AC3 audio problems...

[WhiteKnight54]

I have lots of divx movies and just got a new home theater system and wanted surround sound on all of them instead of mp3 sound, and my dvd only outputs digital signals. Is it possible to convert a .wav file to a full blown 5.1 dolby track or will i run out of room of the cd. If so any links to guides?...i have looked and most seem to be ac3 to something else.

Thanks

[Melkor]

Two programs I am aware of... one being Vegas Video, which can make fully compliant ac3 audio... not free.
The other would be Besweet w/[/i]ac3 Machine[/i] GUI or you can use ffmpeg's GUI.... freeware.

The ac3 Machine GUI lists 5.1 as an option but it didn't work for me the one time I tried it. I have to switch my reciever to analog to play that particular DVD. The ffmpeg GUI is extremely simple, but no 5.1 options, although it does put out a digital 2.0 track through my reciever. That I can live with.

I've also read in a few places that ac3 Machine's output is not ac3 compliant, so you may get no audio from your DVD when played through certain stand-alone players. On that note, I'd like to hear if anyone has had luck with a true 5.1 mix using ac3 Machine??
I only tried it once so perhaps I didn't really give it a fair shake.

Another thing I noticed with the freeware ac3 encoders... the volume comes out quite a bit lower than the source .wav. I counter this by increasing the .wav's volume 120% in Sound Forge, then convert it.

Just some thoughts for what they're worth.

Good luck!

[BJ_M]

to get a true 5:1 sound track you must have the original DD ac3 5:1 or the source tapes and mix your own ..

converting 2/0 mp3 to 5:1 is a rather pointless thing --

[Melkor]

Thanks for the clarification on that BJ_M.... I'm still very green with this stuff.

If you don't mind me asking... what do you use for ac3 conversion? Do you have any experience with Vegas Video? Worth the $$??

Thanks!

[johns0]

If you seriously want to get into ac3 encoding your audio then its best to get something like vegas if its not too much money,free ac3 encoders are very basic and dont put out the best ac3 and some players dont like the ac3 they generate.

[WhiteKnight54]

Any ideas for programs, vegas video is to expensive (and cant find it on internet), had sonic foundry pro 4.0 but then thye wanted me to buy the add-on for ac-3 sound and after advertising 5.1 surruond i thought that was steep. Any other good programs?....DTS would be nice

[johns0]

Might be hard to find programs like that,they are usually expensive.

[BJ_M]

Thanks for the clarification on that BJ_M.... I'm still very green with this stuff. :lol:

If you don't mind me asking... what do you use for ac3 conversion? Do you have any experience with Vegas Video? Worth the $$??

Thanks!

you can buy vegas 4.0+DVDA (includes ac3 encoding) for around 400$-500$ or less on ebay and some on-line retailers .... better hurry as the price is going WAY WAY up in a few weeks ... right now its a real bargin ...

I use Vegas , which is a GREAT NLE , as well as I have a Hardware Dolby encoder - I also have 2 or three other ones (software) which i use w/ the avid system and other crap here ...

[BJ_M]

Any ideas for programs, vegas video is to expensive (and cant find it on internet), had sonic foundry pro 4.0 but then thye wanted me to buy the add-on for ac-3 sound and after advertising 5.1 surruond i thought that was steep. Any other good programs?....DTS would be nice

DTS encoding will set you back $1500 or more ...

i think vegas+dvda is still the cheapest legal ac3 5:1 encoder (you can use also ACID + ac3 encoder add-on (pretty cheap))

vegas also handles 5:1 EX and you can pan and such between channels real easy via keyframes ...