Authoring with surround sound

[Benniboi]

I can't seem to be able to find any info on this. How does this actually work? If the authoring software supports 5.1 or dts, does it automatically encode it as surround or does it require extra steps?

Does anyone have any info on this? Would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Ben

[bugster]

The possibility of doing this depends on your source and your destination.

If the destination is:
VCD, only dolby pro-logic is possible (or simple steroe etc).
SVCD, dolby prologic or multichannel .mp2 audio is possible but supported by very few players.
DVD, all the common formats are possible.

If the source is:
DVD, just rip the AC3 or DTS track direct from the DVD and supply it to an authoring package that will support import of this format (Spruce for Ac3, possibly others, don't know what will accept DTS, there must be something!)
Divx or other downloaded AVI, May have Ac3 present if you are lucky, else just stereo incorporating dolby pro-logic.
Own Captures, simple stereo easy, dolby prologic if the source audio has it present.

I would suggest you do a forum search for the different ways 'surround sound' can be encoded if any of the terms used here are unknown to you.

Hope this helps