HD audio problems

[Steve Roberts]

Hmm. Odd. So the HD footage has audio — this we know because it can be accessed through FCP.

Is there a waveform associated with the footage (as a layer) in AE? (shortcut: LL)
Does the audio play from the timeline if you audio preview? (shortcut: . on the numeric pad)
What is the codec of the HD footage?

[Jezzfush]

Hi Steve. No there is no waveform associated with the clip in the timeline. No preview with the period key. It doesn’t seem to matter what codec, it’s just pissed with all HD footage. Here’s the weird bit though, I can preview the clip with audio from the project window. It’s just when I apply the clip to a comp that the audio goes walkabout. All other footage is fine (ie SD or smaller).

I have completely removed CS3 from my mac and reinstalled and the problem remains. I have spoken with Adobe support and they too are stumped. I suspect that some other program is interfering. Although I must admit CS3 is really letting me down with all it’s out of memory bugs (I have more RAM than you could poke a stick at) and QuickTime export errors. I have never had a problem with AE prior to this release and I have been a user since 4.

What to do??????

[Steve Roberts]

Hmph.

When we preview from the project window on Mac, we’re using the Quicktime Player. It plays the source file, not the imported and interpreted clip. So AE has a problem importing and interpreting the clip. Duh. 🙂

Hen you open a problematic clip in QT Player outside of AE, what does the info say about codec and audio?

[Darby Edelen]

[JezzFush] “Although I must admit CS3 is really letting me down with all it’s out of memory bugs (I have more RAM than you could poke a stick at)”

AE can still only use 3GB of RAM, no matter how much you have. If you’re consistently getting these messages then you might want to rethink your Memory & Cache settings. These errors have just been something to work around, and even with good Memory & Cache settings I’ve seen them in version 7 with large/involved comps as well.

[JezzFush] “and QuickTime export errors.”

I have yet to see one of these, thankfully. You aren’t forcing CS3 to run in Rosetta are you? (;

As for your audio problem, open the QuickTime file in QuickTime Player and check the properties (cmd-J), specifically the Resources tab to see if the file is referencing an external audio file or if it’s embedded. You can also make note of any compression on the audio (it shouldn’t be compressed). Lastly make sure there is a Speaker icon next to the Eye icon on the layer in the AE timeline.

Let us know if anything changes!

Darby Edelen
DVD Menu Artist
Left Coast Digital
Aptos, CA

[Kyle Norby]

I have this exact same problem, with DVCPRO HD (1080i60), Integer (Big Endian), Timecode.

It clearly shows 2 channels by pressing CMD + J within quicktime, and the audio plays fine from QT and within AE’s project window, yet no audio preview / RAM preview / output with audio.

I am completely stumped. AE CS3 really does not like the audio channels of this footage.

[Marije Van der nat]

Although this thread was started a couple of years ago, I’m running into the same problem with CS4 now.
I thought it was a big endian (works not)/little endian (works fine) problem, but it’s not.
I have 3 similar files in my comp, all MPEG IMX 625/50, 16 Bit Integer (little endian). Only one of them shows audio icons (and thus waveforms) in the Timeline.

I tried exporting a clip from QT as a lossles QT movie: still the same problem.

Does anyone know what the problem, and better yet: the solution would be?
Thanks,

Marije

[Marije Van der nat]

Sorry, small addition:
Rendering a lossles QT DOES help.
Still I wonder what it is that After Effects has so much trouble with…
Hope you can help!