audio stops playing after i encode avi to mpeg????

[alucard2050]

i have an avi file that i converted to svcd useing the standard template with TMPGE...the original avi file will play the audio portion just fine. after i encode the avi file and then try to play back the new mpeg file, the audio will run for about 10 seconds then its just silent while the rest of the video plays. the original avi is fine. i have tried to split the audio and video from the mpeg.even when i play the audio file by itself from the mpeg it does the same. i tried to encode just the audio from the avi but that didn't work. i seem to remember seeing something about the audio being ac3 but i can't remember where i saw it or how to see it again. if it is. could that be the problem???how can i rip the ac3 from the avi? TMPGE won't read it to do a de-multiplex so how can i extract it? what to use? any help is appreciated.....thanks........

[wee haggis]

http://www.digital-digest.com/dvd/downloads/virtualdub.html