6 Mono wavs to various digital encodings (DD,DTS,PL2)

[snipper_cr]

I am doing a video project and when i recorded it, i recorded 6 channels (the 'lfe" is the same as the center channel) and basically i want to put it into various encoding forms for DVD.

I have worked with and am fairly proficient with besweet/besweetgui so if anyone wants to help me out, they can keep that into consideration.

I would like to have it in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround (AC3) and/or DTS.

Also... I would like someway to encode it in a 2 channel audio track that when played through a ProLogic/ProLogic 2 decoder it would simulate a rear surround channel.

Any help would be GREATLY apperciated. Thank you so much.

[Cornucopia]

I'll let others comment on BeSweet. I neither use it nor like it.

However, you should be able to encode to multichannel (at least in AC3) such that it would automatically downmix to a PL/PLII compatible signal.

BTW, duplicating [C] in the [LFE] isn't a good idea. Just drop the [LFE] altogether if you don't have "specialty" FX that is reserved for LFE. The [C] channel is Full Range already as it is (as well as all the others), so you're just duplicating your effort, AND making end-users have a harder time with their Bass Managment.

Scott

[snipper_cr]

Ah okay, good point about dropping the LFE.

So my main question is what program to use to take 6 mono channels and put them to AC3 and PL/PL2?

[guns1inger]

For DTS, surcode. Not cheap, but certified.
For AC3 5.1, Vegas+DVD is certified and is great for mixing in as well, otherwise Surcode, Maven and others.

If you have no budget, ffmpeg can do 5.1 from the CLI.

[snipper_cr]

I like Surcode DTS Pro alot cause it was pretty simple, exactly what i wanted to. 6 Monos to make 1 DTS wav file.

Only problem is when i made the wav file... it was all staticy (white noise i think its call?) and nothing like the input.

Any suggestions? My sound card, Audigy 2 ZS Plat i know plays DTS from DVDs but i cant seem to play it as a standalone wave file. I tried burning it to a CD, playing it again but still same problem.

Any idea?

[guns1inger]

If you output a wav file it will only be playable on a CD or DVD player that has a digital output connected to a DTS decoding amplifier. Otherwise is sounds like white noise (actually, it sounds like pink noise, but that is just splitting hairs). If you have something like PowerDVD installed you should be able to play the wav file back and hear it.

Note: DTS wav will be 44.1khz (same as CD), but DTS as DTS for DVD will be 48Khz. Make sure you encode for the correct format - they are not interchangable.

[snipper_cr]

Well i tried both 44 and 48 and it didnt work. I use sound forge to change the source file and resample from 44.1 to 48.

Either way the wav at 44.1 is not playable in any player, including WinDVD 7 Pro which i know has DTS out.

When i burnt the files to a CD i put it into a DVD player (which i know can transmit DTS to our receiver which also does DTS) i still get "pink" noise...

[Cornucopia]

Note that you're mixing your terms here: CD and DVD. Which one are you trying?

There are 2 different apps for DTS; 1 is for CD (DTS-WAV @ 44.1kHz) and the other is for DVD (DTS @ 48kHz).

Maybe you're getting them switched.

Tell us more.

Scott

[snipper_cr]

Yeah, i think i understand the difference between DTS-WAV (44.1) for CDs and DTS (48 for DVDs).

I took a 44.1 source and encoded it with surcode DVD pro. This resulted in a 44.1 DTS-WAV file that i was unable to play on my computer (got pink noise). I burnt it to a CD and put it in a DVD-player connected to a home theatre system (so it was acting as a "CD" player) which i know can decode DTS signals... this resulted in pink noise still.

I then resampled the source to 48 and encoded to 48 DTS file (which is NOT a wave file). Yet i have no way of playing the DTS file to make sure it works (And is properly encoded in DTS).

Hope this clarifies things - thanks for the help thus far!

[mikiem]

FWIW, personally think I'd drop the DTS altogether, do an encode to ac3. If you run into something that won't downmix for you, like software without 5.1 plugin, won't usually do surround either AFAIK, so a 2nd, stereo ac3 track should suffice IMO.

[daphy]

A DTS Track can be replayed if you pack ´em inside a VOB-container -> use DVDLab f.e. to create a DVD-Video disc with dummy video tracks (it does it automatically for you if you find the right button )

bye daphy

[stevethomson]

Yeah, i think i understand the difference between DTS-WAV (44.1) for CDs and DTS (48 for DVDs).

I took a 44.1 source and encoded it with surcode DVD pro. This resulted in a 44.1 DTS-WAV file that i was unable to play on my computer (got pink noise). I burnt it to a CD and put it in a DVD-player connected to a home theatre system (so it was acting as a "CD" player) which i know can decode DTS signals... this resulted in pink noise still.

I then resampled the source to 48 and encoded to 48 DTS file (which is NOT a wave file). Yet i have no way of playing the DTS file to make sure it works (And is properly encoded in DTS).

Hope this clarifies things - thanks for the help thus far!

Are you sure everything was set properly when you attempted the playback? I've seen several forum members over at Doom9 with the same problem and it always works out once they double check their connections, settings, etc. A 44.1kHz DTS-wav when burned to a CD as an audio file, will play back properly when played through the digital connection (either SPDIF or optical) between a DVD player and a receiver with a DTS decoder. In theory, there might be some rare older DVD player that would have problems, but I've never heard of any. So double check it all. Make sure you start with a 44.1kHz source file, encode it with the Surcode software set to 44.1kHz, burn the resulting DTS-WAV as an audio CD. When you play it back, make sure the signal is going through the digital connection with the correct settings on your receiver. If you do all this and it still gives you nothing but noise, then perhaps you have an old or non-standard DVD player.

The alternative, as daphy just pointed out, is to encode at 48kHz and then create a DVD-video disc perhaps with still pictures, etc.

Keep trying!

Regards,
Steve.

[john_lennon]

you have one alternative to play a dts wav file on computer: kmplayer on www.kmplayer.com.

I try an old VLC (the last doesn t include dts support) with dts file in 44khz, it play good, but with a 48khz file, i just have noise.
With kmplayer, the two play good.

Try this very good player.

[snipper_cr]

Sorry for the long delay, my computer broke down one night. Anyways I am back and kicking. So i used Surcode DVD/CD DTS and encoded a 44.1 DTS-WAV file and burnt it to a CD using nero (windows media player didnt like it). I plug it into my computer and launch win dvd pro 7. Sure enough, the DTS logo pops up, which indicates my sound card is hardware decoding DTS. The visualizer on the player is going with the song... but no music?

I eject the CD and put it in our DVD player in the basement. Sure enough, the music comes through and the DTS light on our receiver is on. All and all - it worked!

Surcode DVD is a great and simple program - takes up to 6 mono waves and encodes them into a single file... is there an easy way to do that for DD/AC3?

[guns1inger]

Surcode also has an AC3 encoder

[snipper_cr]

You sure? The program isnt that big and all i can do is DTS (DTS-padded, DTS-Compact or DTS WAV) and those are the only real settings i can do. There is sample and bit rate but otherwise only DTS. Am i missing it somewhere?

[guns1inger]

It is a seperate product by the same company.

[snipper_cr]

Hmmm... Well not sure about that but ill look into it.

I used Surcode to take 6 monos and make a DTS-WAV. I used besweet to take the wav and go to AC3, but not audio (visualizer was flat lined).

Any other good programs for taking several mono channels and making a AC3 file?

[guns1inger]

There is the obsolete Sonic Foundry Soft Encode, Maven 3D, Vegas+DVD package, or the CLI ffmpeg

[daphy]

one great application for doing this is WaveWizard :P

[guns1inger]

Does wavewizard do any encoding itself, or is it simply a frontend to many apps that you still need to supply ? From what I read you still need to own surcode or soft encode (amongst others) to get the output you want.

[daphy]

sure - you´re right

but working on the source WAV(s) is much easier with ww as f.e. with besweet

[snipper_cr]

Well i used Maved3D Pro to take 6 mono wavs to a DD... worked pretty good.

Encoded in true DD (sound card hardware dectors showed), except it sounded somewhat chip-munkish (but not REAL bad, but DEFFINATELY noticable). Its all being done in 44.1KHz... any ideas?

[guns1inger]

Sounds like Maven did a very poor resample to 48khz. I have also seen (heard ?) SoftEncode do this. Are you sure Maven can do 44.1 khz AC3 ?

[BJ_M]

maven has poor resample qualities -- so i hear on several forums (among other things)

note that this may of been fixed now ....

[snipper_cr]

I resampled the file to 48 KHz (original was 44.1) via an external program... now maven wont work for me!

I open the program, it shows the splash screen... then nothing! Just idle at desktop.

[snipper_cr]

Several restarts and I got maven working.

Used the externally resampled audio file and it worked much better.

Thanks all!

I now have AC3 and DTS. Even better they seem to be "true" as my sound card shows hardware decoding.