WAV to AC3: What is the most compatible encoder right now?

[ChachiFace]

Is the AC3 plugin from TMPGEnc Author create an AC3 file that is as compatible or better than using the raw WAV file when authoring a DVD?

I've heard a lot of great things about Sonic Foundry Soft Encode but since it's no longer availabe, is there somewhere or some how to still get a hold of it...drop me a PM if you have to ;]

I've read a lot of raves about Besweet, but then again, I've heard it's not very compatible, not nearly as compatible as just using the HUGE raw WAV file from the AVI.

I want to go AC3 to save space and have the ability to encode at higher bitrates and put longer clips on my DVDs but don't want to sacfrifice compatibillity.

suggestions? FulciLives...help! I know you da man when it comes to the SFSE!

[CaseyComb]

I use ffmpeggui to encode .wav to .ac3. It's fast, free, and works!!! BeSweet can tend to get a little complicated...but it is free. For ease of use and price you can't go wrong with ffmpeggui. You can convert to other formats also. Its so simple a monkey could use it. The .ac3 streams have always been compatible with every DVD I have made.

[ChachiFace]

Thanks for your reply but I was specifically avoiding this one b/c of the comment made at the link you supplied:

Other info:
ffmpegGUI Beta Build 3 contains latest ffmpeg CVS 2004-02-26 where the ac3 bug has been fixed(it is still a bit buggy, it doesn't work on all dvd players).

I need something that is compatible, with a remark like that it doesn't sound to encouraging.

[mastersmurfie]

I use ffmpeggui to encode .wav to .ac3. It's fast, free, and works!!! BeSweet can tend to get a little complicated...but it is free. For ease of use and price you can't go wrong with ffmpeggui. You can convert to other formats also. Its so simple a monkey could use it. The .ac3 streams have always been compatible with every DVD I have made.

I must agree...ffmpeggui is great!! Only problem that I seem to have with it is when playing my authored DVDs, the audio seems to be too loud...(no option to attenuate volume on output...) other than that, ffmpeggui works perfectly for me...load almost any source (MPEG, WAV, etc...), and a few minutes later you have a fine AC3 file for use when authoring.

BeSweet never worked correctly for me...

[haznut]

Go with Sony Acid Pro 4.....it´s very easy. Load your audio clip, equalize it, regulate the volume, add effects....or leave it untouched and go to file....render and choose AC3. The audio quality is amazing. You won´t believe you just convert an uncompressed PCM to AC3.
Besides that, it´s a looping software....perfect for menus and stuff.
Works perfect and it´s very easy...the GUI is kinda complicated but don´t let it scare ya....if u´re not going to do some loops or audio processing, just open the audio clip and inmediatly render as AC3.

adiu.

[ChachiFace]

Anyone else? Specifically on the compatibility of this FREE product...I have to admit, I'm tempted to just go this route but uncofident in it's compatibility. Even though I could just back up my wav's I'd rather have full confidence in what I'm encoding.

[mastersmurfie]

Go with Sony Acid Pro 4.....

Holy pricey stuff batman! That is expensive!!

Platform: Windows® 98SE, Me, 2000, or XP
List Price: $499.95
Starting at: $399.96

Sure, it has a lot of bells and whistles, but for the average user, who just wants to save disc space, free is better...

[mastersmurfie]

Is the AC3 plugin from TMPGEnc Author create an AC3 file that is as compatible or better than using the raw WAV file when authoring a DVD?

Maybe also try AC3Machine (front end for BeSweet)

[lordsmurf]

Only players I ever saw hate AC3 from Besweet was a Pioneer DV-333 and Pioneer DV-334, players that suck anyway for other reasons.

[CaseyComb]

Never a problem whatsoever with ffmpeggui...It wont hurt to give it a try. I've made tons of DVD's using this program. No loudness issues and no compatibility issues at all. Go ahead and burn money on Vegas if you want.

[joecav]

I will throw my vote for FFMpegGUI also. It has worked 100% of the time for me and is fast and free. Get and use it, you'll see we're not yankin your chain.

[andyp1]

It would be interesting to know if anyone has had any problem with compatability lately with ffmpeggui.

I haven't , it works flawlessly for me.

Another vote for ffmpeggui.

[BJ_M]

someone make me a short sample of ac3 from ffmpeggui and i will test it to see if it is indeed 100% compliant .. i have ac3 testing capibilities....

[awhitney]

someone make me a short sample of ac3 from ffmpeggui and i will test it to see if it is indeed 100% compliant .. i have ac3 testing capibilities....

ffmpeggui is not 100% compliant on for all dvd players. I have the samsung HD931 and absolutely hates that program as it causes all video to skip. I use the Sonic's SoftEncode to encode files to ac3 and have had no problems what so ever.

ffmpeggui is cheap trash IMO.

[ChrissyBoy]

someone make me a short sample of ac3 from ffmpeggui and i will test it to see if it is indeed 100% compliant .. i have ac3 testing capibilities....

Here you go:

http://www.svcd2dvd.com/test.ac3

[BJ_M]

it is not 100% compliant -- but very very close ..

this is what is reported:

SNR offset (fine SNR and fast gain code and channel fine offset) is incorrect or missing.

coupling strategy is missing (but may not be necessary) .

coupling leak - missing.

phase flag missing (but prob. not necessary on most player), but the yes it is in use or no it is not - is missing. ..

skip length is not used (missing) , it ussually is present. ...

anomaly: crc2 is same as sync word (well it is reported but i don't even know what that means - but it is not reported on a correct encode) ..

though this may sound like a great many things -- it is not (for example 75% of any commercial dvd's - when tested for video/audio/authoring compliant - do not pass) ..

but may be enough to cause some problems on some dvd players ... i can not positively say this is the case.

there are no gross errors though -- though if there was , usually the file would not play at all on anything.

[awlchu]

The AC3 TMPG plugin is Dolby Digital Compliant or else they could not display the DD logos with the product.

pillfalls?

- two channel only
- licence validation via internet


$29US not $300 or $400 dollars.

[BJ_M]

i was testing ffmpeggui , not tmpgenc ...

[awlchu]

BJ_M,

understood, would you like a short TMPG AC3 file for the same test? I'm curious....

i was testing ffmpeggui , not tmpgenc ...

[BJ_M]

BJ_M,

understood, would you like a short TMPG AC3 file for the same test? I'm curious....

i was testing ffmpeggui , not tmpgenc ...

sure

[monkeystks]

Go with Sony Acid Pro 4.....it´s very easy. Load your audio clip, equalize it, regulate the volume, add effects....or leave it untouched and go to file....render and choose AC3. The audio quality is amazing. You won´t believe you just convert an uncompressed PCM to AC3.
Besides that, it´s a looping software....perfect for menus and stuff.
Works perfect and it´s very easy...the GUI is kinda complicated but don´t let it scare ya....if u´re not going to do some loops or audio processing, just open the audio clip and inmediatly render as AC3.

adiu.

Great. I tested the quality is very good. It even takes directly from Divx.avi and converts to ac3.

Another question here.

TMPGEnc support 2 channels. If I want to burn DVD with ac3 5.1 what s/w do I need to use?

[burnman99]

I have 2 Apex DVD Players and they Hate the.ac3 by FFMPEGUI. It plays but it slows down and warbles. However, .mp2 by FFMPEGUI plays fine. Go fiigure. Just thought ya'll'd be interested.

Have fun stormin' the castle!

Rog

[dudeman316]

burnman99, if you can tell me step by step what you are doing to ge your DVD's to play, I try authoring my own with TDA but I get no audio play back. I was told to try using mp2 or ac3 audio but I ws just curious how u went about authoring yours being that I own Apex players as well.

[LNielsen76]

I have tried both AC3Machine and Besweet. Neither produced a compatible AC3 stream for my Akai DVD Player. The stream was not compatible on my computer after authoring and burning using PowerDVD.

I too am looking for a compatible ac3 rendering software.

[LNielsen76]

Will AC3FIXGUI fix ac3 streams created by ffmpeggui?

[BJ_M]

no

[Zetti]

Although I have no experience with these "free" AC3 plug-ins, I have always read bad things about all of them, specially BeSweet;

In the initial days of DVD authoring, all AC3 tools were very expensive cause it was (is ?) necessary to pay high licensing fees to Dolby Laboratories;

So, let me add that Ulead has just released a $ 30 AC3 plug-in to its "Grammy award winner" Video Studio 8, although I haven't tried it yet, it might work P-R-O-P-E-R-L-Y, as Ulead use to make good things;
Also, I think it doesn't have any annoying on-line verification like TMPGEnc's stuff;

So, as a suggestion to everybody, spend $30 and get it, there might be a free trial available;

Scenarist has a built-in 5.1 encoder, you don't have to use it for authoring, you can launch the sw just to use its built-in encoder;

Zetti

[BJ_M]

to get the sonic encoder - you have to buy the 30,000$ package

[dudeman316]

Maybe one of you guys knows what is causing my problem here:
https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=227235

[burnman99]

dudeman, i author my videos with DVDAuthorGUI. I have encoded the video with both Quenc and Tmpgenc and the audio with ffmpegui. When i make .ac3 with ffmpegui, my apex players choke on them but you do get audio. when i convert to .mp2, they play just fine. I have not tried the Tmpg author program in a long time so can't really tell you how to use it. DVDAuthorGUI requires you to split an mpeg into audio & video, unless it's a .vob file, but otherwise, is fairly simple to use and free. I highly recommend it.
I am trying to write an advanced guide for it, and should have it in the fairly near future. Am going to try to convert to .ac3 with Besweet and see if it will play in may Apex players next. Will let you know the results.
Hope this helps.

Have fun stormin' the castle!

Rog