Just to keep the terminology straight, a DVD can have up to 8 audio programs (English, French, German, etc.) and each program can have multiple channels (left, right, surrounds, etc.).

You could probably do a crude dual-language audio project by putting one language on the left channel and the other language on the right channel, but that's not how it's done in the real world.

There are several DVD authoring system that can do multiple audio programs. The ones that quickly come to mind are DVD Wise/Junior, Pinnacle Impression, and Sonic Reel DVD. These programs are definitely not entry-level, and cost upwards of $500-1,000.

While the authoring of the DVD is done with these kinds of programs, the creation of multiple-program audio can be done very nicely on Vegas. I'm doing one right now, but it's not multiple languages; it's instead a main audio program and a second program for "director's commentary."

If one is inclined to play with stuff like IFO files etc., & if you're determined enough, it might be possible to do your DVD layout in DVDA, then add the additional audio track or tracks. It would not be technically easy, would involve using manual DVD authoring tools from places like digital-digest.com, but should be able I *think* to get something working. I don't know if you'd approach this from a multi angle aspect, or have to create vob files with the extra audio track.

It might involve creating two DVD layouts, one in each language, and taking parts from each, and it might be the case that you could only choose the language in the player, not the menu as on most DVDs.

There are tools out there can can allow you to create standard audio streams in Vegas 4
and change or remap the stream id. (IE: VSTRIP)

Create your video with multiple tracks and turn off ones you don't want immediately
encoded. Create say an english.AC3 file for english. Turn off english tracks and turn on
spanish tracks. Rencode the AC3 file with a different name. Remap the substream id
in the spanish.AC3 file from 0x80 to 0x81 using VSTRIP.

Using DVDA create a menu page to select "Play Movie in English" as one button
and "Play Movie in Spanish" as the second button. Create the DVD using the video
and english AC3 files.

Use a program such as IFOEDIT and add pre process event commands for both buttons
to change the language stream for 0x80 and 0x81 respectfully.
Use a program such as .. to remultiplex the VOB file(s) to include the spanish stream
. You can use VOBEDIT to see the stream relationships in a multiligual commercial
DVD Use IFOEDIT again to fix the pointers and burn with say NERO.

Alot of work so we are all hoping the next major release of DVDA will have
multiple audio streams.

Cool! Thought it should be possible, but haven't tried it with multiple streams and was unsure how it would be accomplished. Doom9 has the software and a few tuts on basic use of the software mentioned if it helps anyone.

"Use a program such as IFOEDIT and add pre process event commands for both buttons
to change the language stream for 0x80 and 0x81 respectfully. [...] "
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Could you explain in a bit more detail how to do this? I've been trying for several days to figure this very thing out, but have not managed it, or found any indication that this is even possible.

I'm trying to author a DVD with two audio streams (normal and "director's commentary"). I have Authoringware DVD Junior (full version) which does support multiple audio tracks. I'd use it, except that its built-in encoder for menus gives very poor quality (all graphic and text edges are rough and blocky). So I want to use one of my newer applications, like SoFo DVD-A, or Ulead DVD-WS which have good quality menus. I've tried DVDLab which has acceptable menus as well. Unfortunately, none of these tools support multiple audio tracks.

So, I had hoped to use IfoEdit to enable me to "mix and match" the finished program VOBs from DVD-Junior with a menu page from eg. DVD-A or DVD-WS. So far I can't make this work. DVD-Lab advertises the capability to import raw VOBs as assets but if they have multiple audio tracks, they don't actually work in the finished project. On various boards (eg. www.doom9.net) I've seen people asking similar questions but no examples of anyone who has made this work.

I am working on a website with a downloadable sample project but is going to take
some time. It will also have a program to merge a DVD-A generated VOB with a
second AC3 stream. (Sorry I am working only with AC3 these days)

You can test your VOB with multiple streams by pressing the AUDIO button on your
DVD players remote.

You must have turned off the AUDIO STREAM CHANGE user prohibit flag in the VTS_PGC_1
entry in each chain in the VTS_PCITI table.

Using IFOEDIT open the \\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_0.IFO file.
Locate the VTS_PCITI
locate where the VTS_PGCI start byte is (most likely hex 10)
Open the HexEdit function.

9 bytes from that start byte (hex 19 in this case)
is where you have the USER PROHIBIT bits. Bit 4 bit of this byte needs to be turned off.

Also bytes hex 1C and 1E should have hex 80 and 81 loaded respectfully to indicate
audio streams 0 and 1 are in use.
......................................................................................................................
When you added a pre command in the PGC Command Table you inserted a null.
Then right click to get a pull down edit command. Another pulldown will appear and
select "(SetSTN)Set Audio Stream Nr" and then select stream 0 or 1.
Remember you are playing the same file so make sure the SetSTN is the first
pre command so that the stream is selected BEFORE playing!

I will keep everyone posted as I make some progress but I can not give anyone
a date as I am swamped.

Thanks for the excellent info RCourtney, I am beginning to see how the IfoEdit modification process could work now, and I may already have enough information to achieve the authoring I have in mind. In any case I'll look forward to anything further you will be able to post when you have time. I'm still fuzzy about when PGC Command Table instructions are executed, is this upon entering a menu page, starting a video program, and/or attached to individual menu buttons? At any rate thanks again for the info!
-john

Actually I should not be giving tech advice late at night.
It is very complex and that is why a sample project is needed to explain the process.

DVD players are event driven, button pressed, title finished, etc

You also need to edit the VMG_VTS_ATRT video title set attributes
VTS Title Audio_1 attributes table position hex 11f nees to be set to 2
and duplicate the contents of hex 121 to 128

The VTSI_MAT also contains a description of the type of AC3 in the second stream
offset hex 103 needs to be changed from 1 to 2. The attributes of offset 104 to 10B
needs to be copied to 10C through 113


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For everyone going WHAT???? it will be explained in the website I am working on.