Author DVD with Dolby Digital sound (ac3)

[DVDFan99]

My goal is to author DVD with Dolby Digital sound (ac3).

So I extracted video file m2v from AVI using TMPGEnc

I then extracted audio file ac3 using VirtualDub (renamed to ac3) as described at: http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/userguides/91588.php

I wanted to merge (mux) these 2 files into DVD-formatted mpg, but TMPGEnc doesn't accept ac3, so I tried to use HeadAC3he (with azid.dll in the same folder of HeadAC3he as mentioned by its author) to fix the problem of TMPGEnc, but HeadAC3he gave me the error "Could not find AC3 header"

What worng have I done? Or is there any way to make DVD with Dolby Digital? (I am using Ulead DVD Workshop)

Please help
DVDFan99

[BJ_M]

TMPGenc will mux ac3 files no problem , but are you sure your avi file has a ac3 file ? and futher -- how did you extract a m2v (mpeg file) from a avi ?

[DVDFan99]

For whether AVI has ac3, I am not sure. Here is how I ripped video into AVI: my sourse was from an analog signal (VCR with S-Video output), but I used a Sony TRV340 DV camcorder to convert analog signal into digital signal (that is, from VCR to Sony DV camcorder through S-video & A/V cables, and then from camcorder to PC through a 4-pin firwire cable). I used Pinnacle Studio 7 to capture AVI (with ATI All-in-Wonder 8500 capture card).

Is there anyway I can check to see if my AVI has ac3? (My AVI was captured with "DV Video Encoder" codec, which is supposed to produce digital AVI)

I extracted m2v from AVI using this remarkable guide:
http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0165394101/TMPGEnc_Template.html[/quote]

[DVDFan99]

The correct link of above is:
http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0165394101/TMPGEnc_Template.html

[BJ_M]

you didnt rip it - you encoded it ... big diff....

your audio is not ac3 dolby digital .. you will have to extract a wav file from your avi and then convert it to 48khz , then encode it to ac3 with one of the various ac3 encoders ... this will get you 2ch ac3 ... if you want 5:1 , you will have to remix the audio in a audio editor that supports surround sound ...

[Werner_2]

DVDFan99,
the video route you described, definitely cannot have AC3 audio.
Usually you end up with PCM audio when coming that way, so you can only extract what's in the avi and that is a stereo wav - not ac3.
You have to extract the pcm wav then use an ac3 encoder to make an ac3 track.
I think that wouldn't make much sense for surround sound since an input of stereo will produce an output of stereo. The only use would be if you're NTSC to save some space by not using PCM audio.

regards
Werner

[Nolonemo]

Perhaps this thread will answer your question:

http://www.vcdhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=127976

[DVDFan99]

you will have to extract a wav file from your avi and then convert it to 48khz , then encode it to ac3 with one of the various ac3 encoders ... this will get you 2ch ac3

Can I use TMPGEnc to extract AVI into WAV with setting of 48KHz & 16bit?
And then use an ac3 encoder to encode this WAV file into ac3?

[BJ_M]

yes -- file -> save as ->

BUT make sure either you are using the latest version of tmpgenc and set settings for conversion of sample rate to best quality (not in prev. versions) OR
dont use tmpgenc for the conversion , use tmpgenc and extract wav as 44.1khz and use besweet to sample rate convert --

prev. versions of tmpgenc sux'd on sample rate conversion ..

[DVDFan99]

then encode it to ac3 with one of the various ac3 encoders ... this will get you 2ch ac3

Besweet gave me an error. Do you know any other ac3 encoders out there?

Thanks,
DVDFan99

[Nolonemo]

Sonic Foundry made an encoder called Soft Encode, but since they no longer sell it, it's hard to find a legal copy to acquire. They are on the verge of releasing an AC3 plugin for their Acid 4.0 sound program.

[Video Fixer]

To DVDFan99:
After you got AVI from capturing, do the following:
Use TMPGEnc (with 2 pass VBR): check Video only to create M2V file.
When this done, don't close TMPGEnc. Now with the same screen, check Audio only, click Setting to set at 48KHz and 384Kbs. Click start, not too long after you would have a MP2 file (as the same file name as M2V). We should do this way to avoid the Syn problem.
Now start up ReelDVD and open Project Setting to set Audio Encode to Dolby Digital at 384Kbs. Import M2V first then MP2, ReelDVD will encode your MP2 to AC3 automatically (and gladly).
Don't bother me about where and how to get ReelDVD (i bought it $20 full version). Somebody selling it that cheap by downloading. Try hard in the net, you will catch it.

[ghoster]

or you could rip the ac3 audio form the dvd using dvd2avi then use TMPGEnc to encode. once done go get ifoedit95 and auther the dvd that way using the m2v file from tmpgene and the ac3 file you got from dvd2avi,. then burn the new dvd files with nero....;

[DVDFan99]

Use TMPGEnc (with 2 pass VBR): check Video only to create M2V file.
When this done, don't close TMPGEnc. Now with the same screen, check Audio only, click Setting to set at 48KHz and 384Kbs.

I am very interested in your method. I think I know where to get ReelDVD for $20.

I have been encoding m2v from AVI through this guide (with 2 pass VBR):
http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0165394101/TMPGEnc_Template.html

Unfortunately, I wasn't aware that I should create mp2 right away like you said. So if creat mp2 now (m2v was created couple days ago), will I run into any problem?

Import M2V first then MP2, ReelDVD will encode your MP2 to AC3 automatically

Does this mean ReelDVD will mux m2v and ac3 into mpg?

[Video Fixer]

To DVDFan99:
Don't get confused. We should create M2V and MP2 one right after another without closing TMPGEnc to avoid the Sync problem. But if you use exactly the same AVI file to create M2V and MP2, then you can do M2V first and 99 years later come back to load the same AVI file to do MP2 (guaranty no problem whatsoever).
About ReelDVD. Again, it will automatically turn your MP2 to AC3(not mux or remux or mpg) right when you import it after M2V. But remember to set Project Setting first.

[Thorn]

Don't bother me about where and how to get ReelDVD (i bought it $20 full version). Somebody selling it that cheap by downloading. Try hard in the net, you will catch it.

That's pretty funny. Considering that the full product sells for $1000 from sonic it's a safe bet that whoever sold you ReelDVD for $20 was selling you a pirated copy.