File to Mobile for iPad - no audio track

[Brian O'Nolan]

I have seen several cases where DVDFab produces no audio track, or produces a silent audio track while trying to convert some MP4 files to iPad format. I've been using the default settings for the iPad conversion, but fiddling with the audio conversion settings doesn't seem to make any difference. I think this is probably a case of DVDFab being unable to convert some AAC audio tracks. I think I've seen at least one other person complaining about a similar problem, but looked like they weren't able to provide the information you needed to diagnose the problem.

I'll focus on one problem file. If you need more, let me know.

The details:

I'm using DVDFab 7.0.7.0

Here's the media info for the source file:

General
Complete name                    : F:\Video\AMVs\So Alive rev. B.mp4
Format                           : MPEG-4
Format profile                   : Base Media
Codec ID                         : isom
File size                        : 36.2 MiB
Duration                         : 3mn 10s
Overall bit rate                 : 1 597 Kbps
Encoded date                     : UTC 2010-01-11 22:00:18
Tagged date                      : UTC 2010-01-11 22:00:18

Video
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : Main@L5.1
Format settings, CABAC           : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames        : 11 frames
Codec ID                         : avc1
Codec ID/Info                    : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                         : 3mn 9s
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 1 434 Kbps
Maximum bit rate                 : 3 556 Kbps
Width                            : 720 pixels
Height                           : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 3:2
Frame rate mode                  : Constant
Frame rate                       : 29.970 fps
Standard                         : NTSC
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.138
Stream size                      : 32.5 MiB (90%)
Writing library                  : x264 core 54 svn-618
Encoding settings                : cabac=1 / ref=8 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x1:0x111 / me=hex / subme=6 / brdo=1 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=0 / 8x8dct=0 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=1 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=1 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / wpredb=1 / bime=1 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / rc=crf / crf=20.0 / rceq='blurCplx^(1-qComp)' / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / pb_ratio=1.30
Encoded date                     : UTC 2010-01-11 22:00:18
Tagged date                      : UTC 2010-01-11 22:00:21

Audio
ID                               : 2
Format                           : AAC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version                   : Version 4
Format profile                   : LC
Format settings, SBR             : No
Codec ID                         : 40
Duration                         : 3mn 10s
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 160 Kbps
Maximum bit rate                 : 177 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 2 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L R
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Stream size                      : 3.62 MiB (10%)
Encoded date                     : UTC 2010-01-11 22:00:21
Tagged date                      : UTC 2010-01-11 22:00:21

Here's the media info for the converted file. Notice that no audio track is produced:

General
Complete name                    : F:\Video\iPhone\AMV\ipad\So Alive rev. B.m4v
Format                           : MPEG-4
Codec ID                         : M4V 
File size                        : 45.7 MiB
Duration                         : 3mn 9s
Overall bit rate                 : 2 023 Kbps
Movie name                       : So Alive rev. B
Encoded date                     : 2010
Writing application              : Lavf52.33.0

Video
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : Baseline@L1.3
Format settings, CABAC           : No
Format settings, ReFrames        : 1 frame
Codec ID                         : avc1
Codec ID/Info                    : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                         : 3mn 9s
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 2 021 Kbps
Width                            : 720 pixels
Height                           : 490 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 3:2
Frame rate mode                  : Constant
Frame rate                       : 29.970 fps
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.191
Stream size                      : 45.7 MiB (100%)

I don't see a way to save my DVDFab conversion settings in a file, so here's the audio conversion settings. I hope that'll be sufficient:

Audio format: aac
Bitrate: 96 kbps
Channel: Dolby ProLogic II
Volume: 100%

This is using the "iPad.h264" conversion profile. I actually tried a couple of different profiles like AVI (sorry, can't remember the details), with the same results. That's why I'm guessing DVDFab is having trouble with the source audio track.

In DVDFab, the audio track from the source file shows up as "Unknown AAC/2"

Here's a download link for the source file if you'd like to try it yourself: http://www.animemusicvideos.org/memb...e.php?v=174016

[IPopov50]

Brian,
your problem most likely in your attempt to upgrade your audio from 2-channel stereo to a 5.1 Dolby Digital (that's what Dolby Prologic II essentially is). Please try same as source, 2-channel output and let me know how it goes.

[Brian O'Nolan]

I changed the audio conversion settings to:

96 kbps
Stereo

The results were identical. DVDFab does not produce an audio track in the output file:

General
Complete name                    : F:\Video\iPhone\AMV\ipad\So Alive rev. B.m4v
Format                           : MPEG-4
Codec ID                         : M4V 
File size                        : 45.7 MiB
Duration                         : 3mn 9s
Overall bit rate                 : 2 022 Kbps
Movie name                       : So Alive rev. B
Encoded date                     : 2010
Writing application              : Lavf52.33.0

Video
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : Baseline@L1.3
Format settings, CABAC           : No
Format settings, ReFrames        : 1 frame
Codec ID                         : avc1
Codec ID/Info                    : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                         : 3mn 9s
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 2 020 Kbps
Width                            : 720 pixels
Height                           : 490 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 3:2
Frame rate mode                  : Constant
Frame rate                       : 23.976 fps
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.239
Stream size                      : 45.7 MiB (100%)

[IPopov50]

Well, sounds like original file wasn't formatted right. You will need AviSynth-based program to re-index your source. Rest is in your PM. Please let me know how it goes.

[Brian O'Nolan]

The work-around I'm using right now is to convert the file to an x264/AAC AVI file with Avidemux 2.5. Then I can use DVDFab to convert the file to iPad format and I don't lose the audio track.

If you get a chance to look at the source file (see download link above) and you see what's wrong/different about it, please let me know. I see an increasing number of videos downloaded from YouTube & AnimeMusicVideos that exhibit the same behavior in DVDFab.

[IPopov50]

I'm glad you have found way around this issue. The reality is that there are a lot of freeware transcoders offering to convert anything into YouTube and other web-based distributive. Most of those "converters" and "transcoders" are amateur, very sloppy made simple code write-ups (their GUI is more complicated than program itself).
DVDFab however have a very strict requirement for the source. That's why sometime (or most of the time with YouTube content), additional step - remastering is required.

The work-around I'm using right now is to convert the file to an x264/AAC AVI file with Avidemux 2.5. Then I can use DVDFab to convert the file to iPad format and I don't lose the audio track.

If you get a chance to look at the source file (see download link above) and you see what's wrong/different about it, please let me know. I see an increasing number of videos downloaded from YouTube & AnimeMusicVideos that exhibit the same behavior in DVDFab.