Is there any way to make Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround tracks?

[Xoanon]

I have Sonic Foundry Soft Encode and Digigram AC3 encoder, as well as Adobe Audition. Is there any method I can create 2.0 surround sound tracks using what I have? I can do 5.1 easily, but I wondered if I can do it for 2.0 tracks? Do you do something like invert the stereo sound wave that you wish to be the surround material and then mix-paste that over the regular stereo sound?

I just wanted to try it, 5.1 takes so long to do, something less stressful would be nice!

Thanks in advance.

[guns1inger]

To create true dolby prologic surround (or plII), you still mix multiple channels (i.e. 4 or 5 base channels), but at the encoding stage these are encoded down to 2 channels with embedded timing tags. I believe Surcode may have software to do this, but I don't believe soft encode can. It certainly is too old to be able to do pro-logic II.

I know that Sony's current AC3 encoder (works with Vegas, Soundforge) can produce pro-logic stereo output, but only with mono surrounds (i.e. NOT pro-logic II).

[Xoanon]

Thanks for the reply.

Mono surrounds would be a start - thats Pro Logic I, right? How do I get Sonys AC3 encoder and what Soundforge do I need?

[lumis]

click options & encode settings..




i cant believe someone who spent $1000 on this program doesnt know shit about it..

[Xoanon]

i cant believe someone who spent $1000 on this program doesnt know shit about it..

Was there any need for that?

Besides, I dont recognise that screenshot, must be from a different program or version. And my question is not about encoding to AC3, its about preparing the wave files FOR conversion to AC3. Also, the "Dolby surround - not indicated" box is always grayed out on my Digigram settings.

[guns1inger]

There is a difference between 2 channel dolby AC3, and dolby pro-logic/pro-logic II. AC3 2 channel is simple stereo. There are no surround signal emcoded in this, although most amps will have DSP abilitie to create a matrix surround environment from any stereo source. Dolby Pro-Logic/ProLogic II have surround information encoded in the stereo signal.
If you want to encode Dolby ProLogic (not ProLogic II - Soft Encode is too old for that), use the drop down on the BitStream tab (the right-hand tab on Lumis' image (above) marked Dolby Surround Mode and select Dolby Surround Encoded. You will only get value from this if you have the extra channels, so there is almost as much effort required as doing a full 5.1 mix. (Obviously you're not getting your $1000's worth either, Lumis).

You get the AC3 encoder from Sony as an add-on to Sound Forge or Vegas. Sound Forge is now on version 8.0 (newly released). Look up sound forge or vegas i the tools section to find the links. The biggest advantage of the AC3 plugin (which replaced Soft Encode sometime ago) is that it is 3 - 4 times faster than soft encode. I haven't looked at SF 8.0, so I don't know if it supports multi-channel mixing. I use Vegas for it and it does a very good job.

[deh707]

ffmpeggui

[Xoanon]

There is a difference between 2 channel dolby AC3, and dolby pro-logic/pro-logic II

I understand that, which is whyI wish to know how to create a ProLogic track

If you want to encode Dolby ProLogic (not ProLogic II - Soft Encode is too old for that), use the drop down on the BitStream tab (the right-hand tab on Lumis' image (above) marked Dolby Surround Mode and select Dolby Surround Encoded.

As I said, that option is greyed out on my encoder (I dont recognise that screenshot, it looks similar to my Digigram options in terms of content but the layout is not like mine).

I'll look into SoundForge if this means it will allow me to make ProLogic tracks.

Thanks for your help.

[guns1inger]

The screen shot that Lumis posted is from SoftEncode. Sound forge will probably restrict you to 2.0 channel AC3. You can tag these as PL, but they wont have true surround channels. You would need Vegas to do this, as it can do true multi-channel editing.

[Xoanon]

Thanks for that. Whats "ffmpeggui" and why did someone just post that and nothing else? Will check the hyperlink out.

[guns1inger]

Look at your post. Notice that ffmpeggui is a difference colour. Click on it and you will get a screen with more details and links about that tool.

[Xoanon]

I got it before you posted Thanks tho.

Program seems very basic for what I wanna do but was interesting nonetheless.

[digitalfreaknyc]

Look at your post. Notice that ffmpeggui is a difference colour. Click on it and you will get a screen with more details and links about that tool.

But question...how do you make a Dolby Surround file with it? It won't let me encode any more than 2 channels.

[Xoanon]

Yeah, my question really means how do I encode four channels into two? I did it by accident the other day and now I cant recreate it! I think I inverted the right channel on the speech and when I played it back via my PLII system, the speech came out the rear speakers! Very odd!

[BJ_M]

nuendo surround edition does prologic I/II,

so does Soundscape and Minnetonka prologic encoder ...

they are all around 1000-2000 $


a few others also ...

[digitalfreaknyc]

Yeah, my question really means how do I encode four channels into two? I did it by accident the other day and now I cant recreate it! I think I inverted the right channel on the speech and when I played it back via my PLII system, the speech came out the rear speakers! Very odd!

Dolby Surround is encoded in stereo audio tracks. If it's in stereo, it will be in surround. You don't have to rip them into different channels.

[DVWannaB]

For anyone interested, here is a cool Stereo-to-Surround Sound (6 channel) guide on doom9.

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=83752

[JimJohnD]

https://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=HeadAC3he

I think this is what you are looking for. I use it to take my 5.1 AC3 files to "Dolby Stereo Surround" wav files. They can work either as analog files or can be encoded to stereo AC3 with the "Dolby Surround Mode" set to Indicated as shown in the screen shot Lumis posted. That will make it Digital Dolby and automatically set the decoder (computer, reciever etc.) to Prologic mode.

You may need to get some supporting encoder/decoders but they are linked from the documentation.

[Cornucopia]

I've got a ProTools TDM rig with DolbySurround/ProLogic (not ProLogicII) encoding plugins. Works great, but $$$.

If you're stuck without $$ to get a system or plugins, here's a close workaround:

Using a Multi-track editor,
add in your [L]tracks and pan 100% hard Left, Volume 0VU
add in your [R]tracks and pan 100% hard Right, Volume 0VU
add in your [C]tracks and pan Centered (50%L/50%R), Volume -3VU
add in your [S]tracks twice, and pan 1 100% hard Left and the other 100% hard Right, Volumes all -3...-6VU
Make sure one of each [S] pair has it's phase inverted (reverse polarity)
Make sure also that all [S] pairs each have added LowPass (HiCut) filter set to a cutoff freq. of 7.5kHz
Also you could have an option for all [S] pairs to each have added a Delay tap (where the whole signal is 100% wet delayed--no echoes/mixing) set to a few milliseconds (late relative to the undelayed channels).
That's at least 4 mono/stereo tracks (5 if you count the duplicated [S]), mixed down to 1 stereo track.

HTH and Good luck,

Scott