MPEG to MPEG-4, No Sound, Why?

Question

MPEG to MPEG-4, No Sound, Why?

A client gave me a CD-Rom with MPEG movies. I need to upload to a web site so visitors can watch movie. I believe I want to to Export to MPEG-4. I have tried as MPEG-4, .mov, H264, but with all of these I lose the Audio when the export is done. There are no available options (grayed out) for Audio export? What am I missing ? QT 7.0.2

Posted on Sep 10, 2005 1:34 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 10, 2005 1:41 PM in response to Peter DiSalvo

Peter, welcome to these discussions.
QuickTime can't export the audio portion of any MPEG (1 or 2) formats.
MPEG Streamclip is what I use (you're mileage may vary) to convert MPEG formats to QuickTime file formats.
Best part is that it is relatively fast and "free".

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Answer 2

Sep 10, 2005 4:21 PM in response to QuickTimeKirk

Thank you QuickTimeKirk.
I noticed that I needed to get the MPEG-2 plugin for QT7 so I did. Then I installed MPEG Streamclip. I will try playing with it. I noticed that one option for MPEG Stram clip was to leav the audio pn Pass thru. Not sure if I should change settings of go with default. Was going to try to make MPEG 4. It is my understanding that will work with QT6+ and Windows Media. Do you know if that is true?

Thank you for all you help

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Answer 3

Ricktoronto

Level 6

11,560 points

Sep 12, 2005 11:32 AM in response to Peter DiSalvo

To use MPEG Streamclip just open the MPEG, correct for timecode errors (EVERY time Apple+F keys), then just select export to QT and pick a codec and let it fly. Other than deinterlacing which I always choose and making sure the size is what you want (unscaled or some other size) it pretty much does a great job on its own.

Note with some codecs you lose some tweaking on the options. In that case I export to QT using Animation codec which is very fast and makes gigantic files ( it is uncompressed). Then open in QT Pro and export to whatever codec you like with whatever options you want for video and audio.

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Answer 4

Sep 14, 2005 9:05 PM in response to Peter DiSalvo

Too convert MPEG to QuickTime keep in mind that MPEG already has video and audio combined. In order to convert to QuickTime the audio and video files must first be separated. This is known as "demuxing".

Download MPEG Streamclip. You will also need to have QuickTime Pro ($29.99) AND you need to have the QuickTime MPEG-2 plug-in ($19.99) in order to Streamclip to work.

Open MPEG StreamClip
Choose Demux Setting this will separate the MPEG into two files; one file will have an extension of .aiff the other will have .m2v extension. The only problem is that iMovie does not seem to like the .m2v file. So you have one audio file, .aiif, and one video file that you cannot use, .m2v.

To get a video file that you can use:
Open QuickTime Pro and open the original MPEG. Choose File Exports QuickTime. This will export the video, but will not export the sound because QuickTime does not demux.

Now you should have three files:
.aiff audio file
.m2v un-usable video file (you will not need this)
.mov usable video file

Open iMovie.
Create a new project.
Drag in the .mov video file for the Video track.
Drag in the .aiff file for the Audio track.

From iMovie menu select File --> Share...
In Share select QuickTime, Compress Movies for Web or Web Streaming.

Click Share.
By doing this I was able to convert a 287MB MPEG to 19 MB Streaming .mov.
Hope that helps,

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Answer 5

Kerri

Level 1

50 points

Sep 14, 2005 10:09 PM in response to Peter DiSalvo

Don't know why the sound doesn't work...
but I "had" been compressing my web movies with the MPEG4 codec (now being called AAC in 7.0.2) and kept getting complaints every so often from Windows XP users that they couldn't get the sound to work. I have discovered that the QDesign Music 2 audio codec compresses with very much the same efficiency as the MPEG4 (AAC) audio codec and seems to be pretty happy with all my web clients.

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Answer 6

Sep 15, 2005 6:09 PM in response to Peter DiSalvo

Well I am qucikly finding that there are "spurts" of the sound not synching. I am sure I am doing something wrong or that there has to be a better way.
What I don't understand is that iMovie is supposed to work with .m2v files, but apparently that is only if they are cming directly off a video camera???? Mine .m2v is the result of the demux and iMovie does not like. I really don't want to uplaod a 280MB MPEG and have to make users download to view...

Any ideas, thanks

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Answer 7

Kerri

Level 1

50 points

Sep 15, 2005 6:26 PM in response to Peter DiSalvo

If you are trying to get movies for the web...
Try this:
Take your original MPEG4 movie and open it in Quicktime
Then File > Export

Select
Export: Movie to Quicktime Movie
Use: Broadband Medium
Click on the "Options" button

Under Video > Settings > Compression Type > none
Under Sound > Settings > Format > QDesign Music 2
Decide if you want Mono or Stereo
Let it default to the recommended Rate.

Say OK, name it and save it...see what happens.
I think you will be pleased!

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Answer 8

Sep 15, 2005 7:00 PM in response to Ricktoronto

Hi Ricktoronto,

Hmmm can you tell me the exact setting you use? I have tried several and I either get only audio or only video.. Thanks for the Apple+F hint with MPEG Streamclip.
My last try was Export to QT...,
Compression: Apple Motion JPEGA ( I have no idea what any Compression means)
Sound: Uncompressed Stereo A
Deinterlace Checked
Then click make movie... All I get is an Audio??
Thanks for your input.

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Answer 9

Sep 15, 2005 7:07 PM in response to Kerri

Thanks Kerri.
Actually I have MPEG (MPG) and now want to get it to .mov, or I guess even MPEG 4.
But I am assuming because it is MPG alreay has sound mixed I don't get access to the Sound option. I see the Video but Sound is grayed out.

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Answer 10

Sep 15, 2005 10:24 PM in response to Peter DiSalvo

Got It!

Open MPEG Streamclip

Open the MPEG, correct for timecode errors, (Apple+F)
Export to Quicktime, Set:
Compression: Apple Animation
Quality 50%
Sound: Uncompressed: Stereo: Auto
320x240
Deinterlace Video - Checked

Click: Make Movie

Open QT Pro
Open movie that was just made, set:
Export: Movie to Quicktime
Use: Streaming-Medium
Click Save.

Got nice 14 MB stream down from 250MB WITH Sound!

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Answer 11

Kerri

Level 1

50 points

Sep 15, 2005 10:54 PM in response to Peter DiSalvo

Peter,

I realize that you already have the MPG video, that is why I suggested "no compression" on the video format option. Also, MPG4 video is great-especially if there is a lot of motion or dissolves in the movie, but I have found as good and often better results with Sorenson Video 3. MPG4 audio is awesome, but if you are shooting for web viewing, for some reason a few Windows users will still have problems with it.

I am not sure if I am completely understanding your challenge...But, it sounds like the problem is that when you go to export the "movie to a quicktime movie," (not "movie to mpeg4") your option for the audio settings is not active? Can you look at the movie info in the quicktime app (window > show movie info) and see what the original audio codec is?

If the movies were originally compressed in a windows setting, could it be using codecs that may require access to a cross platform app like Adobe Premiere, AfterEffects, or even Media Cleaner to have the available resources to properly read your audio and convert it?

This sounds like a challenge that may need a phone call. It seems the writing on the discussion board is not accurately conveying all the issues you are up against. Sorry I wasn't better help. It originally seemed like a cinch.

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Answer 12

Kerri

Level 1

50 points

Sep 15, 2005 10:56 PM in response to Peter DiSalvo

Good for you!!!

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