Hi to every reader. Some time ago, I was given a VideoCD (some relatives from other side of the world etc.) to make a copy for myself. But the audio was too loud, so, since I was in hurry, I decided to copy contents of a CD onto hard drive (to try to process audio later) rather then to immediately copy it. Maybe that was a bad move. I do not have the original CD anymore. Now what I want to do is to normalise the audio loudness WITHOUT recompression of the audio data, if it is possible. Then I would like to write it all onto a VideoCD, WITHOUT any recompression of either video or audio data. Now, the first question is, is it possible to dissasemble the material onto video part and audio part, normalise audio (without recompression), multiplex them again (without recompression), and write it all onto a VideoCD (without recompression)? Which (freeware) programs do I need? If the audio processing is not possible, then I would just let it go and make myself a identical copy as the original was. In fact, I have already tried to do that in Nero 5.5.8.0. I created a new "Data CD" project and added all the files and dirs which were on the original CD onto the project. But the problem was that the two DAT files which contain the clip take more than 730MB together. Now I wonder how does that stuff fit onto a 80min compact disc? It would be possible if it uses some other format than ISO, but I think that video CD uses ISO? Or maybe I should create a VideoCD project instead, and only add those two DAT files to it? But won't they be recompressed then?
First, you need to extract the 'true mpeg' from the VideoCD. This can be done by the freeware VCDGear. (DAT -> mpeg for the VCD, mpeg -> mpeg for the SVCD). Later, you need to de-multiplex mpg = mpv (or m1v/m2v) + mpa (or mp2). The de-multiplex can be done freely for VCD movies (MPEG-1), you need to paid the application for SVCD (MPEG-2). Use TMGenc 2.5: File___MPEG Tools. Otherwise, use WOMBLE-VCR, but it is not free, too. Now the hard part. The MP2 audio (MPEG layer II audio; the MPV, or M1V, is the video part) must be lowered. I think the (free) application HeadAC3he can do it (choosing a Normalization factor <100%), but I never did it. Normalize the audio re-compressing it to MP2, so you can make a brand new mpeg multiplexing the M1V part with the 'normalized' audio. Again, TMPGenc 2.5 is free for MPEG-1, but it must be purchased (TMPGenc 2.5 Plus or TMPGenc Xpress) for MPEG-2 files.
Thank you for all the information. Now I have some point to start from. I will find my way from here. Thank you.
