Fix Audio with VOB files - Reload all or parts of backed up version

emmrecs wrote on 3/30/2022, 3:24 AM

Welcome to the Magix user to user forums.

Unfortunately, your first post here is a little confusing so can we "take a step backwards" and try and establish exactly what the problem is for you?

First, you say an update on my 2015 version... To my knowledge there have been no updates to that, now old, version for several years so, do you actually mean an update to Windows? If so, then that is certainly a possibility of a problem being created!

You say you deleted and then reloaded MEP 2015. Unless you carried out this process very carefully (taking care to ensure that everything from the previous install was removed - and this means NOT relying on the built-in uninstaller to do this for you) it is highly likely that the problem file/folder/setting/registry entry etc., etc. was not actually removed. (We always advise using Revo Uninstaller when attempting an uninstall of a Magix product; used carefully, it ensures that the removal is total!)

You say you don't seem able to transfer audio with VOB files. The audio transfer may no longer be supported. VOB files are actually MPEG-2 format and audio of such files has always, to my knowledge, been successfully read by MEP. So, how are you transferring this audio? You should be able to simply drag the VOB file to the MEP timeline and hear, and see, it playing. There is no means or requirement to copy this audio functionality.

Mention of a backed-up copy of MEP on my C drive presumably means you have the installer files saved to that drive, not a "parallel install"? That is very good practice and one to be heartily endorsed (certainly by me)! However, simply running that installer may well NOT resolve the problem, for the reasons I gave two paragraphs above.

What other add-ons are you referring to?

Sorry to be asking so many questions but we really do need you to help us to help you!

Jeff
Forum Moderator

DinoAB wrote on 3/31/2022, 3:33 PM

Good day Jeff,

Thank you for your extensive response. Much appreciated.

When a VOB file is dragged to the MEP timeline the message that “an expansion package is needed in order to use this audio feature” is triggered. Although the package is downloaded, no sound is played with the video.

I have successfully made such copies in the past. The sound continues to play from previous compilations.

I'm hoping that you can help me rectify this issue.

Thank you for your assistance,

Peter

johnebaker wrote on 3/31/2022, 4:48 PM

@DinoAB

Hi

. . . . “an expansion package is needed in order to use this audio feature” . . . .

The expansion package is the Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound codec which is no longer supported in older versions of Movie Edit Pro due to licensing issues - this also affects many other video editors.

Before loading in to MEP, the VOB files need the audio converting to MPEG Layer 2 Audio stereo using a video converter - FFMPEG (?). My preferred converter Handbrake does not support MPEG Layer 2 audio export..

HTH

John EB
Forum Moderator

AAProds wrote on 3/31/2022, 7:21 PM

@DinoAB

You can use Avidemux to convert your VOBs with AC-3 audio to MPEG 2 video and MP2 audio. I have written a guide here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1osxnHZ8f2-0cF9w-Ez0LzT1eZJOuYWjX/view?usp=sharing

DinoAB wrote on 4/1/2022, 5:28 PM

Thank you for suggesting Avidemux.

The last VOB to mp4 conversion that I did was in November, 2020. If I was able to use the same non-updated software I used then, might I still be able to convert both sound and video?

AAProds wrote on 4/1/2022, 7:13 PM

@DinoAB

The last VOB to mp4 conversion that I did was in November, 2020. If I was able to use the same non-updated software I used then, might I still be able to convert both sound and video?

Definitely. The only problem is the AC-3 audio, so any process where you can convert the audio to something that MEP will accept (eg MP2, AAC or PCM) should work OK.

The reason I suggest Avidemux is because it doesn't transcode the video stream. VOB video (from a DVD) is essentially the same format at MPEG 2, and Avidemux simply changes the "details" of the video. If you convert the VOBs to MP4, you are inducing a generation loss because the video is being transcoded into another completely different format (VOB/MPEG 2 into MPEG 4). This isn't desirable. I will say though that if your source video is pretty good quality, you may not notice any difference after the conversion.

Another consideration is that MPEG 2 is easier to edit than MP4 if you have an old, sluggish machine.