AC3, MP3, MP2, britrate...

[[GSV]Benny]

Hello,

Got a few audio questions for you all 8)

When i am creating a dixv file to MPEG2 ready for buring to a DVD-R i encode the audio seprate from video, is this the recommend way ?

I encode the video with TMPEG.

I extract the audio from the divx file to .wav format with GoldWave then covert it to AC3 or MP2.

How do i find out what i should encode the .wav to should i use AC3 or MP2

Also what bitrate should i use

I am using ffmpeggui to encode the audio, is that the recommend program ?

Cheers

[mats.hogberg]

AC3 is the most "compatible" compressed Video DVD audio format you can use - not all NTSC players play MP2 audio. LPCM is also an alternative, but since that is uncompressed, taking about 10 times as much valuable space compared to AC3, I'd recommend against it. I use 192 kbps 2 channels stereo AC3 encoding with ffmpeg.

/Mats

[[GSV]Benny]

Cheers for that will stick to AC3 8)

[SatStorm]

You are in UK, so I bet that you have a region 2 / free standalone player.
Those players support mp2 for audio officially.
The problem with the mp2 audio, is a region 1 / NTSC issue only.

[[GSV]Benny]

Yep i do live in the UK, however my DVD player can play NTSC and PAL DVD's.

Does MP2 have a better quailty than AC3 ?

[SatStorm]

No, AC3 is better.
BUT: mp2 is easier.

All region 2 DVD standalones play NTSC. The reason is Japan which use NTSC and is region 2.

[tompika]

http://www.digitalfaq.com/authorburn/authoraudio.htm

[mats.hogberg]

BUT: mp2 is easier.

In what way?

/Mats

[wulf109]

Would someone give an example of an NTSC DVD player that does not support mp2? I have an ancient Toshiba DVD that plays only DVD and CD.no VCD/SVCD and it supports DVD made with mp2 audio.
If you have the original ac3 track demuxed from the DVD use it. If your converting I would use mp2. There are no good ac3 converters avaliable as freeware or shareware.

[mats.hogberg]

There are no good ac3 converters avaliable as freeware or shareware.

ffmpeg / ffmpeggui has served me well so far for all my wav to AC3 needs, even if I'm aware of some compatibility issue with Pioneer players (I don't have one of those, and never will).

/Mats

[indolikaa]

There are no good ac3 converters avaliable as freeware or shareware.

I thought ffmpeggui was pretty good...

[SatStorm]

MP2 is easier for many reasons:

1 - DVB transmissions are mp2 (AC3 exist only on few channels). So you use this for source as is (no conversion is needed)
2 - Realtime mpeg 2 software solutions use mp2 (PowerVCR, WinDVR, Mainconcept, etc.
3 - You can load any avi to TMPGenc, load a template, hit encode and end up with a ready mpeg 2 with mp2 audio ready to burn to DVD disc.

For AC3 (which is a need only for the Region 1 users) you need to convert your audio source to ac3 and then multiplex it during authoring. Extra steps compared to mp2...