SVCD with 5.1 possible? tools or recommendations?

[adamblast]

First post!

After a few months of making VCDs and SVCDs from divX/AVI sources--thanks to the beginners guides here--I wanted to try something more ambitious... Like making the best SVCD I could, from one of my DVDs, complete with menus and the best sound I could figure out...

The SVCD specs seem to say that 5.1 is possible, but I haven't found any how-tos out there, and haven't been able to figure it out with the tools I've got...

I've made some great 5-minute tests with stereo, and I'm pretty used to smartripper, dvdtoavi, tpmpgenc plus, virtualdub, besweet, goldwave, and probably a few others. The simpler settings, anyway.

Someone said it's only possible with AC-3 tracks; not regular DD or DTS. Is that true? Anyway, I'm starting with a DVD audio track labeled AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 EX. Where do I go from here?

I'm really enjoying this, but I'm still basically a newbie. Any help would be appreciated.

[TeeeRex]

technically 5.1 is possible on an SVCD but you'll be extremly lucky if you have the equipment to replay it. Multi-channel MPEG audio is the format - and it's only playable on Philips DVD players (mostly) and an AV AMP that decodes multi-channel MPEG audio (rare).

Tools like DVD2SVCD can do it automatically for you - but wether you can play it back is another matter ...

With DVD recorders now at the £100 mark and branded 4x media at 80p - is it worth the hassle ? (appreciate you may want to do it ,just to say 'you did it' ...)

Just my opinion ....

[dcsos]

What he's trying to tell you is if you author SVCD titles with
AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 audio
IT WILL NOT PLAY BACK
the SVCD format does NOT support AC3 or DTS sound of any # of channels

the SVCD format does support MULTIPLE MPEG audio channels instead..so you would need to do many conversions...And play it only in certain players as he cautions

VERY IFFY

[adamblast]

With DVD recorders now at the £100 mark and branded 4x media at 80p - is it worth the hassle ? (appreciate you may want to do it ,just to say 'you did it' ...)

A DVD burner would be awesome, of course, but (to be frank) I'm running on such a slow machine that it would make more sense to get a new motherboard/CPU first... All that will come in time...

To play my SVCDs I'm using a Malata 520, and my reciever is a JVC RX-8020V... Dunno if they'll handle mp2 5.1 or not, but it's worth a test. If they'll play on the Malata or Cyberhome standalone players, it would be worth the trouble to improve the sound for me. Like you said, it's mostly for the experience--to see how hi-quality I can make a backup copy with the equipment I've already got.

Are you saying that nobody who makes a lot of SVCDs finds it worth the time to do mp2 5.1? Does it take too much bandwidth away from the video quality? I'm still interested in general opinions before wasting a lot of time.

[TeeeRex]

Well a quick hunt on the web has revealed that neither your dvd player and amp (nice btw..) don't mention multi-channel mpeg audio - of course that isn't to say they won't play it.

Use a tool called DVD2SVCD (dvd2svcd.org) which incorporates the Philips 5.1 mpeg audio tool and will do the conversion from AC3 for you. I guess just do 10 minutes or so, burn to a CD-RW and see if it works !

If it doesn't then you'll have to stick with Dolby Pro Logic II ... (which must still sound awsome on this amp ...!)

Good luck ...