Error Importing Audio from Video Files [SOLVED]

[SpartanOverdrive]

Windows 10, Audacity 2.1.2 with .exe installer

I've been using OBS Studio to do screen/audio capture on 2 audio channels - mic and system. I then import the audio to Audacity for editing. Everything seemed to be working fine, but suddenly I'm unable to import into Audacity. I get the following error message:

Audacity did not recognize the type of the file "file name.mov". If it is uncompressed, try importing it using "Import Raw".

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Obviously, importing raw gives me a garbled mess. I'm not sure what the issue is. I've tried mp4 and mov with the same result. I have ffmpeg as well as LAME installed and in the appropriate place. I even reinstalled Audacity. I've double checked all my settings in OBS Studio, and they all seem in order. I'm at a loss. Any ideas?

[steve]

Do you have any old files from OBS Studio that worked previously? Do they still work in Audacity?

[SpartanOverdrive]

Do you have any old files from OBS Studio that worked previously? Do they still work in Audacity?

Good question. I just double checked and, yes, the old files still work fine. I opened the properties and other than the file sizes and save locations everything seems to be the same. I tried to import the new file again just in case and received a different error this time:

"file name.mp4" is an Advanced Audio Coding file. Audacity cannot open this type of file. You need to convert it to a supported audio format, such as WAV or AIFF.

I've double checked and my ffmpeg libraries are correct and in place.

[steve]

It would seem that the files that you are now exporting from OBS Studio are in a different format from what you were using previously.
Have a look to see what formats are available from OBS Studio.

[Gale Andrews]

I opened the properties and other than the file sizes and save locations everything seems to be the same.

File properties won't give you full specifics.

You can use "MediaInfo" from http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en/Download/Windows to compare files. Get the version without installer, because the installer may have malware or adware.

Are you using FFmpeg 2.2.2 as from FFmpeg FAQ?


Gale

[SpartanOverdrive]

I opened the properties and other than the file sizes and save locations everything seems to be the same.

File properties won't give you full specifics.

You can use "MediaInfo" from http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en/Download/Windows to compare files. Get the version without installer, because the installer may have malware or adware.

Are you using FFmpeg 2.2.2 as from FFmpeg FAQ?


Gale

I downloaded that program and all formats are the same between each file. The only thing I can see that might create an issue is that somehow my multi-track files have one audio track at 320 kb/s and the other at 160 kb/s. I'm not sure how that happened but will look into it. I'm very much a novice with these things. So, before I spend all night trying to figure out how this happened (OBS shows 320 for both), does anyone know if this is the actual issue?

[SpartanOverdrive]

My last post forgot to confirm that, yes, I am using ffmpeg 2.2.2

Also, I was able to force OBS to downgrade both audio tracks to 160 kbps and that didn't seem to make a difference. I received the same error message. I also noticed that the bit rates were still slightly off at 160.071 kbps and 160.093 kbps. So I'm back to ground zero..

Thanks for the help so far. Is there anymore information I can provide?

[steve]

You said that you have old files that work and new files that don't, so we need to know what the difference is and hopefully then work out what's changed.
As Gale suggested, MediaInfo will probably be able to show what the difference is, but note Gale's warning and get the version without the installer.

[Gale Andrews]

If you can share an example file that fails, for example on Dropbox, we could take a look at it.

Do the good and bad files have the same number of channels?


Gale

[SpartanOverdrive]

It appears I no longer have the old files. I usually delete them after a project is complete to save HDD space. It's possible I miss-remember and I was never able to import a multiple track file, but I'm certain I was. Obviously something must be different, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what.

Here's a file I'm unable to import:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/510 ... 002.05.mov

I've tried this in mp4 and other containers with the same result. After I convert them using Handbrake to single track mp4's with Handbrake, I'm able to import them fine. But that results in loosing one track. So, I have to convert them once per track - extremely time consuming and inconvenient to say the least.

Thanks for all the help so far. I really appreciate it!