Here's a neat trick I just discovered. No need to remux with a video stream. Just import ac3 file into ffmpeg and output as a vob file. Imports directly into Vegas as a single audio track. I have tested with both stereo and 5.1 ac3 files rendered from Vegas. Here's the simple command line:

ffmpeg -i File.ac3 -c copy File.vob

Try it.

I tried it and saved a version of the batch file in my list of useful stuff.

With remarks:

rem Save all this text as: Convert AC3 to VOB to open in Vegas.bat 
rem For filenames with spaces, paste your file name inside the quotes. 
rem Listening to Tom Petty while you're doing it makes it much easier.
rem In Vegas, File Import. Set File Name to *.* in the drop down box.  

ffmpeg -i "Your input filename with spaces".ac3 -c copy "Your output filename with spaces".vob

Not a senior moment then!  Thanks to all for assistance.

Have used VP for many years but have never before tried to import an .ac3.  In later versions have just added the ac3plug and simply used it.

Thanks to all for assistance.

@diverG @Marco. @wwaag @john_dennis

1.First go to Control Panel / Appearance and Personalization / Show hidden files and folders and uncheck Hide extensions for known file types. 

2.Rename the file with the extension (.ac3) to the extension (.mpg)

3.Drag the file to the timeline that Vegas will recognize.

NOTE: This procedure will not work on ac3 5.1 surround files

Good solution for the stereo type. For 5.1 from now I will use wwaag's suggestion (FFmpeg is my favorite muxer and transcoder).

I tried it and saved a version of the batch file in my list of useful stuff.

With remarks:

rem Save all this text as: Convert AC3 to VOB to open in Vegas.bat 
rem For filenames with spaces, paste your file name inside the quotes. 
rem Listening to Tom Petty while you're doing it makes it much easier.
rem In Vegas, File Import. Set File Name to *.* in the drop down box.  

ffmpeg -i "Your input filename with spaces".ac3 -c copy "Your output filename with spaces".vob

 

Doesn't work for me as-is, but I found a workaround that might help many, many people.

I Changed:

rem Listening to Tom Petty while you're doing it makes it much easier

To:

rem Listening to Beatles while you're doing it makes it much easier

Now it works flawlessly ; )

LOL

@Marco. @wwaag @john_dennis

Do you think it's possible to create a command line with the extension (.bat) to convert multiple ac3 audio files at once?

This would be very useful since you can only convert one file at a time.

Something like this command line below whit that is used to only convert the audio from multiple video files at the same time to AAC format. I've tried here but unsuccessfully

@echo off
:next
if "%~1"=="" goto done
set output=%~dpn1_new%~x1
ffmpeg.exe -i "%~1" -c:a aac -b:a 320k -c:v copy "%output%"
shift
goto next
:done
exit

This one works fine for me:

@echo off
:next
if "%~1"=="" goto done
ffmpeg.exe -i "%~1" -c:v copy -c:a copy "%~1_new.vob"
shift
goto next
:done
exit

This one works fine for me:

@echo off
:next
if "%~1"=="" goto done
ffmpeg.exe -i "%~1" -c:v copy -c:a copy "%~1_new.vob"
shift
goto next
:done
exit

 

Yes @Marco. Great!

That's what I was talking about.

It worked here, too. Thank's!

Just a note to say that I'll include this option in a future version of the ImportAssist tool in HappyOtterScripts.