Surround Sound with SVCD? or VCD

[spiderman2k1]

If you make a SVCD with Dazzle ot ALL IN WONDER can you ger surround sound with SVCD or VCD. Second if you rip a DVD with smart ripper can you get surround sound can you get DTS?

[aldus4]

Here you would need an audio input card (sound card) that would accept either the dts or 5.1 etc. audio signal from your receiver/DVD Player etc. as both video cards get their audio feed from your sound card.

If you capture the DVD video via Dazzle, All in wonder etc. and then rip the audio part of the DVD via software that is available, you could run into sync problems...even if it is 1/2 second apart.

Another problem with SVCD's having surround sound is that not many players are able to play this surround sound.

If you are interested in converting the sound, read this article

http://www.labdv.com/en/examples/svcd_audio.htm

[Stansell]

If you are capturing from a non-digital surround source such as a stereo VCR, stereo broadcast TV or the stereo analog output from a DVD or Laserdisc, then the surround sound will be recorded also.

Dolby Surround (not to be confused with Dolby Digital) is mixed into the analog stereo signal. All you need to do is capture the stereo audio from your source and the surround will still be in there.

A Dolby Pro-Logic reciever will separate out the surround and center channels on your SVCD or VCD just fine. It is not a nice as Dolby Digital, but still sounds pretty good.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Stansell on 2001-07-14 13:33:07 ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Stansell on 2001-07-14 13:35:30 ]</font>

[aldus4]

@stansell

Do I understand you correctly, are you saying that Dolby Pro-Logic is the same as virtual surround sound?

[vitualis]

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On 2001-07-14 14:56:08, aldus4 wrote:
@stansell

Do I understand you correctly, are you saying that Dolby Pro-Logic is the same as virtual surround sound?
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Umm... no...

Dolby Pro-Logic is the DECODING circuitry only. The surround sound encoding method is called "DOLBY SURROUND".

Dolby Surround audio uses some sort of matrixing algorithm to add two additional channels of audio into standard stereo. You find it on most newer stereo recordings (e.g., CDs, TV proggies, etc.)

If you don't have a Dolby Pro Logic receiver, it sounds just like ordinary stereo. With the Pro Logic receiver, it can decode the centre and surround channels and output them on separate speakers (in this way, it is a "real" surround system rather that "virtual" surround which simulates surround sound effects from just two speakers).

As the signal is just in ordinary stereo audio, if you record a stereo signal with it on your PC (e.g., many DVD players will be able to down-mix the 5.1 AC3 audio to a Dolby Surround signal), then it will still be present when you put it on a VCD.

Regards.

[aldus4]

@vitualis

Thanks for the reply. Just one more (sorry) question regarding this subject. I have a dolby surround pro logic sound system (a 5 speaker system). When I play anything through it, it sounds "surrounding" (how does one describe the sound then???). I thought this is what one calls virtual surround sound. So in reality due to the circuitry of the sound system it is a real surround sound? Have I understood you correctly?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: aldus4 on 2001-07-14 20:28:25 ]</font>

[vitualis]

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On 2001-07-14 20:25:24, aldus4 wrote:
@vitualis

Thanks for the reply. Just one more (sorry) question regarding this subject. I have a dolby surround pro logic sound system (a 5 speaker system). When I play anything through it, it sounds "surrounding" (how does one describe the sound then???). I thought this is what one calls virtual surround sound. So in reality due to the circuitry of the sound system it is a real surround sound? Have I understood you correctly?</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

Okay, I see what you mean now.

Yes, this is REAL surround sound, but unlike AC3 5.1 of DTS, the additional channels are not discrete full channels.

Most stereo recordings actually do have Dolby Surround encoded into it (which is why it is decoded to surround sound on your hi-fi setup). Furthermore, the Surround sound encoding is done in way similar to how "ambient" (i.e., surround ) sound is structured in reality (okay, I don't know how to explain this properly -- for more info, read the tech documents at the Dolby website). Thus, a stereo audio clip that DOESN'T specifically have Dolby Surround encoded material put in may still decode in a surprising logical way on a Pro Logic decoder.

The term "Virtual Surround" (I think) usually refers to the simulation of surround sound effects with just two speakers.

Regards.

[aldus4]

YIKES - that means I have been using the term virtual wrongly. Come to think of it my TV has a virtual sound button (but only 2 speakers) so I guess you are right. I thought they named it wrong, cause "in the olden days" they called this wide sound. Just noticed my TV has more buttons with panoramic and spatial sound. So many different sounds and only 2 ears!!!

Thanks again vitualis

[AT]

Just wanted to add that:

With simulated surround, like normal stereo sound, you can identify objects (people. car, plane etc) moving from left to right or vice vesa. But you can't distinquish movement from forth and back direction.

With Dolby Prologic, since its 2 rear channels share the same source, so you can identify back and forth movement, but can't distinquish movements at diagram directions, say, from rear left to front right etc. BTW, it's rear channel has limited frequency response.

AC3, DTS: seperated, full bandwidth rear channels. So you can distinquish movements towards any directions.

[vitualis]

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On 2001-07-14 20:47:31, aldus4 wrote:
YIKES - that means I have been using the term virtual wrongly. Come to think of it my TV has a virtual sound button (but only 2 speakers) so I guess you are right. I thought they named it wrong, cause "in the olden days" they called this wide sound.</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

You could be right... There is a lot of misnaming and it may just be "widened" stereo.

My understanding of virtual surround sound is that with the right calculations and timing, you could make the audio from the left and right speakers interfere with each other -- so, although you only have two speakers, it sounds like there are actually more (3 or 4 speakers). You can even have audio that appears to be coming from behind you even though there are only two in front. Thus the term "virtual" surround.

Regards.

[Stansell]

Just one more note. If your stereo source (DVD player or such) has a "virtual surround" mode (intended to make 2 speakers sound like surround system), but you are in fact using a pro-logic reciever, you'll want to make sure you turn off the "virtual surround" mode.

If you have the virtual surround going through the pro-logic reciever, you may get an inaccurate surround field.

The surround channel should be mostly quiet but show up in specific parts of a movie (jet flying over, some dog in the distance).

If you can, rent Pink Floyd's The Wall on DVD. It has a setup section for getting your surround system set up properly. It will let you know you have a good setup if you are using Dolby Digital or just Pro-Logic.

May the surround be with you.

[aldus4]

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On 2001-07-15 16:06:40, Stansell wrote:
May the surround be with you.
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And with you, my young Hi-Fi

Thanks again for the clarification!