The demo version of Vegas won't decode the AC3. Once you purchase it, it will do so

Do you mean vegas video or vegas movie studio?

I have the full version of vegas video 6, but just downloaded the demo of vegas movie studio. Also, I patched 6.0d just now and it still doesn't pull in ac3 files, however, it does pull in the audio and video when I use a vob file (unseperated, direct stream copy). So that would work just as well....except as someone else mentioned it is out of sync...and not just by a few frames that I could bump over...the whole thing is skewed. I will try womble next to see if that handles it better.

Neither will open AC3 files. However, both will open AC3 audio embedding on a DVD (as you've discovered).

As Edward mentioned, neither program will open *just* the AC3 file, both will open AC3 embedded in the VOB, but not a separate file. This was intentionally done to help keep Vegas from being a part of the workflow making it easier to pirate DVDs.

two options
 

I've tried a million things and it seems I'm down to two options:

1-Continue trying to use some kind of converter to get my files into vegas video...
-dragging in VOBS bring the audio in with 2 channels and unsynched
-using virtual dub mod brings in even better picture (but with 5 channel audio that doesn't even work) and a 5 min. file is 7 gigs
-using virtual dub mod with direct show avs avisynth template (the only avisynth template that works) brings in a great picture with 2 channel audio that is out of sync and the 5 min. file is 8 gigs
-IM too dvd ripper 4 (demo version) was just as dissapointing: raw avi compression won't go into vegas and huffy looks very pixelated.
-also, several of those failed attempts have brought in video at 23 frames instead of 29.97....from no option that I checked off

Has anyone here ever been able to drag and drop or convert from the dvd rom and bring into vegas a 29.97 beautiful looking video and 5.1 channel audio as it originally was on the DVD - all nice and synced up?

2-Or I could abandon vegas for a little while and go the woomble way:

-Woomble does edit the vobs with 5.1 sound perfectly. The way it edits native dvd video really is innovative. However, when I export back to DVD (and I've tried every different method) it says that I'm exporting a 29.97 ntsc mpeg with 5.1 ac3 encoded sound. However, when I bring it in to DVD architect it reads the file as a 23 frame per second video with 2 channel audio file....wtf?

-before I spend any more time with those bugs, I have to decide if I'd want to edit with woomble in the first place. The quality is what I'm looking for but the interface is so bad I don't know if I can use it....It makes U-lead look like final cut pro. It's just aweful...I don't even think there is a way to seperate audio and video...let alone make L or J cuts. I couldn't even find a gap tool.

-as far as I know I have the new, full version and it is freeware.


Does anyone know another program like woomble that can treat those 4 gig DVD video files just like it was uncompressed video, yet has an interface thats at least a little less pathetic? I'd pay anything for that, right about now.