Why do I have to switch player to PCM instead of Bitstream?

[BrianK]

I created a .m2v file using TMPGenc and converted the .wav audio file to AC3 using BeSweet. I then muxed the files to create a .mpg file using TMPGenc.

I then authored the VIDEO_TS folder using Sonic MyDVD and burned using NERO 6.0. When I try playing it on my standalone DVD players, I get no sound when the player is set up for Bitstream. When I switch the player to PCM, it plays fine. Why is that? What do I need to do to get it to play using bitstream setting. I really don't want to have to keep switching back and forth just to watch my home videos.

Thanks!

[MOVIEGEEK]

MyDVD 3 & 4 converts all audio to LPCM,MyDVD 5 Deluxe outputs to AC3(2 ch.).
www.sonic.com

[BrianK]

Thanks. I also have Movie Factory 2 and Nerovision Express. Can either of them output AC3? I don't think Movie Factory 2 can, but I'm not sure about Nero.

Thanks again.

[BrianK]

Does MP2 (Mpeg audio) get played throught the bitstream or PCM setting of the player? If bitstream, I will just continut using MP2 instead of converting to AC3 and taking my chances that most of the players I will be playing it on will accept MPEG audio.

Thanks!

[MOVIEGEEK]

Thanks. I also have Movie Factory 2 and Nerovision Express. Can either of them output AC3? I don't think Movie Factory 2 can, but I'm not sure about Nero.

Thanks again.

There have been reports of MF2 passing AC3 through without reencoding,Nero can't.

[BrianK]

Okay, I tried it using TMPGenc DVD Author with my .ac3 file as the audio file.

I output the files to a VIDEO_TS folder and created an .iso image using IMGTOOL Classic and then burned the image using DVD Decryptor. When my player is set to bitstream, I get no sound, but when I switch it to PCM it plays fine. What is up?

I imported the file to VirtualDub and the file info says the audio is 48KHz stereo, 224 Kbps AC-3. Is this a valid format for DVD?

Thanks again.

[clinkman]

I have the same problem with my DVD player. If I encode mp2 or ac3 it will play the sound only by swithcing to pcm. By accident MovieFactory 2 re-encoded some audio to lpcm and it plays when I select bitstream. This seems a little backwards to me. And I can't figure out how to mux pcm with a m2v stream. Hope this helps.

[freakyalbino]

bitstream is what you use when your amp can decode the stream itself, pcm is what you use when it cant. ie, i have a dolby pro logic reciever, so outputting bitstream dts gives me nuttn. So it needs to be converted to pcm by the dvd player first. Check that your system can support what ur converting 2

[clinkman]

Thanks for the info. I understand it a little better now. My receiver decodes DTS and Dolby Digital. I can play vcd's with bitstream and I never had any problems. I have tried AC3 audio and when it starts my receiver displays Dolby Digital 2.0 and then silence. I don't understand. I have encoded audio with TMPGEnc. I did Mpeg-1 layerII. It doesn't work either. But both play when I select pcm so I must have the settings right. 48kz. and I've tried different bit rates. I tried different menu making progams and burning programs. I'm about to surrender before I lose my sanity. Whoops, too late.