PE2 Stereo to Mono after channel volume FX question

[AVITRY]

Well, I'm about to dive back into this VHS to DVD conversion for one company after a year or so sabbatical sparked from a quirky conflict between PE2 and DVDWorkshop that I've yet to figure out.

Anyway, I've given up on DVDWS and now armed with DVD Architect Studio and Steve's GREAT book on it, I'm about to retake this ongoing project and use a different authoring tool.

My question however, will be regarding Premiere Elements 2 and audio.

Hunt led me down the path of audio correction back when, but I'm not sure I remember the steps as he outlined. Hunt, I'd like to recap them and see if I'm on track. Anyone is welcome to offer help, (God knows I need it)

The problem that will be present on all these VHS to DVD conversions I'm doing is that they were filmed in stereo on the VHS way back when done. One channel is always way too loud, and the company would rather they all be converted to mono after the channel volume is regulated. This is how I remember doing it in the past, please let me know if I'm on track.

Unlink the audio from the video, adjust the channel volume on the timeline. When the two channels are both at acceptable volumes (and this is the part I'm not sure of) ....

I copy the audio TWICE to the timeline, so now there are THREE audio tracks identical on the timeline. I use LEFT FILL on the second track and I use RIGHT FILL on the third track and then I export the entire timeline to DV-AVI (or even encode to MPEG2) and the resulting muxed audio should result in a mono audio track with corrected volumes.

Is this correct, or is this the hard way to accomplish it?

thanks all,
joe

[Steve Grisetti]

They want their stereo audio converted to mono for their DVD? Even if they play their stereo DVD on a mono TV or mono DVD player, they'll be just fine with a stereo track.

Hmm. Oh well. To each his own, I guess.

I guess your basic workflow would work. I'm a little unclear why you're using THREE copies of your audio in Premiere Elements to make the audio track. If you're just trying to mix both audio channels into one, you could do it with just two tracks, right? You just use the Switch audio effect on one copy (after you've balanced the audio levels).

It also seems like it might be easiest of all to just create the project as a stereo project (with the two audio channels balanced) and then turn the stereo track into mono on the way to DVD Architect. You could do this by changing the settings when you output your file from Premiere Elements (File/Export/Movie). Click the Settings button at the browse screen and, on the Audio panel, set the Channel drop-down to mono.

[AVITRY]

Thanks Steve. Yes they want mono because these are videos of billiard matches and for one reason, they have no need for stereo, but secondly and most importantly to them, certain few customers have had audio issues on their TVs in the past when these conversions were left as stereo. It is purely an end user issue most likely with the way they wire their home audio, or their set top DVD players default settings. Regardless, this, in the company's mind is a simple and universal cure.

I had no idea of the switch audio effect and to be honest, I'm not sure I would have understood what it was. I've been bitten by "murphy" so often, I probably would have been afraid to go through the entire process using it.

I did see the option to output to mono, but again, I suppose all my bad experiences with going from editor to authoring software had me scared to try any automated option not knowing the result. ( I'm still burned out from endless coasters trying to figure out the DVDWS issue)

I felt more secure with this long manual road to mono, but now that you have suggested the switch audio, I will try it.

Could you elaborate a bit on just what this effect was designed to do? I wouldn't think it was for what I'm doing or they would have called it "convert to mono"

Thanks again, ( runnin scared even before I put my sneakers on ) LOL

joe

[Chuck Engels]

Joe,
All you need to do is to add either the Fill Left or Fill Right audio effect to the clip.
This will copy one channel of audio to both channels. If you have one channel that sounds good (the one that isn't louder than the other) you want to copy that channel.
Best thing to do is try the Fill Right and listen, if it sounds good then that's it, if it sounds bad then try the Fill Left.
After that it is just a matter of adjusting the overall volume level

[Steve Grisetti]

Switch just swaps the left and right stereo channels, Joe. I was recommending it if you were trying load the same audio to both channels.

But you don't need to do it if you select the option to output your videos channels as mono rather than stereo.

[AVITRY]

Yes, Steve I do want both channels to come out as mono from all speakers on whatever tv is used. I'll try the export as mono.

Chuck, If I used the "Fill" effect on only one audio track, I thought I'd eliminate a channel, that's why I duplicated the tracks and used both left and right fill. Not to mention I still get confused with that terminology. Does Fill Left mean fill the left channel with what is in the right, or does fill left mean fill both channels with what is in the left channel. LOL

The stereo that was setup was originally the table sounds of balls clicking and players speaking, while the other channel was commentary from the booth. Volume settings were way off on all these VHS tapes and the table / ambient sounds overwhelmed the commentray.

Further, as it was explained to me, some customers of the old VHS tapes (prior to these conversions) complained about only receiving one channel on their TVs. So, they suggested that while in there regulating channel volume, simply mux it all together as mono on the output also.

thanks guys!
joe

[Chuck Engels]

Fill Right means to fill both channels with what's on the Right Channel, Fill Left is just the opposite

Many wedding videos I edit have the Groom's mic on just one channel, usually the left. The right channel is ambient sound from the onboard mic or a second mic. To get the vows I have to use Fill Left and then end up with exactly the same thing on both channels. Stereo yet mono if you know what I mean.

[AVITRY]

Fill Right means to fill both channels with what's on the Right Channel, Fill Left is just the opposite

Many wedding videos I edit have the Groom's mic on just one channel, usually the left. The right channel is ambient sound from the onboard mic or a second mic. To get the vows I have to use Fill Left and then end up with exactly the same thing on both channels. Stereo yet mono if you know what I mean.

Your last thought has me wondering if the export to mono option would make the muxed audio only come out of one channel or would it also play through both much the same as fill effects? ( Can ya tell I'm chicken to pull the trigger )

[Steve Grisetti]

If you export your video with a monaural audio track, you will get a single sound -- the same sound out of both speakers, if you play it on a stereo DVD player.

[AVITRY]

I've just completed converting a VHS and have it on the timeline in PE2. Its been so long I can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I hope you all can help with a few questions.

1. Because I have this issue with importing dv-avi into Workshop, I thought I'd encode this to mpeg right here in PE2. Unless I'm missing something, I can't find an option to encode the audio to mono while using the mpeg encoder.

( I do see this option in export movie, but that's exporting a dv-avi.)

2. How to I copy the #1 audio track to the second audio line? I unlinked the audio and video, I right clicked and selected "copy" but it does nothing if I choose paste when I put the mouse over the #2 audio.

Do I need to copy both audio and video to video and audio 2 and then delete the video?

thanks,
joe

[Steve Grisetti]

Paste will always paste to Video/Audio 1, Joe.

So, once you unlike your audio and video, drag your audio to Audio 2 -- then copy it and paste it. Your pasted copy will go to Audio 1.

[AVITRY]

Thanks Steve. I kind of jury rigged it this time. I'll do it correctly next time. What I did this time was drag a second instance of the media panel to Video 2, which of course gave me an audio 2 as well. Then I unlinked them and deleted the Video 2 track, set my channel volume effect to lower the left channel on both and then I applied the Fill Left and Fill Right.

(BTW) what is the clip volume / left-right-bypass pull down on the timeline all about? Is this something that adds the effect without dragging it in from the effect panel or is it something all together different?


Also, was I correct that the mono option is only available when exporting dv-avi?

thanks much as usual,

joe

[Steve Grisetti]

Also, was I correct that the mono option is only available when exporting dv-avi?

I'm not sure. I don't have version 2 available on my computer. But, if that's what you're seeing, I guess that's the case.

[AVITRY]

Let me ask this Steve, can you export to mono when you encode to mpeg in Vers.7? I'd pick up a copy of that for sure.

[Steve Grisetti]

Well, you have the option of exporting as PCM. It doesn't say if that's stereo or mono though.