Wav to AC3, software?

[pcexpress-guy]

what encoder will let me convert an wav file to AC3? Is there a freeware or trailware program for this?

if not what do you recommend?

THANKS!!

[ZippyP.]

ffmpeggui is one of the few free ones.

[Tommyknocker]

Ffmpeggui. 'Nuff said!

[joecav]

Ffmpeggui. 'Nuff said!

I concur wholeheartedly. FFMPEG is a superb program to convert audio files.

[steptoe]

If you're only converting a stereo file to ac3, why bother ??

If you're wanting to convert it before authoring, any decent authoring program should accept WAV format anyway

But hunting around, it does look like ffmoeg is the best option for a freeware software conversion though

[FulciLives]

If you're only converting a stereo file to ac3, why bother ??

If you're wanting to convert it before authoring, any decent authoring program should accept WAV format anyway

But hunting around, it does look like ffmoeg is the best option for a freeware software conversion though

Because 2 channel stereo uses 192kbps, 224kbps or at the most 256kbps when you compress it to AC-3

WAV is 1536kbps

That makes a HUGE difference in terms of storage space on a DVD recordable.

If you use AC-3 audio you can fit more video or fit the same video but at a higher bitrate (for better quality).

That's why silly :P

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
TMPGEnc DVD Author is a great program and there is a seperate AC-3 plug-in for it that works VERY well.

[pcexpress-guy]

hey this is a good software!

Oh, and AC3 over wave in this case is like 380mb vs 40mb or something like this.

Now I need good audio file sync to go with the video. (it is out of sync) somehow.

thanks!

[dwiesel]

I'm sold on the AC3 quality as well...though the MPG's sounded good encoding with both MPEG and AC3 audio, the DVD itself sounded kinda crappy with the MPEG audio...I guess the last stage of MPG to VOB must make the critical difference.

A couple of things...I use that FFMPEG audio conversion, but the DVD plays very choppy throughout...the VOB files play the same on my PC. Also, the converted AC3 audio is somewhat lower than the WAV source...anyone have this happen? Any suggestions? Thanks.

[awlchu]

what encoder will let me convert an wav file to AC3? Is there a freeware or trailware program for this?

if not what do you recommend?

THANKS!!

I second ffmpeggui if it works for you and your family/friends. If you run into compatibility problems, buy TMPGencs AC3 encoder for $30US. It is a Dolby validated two channel encoder. You don't need the DVD authoring software to make it work.

Next to DVD-lab, this is one of the best values in DVD authoring software today.

[FOO]

I thought the AC3 encoder was a plugin . How do you
run it by itself ?

[awlchu]

I thought the AC3 encoder was a plugin . How do you
run it by itself ?

FOO,

look here:

http://www.mmbforums.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=4198

It can be called directly from within DVD-lab Pro (DLP) to help automate the encoding process. But it can encode by itself as well (outside DVD author or DLP).

Also it will support WAV and MPA formats (when called within DLP).

[dwiesel]

I still don't understand why the AC3 file is noticeably lower in volume than the original WAV (using FFMPEG to convert)...is anyone else experiencing this?

To get around it, I hike up the peak level of my .WAV to just under 100% and then convert to AC3...there has to be a better way. Thanks.

Also, though TMPGenc+ doesn't support AC3, as another thread mentioned, you could simply MUX the MPG (or M2V) with the AC3 file and get a new MPG.

[andie41]

I still don't understand why the AC3 file is noticeably lower in volume than the original WAV (using FFMPEG to convert)...is anyone else experiencing this?

have a look at this thread ... http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=8f1d1fd5bb79604393ce64e5ef9336ad&threadid=5602...+dolby+digital

[PhreakPhish]

is there a program that will convert a huge list of wav files to ac3 files at one time - i cant get ffmpeggui to work- thanks

[dwiesel]

Thanks Andie41...of course FFMPEG isn't mentioned in that thread, nor does FFMPEG have any settings...does anyone know how it compresses?

[FulciLives]

I still don't understand why the AC3 file is noticeably lower in volume than the original WAV (using FFMPEG to convert)...is anyone else experiencing this?

To get around it, I hike up the peak level of my .WAV to just under 100% and then convert to AC3...there has to be a better way. Thanks.

Also, though TMPGenc+ doesn't support AC3, as another thread mentioned, you could simply MUX the MPG (or M2V) with the AC3 file and get a new MPG.

As pointed out that guide on doom9 on creating AC-3 audio is great ... I use that guide to do my AC-3 and I haven't noticed problems with volume levels (please note I set DRC to NONE).

I use SoundForge now to normalize and the AC-3 encoder that comes with Scenarist for the actual WAV to AC-3 encoding. The settings in the Scenarist AC-3 encoder pretty much match the SoundForge AC-3 encoder but to do AC-3 in SoundForge you had to pay extra and I already had Scenarist so ...

Granted not everyone can have access to such tools but any decent sound audio program should have a normalize feature. Hell I think even BeSweet can do this.

As for AC-3 the TMPGEnc "plug-in" is the best bang for your buck.

Also please note that AC-3 audio often will sound lower on the computer than on a stand alone. I think this seems to have something to do with the AC-3 FILTER that most of us have installed and the default set-up values it uses. So you may THINK your AC-3 is low and it really might not be.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[dwiesel]

Thanks John…it's a very good site…the whole loud/soft level compression factor was daunting, I just want it to sound like my original audio. I guess I may need to actually buy some sound software to use the features it mentions, since FFMPEG has no settings, or just live with whatever I get from FFMPEG. Actually, I did download BeSweet a few weeks ago, but couldn't get it to work (wasn't crazy about the GUI it uses)…might try it again.

Interesting note about it sounding lower on the PC…unfortunately for me it sounds lower on the TV too.


"You are stronger than us...but soon, I think, they be stronger than you."

[FulciLives]

"You are stronger than us...but soon, I think, they be stronger than you."

"When the dead walk, Senores ... we must stop the killing ... or lose the war."

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[pcexpress-guy]

"You are stronger than us...but soon, I think, they be stronger than you."

"When the dead walk, Senores ... we must stop the killing ... or lose the war."

Where are these quotes from?

[Poppa_Meth]

Original Dawn of the Dead. Just rereleased on DVD. Considered the best in the Dead series you don't want to miss out on it.

[pcexpress-guy]

anyone want to tell me a little bit about this movie? when did it come out? I havn't seen any of the "dead series," I'm afraid.

[FulciLives]

Original Dawn of the Dead. Just rereleased on DVD. Considered the best in the Dead series you don't want to miss out on it.

The new DiviMax release by Anchor Bay Entertainment is THE release to buy. It is the original 1979 US theatrical version.

Late this year though Anchor Bay plans to release a box set that will include this same disc (the theatrcial cut) along with the extended cut and yet a third alternative cut.

But the current release is great ... the best version of the film ... and only $14.99 or less (I got it for $11.99 at BEST BUY).

The remake sucks donkey ass though

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[FulciLives]

anyone want to tell me a little bit about this movie? when did it come out? I havn't seen any of the "dead series," I'm afraid.

All three films written and directed by George A. Romero
NOTLD co-written with John Russo

1. ) NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)

2.) DAWN OF THE DEAD (1979)

3.) DAY OF THE DEAD (1985)

Romero was involved (to an extent) with the 1990 remake of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD but had NOTHING to do with the 2004 remake of DAWN OF THE DEAD

Enjoy

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[lordsmurf]

@Fulci
SoundForge AC3 plugin? Huh?

[FulciLives]

@Fulci
SoundForge AC3 plugin? Huh?

Well Soundforge will NOT do AC-3 encoding unless you buy a special registration key that isn't apart of the normal registration key.

So perhaps not a "plug-in" but you get the drift. Right?

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[pcexpress-guy]

Well Soundforge will NOT do AC-3 encoding unless you buy a special registration key that isn't apart of the normal registration key.

Can you buy this "special key" after you buy the thing? is the power to encode ac3, just disabled without this license? How do you know you have it working? (big dolby-ac3 logo apears? )

On the day of dawn movies: what is the plot line like? Is this a thriller or texas chainsaw type or something else?

[FulciLives]

On the day of dawn movies: what is the plot line like? Is this a thriller or texas chainsaw type or something else?

Well they are ZOMBIE films with FLESH-EATING living undead ZOMBIES

First one is B/W and very low budget so yeah it's a bit hokey at times but it is still pretty damn cool. Back when it came out they just didn't make horror films like this unless it was very schloky (sp?) like H.G. Lewis or Ray Dennis Stickler.

The second one totally blows open the floodgates. The BEST darn ZOMBIE film ever. Period. Many consider it the best horror film ever. It's chock full of action and gore and characters you feel for and actually has a fun plot and a theme and ... it's a MUST SEE for any horror movie fan.

The third one is a "downer" in that the budget got cut so it's a very "small" film which was supposed to be a "big" film with a major budget but the smaller scale only hurts expectations. It's actually a very good movie with even more amazing gore than the second one. No real resolution though to the series as a whole. This was done mostly for the low budget. The original script is available and would have possibly trumped the 2nd film had the budget been there to make it.

George Romero is now getting rather old but he is currently trying to get financing for a 4th film but that process has been tied up for the past year or so. Hopefully it will happen before he is too old to do it.

Other films by George Romero include:

THE CRAZIES
SEASON OF THE WITCH
MARTIN
KNIGHTRIDERS
CREEPSHOW
MONKEY SHINES
TWO EVIL EYES
THE DARK HALF
BRUISER

He also has been attached to many projects that never happened with him such as SALEM'S LOT (he didn't want to do a mini-series at the time), THE STAND (King and Romero had original wanted to do a 4 hour theatrical version), PET SEMETERY (producer screwed him on purpose because he WAS contracted to do it) and RESIDENT EVIL (which would have KICKED ASS had he done it but his script was rejected for not staying close enough to the game script).

It's extremely frustrating to see so many zombie films come out lately (RESIDENT EVIL, 28 DAYS LATER, HOUSE OF THE DEAD etc.) yet Romero, the acknowledged KING of the zombies can't get financing for another ZOMBIE film.

Sometimes the world just doesn't make any sense!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
The idea of the Romero Dead Trilogy was loosely based or inspired by Richard Matheson's book I AM LEGEND which was directly adapted to the film twice ... once with Vincent Price as THE LAST MAN ON EARTH and a second time with Charleston Heston as THE OMEGA MAN

[pcexpress-guy]

ok that clears things up... but FulciLives, what if I am a sci-fi kind of guy?

[FulciLives]

ok that clears things up... but FulciLives, what if I am a sci-fi kind of guy?

If you are a Sci-fi kind of guy you might not appreciate the first film but you will definately appreciated the 2nd and the 3nd since they deal with the end of the world due to a zombie virus.

The 3rd film can almost be seen as a rif of sorts on something like THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[pcexpress-guy]

you don't recommend skipping the first one? can the movies be watched out of order?