Wav -> AC3 (2 channel Dolby Digital)

[Lamont Cranston]

I want encode wav to Dolby Digital (2 channel). All the software I have found runs $600 up. About the best way to go is to buy DVDIT PE. Does anyone have a better solution?

[DJRumpy]

Yes, but their all unethical.

[BJ_M]

go here http://dspguru.notrace.dk/effects.html

download "AC3enc v0.1"

download Besweet @ http://dspguru.notrace.dk/index.html

use the encoder plug-in in besweet ...

have fun - its free

[BJ_M]

there is also a gui there - which you might find easier to use -- as well as guides --also i see the beta has built in encoding for 5:1 and 2 ch (wow) ,

,

http://dspguru.notrace.dk/beta.htm

[DJRumpy]

Just a guess BJ, but I'm thinking the problem lies not in the making of the 2 Channel sound, but in burning it to DVD, without dumbing down to stereo. I ran into simular problems trying to retain 5.1 surround from DIVX files. All of the basic burner software supports basic stereo.

[BJ_M]

except for the demo of spruce up - you are right .. impresssion pro supports 5:1 and i think is the cheapest solution for full 5:1 and for 2ch ac3 DVDiT is prob the cheapest (im not sure) ...

[DJRumpy]

I have yet to get SpruceUp to properly import a 5.1 AC3 file. I always run into import problems with the MPG or the audio. I can see whey they quit making it. I've never see Impression. Is that the 'Maestro' I hear so much about?

[BJ_M]

http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPage.asp?Product_ID=464&langue_id=7

[Lamont Cranston]

http://www.pinnaclesys.com/ProductPage.asp?Product_ID=464&langue_id=7

BJ If I read the literature 'correctly' it looks like DVD Pro only takes Mpeg streams as input , not AVI. This would mean I would have to pull the wav out of the AVI as the audio in and the m2v file from TMPGEnc as the video to avoid transcoding the mpeg 1 layer2.

[BJ_M]

yes -- video: MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 DVD-compliant Elementary streams only, Audio: WAV, MPEG-1 Layer 2, AC-3
- same as most higher end authoring programs ..

you can use any tmpgenc encoded file if you already encoded it with mpeg audio -- just de-mux the program stream to Elementary streams with "mpeg tools" in tmpgenc ...

[ahfairley]

DVD Workshop 1.2 will accept mpg files with an AC3 audio stream and burn without reencoding. Use the utility in TMPGenc to multiplex the video and audio first.

[Lamont Cranston]

DVD Workshop 1.2 will accept mpg files with an AC3 audio stream and burn without reencoding. Use the utility in TMPGenc to multiplex the video and audio first.

That is right on .... Except I can't find an AC3 encode program to encode wave to AC3 DolbyDigital Stereo for less $$$ than it cost to buy an anthoring program that supports AC3.

[banjazzer]

.... Except I can't find an AC3 encode program to encode wave to AC3 DolbyDigital Stereo for less $$$ than it cost to buy an anthoring program that supports AC3.

What advantage do you expect to get by converting your wav to AC3? It will still be 2-channel. It will still have audio quality no better than the wav?

[BJ_M]

DVD Workshop 1.2 will accept mpg files with an AC3 audio stream and burn without reencoding. Use the utility in TMPGenc to multiplex the video and audio first.

That is right on .... Except I can't find an AC3 encode program to encode wave to AC3 DolbyDigital Stereo for less $$$ than it cost to buy an anthoring program that supports AC3.

i gave you links to encode ac3 for free -- look up ...

but it is true - pcm is still better quality than ac3 of course .. but ac3 "sounds" better than mpeg1 -2 audio

[ahfairley]

What advantage do you expect to get by converting your wav to AC3? It will still be 2-channel. It will still have audio quality no better than the wav

I downmix the L & R channels to mono and add that as a center channel for 3/0 AC3 (adding the two back channels to get 3/2 was too distracting). This is for home videos, so there isn't really that much stereo effect to start with. The main reason is that my L & R speakers are too far away from the TV, so there's a sound hole if nothing's coming out of the center channel.

[swdefdvd]

Personally, I use Soft Encode which will encode in 2.0 or 5.1 Dolby Digital. I'm not sure of the cost though. I've found that DVDit is probably one of the worst DD encoders. I've had a lot of out-of-sync audio with DVDit which prompted my move to DVD Maestro which I swear by. It allows importation of separate video and audio tracks and allows you to create a synced audio track with the video. The menu creation, chaptering and subtitling are excellent if you take the time to read the guides.

[banjazzer]

I downmix the L & R channels to mono and add that as a center channel for 3/0 AC3 (adding the two back channels to get 3/2 was too distracting).

Ah, I see. Soft Encode appears to be discontinued by Sonic Foundry, but it will do the job. I used it to re-encode AC3 from a DVD to a lower bitrate.

Take a look at http://www.apachez.net/ and you will find some useful tools for handling AC3.

[Lamont Cranston]

DVD Workshop 1.2 will accept mpg files with an AC3 audio stream and burn without reencoding. Use the utility in TMPGenc to multiplex the video and audio first.

That is right on .... Except I can't find an AC3 encode program to encode wave to AC3 DolbyDigital Stereo for less $$$ than it cost to buy an anthoring program that supports AC3.

i gave you links to encode ac3 for free -- look up ...

but it is true - pcm is still better quality than ac3 of course .. but ac3 "sounds" better than mpeg1 -2 audio

I downloaded BeSweet and GUI but I can't seem to find a setup or instructions for wave to AC3. I have a wav file I have extracted from the AVI. I encoded the AVI video with TMPGEnc into an elemental video file (m2v) which I will hopefully mux with the ac3 file from BeSweet and author with Ulead's DVDWS. God willing.

[banjazzer]

Well, if you don't check out http://www.apachez.net/ you probably won't find the best tools for the job in hand.

[Lamont Cranston]

Well, if you don't check out http://www.apachez.net/ you probably won't find the best tools for the job in hand.

Thanks for the tip but name was there but not the linK. ;(

[BJ_M]

http://dspguru.notrace.dk/beta.htm use this beta

or go here http://dspguru.notrace.dk/effects.html

download "AC3enc v0.1"
and put in your besweet plugins

[Lamont Cranston]

http://dspguru.notrace.dk/beta.htm use this beta

or go here http://dspguru.notrace.dk/effects.html

download "AC3enc v0.1"
and put in your besweet plugins

I tried both of the aboue with the downloaded the GUI. Looked thru the guides - No luck.

[banjazzer]

Thanks for the tip but name was there but not the linK. ;(

¿Qué? I think I see. pm me if you want further help.

[BJ_M]

Thanks for the tip but name was there but not the linK. ;(

¿Qué?

he is right -- none of the links work for the apps he prob is trying to download ..

[banjazzer]

Well, the site is very useful, but sometimes it's not online, and sometimes the links don't work. pm me if you think I might be able to help.

[mr2damn]

yea yeah...those besweet's and gui's do work if u get all the software parts together right... and then u gotta figure out how to use it! after i got fustrated with that i did an EXTENSIVE search for Sonic Foundry SoftEncode. yes yes...its is discontinued... but that doesnt mean its not out there on the WWW. And its not gonna pop up on the first page of a google search. hehe. great program...which i have used for 5.1->2.0 , 2.0 -> 5.1 and .wav -> 2.0 or 5.1 ... Scenarist also comes with a nice wav-->AC3 2.0 -5.1 encoder. When i use SpruceUP [its out on the net too] i always import video+ac3... cuz it wont import just an audio file. And someone earlier said something bout letting DVDit PE to do the encoding... he right..not a good idea... when i use DVDit PE i import only prep'd video and audio files. Its a great program for authoring disks... but leave the encoding to others.... piece

[wizzy]

look for : SurCode DTS-DVD

http://www.minnetonkaaudio.com/SurCode_DVD_Pro_3.htm

Creates DTS-encoded Surround Sound files to use with your DVD-Video authoring software

[Lamont Cranston]

Thanks for all the info.

BJ_M

I used BeSweet Beta with the GUI and the default profile. Set it up for wave -> AC3 and muxed the video and ac3 audio with TMPGEnc and burned the DVD with Ulead DVDWS. I now have a Dolby Digital Stereo DVD. I guess I will have to install PowerDVD so I can play ac3 on the computer.

[dvidya]

Mediostream's lastest version of neoDVDplus will encode your DVD in Dolby Stereo. It costs $50. If does the encoding only on the VOB file not the MPEG captures. I suppose if you want to use another authoring tool you could rip your encoded VOB. I took an MPEG-2 file that was DVD compliant videowise but not audio (44k) and it quickly encoded the VOB with Dolby Stereo. The link is: www.mediostream.com