Vegas won't recognize audio in DV AVI file
 

I captured three DV clips to AVI files, all using the same device, hardware, and capture program (AMCap from the Programming DirectShow book CD).

File1.avi = 2.71 GB
File2.avi = 2.56 GB
File3.avi = 1.93 GB

All three files play fine in Windows Media Player. File1.avi and File3.avi import into Vegas 7 just fine. Try to drag File2.avi to the timeline, though, and only the video track comes up. No matter what I do, I can't get Vegas to recognize the audio. What's going on here?

Perhaps the problem is File2's size. It's bigger than the others. But here's the shocker. I also captured other files in the same batch... and

File4.avi = 5.73 GB

Guess what--no problems with File4.

Anybody have any ideas?

Are they Type-1 or Type-2 DV AVIs?

What audio format are they? 32k-2ch, 44.1k or 48k?

Type 1 or Type 2--I'm at a loss as to how to tell. Any easy ways without downloading other software?

I think they're 48 k audio, but again, is there any surefire way to find out?

My first guess would be that they aren't really DV-AVI. What kind of "device" are you capturing from (all using the same device, hardware, and capture program)? And why use "AMCap" instead of capture apps that are known to work like Vegas VidCap or Scenalyzer Live over a standard firewire port?

Gspot is the best way, but you can also look at the properties in Vegas.
Why are you not using Vidcap, which is a known quantity?

I can't find any way to determine, in Vegas, whether a file is Type 1 or Type 2 AVI. The only field I can find in the file properties is "Format: DV".

The file was captured from MiniDV tape in my JVC dual deck through firewire into a built-in OHCI port on my computer.

It sounds like the only suggestion I'm hearing is to recapture the file using a different capture program.

You never mentioned if you are using Firewire or USB. If you are using USB, you probably are using DirectShow filters because Video for Windows never addressed capturing video over USB originally. Some software vendors incorporate both Type 1 and Type 2 AVI capture in their DirectShow filters over USB so that older VfW applications like Vegas will have the proxy audio file they need. Capturing using Vegas's Vidcap.exe over USB will result in no audio, just like the problem you currently have, I believe because it uses VfW filters (ergo, no Type 1 AVI audio support). Your best route to success is to capture over Firewire using a capture software that supports Type 2 AVI files...vidcap.exe, Scenalyzer Live, WinDV, CaptureFlux...etc.

What I have found about Type 1 AVIs is that Vegas will sometimes import them and will create a proxy audio file. It will tell you when it is doing this. You can try using File/Import/Media instead of dragging the clips to the timeline and see if that triggers creating the proxy audio. I rarely deal with Type 1 AVIs so I have only seen this work a few times, and it may not work for you, but it's worth a try.

I was almost certainly using DirectShow filters since the capture program I used was a sample program that came with a book on programming DirectShow. (And over firewire, not USB.)

For all the files that import successfully with audio (mentioned in my first post), Vegas created audio proxies. Interestingly, it did so in two passes, even though just one file was imported.

Ok, I apologize for not reading your posts carefully. DirectShow creates Type 1 AVIs and, unless the software writer specifically codes for Type 2, the software will not create a Type 2 AVI. Vegas prefers Type 2 which is why it creates a proxy audio file when it encounters Type 1. For some reason, it didn't create the proxy for the file you are having problems with. You can avoid all this by capturing to Type 2 originally.

Thanks for the helpful reply--that does answer some questions. Though I'm still not sure how to diagnose whether an AVI file is Type 1 or Type 2 after-the-fact.

There's one thing I can't figure out how to do in Vegas Capture: seamless capture a stretch of a tape without setting in and out points first. Basically I just want to pop the tape in, queue it up myself to the in point, hit play, hit capture, and then stop capture when the tape reaches my preferred out point.

Does Vegas Capture not have this capability?

You need a file utility like AVICodec or GSpot to read the file metadata.

Sure Vegas allows capturing manually. Just use the camcorder controls in Vidcap.exe to position the video where you want it and press record. Press pause when you have captured all the video you want.

Please forgive me if I'm misunderstanding your instructions, but I think I tried that, and Vegas Capture broke up my video into separate clips. I don't want it to do this--I want to seamless capture a single file from my tape. Is there an option to do so?

Turn off scene detection in the preferences in Vidcap and it'll be one continuous capture.

Ah, it was in the preferences. Thanks so much!