Newbie: Making a DVD from AC-3 DivX

[js1113]

I've read many posts and guides to get as far as I have gotten, but I'm still a little confused. Here's what I've done so far:
1. Demuxed ac3 from avi using Virtualdub
2. Converted ac3 to wav using HeadAC3he
This is where I get stuck. I use TMPGEnc to mux the original video and the ac3 encoded wav file. Then I use Ulead DVD MovieFactory 2 to create a DVD. What I want to do is have the final DVD product play with the AC-3 5.1 channels contained in the original video file, using an audio receiver to do so. Now, everyone has kept saying that MF2 does not support AC-3. Does that mean, it cannot demux an ac3 or does it mean that it cannot support anything encoded with ac3 at all? I don't want the movie playing in only 2.1 channels! Also, when muxing the audio and video in TMPGEnc, will the MPEG2 that is created retain the 5.1 channel stream to use in MF2 or is it lost in the process? Please help me clarify these things to create a successful DD 5.1 DVD.

[MICOL]

I'm sorry I can't help you here, but I am having a similar problem myself!

I think you may be going wrong when you convert the ac3 to wav with Headac3he? I thought that if you convert to .wav you loose the 5.1 sound.

Also, you need to use VirtualDubMod to demux the ac3. Are you using the standard VirtualDub?

I have used VirtualDubMod to demux the ac3, converted the video only to M2v using TMPGEnc Plus & tried to load them both into TMPGEnc DVD Author. Unfortunately TMPGEnc DVD Author does not allow me to use the .ac3 file & says it it illegal!

I have also used DVD Lab to do the same process & it actually recognised the ac3 file as a full 5.1 DD sound file but I got an error when converting saying it had some problem with the sound!

I think we are both missing something but I don't know what it is. There does not apear to be any guides out there that work. If anyone can help it would be appreciated.

[js1113]

Thanks for your reply, MICOL. Yeah, this does seem to be an irritating problem, trying to get the ac3 to work when making a DVD. I was using the standard VirtualDub so maybe I should switch. TMPGEnc DVD Author sounds like its worth a try also, since I use TMPGEnc Plus to encode. As you said before, I know that there has to be a way to get this to work, we just can't quite grasp it...If anyone else has a successful method, please reply as soon as possible. Thanks again.

[tim6661234]

This is what I do.

Demux ac3 using virtualdub.

Convert video only in TmpEnc.

Mux the MPEG video with the ac3 in TmpEnc.

Feed the file into Ulead Movie Factory 2. (it will give you a warning about the ac3 sound)

As long as your MPEG file is DVD compatable and you have the option, do not reencode compliant files it will create a DVD with AC3.

Hope this helps.

The only other thing you can do is get a DVD authoring tool that accepts AC3 which can be quite expensive.

[Nello_AU]

I basically do what Tim6661234 does.

I do not mux the MPEG video with TMPGEnc but I do the following.

Use the AC3Fix.exe tool to remove the incorrect header that VirtualDub seems to add to the AC3 file.

Use Spruceup:
SpruceUp will automatically pick up the AC3 file if it has the same name as the MPEG file.

Or use DVD-Lab and you can add multiple soundtracks.

[MICOL]

Thanks for your guides guys!

I will try these out later & hopefully have a nice dvd-r movie with 5.1DD sound !!

[Nephosis]

and i thought you were talking about Armored Core III

[MICOL]

??

[js1113]

lol, Nephosis. I really appreciate everyone for their input. I'm going to try a lot of your methods to finally get a working 5.1 DD DVD. Once again, thanks.