And as for the second part of your question ("Is there not a way to render a WS DVD MPEG-2 file that includes audio that's compatible with DVD Architect?"), the answer is no. I don't know why, but I'd assume that Sony has its reasons. And anyhow, at least it used to be that even if you gave DVDA an MPEG2 that includes AC3 audio, it would rip the file apart and RE-encode the audio anyhow. I forget if that's still the case -- I've gotten so used to doing two files.

Simplest thing would be to do your audio first since that's going to take the lesser amount of time. When that's done, start the video and go take your coffee break or work on something else.

There are scripts around that will let you press a button and it will do one file, then the other, but personally I haven't gotten around to using any of them.

Rob

I don't know why, but I'd assume that Sony has its reasons.

-- You can have separate audio tracks with one video; surround, stereo, languages, narrative, karaoke, whatever.
-- You can replace an audio track if you don't like it without having to render the video again. Saves hours of time.
-- AC-3 sounds better than mp2 audio.

Those consumer programs that authored with MP2 audio don't even do surround, much less any of the other things mentioned above.

BTW, Architect won't re-encode AC-3 audio embedded in VOB files.

"Last week I started six renders at the same time, set my machine to hibernate after the time I thought the projects would be finished and left for the day."

Do you mean that you opened 6 instances of Vegas to accomplish this?

A couple of other alternatives for the original poster to accomplish his task:

1) Use the batch render script to automate sequential rendering of mpeg & AC-3.

2) Use network rendering to the local machine. This queues up the jobs in a single window and they run consecutively. Much tidier than opening up multiple instances of Vegas. (but, no, they do not run concurrently, if that's an issue...)

I think you misunderstood my post, musicvid. My question was about Vegas refusing to output an MPEG2 with AC3 audio (the actual format was implied by me quoting "compatible with DVD Architect").

Rob

I didn't actually misunderstand your post, Rob, it was kind of an indirect response to why it would not be preferable to render MPEG-2/AC-3 in Vegas if we could, even though the way we do it now involves an extra step.

I suppose the real answer lies in the complexity of licensing agreements between MC, Dolby, and Sony; when there are instances where a simple (single) render without the other options is preferred.

Hope I haven't dug myself deeper by thinking around your question rather than responding directly.

FWIW I use two video editing products, not from Sony, and both render mpeg video, with AC3, sound that DVDAS is happy to accept without re-encoding. In one case the .mpg files have to be renamed as .vob in the other they can remain as .mpg.

Mike

Thanks for the help and the discussion guys. Really helped clear some things up. I guess for now I'll just keep letting Vegas render the audio. I'd rather do it all in one step rather than creating two files. Seems like more confusion for the same amount of time. I guess the trade off is that you'll have better audio, but for my projects I'm not so concerned about stellar audio.

I guess the thing that made a believer out of me is the ability to replace the audio track quickly. I can render a new audio in 20 min. compared to 1-1/2 hrs. for a full render.

When I play my first DVD version, I always find half a dozen things I want to do slightly different with the audio. Usually by the fourth or fifth version, I can begin to live with it. Even 0.1dB too loud in the rear speakers is noticeable to me.

How important is project settings in DVDA?
When I render mpeg cbr 6000/AC3 384 files in Vegas and open it in a DVDA with project set at default mpeg 8000/AC3 192 there is no
sign ("no messages to display") from DVDA for recompression of either video or audio.
Does this mean that DVDA recompresses without telling me?
I use to set the apropriate settings in DVDA project settings but
I don´t know if I need to.
Is there a way to confirm AC3 bit setting after authoring at all?
/Aje

The compression settings in the project properties are the defaults used when something is going to be recompressed either because it's not compliant or because you've specifically gone in and set an item to be recompressed. This also applies to menus to which you've added any DVDA-created content such as buttons, thumbnails, titles, etc.

For project content that is already fully compliant and you have not specifically told DVDA to recompress, the compression settings in project properties is ignored.

Rob

Hopefully a simple question....
When I render a separate AC3 audio track using the Vegas Dolby pro encoder, I then import it into dvd arch and it lines up and burns no problem. However, it's really quiet compared to using the original audio from the project. Is there something or setting in either the AC3 render in Vegas or arch that's causing this?? This is even after peak normalizing it to -0.2 db.

Thanks

"Is there something or setting in either the AC3 render in Vegas or arch that's causing this??"

This has been discussed several times. A search for 'dialog normalization' will yield the answer you seek.