avi to svcd with tmpgenc

[e.jreiss]

I've been converting a lot of avi movies with tmpgenc only but from what other people are telling me you loose the surround sound channels. I'm only watching the movies at this time using my stereo t.v. speakers. Is this true that you loose the front channel audio separation when encoding this way. if you read the how to in vcd help it tells you to use tmpgenc but I notice from reading a lot of forumns that hardly anyone does it that way everyone else uses virtual dub or nandub to extract separate audio wav file source first. Am I doing it the wrong way or what. Please help I would like to know how everyone else does it.

[banjazzer]

The vast majority of avis come with 2 channel sound, and the minority with AC3 are generally played back in stereo. If the avis have been created properly the surround sound will have been downmixed. If you look at the specifications for (S)VCD you will also see that it is 2 channels for audio. If you want full surround sound, you need the DVD. 8)

[e.jreiss]

I know you won't get 5.1 dolby no matter what you do but am I doing the encoding properly to get the best possible sound quality . As I said I am only using tmpgenc and not using any other programs like virtual dub or nandub. Also just curious on the procedure some other people are using and why you are doing it that way. From reading the forumns it sounds to me like no one is doing it the simple way like I am doing

[banjazzer]

Well, you are in the hands of the avi creator, but it is as well to extract the audio as uncompressed wav with Virtualdab first. It is generally though best not to let TMPG resample to 44.1kHz. Virtualdub can do this, and there is also a high quality setting you can select. Some people also prefer, when encoding with TMPG, to let an external program deal with the audio. Optional>Environmental setting>External tool. Toolame is often used.

[e.jreiss]

I've used virtual dub before to extract separate wave file for source audio for tmpgenc but it is a lot lengthier process and I seemed to have more problems with audio synch that way. Is the way I'm doing it voodoo. Am I loosing surround separation that way. I am only watching vcd\svcd on my standalone dvd player with t.v. speakers but I may wish to get a nice surround system in the future.