Windows Media Encoder 9-- Can encode multichannel 7.1!!!???

[The Producer]

I've been investigating the new Windows Media Encoder 9, and it's claim that it can encode 5.1/7.1. Since I do not have WindowsXP, I can't use WME9. What I need to know is:

1. What is the output format? (ex. AC3, DTS, 6 WAVs or the poor WMA)
2. Audio Quality
3. Encoding Speeds

Maybe someone who has WinXP can go over to the new Windows Media Player 9 Series site and check it out.

[crahak]

Well, honestly, I have not checked it out at all, but M$ really like their own WMV/WMA formats which suck. Also, why 7.1? On most consumer audio systems, it won't really improve sound, as the soundtrack isn't really the bottleneck, it's more their home theater setup. Also, DVDs (usually) come with 5.1 sound, reencoding it in 7.1 won't create better sound... You'd have to have the source, and I don't think we're really gonna need this really soon. Also, most people seem like they don't keep AC3/DTS anyways on their rips. Oh well. I'm sure there's also lots of other "features" M$ thought of to scare away people from using their crap anyhow.

[The Producer]

Actually, this WME 9 Encoder would be good if it encoded 7.1 sound, for free. For rips, your right, it wouldn't make sense to scale up 5.1 to 7.1, but for a 3D Animator like me, taking your raw stereo sound tracks and encoding them to 7.1 for authoring to DVD sounds really great. . . it's something Soft Encode can't do. But, it would only be of any use if it outputted to AC3. I've tried to distrute PC versions of my work encoded in WMV7. . .I soon found out that DivX was far more superior. Imagine DivX with 7.1 sound. . .

[DJRumpy]

I wish more DIVX rips came with the full 5.1 AC3 sound. They look, and sound sweet when converted back to DVD. 8)