6C and VOB

plasmavideo wrote on 9/24/2005, 8:11 AM
Parden me if I missed this topic somewhere else, but I did a search and didn't find another exact reference.

As posted in the 6C discussion before it morphed to another topic, the ability of 6C to import vob files was discussed. I was absolutely delighted to see this feature, as I have had a need for this for a while.

I have discovered a possible problem, however. The vobs import fine, and I've been able to place them on the timeline and play back fine, even with AC3. A problem occurs between adjacent sequential vobs on the timeline. There is a gap in the audio, and one or more frames of black inbetween. In addition, the audio ends about 10 frames sooner than the video, indicating a sync problem.

I haven't played around much with this feature yet, but I wonder if there is a consensus from others yet.

BTW, the vobs are being inported from a disc created with a standalone Panasonic desktop recorder done in the 2 hour mode.

Comments

John_Cline wrote on 9/24/2005, 8:48 AM
I've noticed the audio gaps and black frames, too. To get around that problem, I use a freeware program called "SmartRipper v2.41" to rip the video from the disc and convert it to one, large VOB file.* SmartRipper will also allow you to save the separate elementary streams as well as tell you the audio delay so you can compensate by slipping the audio on the Vegas timeline. At least Vegas will now read .AC3 audio files and that is a big plus.

John

(* You need to get into the SmartRipper settings and set it to "5000 KB" as the maximum file size so it will make one, single file.)
johnmeyer wrote on 9/24/2005, 9:40 AM
At least Vegas will now read .AC3 audio files and that is a big plus

John, I tried putting an AC-3 file on the timeline, but Vegas 6.0c wouldn't let me. It reads them if they're embedded in the VOB file.

Are you saying you've been able to put AC-3 files directly on the timeline? If so, is there a "secret" or something special that must be done?

Also, I've not been able to use the VOB import because the audio is completely out of sync. The audio is quite a bit longer than the video. I haven't yet done a check, but it somewhat looks like a 30/29.97 sort of problem (i.e., different timebase for audio and video).
John_Cline wrote on 9/24/2005, 10:23 AM
John,

You're right. Vegas apparently will not read a "standalone" .AC3 file. I haven't played around much with the new VOB capabilities of Vegas yet. I was just mentioning that SmartRipper would make one, large VOB file that gets around the black frame / audio gap problem and that it would also demux the VOB into elementary streams. The demux function is very useful for re-authoring existing discs, but as you point out, of virtually no use as it relates to Vegas.

John
guitard wrote on 9/24/2005, 11:43 PM
Damn... John - you got me all excited about being able to drop .ac3 files onto the timeline!
mattockenfels wrote on 9/25/2005, 4:53 PM
Haven't tried it, but...

Can you use your existing AC-3 file, combine it with black video, create a VOB with DVDA, then import that?

Cheers,
-Matt
Spot|DSE wrote on 9/25/2005, 5:40 PM
Good idea, Matt! Just tried it with a still, and it works fine. (on a 10 second file, anyway)
Bob Greaves wrote on 9/25/2005, 9:23 PM
My very first rip was years using a VCR when Star Wars first hit the VHS market. I used a sound blaster to record a small portion of the audio and windows 3.11 recorder to further edit it.

When I was all done, whenever I went to shut down my computer I would hear C3P0 say, "Sir if you'll not be needing me, I'll shut down for a while."

I loved it so much that I loaded up a 3 stooges snippet and soon got my computer on an error event to no longer play the ding. Instaed it would be Curly saying, "I'm trying to think, but nothin' happens."

I've kept my ear out for useful snippits ever since.
johnmeyer wrote on 9/25/2005, 11:12 PM
an you use your existing AC-3 file, combine it with black video, create a VOB with DVDA, then import that?

Ah, you guys beat me to it. I was going to try this and report back. Glad to hear it works.
RichMacDonald wrote on 9/26/2005, 4:42 PM
1) get the DVD onto your hard drive (legal reasons I suppose)
2) Use the free tool, DVD2AVI, to convert the vobs to an avi file. You choose the codec.
3) Edit the avi file in Vegas.

Some of the other options may work, but I know this one avoids the audio-video gap problem.
aldo12xu wrote on 9/27/2005, 11:43 AM
Which version would you recommend, Rich?. Here are the choices I found:

1. DVD2AVI - OGO modified version
2. DVD2AVI - Gloval modified version
3. DVD2AVI - Gloval modified version - source code
4. DVD2AVI HDTV mod - source code included
5. DVD2AVI 1.77.4
6. DVD2AVI Decoding Fix Version
Former user wrote on 9/27/2005, 1:23 PM
You don't have to convert to AVI files, you can use the VFAPI proxy and edit straight from the VOB files.

Dave T2
RichMacDonald wrote on 9/27/2005, 5:21 PM
> Which version would you recommend, Rich?...

Holy cow! I'm using "5. DVD2AVI 1.77.4" and know nothing about the others.