Audio setting

sender · Post by **sender** » Sun May 22, 2005 2:01 am

In dws2 v2.231 template manager's audio settings, AC3 type, audio coding mode, there are several choices including 2/0 (LR) and 3/2 (L,C,R,SL,SR). I am not able to select 3/2 even if I choose 448 Kbps which is the max. I can only use 2/0. I have prepared 5.1 AC3 for my title and use dws only for authoring. But since dws only use 2/0 in the template, it sometimes convert my audio from 5ch back to 2ch. Is there a way to set the coding mode to 3/2?

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Sun May 22, 2005 7:10 am

Have you tried in the Audio tab seeing whether the checkbox to keep conforming files from being re-encoded is checked or unchecked?

Also some apps to prepare 3/2 or 5/1 which do not use a Dolby licence are hairy and will force re-encoding if they do not strictly conform. WS2 has a Dolby licence but I think only for 2/0; Dolby charge a fortune for their more complex licences, which would make higher audio formatting non-competitive.

sender · Post by **sender** » Sun May 22, 2005 11:11 am

I've checked the audio tab and all are unchecked.

Thanks for the info regarding DD licence. But all my 5.1 AC3 are encoded in the same way with Besweet. When putting into dws it sometime re-encode to 2ch AC3 but sometime just "copy" and retain 5.1. I just don't know how to control it. If dws only has licence for 2ch, why there is an option to select for 5ch AC3 (FL, C, FR, SL, SR)?

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Sun May 22, 2005 2:37 pm

The Dolby licence is for encoding 2/0 but the MC licence allows 5/1 etc. that has already been encoded to be passed, untouched. Two different things, n'est-ce pas?

If WS is not passing your 5/1 without re-encoding, it must be because your input file is not DVD-compliant MPEG-2, in some way or another. I fear this cannot be a fault to lay at the door of WS2. I don't know BeSweet, so I had a look at their site, which was a little thin on details. I see no mention that they have a Dolby licence. If this is the case, is it possible that their encoder produces non-compliant AC3 under some circumstances? Frankly, I don't know, but I could foresee the possibility.

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Sun May 22, 2005 3:24 pm

sender wrote:I've checked the audio tab and all are unchecked.

Thanks for the info regarding DD licence. But all my 5.1 AC3 are encoded in the same way with Besweet. When putting into dws it sometime re-encode to 2ch AC3 but sometime just "copy" and retain 5.1. I just don't know how to control it. If dws only has licence for 2ch, why there is an option to select for 5ch AC3 (FL, C, FR, SL, SR)?

Following up on what Devil has said: BeSweet is known for NOT encoding proper Dolby Digital streams. Just one of the problems is that certain bit orders are reversed.

This is what you get for not using a legal encoder.

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Mon May 23, 2005 8:52 pm

Let's hope Ulead get's with-it soon!

The good news is that Dolby seems to have a new low-cost license called Dolby 5.1 Creator.

A press release says you can get a $9.00 add-on to Pinnacle Studio ($100) But, I can't find it on Pinnacle's site.

Another press release says Nero has it too.

Clearly, the free "default" AC3 encoder for BeSweet (AC3enc) is unlicensed. Somewhere, I saw instructions for using the fully licensed Surcode AC3 encoder ($1000) with BeSweet... Or maybe it was the Surcode DTS encoder (only $500).

sender · Post by **sender** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 3:24 am

Tried the Nero one and able to produce 5.1ch AC3. But when I put it to dws, it still re-encode it to 2ch. Worse than the one from Besweet is that for the Nero output, the "Convert to template" box in dws audio tab is always checked and can't be unchecked.

Back to my original post, seems that no one knows why in dws there is audio mode for 3/2 (L,C,R,SL,SR) but cannot be selected. I believe if I can choose this mode, dws will not re-encode my 5.1 to 2ch. I think the licence has nothing to do with this since I already have a 5.1ch for dws. dws only need to copy direct, no encoding licence is needed. But since the audio mode cannot be set to 3/2, dws acts according to the template and convert my 5.1 to 2ch.

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 9:26 am

If your "convert" box cannot be unchecked, this means that your file(s) are NOT DVD-compliant, no matter what. It therefore forces re-encoding and audio will be 2/0. If your 5/1 is DVD-compliant to Dolby specs, it will default to unchecked.

mmelberg · Post by **mmelberg** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 5:31 pm

Anyone figure this one out? I am having the same problem, not able to select 3/2 (L,C,R,SL,SR). I am sourcing the 5.1 AC3 file from Dolby Recorder and a DP569 Digital encoder (real Dolby hardware encoder) so no question that the file is compliant. The "convert" box is unchecked. Will the software not pass a 5.1 Ac3 correctly?

Thanks,

Matt

ploggy · Post by **ploggy** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 5:02 pm

as far as i know, all ulead software defaults to 2ch dolby when encoding. just like what devil said, if your mpeg is DVD compliant with 5.1ch, Workshop may skip reencoding the video/audio so you can retain the 5.1ch. if the file is not DVD compliant, you may use the "surround sound emulation" under the audio tab. see the manual or help file for the definition of this option.

mmelberg · Post by **mmelberg** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 9:20 pm

The software is not passing the 5.1 ac3 file through, but re-encoding as a 2.0. I think the source of confusion here is that it can do 5.1, but only when it is already embedded in a video file. The process that I need to happen is to import video and audio separately, then burn to DVD without any re-encoding of the audio.

I guess the answer is that DWS does not support imported 5.1 ac3 files.

Anyone have any other information?

Thanks,

Matt

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:05 am

That would seem eminently logical. It's clear that if you a video-only mpeg-2 file and an audio file of any flavour, there has to be a re-encoding to produce a compliant file. The 5.1 file must be an integral part of the DVD-compliant MPEG file for it to "pass through" without re-encoding.

mmelberg · Post by **mmelberg** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:34 pm

Agreed, but in higher end DVD authoring systems, this is how things are done - ie capture/import video file, import 5.1 ac3 file from audio mixing session, import graphics and layout for menus etc. then author the title which then marries all this together to the DVD spec. Believe me, I am no novice as to this process, just wanting a down and dirty cheap solution such as DWS to work in this manner. I guess you get what you pay for!

Thanks for your comments.

Matt