Video Studio will not accept MPEG2 file with AC3 audio

eclipse · Post by **eclipse** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 10:20 pm

I'm want to use VIdeo Studio 9 SE to burn an MPEG-2 file (from elsewhere) to disc. The MPEG2 file has AC3 audio.. However, when I select Share/Create disc, then select add video file, when I try to add the file a message pops up saying that the file contains Dolby Digital audio tracks and that such tracks are not supported. I read that VS9 supports AC3, but it appears not. Is there a plug-in or other way around this?

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 11:07 pm

VS accepts AC-3 audio, with one exception, I am afraid, and that is when the version of VS contains SE in the name... It means 'special edition', but in reality is a cut down version, usually distributed (free) with some piece of hardware or as a teaser to induce people to buy the full program. The problem is that Dolby requires that a licence fee be paid for each and every distribution of its codec, and that means that software companies like Ulead/Corel are not going to pay the fee and then give the limited version of their programs free.

You will need to do a Google search for an AC-3 filter. I know there is (or at least, was) one on videohelp.com -- though that would only allow the SE versions to import the AC-3 audio. However, it would not allow output in AC-3. You would have to use one of the other DVD-compatible audio formats for that (i.e. LPCM or mpeg layer 2).

eclipse · Post by **eclipse** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:50 am

Thanks. I knew about the license fee, and suspected that the absence of AC3 support had something to do with the fact that I have the SE version (which indeed was bundled with hardware). Oh well. Will have to make do. I'm only putting one hour of video on the DVDs and thus have space for LPCM audio (even at a high video bitrate). I'd use MPEG layer 2, but I know it is not part of the DVD standard. On the other hand, my understanding is that pretty much all modern players will play it.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:01 am

You understanding is correct on both counts. Mpeg layer 2 is not part of the NTSC DVD audio standard -- but it is formally a part of the PAL standard. Why the difference, I don't know. But most modern NTSC stand-alone players will play it anyway. It mainly seemed to be the higher price name brands that had difficulty with it anyway. But these days, with the mass imports of much cheaper Chinese, Korean and Taiwanese players, they will basically play anything round and silver that you put in them!!