converting stereo to surround

[anarchy]

I shot a movie and the soundtrack was recorded in stereo. Now I have a stereo WAV file. How can I convert this file to a 5.1 channel AC3 file in an easy way?

I have Scenarist, so I have a Dolby Digital Encoder too. I need to know how I can create the 6 necessary files.
Can I simply convert the stereo file to mono and then use this file for the 6 channels? What do I need to change on each channel to get a good sounding surround sound? Is there a programm which will split the stereo file in the 6 files?

[bugster]

Why bother. You won't near get proper surround sound without some very expensive equipment and software. If you simply want to use Ac3 audio for its small size, use it as stereo. Don't know about scenarist, but BeSweet can do this.

[anarchy]

I don't want to use ac3 for its small size. I need it for a DVD. I want to burn my movie on DVD and DVDs usually have 5.1 ch sound

[whatever]

As bugster says, make a stereo ac3 track since you will gain nothing from making it 5.1 if the source is stereo.

[anarchy]

Lets just suppose: I convert the stereo track to mono and use this mono file for each of the six channels. Will this sound worse than stereo?

[bugster]

Lets just suppose: I convert the stereo track to mono and use this mono file for each of the six channels. Will this sound worse than stereo?

Almost certainly, and will be a waste of space too as you will need to use a higher overall bitrate than 2ch (stereo) Ac3 would need.

[bugster]

If you absolutley insist on creating 5.1 Ac3 from your stereo soundtrack, then use BeSweet. There is a guide in the User Guides forum by Baldrick on how to do this. The guide is actually for creating 2ch Ac3, but just change the number of channels setting in Besweet to 5.1 and the rest is the same.

[anarchy]

my problem is: I need to get 6 single files, not one ac3 file. I need to use a encoder which is certified by Dolby so that i can use the Dolby trailer. therefore I need to use the encoder in SCenarist. Does anybody know how i can get the 6 individual files?

[bugster]

open the wav file in goldwave, or any decent audio editor, and you can save out each of the stereo tracks to individual files. Your siz files will have to consist of 3 copies of the left channel and 3 copies of the right. You could be clever and try adjusting the volumes downwards of the ones you want to use for the rear etc, and maybe even inverting the phase or something.

[bugster]

Take a look at this thread: https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=152506, it might help.

[ricky1756]

since stereo is only recorded in two channels, and 5.1 is five discrete channels, the only thing you would gain by changing stereo to 5.1 is 3 channels that sounded the same(left channel from stereo) and two channels that sounded the same(right channel from stereo)

[lechtin]

First, there is a distinction between Dolby Digital (DD) and 5.1 channels. 5.1 channels is just one configuration supported by DD, but 2 discrete channels encoded to AC3 format can still be DD if using a certified encoder (source: DVD Demystified).

You started with 2 channels and want to make it 5.1. You will have as some of the guys said, you will have to create extra tracks , but be careful how you create the center track (I guess it must be a mix of the 2 but I'm not sure) and you must filter out high frequencies to create the LFE track.

I have a suggestion that works wonders for me: most amps have a mode that will re-distribute 2 channels across all 6 of your speakers (I have a Denon that has a 5 channel stereo mode and a Matrix mode where the phases are changed somehow for the surround channels. Both filter the signals for the subwoofer). I comes out better and with more flexibility than I could ever accomplish - I can switch modes on the fly.)

Good luck,

[flaninacupboard]

my problem is: I need to get 6 single files, not one ac3 file. I need to use a encoder which is certified by Dolby so that i can use the Dolby trailer

Because otherwise the DVD police will get you? There's honestly no point in doing what you're trying. As advised just use 5 channel stereo, or set the dolby surround flag on in the scenarist .ac3 encoder. The surround sound won't be good or realistic, but why would it if your source is stereo?

It will honestly sound better if you just leave it as stereo.