Surround Sound

[zenmastac]

I just recently figured out the whole vcd thing and im very new to the whole process, but i figured this was the best place to get a quick answer to a question. I just got one burned and i have surround sound and the vcd doesnt seem to pick up on it very well. Is this because of the divx file i got or because of the way i burned the vcd? Thanks.

[Mordant]

I think most DivX files are only in stereo, except for those 2 disc rips with AC3 sound.

[zenmastac]

O ok good to know, thanks a bunch.

[videoguy79]

Mordant is correct. Most DivX rips are only in stereo, BUT a few can have Dolby Surround (Pro-Logic) encoding if the person encoding the DivX took the time (and had the right software) to do that. I have a few DivX rips encoded in such a manner. However, I have noticed that in converting the mp3 file from DivX's to mp2 for VCD, most of the steering information (i.e. phase information that piggybacks the two channels) gets lost or damaged beyond recompense. The mp3>mp2 encoding also seems to destroy some phase information, as does encoding joint stereo, which does considerable damage to seperation and phase signals.

[adam]

"Dolby Surround (Pro-Logic) "

Just a minor correction, Dolby surround really has nothing to do with prologic. Dolby surround is an encoding technique which allows a Dolby surround decoder to decode a stereo signal into surround sound. Some divx files have audio encoded in dolby surround and some don't. It all depends on whether the author chose to downmix or not.

Dolby prologic is a decoding technique that allows any stereo signal to be decoded into surround sound. Unless they are mono all vcds and svcds can be decoded into prologic sound if you have the appropriate hardware.