AC-3 Problem/question

rphtx wrote on 4/10/2003, 10:09 PM
In vegas 4, I encoded an mpeg2 video (for use in dvda, without audio..normal template) and also it's corresponding audio file in .ac3 The playback in vegas is mixed in 5.1 and It sounds great. Two probs:
First, when I bring the files into dvda and play them, the audio sends to the FL,FR and sub channels (stereo) and is not in 5.1 as when I listen to it in Vegas 4. Yes, I know about the center channel bar level and figured that out when the dvd I burned didn't have the center channel. So, in preview mode in dvda it is not playing back in 5.1 as it does in Vegas 4.0. When I burned my dvd, there is nothing coming through the subs on my home system, although it plays correctly on vegas 4.
I'm a bit confused as to why there is nothing going to the sub/LFE channel. This is a rock concert, so there IS bass :)
The other problem is that in vegas, the levels are loud and sound great, but in dvda its like they are being normalized to such a low volume. I have found a setting in the template in vegas 4.0 (when encoding something to .ac3) called "dialog normalization" that I suspect may be causing the problem. Also the settings for input filtering seem to possibly be creating a volume problem and may also be why my LFE channel is being modified when it gets pulled into dvda.
Anyone having a similar prob or even wondering what I'm referring to?
Thanks in advance

Comments

dvddude wrote on 4/14/2003, 9:40 AM

I can't speak for the 5.1 problem, but the AC3 low volume levels seem to be a universal issue; many of us here have posted about it. The dialog normalization for me seems to only make things worse.

We really need a manual for this stuff! The plug-in has no online help, and everything is trial-and-error trying to get good AC3.

Funny thing is that I did two discs that sound fine, and a third using the exact same settings is so low in volume that it's inaudible. And I always normalize the gain to its highest level in Vegas before exporting, so it isn't the source volume.

I hope someone can explain this soon.