Unsupported audio when watching avi files on DVD player

[zad1]

Hi

I have some avi files I wanted to watch on the big tv, so I burnt them to a DVD. When playing them on the standalone player, I get the video fine, but no audio. It says 'unsupported audio'.

Someone loaned me a DVD to watch of avi files and they all played fine, audio and video. But they were Divx files, wheras mine aren't. Is that the problem? Would converting the avi files to Divx fix the sound stream?

Last night I converted one of them to DVD files using Avi2Dvd, and the result was brilliant. But it took a long time, (all night) and the resulting file was much bigger, taking the whole DVD, whereas the AVI was 800 MB. Which makes me think it might be better just to leave them as avi files and try to fix this sound stream problem.

Is there a way to alter the sound stream on the avi file?

[LT. Columbo]

sure, just use virtualdub. since the video is fine use "direct stream copy" for video and recompress the audio to something more acceptable like mp3 or AC3 audio. when loaded in vdub post the screenshot under file>file information.

[zad1]

Thanks, I'll give that a go.

"...when loaded in vdub post the screenshot under file>file information."
Could you please explain that? I'm not quite sure what that means.

Question 1 is, would they play back on all DVD players as .avi files, or just some?

Converting the .avi files to DVD worked brilliantly, but it took a long time. That's what made me think it's easier to leave them as .avi, and just fix the sound stream.

Question 2, in your opinion, is there any noticeable increase in quality during playback after converting them to DVD files? Is it worth it, or is it more sensible just to leave them as .avi?

[paglamon]

"...when loaded in vdub post the screenshot under file>file information."
Could you please explain that? I'm not quite sure what that means.

Open your avi file in Virtualdub(or prefereably,VirtualdubMPEG2).Then click File/File information and let us know the particulars of the avi file.

Question 1 is, would they play back on all DVD players as .avi files, or just some?

Question 2, in your opinion, is there any noticeable increase in quality during playback after converting them to DVD files? Is it worth it, or is it more sensible just to leave them as .avi?

If your player supports avi,then it is better to leavi it as avi.
Most players these days will play it(those that are DivX certified).I assume that your avi is encoded using either DivX or XviD.

[zad1]

"...post the screenshot." Duh. Don't know how. Told you I was a novice! But I know how to type!

Frame size, fps - 480x320, 29.970 fps (33367 us)
Length - 160730 frmes (1:29:23:03)
Decompressor - DivX 6.4.0 Codec (2 Logical CPUs)
Number of key frames - 4236
Min/avg/max/total key frame size - 1710/14986/82318 (61997k)
Min/avg/max/total delta frame size - 0/4533/45131 (692804k)
Data rate - 1153 kbps (0.50% overhead)

Audio stream
Sampling rate - 44100Hz
Channels - 2 (stereo)
Sample precision - N/A
Compression - Fraunhofer IIS MPEG Layer-3 Codec
Layout - 205301 chunks (0.00s preload)
Length - 85807438 samples (1.29;22.96)
Min/avg/max/total frame size - 417/417/418 (83797K)
Data rate - 128 kbps (5.43% overhead)

That's the first video file I tried to put on DVD I'll use as an example.

Columbo; "..recompress the audio to something more acceptable like mp3 or AC3 audio."
Um, how do I do that?
Is there a tutorial or something for this programme in the forum?

[r0lZ]

Compression - Fraunhofer IIS MPEG Layer-3 Codec

You have to install that codec. Download it here.

[zad1]

Thanks, rOLZ, I installed that codec. But how will that help me to hear audio when I burn the file onto a DVD and play it back on my TV?? Will it affect the way the audio is encoded on the disc..? Sorry, I'm confused.

Following a guide in the forum, I downloaded an .flv file off Google Video, used Dr. Divx to convert it to a Divx file. That plays fine in my DVD player, sound and video. (I also converted it to DVD with Avi2Dvd, burnt that, and it plays equally as well.)

So, would it be a good idea for me to convert the troublesome .avi files to Divx using Dr. Divx - would that fix the sound stream?

[r0lZ]

IMO, MP3 audio should be supported by your standalone player. If it doesn't work, then either the AVI has been build with a bad tool, or the audio ID is wrong.
You can re-encode the MP3 sound only with VirtualDub-MPEG2. Use direct stream copy for the video stream, as it is good anyway, and re-encoding it in DivX will downgrade the quality (BTW, XviD is better!), and re-encode only the audio, using a good MP3 encoder codec. (I think that the free version of the Fraunhofer codec cannot encode. But you may have an encoder already present on your PC. Try it.)
VirtualDub is free. Give it a try!

[zad1]

Hi
I just did a test run on Virtualdub Mpeg2 as you described and it seemed to work well, and fast too. But there was a massive jump in file size, from 687 MB originally to to 1.48 G! Is this normal?

[zad1]

r0LZ;
"...using a good MP3 encoder codec. (I think that the free version of the Fraunhofer codec cannot encode. But you may have an encoder already present on your PC. Try it.)"
I'm not quite sure what you mean when you talk about encoders. It's another language to me! Do you mean the list of options on Virtualdub for audio compression?

[zad1]

Well, it works, although I don't know how! I put both test files on a DVD and the audio now plays fine on my DVD player/TV.
Great! Thanks for that, Columbo, r0LZ et al. Although I'm sure a little bit of fine tuning wouldn't go amiss. For example, on Virtualdub, when I select 'MPEG layer 3', I don't get any options on the right hand window, as in the tutorial on Doom 9. Also, in that tutorial, he has 'Lame MP3' selected. I don't have that in my list.

[paglamon]

Also, in that tutorial, he has 'Lame MP3' selected. I don't have that in my list

You will need to install LameMP3 codec.Here it is:http://www.free-codecs.com/download/LAME_ACM_Codec.htm

[r0lZ]

r0LZ;
"...using a good MP3 encoder codec. (I think that the free version of the Fraunhofer codec cannot encode. But you may have an encoder already present on your PC. Try it.)"
I'm not quite sure what you mean when you talk about encoders. It's another language to me! Do you mean the list of options on Virtualdub for audio compression?

I'm glad it worked.
The difference in size is probably because you have just decoded the original MP3 stream, and not reencoded it in MP3. It's therefore now an uncompressed WAV audio stream. All players should be able to handle it, but it consumes much place.

And, yes, to recompress the audio in MP3, you need a codec able to encode (or, if you prefer, to compress the WAV). The LameMP3 codec is fine, and free.
BTW, a codec is a CODer/DECoder.

[zad1]

Thanks for the Lame MP3 codec. I'll try that tonight.
Do I need to extract the files to any particular location? eg, when I installed Fraunhofer IIS MPEG Layer-3 Codec, I didn't see it in the list of options in Virtualdub. Do I have to install the codec into Vdub somehow?

Also, should I download and install any others I can find on that link, or will that cause problems?

[paglamon]

Thanks for the Lame MP3 codec. I'll try that tonight.
Do I need to extract the files to any particular location? eg, when I installed Fraunhofer IIS MPEG Layer-3 Codec, I didn't see it in the list of options in Virtualdub. Do I have to install the codec into Vdub somehow?

Also, should I download and install any others I can find on that link, or will that cause problems?

Installation instructions are given on link page.Extract all files to the Desktop(or anywhere you like).Then Right click on LameACM.inf and click INSTALL.The codec then installs into the system and when you open Virtualdub you will see it under Audio/Compression. And Free-Codecs.com is a safe site.