This is really embarassing. I've used other basic video editing programs for awhile now...so you'd think I wouldn't have a problem w/Vegas.

I load up a piece of captured DV that I KNOW has audio b/c I've already worked with it before. When I click "play" it plays in the preview window at the bottom-right, but there's no sound. None of the "mute" buttons are pressed. What gives?

Thanks!

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*EDIT 5 APR 07*

THE FOLLOWING EDIT IS REALLY LENGTHY. IF YOU WANT DETAILS (and I think you should!) PLEASE READ IT ALL.


If someone could explain the TECHNICAL reason behind this, I'd really appreciate it.

As I explained below, I wasn't getting any audio in known-good DV video clips. I emailed Sony. I must admit; they replied within TWO HOURS. That is exceptional customer service speed, to say the least. However, the quality/knowledge base that I connected with left much to be desired.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT VEGAS MOVIE STUDIO WON'T FULLY (i.e. with sound) PLAY BACK ANY VIDEO YOU CAPTURED TO .AVI WITH SOME OTHER PROGRAM. YOU MUST RECAPTURE IT WITH VEGAS!

For those that want all the details; here's a cut and paste with no edits (save for my and the guy's name) of the email traffic that transpired b/t myself and Sony. I'm very disappointed and pretty much pissed off. I've been working on this problem for three days now. I think I provided MORE than enough detail in order that my problem be accurate assesed. The technician obviously didn't thoroughly read my original question...I wound up with a "Tier 1" type reply. I'm so glad I figured it out...MYSELF...but I'd still like to know WHY it is this way.

EMAILS FROM BEGINNING TO END:

Customer 04/05/2007 01:32 PM
I have no sound when previewing a clip (raw DV). I have not changed anything in Vegas; I loaded the program and began trying to use it. I Import a DV clip. I hit play. It plays (video) in the preview window, but I have no sound.

My computer works just fine. I have sound in every other program. Games, playing CDs/MP3s. When I play the video clips in Windows Media Player, Windows Movie Maker or Nero Vision I have sound. Just no sound in Vegas. It's driving me nuts. I've checked everything and nothing is muted. PLEASE help. I want to start learning the program, but this is a major stumbling block.


Greetings Michael!

Thank you for contacting Sony Media Software Support.

How are you connecting from camera to the computer? Vegas cannot capture through a USB connection. You would have to connect the camera to the computer via Firewire, which is sometimes called iLink or "DV".

If the information provided does not completely answer your question, please update your incident so I may further assist you.

Have a great day.



Customer 04/05/2007 02:16 PM I have not tried capturing any video from a DV camera yet. This is with DV clips that are already saved on my hard drive. As I stated earlier, ALL the clips play just fine in every other application except Vegas. The video plays, but there is no sound.



Greetings Michael!

Thank you for replying.

Most still image digital cameras that can capture short clips of video use a Motion JPEG (Joint Pictures Experts Group) codec for file compression. A directshow Motion JPEG codec must be installed on your PC in order for these clips to be imported into a Sony Media Software timeline. The following manufacturers produce Motion JPEG codecs:

Pegas Imaging: http://www.pegasusimaging.com/picvideomjpeg.htm
Morgan MultiMedia: http://www.morgan-multimedia.com
MainConcept: http://www.mainconcept.com/codecs.shtml

I hope this information is helpful. If you have followed up questions or need further assistance with this issue, please update this incident.

Have a great day.



Thanks for the replies. The video clips I am trying to play were not captured with a digital still camera. They were captured to DV Tape on a Canon Elura 100 Mini DV cam.

The video was transferred via Firewire to my hard drive in Windows Movie Maker. It is .avi raw DV video.

Why do I have no sound in Vegas, but sound in every other application when I play the clips?


Greetings Michael!

Thank you for replying.

Please use these third party software and try:

Pegas Imaging: http://www.pegasusimaging.com/picvideomjpeg.htm
Morgan MultiMedia: http://www.morgan-multimedia.com
MainConcept: http://www.mainconcept.com/codecs.shtml

If this doesn't fix the issue you are facing then please attach a small portion of the file about 15-20 seconds and update this incident with the information so that we may further assist you with this issue.




Customer04/05/2007 04:27 PM I figured it out myself; you would be well-advised to add this fix to your list of "Solutions to problems."

I don't know what the technical reason is, but the solution was to RECAPTURE the video using Vegas. I used a small (30-minute) clip as a test and it worked fine.

This is a FLAW in the Sony Vegas program!!! Raw DV is raw DV. It doesn't matter what program you use to capture it with! Just like an MP3 is an MP3. The 100GB of video I previously captured using Windows Movie Maker and Nero Vision should be able to be used in Vegas; they were captured as .avi files; ordinary DV video. It has NOTHING to do with some JPEG codec like you linked me to in two of your replies.

JPEG? That would be a STILL PHOTO file format, not a full motion with sound video format.

Why should I have to pay extra OR go through any extra steps in order to play back ordinary .avi video on Vegas? I paid good money for the Vegas software; it should play back any type of video without any problems.

I really wish I knew the technical explanation as to why video files saved to .avi with other programs won't play back in Vegas.

In summary: The answer to my question (though without a technical explanation) is to RECAPTURE WHATEVER VIDEO YOU WISH TO WORK WITH USING SONY VEGAS. Then it will work fine, Video & Audio together.

Assuming there is sound on the clip say in Medea player.. and you can see a wave form.

Can you put other clips that play normally?

Is the master fader down?
is the volume in windows sound card turned down? (mixer)
Are headphones plugged int to the PC?
Are the speakers on? is the lead OK
is there a plug in that has the volume turned down, bypass the audio filters.

Thanks for the quick reply!

I'll have to check all the sliders and stuff in Vegas; I haven't touched anything since I loaded it!

But all the basic stuff is fine. I"m listening to an MP3 thru the speakers right now, so everything works.

I have sound in Windows Media Player, Windows Movie Maker, Nero Vision, Internet Explorer and whatever else i haven't mentioned...just nothing in Vegas.

Bump. This almost qualifies as a sticky, IMO.

"In summary: The answer to my question (though without a technical explanation) is to RECAPTURE WHATEVER VIDEO YOU WISH TO WORK WITH USING SONY VEGAS. Then it will work fine, Video & Audio together."

Well . . . I can use Scenealyser and that works. I can use MS Movie Maker and that works. I can understand your frustration - been there with other issues, so have others, but would you please consider that saying one thing means it is true for others. I don't need to capture using SONY Vegas for Vegas to see and use it, and there are many others that use SA too.

The clue might be that SA is a software capture solution - it isn't reliant on a board or drivers that make that board work. Your experience would suggest that this is a bad thing. However, the way that Vegas has been engineered is that it does NOT need to rely on "other" hardware. This is a good thing. I just wanted to shed some light and introduce some balance.

Now, are you up and running?

Thanks guys. I know I was pretty hot last night...I'm sure you can understand my frustration. I clearly stated the issue in my email to support and they responded that digital still cameras don't work sometimes. I mean, give me a break. Did you READ my email, Mr. Tech support guy?

I checked everything (and I mean, everything). Nothing was muted, no headphones plugged in.

I'm new to video editing; just used Windows MM and Nero Vison for a few months, so you guys know a lot more than I do on the programs.

But, I do "computers and networking" for a living. I know file types and I know hardware. A .avi file is a .avi file. It should play in ANY program capable of playing .avi files, right? It made zero sense to me why it wouldn't play in Vegas. Recapturing using Vegas solved the problem. I would still really love a technical explanation as to WHY it's like this, though.

GRAZIE: What program do you capture with? You can then play the file with Vegas? Raw DV that I captured with Windows MM and Nero did NOT work in Vegas. Well, the video played, but no sound.

By the way; what is "SA?" SceneAnalyzer? Is that another capture program?

Thanks very much for the help and advice; I'm listening.

try as Grazie says Video Capture Software and Scene Detection - Scenalyzer this is a great capture problem.

An AVI file is an AVI file but depending on the codec used one AVI might not play on a nother machine that does not have the same codec.

not sure I m not getting the web address above but getting the text "Video Capture.... instead

I'm checking out SA now; looks interesting. Your explanation of the .avi file makes sense, but doesn't really apply in this case (I don't think) b/c I haven't changed machines. I've been using the same machine (with the same software, except for Vegas) for the past few months. I've captured all that video during that time.

The curious thing is that you say you can use Movie Maker and still play the videos back in Vegas (with sound).

I hadn't touched any settings in Vegas prior to this problem occuring. I loaded the program, imported a file from the hard drive and tried to play it. I did go back into every single menu (Vegas is HUGE!) and click "Set Defaults" though, just to be sure.

Oh well, I'm up and running now. Now the really hard part begins; learning how to use this monster of a program! It makes Windows Movie Maker look like a toy.

If you hold the shift or CTRL (not sure which) Vegas loads and sets itself to the default values.