 9:59 AM

I have the same issue with audio in VP22 on the Windows 11 24H2 operating system.

Howard-Vigorita wrote on 12/27/2024, 10:40 AM

Here's a solution posted by the author of AnWave which restores ac3 to new 24h2 systems for Adobe Premier users... might work for Vegas users too.

https://www.elevenforum.com/t/ac-3-dolby-digital-codec-no-longer-included-with-windows-11-version-24h2.25597/post-459390

Roland-V wrote on 1/7/2025, 12:45 PM

I have had the same problem. The solution from AnWave works in VP22.