DV to Mpeg2 with CCE and ac3 advice plz

[BodyMaker]

I have just purchased a Sony DCR-HC90E mini dv cam, i would like to encode to mpeg2 using cinema craft as i have been using this for many years now for backing up dvd's and converting Divx's, What i need to know is do i need any perticular plugin for Avi synth for encoding DV ?

Also there is a mic that you can by for this cam that allows you to record sound in 4 channels (front L,R Rear L,R ) for convesion to ac3 5.1 sound, although the recorded sound is not 5.1 in its raw state on the camera, Is there any software that will covert it to true ac3 ?

Then i can use ifo edit to author my finished Ac3 and Mpeg 2, Im not keen on programs like Ulead,pinnicle,Adobe ect but wouldnt mind using them if they can do just the audio side to a finished file.

Many thanx BM.

[guns1inger]

If you don't need to do any processing of the footage, then you can skip avisynth and load the avi directly into CCE. If you do need to use avisynth, I don't think you need much more than the standard DV codec, at worst the panasonic codec (a good codec) might be needed.

Does the camera actually record 4 channels, or does it mix down to stereo? If it does record 4 channels, does it compromise by recording 12bit 32 khz audio ? Is it basically a periscope with 4 small directional mics ?

I would question the quality and true seperation of such a mic, especially on a small camera. If it records 4 seperate channels, then there are programs that can mix them as multichannel audio. How well depends on how much you want to pay. AC3 is the logical format, and besweet can do it for nothing. It isn't licensed and therefore isn't 100% compliant, but many use it successfully. Surcode produce licensed stand alone multi-channel encoders for AC3 or DTS.

If it down mixes to stereo then you will never get better than stereo back out of it.

[BodyMaker]

Thanks for the help Gunsl1nger.

you were right about CCE, seems to work fine without avisynth, i dont need to resize or anything bacause the camera records at dvd frame sizes so thats fine.

As for the sound, the camera records at 16 bit 48k , but it seems when you connect the external mic it auto changes to 12b 32k no matter what you set it to for some reason, But it is true 4 channels i belieive.

Do you know if Surcode can make a Ac3 file from a 16 bit 48k stereo audio file ?

[guns1inger]

Probably not. You need to feed it seperate mono wav files. Most standalone encoders require this. Having said that, all you need to do is load it into a simple sound editor and save each channel out seperately, then load them up one at a time and encode. Keep it as AC3 2 channel at 192, or 224 if you have a little more space, and it will sound fine.