Where is my audio?

[Vincent Rosati]

Check to see if Audio Playback on Desktop is checked in your Project Settings.
Perhaps it’s a codec issue.
Can you see the waveform in the timeline?
How are you capturing?

[Yigal Sela]

Thanks for your reply
Yes the playback audio setting is checked
No I cannot see the waveform in the timeline
I am capturing from DV mini discs…first to hard disc after ripping (DIVX) and then importing to Premiere. I am unable to import direct without ripping from the dv mini discs

[Vincent Rosati]

Oooch! DIVX. It is a codec issue. DIVX is a delivery format. With Premiere, you want to use an editing format such as DV, AVI Uncompressed, or MOV uncompressed.
If you get a chance, fill out your profile with your OS, App versions, and hardware info, including your cam.

It’s curious that your DV cam has no FireWire/IEEE 1394 interface. The files in the disc are DV formatted, and this is the format you want to edit with, as the audio is in the PCM format and will import into Premiere.

At this point, let us know what cam you have so we can check the FireWire specs on your cam. If it turns out that all you need is a FireWire cable, than you should recapture the source material with Premiere as AVI DV or MOV DV.

If FireWire is not available, you’ll need to decompress the video files before import into Premiere.
I use AVS Video Converter (PC) to decompress video. QuickTime Pro can also decompress video, however you may need to install a DIVX codec for QuickTime.

We’ll get you where you want to be!
Vince

[Yigal Sela]

You are great. Thanks so much
My camera is Canon DC 210 with no firewire, only has output to tv.
Only after purchasing did I learn there is such a matter as firewire etc, and even now find it hard to understand how a relativley good cam does not have such a facility installed

OS is windows xp
so if i understand correct i should be converting to a regular *avi format?

[Vincent Rosati]

Yes, convert to AVI. However you end up doing it, there should be a setting that says ‘Uncompressed’, or something like that.
This will generate huge files that you will likely delete after the editing and rendering is done, so always keep you master discs.

Out of curiosity, are you putting the mini dv disc in your system and ripping the files, or are you doing an analog capture through the cams AV Out into a video card?

[Yigal Sela]

I am putting the dv into the system and ripping to hard disc and then importing.

Once again thank you for your help

If I may ask one more question?

Am I correct in assuming (I did say that I am a real amateur!!!) that I cannot use the AV connection from the camera to hook up to the PC (i.e. purchasing a compatible firewire connection)?

[Vincent Rosati]

With the AV output on your cam, you could capture to your PC if you install an AV capture device with the appropriate inputs, probably RCA. This could be an internal PCI, external USB, or external FireWire device.
But, this adds an unnecessary analog step into a process that can be entirely digital. Which is undesirable as analog signal noise would be added to the resulting files.

You’re better off working with the files that are ripped from the CD, as you’ve been doing.

[Yigal Sela]

Thanks once again
I indeed have imported with extension *avi and hey….I”ve got audio!
Let me thank you once again for your help. It might seem trivial to an “experienced pro”, but you have been a great help and got me going.
All the best
Yigal Sela
(Israel)

[Yigal Sela]

Hi Vincent,
May I take your time and trouble you with another question?
I worked as advised, and all went well.
I exported using the avi dv setting (two passes highest quality)
However I was a little disapointed with the quality of the finished project. Occasionally when viewing the dvd on tv ther are appearances of like “squares of colors” and not a definitive picture, something i had encountered when working with WMM, but not when working with Nero (where I could import directly from the mini dv cams without ripping to .avi first.
Is ther anything I should bedoing to improve the quality of the final product. On the computer when viewing the finished film the quality is superb?
Kindest Regards

Yigal Sela

[Vincent Rosati]

Ah yes. 🙂
We’re about to get into a bit more complicated sort of discussion. You have an eye for detail and are about to start down a technically complicated path.

At any step in the process of video production there are a good number of considerations to make.

———————————————–

First, download the GSpot Codec Information Appliance, here…
https://www.headbands.com/gspot/
This tool will will give us valuable information regarding the spec’s of the files being used. And, will help you to increase your understanding of video. It’s been invaluable to me.

Some important information identified with GSpot:
Region: NTSC or PAL
Audio CODEC: *
Video CODEC: *
Video Fields/Sec.: *
Video Frames: Progressive or Interlaced
Video Dimensions: *
Video Display Aspect Ratio: *

———————————————–

Generally, digital image compression is based on 16×16 or 8×8 pixel blocks, or squares. I imagine the squares you are seeing are in one of these sizes? Sounds like you may be seeing DV compression artifacts – Assuming you exported from Premiere to a DV codec, than transcoded to MPEG2-DVD.
You want to skip the DV codec. Earlier in our discussion I assumed you were working with DV files, and not DIVX.
I mislead you.

Workflow Solution for DVD Authoring from DIVX Source:
1- Extract AV files (DIVX, I believe) from CD to Hard Disk.
2- Decompress to AVI Uncompressed. (A lossless conversion)
3- Import & edit in Premiere.
4- Export with Adobe Media Encoder (AME) or Main Concept MPEG Pro Encoder to MPEG2-DVD. Do not allow an additional transcoding by your authoring software.

*If this is the first time you used Adobe Media Encoder you will be prompted to activate this tool while connected to the internet.

Format
MPEG2-DVD

Presets
Choose a setting with the highest bitrate that will allow the length of your video to fit on the DVD type you are using (single or dual layer DVD). Maybe, Lo-Q 6MB VBR 2-Pass.

* Don’t be alarmed by the words “low quality” in the preset description, as this can be boosted to “high quality” by adjusting the Quality slider, under the Basic Video Settings, to it’s maximum value. This setting does affect the length of the render time.

* Note that the “DV” listed in the presets does not indicate a compression codec, but a frame size.

Summary: Video
Adjust the Quality slider to 5.0, the maximum setting.

Summary: Audio
I recommend using PCM audio. This is arguable, but it ensures maximum compatibility during authoring.

Summary: Multiplexing
I recommend enabling DVD Multiplexing, as this will create a single file that can be previewed with MPEG2 compatible software.

General Issues
I imagine you are in a PAL TV region. If so, make sure all of the setting you choose reflect this. And, that you are encoding in the proper field order, probably UFF or Upper Field First.

The multiplexed MPEG2-DVD file should import to your authoring software without an additional transcoding. Any additional transcoding will reduce the quality of your video.
If this occurs, you may need to check the spec’s of the authoring software to determine it’s acceptable MPEG2 formats.

Also, if the bitrate is too high, and the file is too big for the disc, the authoring software will force a transcoding. Which means you will need to go back to the the Premiere project and reduce the bitrate settings slightly, and save a new file.

Often, the quality of interlaced video can benefit from proper deinterlacing (another complicated subject), but worth considering, depending on your needs… assuming that your DIVX file is interlaced – This can be determined by opening the file with GSpot.

Use task specific software. Which is to say, you could use Premiere to burn a DVD, but don’t. Use Nero, as you have been – It’s core function is to burn discs. You could use Nero to transcode, but don’t. Use AME or Main Concept – It’s their core function.

There could be broadcast gamut issues with the DIVX codec. You may need to apply the Broadcast Color video effect to your video?

I don’t have much experience with DIVX. There could be other known issues with converting DIVX to DVD. I think there is a video compression forum, here at the COW. It might be worthwhile to start a thread there to present your issue. Include the 4-step workflow I provided in your post.

Sorry for the long-winded response, I just wanted to cover all of the possibilities. I hope you can make something out of it.

Vince

~The files are INSIDE the computer?