Topic: replacing audio in an .avi file (Help)

[Corbin]

Does anyone know how I would go about replacing the audio on an .avi file?  I have a clamp for my digital camera so I usually video-record one song each time I go out taping.  What I want to do is replace the audio from the camera's .avi file with the audio from my LSD2 microphone.

I'm a mac user with iMovie and I grabbed Final Cut Express HD 3.5.1 in case it would help me with this project.

PS..After I'm done, I would use Handbrake to get the movie to the correct size and format for youtube..Is this correct?

Many thanks,
Adam

[cleantone]

I'm no expert but when I have done this I have used iMovie. You just import your new audio. Align as best as your able and make sure to uncheck the origional audio for it to go away. I will warn you that sometimes even with the old or second audio deselected when exporting it kept that audio. So just check the file after exporting it.

[Corbin]

Thanks cleantone...I'll give it a try tonight and report back

[KurtMichaels]

the problem with iMovie is that it can only edit DV files, just like other free movie editing apps. FCE is more versatile, but does not open files from hard disc as far as I can recall.

maybe the demux/mux tools in FFMpegX can help you: http://www.ffmpegx.com/tools.html
FFMpegX is a little difficult to install and master, but it is a useful tool. hit the videohelp.com forums for help.

[willndmb]

you can do avi in imovie
i did it last week with a file from someones dig camera, if fact imovie was the only program i could get the avi to play 100% in
i am not familar with youtube but imovie you can export as quicktime files in a wide range of sizes including web stream

so open iMovie
either drag and drop the avi file into the top right where your clips are located or select file then import file
move the file from the clips section to the timeline
select the timeline view where you can see the video clip and 2 audio clips
on the right you will see buttons like clips transitions, audio, chapters
select audio
highlight the song/audio you want to use for the dubb and select place at playhead
move the audio to where it needs to be
uncheck the box next to the video file on the far right
export/share the file in whatever format/compression you want

not on my mac right now so i can't give exact wording on some of the directions

[hummat]

FCE is more versatile, but does not open files from hard disc as far as I can recall

FCE can work with files it didn;t capture.  Just drag'em into the bin.

[Corbin]

you can do avi in imovie
i did it last week with a file from someones dig camera, if fact imovie was the only program i could get the avi to play 100% in
i am not familar with youtube but imovie you can export as quicktime files in a wide range of sizes including web stream

so open iMovie
either drag and drop the avi file into the top right where your clips are located or select file then import file
move the file from the clips section to the timeline
select the timeline view where you can see the video clip and 2 audio clips
on the right you will see buttons like clips transitions, audio, chapters
select audio
highlight the song/audio you want to use for the dubb and select place at playhead
move the audio to where it needs to be
uncheck the box next to the video file on the far right
export/share the file in whatever format/compression you want

not on my mac right now so i can't give exact wording on some of the directions

so I got my clip in the top right hand corner of iMovie and I was able to import the audio that I want to use to replace the Canon mic.  But I'm not sure I made it to the timeline view because I never saw the original audio waveforms anywhere.
So..
I guess what I need to know is how do I lock the new audio file after I move it to where it needs to be?  and
How do I uncheck the old audio?  I can't find the box that I need to uncheck..

Thanks!

[cleantone]

from memory you can select the video file, then go to the menu I think it called advanced. That has an option to extract audio (apple+J). That will display a waveform of the original audio. There is an option for lock clip at playhead or something (apple+L). That does just that. There are boxes on the right side next to the clips. You have to be in timeline view. Click on the little clock icon on the left. Make sure to deselect the old audio track, or erase it all together. Do that once the sync is good on the new audio.

[Corbin]

from memory you can select the video file, then go to the menu I think it called advanced. That has an option to extract audio (apple+J). That will display a waveform of the original audio. There is an option for lock clip at playhead or something (apple+L). That does just that. There are boxes on the right side next to the clips. You have to be in timeline view. Click on the little clock icon on the left. Make sure to deselect the old audio track, or erase it all together. Do that once the sync is good on the new audio.

Thanks for the help cleantone,
I found the advanced menu at the top..but all the options under it are grey-ed out and not available for me to use for some reason.  I tried changing some of my preferences but still couldn't get them available.  Do you have any idea why I can't access these functions..
At this point I still can't get the original audio waveform viewable so that I can deselect it.
Thanks!
Adam

[cleantone]

If there are clips in the timeline I do not know why there would be grayed out options. I am not sure at all...

[willndmb]

you DON'T need to export the audio from the original clip
you CAN but don't NEED to

its kinda hard to see but you want to drag the clip into the timeline at the bottom as seen here
http://www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/ in the top image
notice right above the clip on the left there are 2 boxes ones blue ones not
click the one thats not blue and it will change the timeline view to look like the image in the bottom

you can now imort the new audio file and that is also were you will want to UNcheck the box on the far right thats next to the video file

by unchecking the box you mute the audio on the video file
if you export the audio from the video file you would then need to uncheck the middle box because thats were the audio will now be
hope it makes sence

EDIT
also once you have the new audio where you want it you can lock it there by selecting advanced tab and then lock audio at playhead (or something to that effact - again not on my mac right now so not 100% sure what it says)