Audio and video out of sync

[garyahowell]

I just purchased Premiere Elements 2020 to clip and edit some of my home videos.  The company that digitized them sent them to me in mp4 format.  They run great outside of PE without any sync issue.  However, every time I run one in PE to edit, the sound is out of sync with the image.  

I have seen other posts about this using previous versions of the software with users experiencing the same problem.  Many suggestions were made to remedy the problem, including converting the files to other formats or running the files through Handbrake.  Handbrake worked; however, that process is just another step that shouldn't be needed.  It's hard to believe that Adobe doesn't have a built in solution.

Am I missing something?  Is there an easier solution to this?

[Steve Grisetti]

If the issue is that your video is using H.265 or HEVC compression, version 2020 will be able to edit the file without a conversion if Windows is properly set up with this codec. To confirm this is the issue, open one of your source videos in the free download MediaInfo. In MediaInfo, set View to Text and copy the text and paste it to this forum.

Once we can see the specs of your video we'll be able to recommend more specific action.

[garyahowell]

General
Complete name : G:\Dec 25, 2003-Mar 7, 2004\_16_12_25_03___3_7_04_00003.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size : 247 MiB
Duration : 11 min 5 s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 3 108 kb/s
Recorded date : 2020-02-12T11:36:42-0700
Writing application : Lavf57.56.100
Comment : iMemories-Archive-Encoding

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L3
Format settings : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames : 4 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 11 min 5 s
Bit rate : 3 003 kb/s
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 (30000/1001) FPS
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.290
Stream size : 238 MiB (97%)
Codec configuration box : avcC

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC LC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
Duration : 11 min 5 s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 96.0 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 7.68 MiB (3%)
Default : Yes
Alternate group : 1

Other
ID : 3
Type : Time code
Format : QuickTime TC
Duration : 11 min 5 s
Frame rate : 29.970 (30000/1001) FPS
Time code of first frame : 00:00:00;00
Time code, striped : Yes
Language : English
Default : No

[Bill Sprague]

Inside the MP4 "container" file, which is not a fixed "format" are the video and audio codecs.  The company digitizing your files chose a machine and softare that used the video codec "isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)" and the audio codec "mp4a-40-2".  Video players have a wider variety of codecs they can process than video editors.  Adobe promotes Premiere Elements as a system for editing footage from common consumer cameras.  It does not cover all the codec variations used by all the processes.   It frequently comes up short when editing screen capture, game capture and video conversions.   In other words, Adobe doesn't have a built in solution for the wide variety of codecs in existance.  

If Handbrake solves the problem, that may be as good as it will get. 

[Steve Grisetti]

I agree with Bill that it does have some non-standard specs. What device was this video shot on? A camcorder? A phone? Or was it composed using some on-screen recording software?

Converting them to a more standard MP4 format with Handbrake really may be the easiest solution.

If you'd rather not do that, try downloading the free try of an editing called CyberLink PowerDirector. See if you get the same out of sync issues when you edit with it. Sometimes PowerDirector is more versatile with these odd video specs. And, if so, it may be a better editor for you to use in this case.