is there an AC3 Plugin for TMPGenc Author ??

[beammeup]

Hi,

Just like my title question says, Is there a AC3 plugin for either TMPGenc author 1.5 and OR 1.6 ?

For the past year or so I have been spending too much time spliting the audio from the video and then converting the audio to AC3 in a standalone encoder, and then bringing that AC3 audio back in the Author stage.

Any advice appreciated

cheers Scott

[Duchess]

Take a look at http://www.pegasys-inc.com/en/index.html and you'll find the AC3 plugin.

[nic2k4]

Yes there is, but it's a pain in the rear, the PC it's on has to have an internet connection. The plug-in calls home on a regular basis, to confirm its registration. You can get it as part of a promo package with TDA from Ecost.com, the price $41. Or, just do without it. If you don't need to edit in TDA and don't care to hear the audio in preview, TDA lets MPEG2 files with AC3 audio pass through (including VOBs).

[mats.hogberg]

Yes, there is the plugin, but <rant>IMO, encoding is not a task for the authoring stage. Get your sources in order, then fire up your authoring app.
Next, you want it to encode the video to a suitable format too, and then you are on the verge of the great grey goo of oneclickwonder apps that's been flooding the market lately.
Better an application that has limited scope, but do what it does well, than an app that does it all, but is crap.</rant>

/Mats

[wwjd]

I have been using the AC3 plugin with TDA 1.5 for about a year now. Works great, no issues. The plugin does go out to the internet once every few months. I have an internet connection and therefore it is just a minor annoyance.

[Wile_E]

All TMPGEnc software calls home every now and then. It's no big deal, as it only takes a few seconds to verify the program. You're using internet now to post on these forums, aren't you? Well in that time, it would already finish verification. The verification is becoming necessary in all software, because of all the cheap people in the world. This AC3 plugin is the only cheap plugin that is Dolby Certified, but it is only 2.0 channels. You are guaranteed the audio will work in all DVD players. I tried BeSweet and other free AC3 encoders. They gave me problems in my Pioneer player, and in my friends player. MP2 audio is not supported officially for NTSC DVD.

The plugin can also be used standalone. Go into TMPGEnc directory, and run TMPGEnc Sound Player. Then click encode button and drag any WAV files to the encoder, and choose encode.

[Kool_Aid]

It can also be used in DVDLab

Who cares if it calls home.....pirates?