The audio formats required for DVD (mpeg2) include AC-3 and LPCM - but the Vegas render setting for mpeg2 only allows MPEG audio format. There is no option for LPCM or AC-3.
So, unless I transfer my render directly to DVD Architect, how do I export a DVD-ready file from Vegas with AC-3 or LPCM audio?
Which application do you intend to use to make your DVD and what file types does it require?
Which application do you intend to use to make your DVD and what file types does it require?
Well - if you open DVD Architect outside of Vegas (as a stand-alone app) it expects mpeg2 video and either LPCM or AC-3 audio. If you give it some other audio or video format it will re-compress it (usually not a good thing).
So, what I'm wondering is why these audio formats are not part of the Vegas rendering options for DVD? How do you render a DVD video file from Vegas with AC-3 or LPCM audio?
Because other audio settings do not belong to the Video DVD specifications
Not true.
The following audio formats are supported by the DVD specification:
MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio
Dolby Digital (AC-3) audio (mono up to six channels)
DTS multichannel audio
PCM audio (pulse code modulation audio; used by the AIFF and WAVE formats)
Vegas only allows MPEG - yet DVD Architect only accepts AC-3 or LPCM (without recompressing). It's a strange mismatch.
Please read the Vegas Pro online Help (F1) item "Rendering Projects for Use in DVD Architect" and come back after that. Also "Burning a DVD from the timeline".
Cornico, he probably gets them from here https://www.videohelp.com/dvd. But as you know the render settings have been discussed on the forum(s) here about 1K times. Also here.
Please read the Vegas Pro online Help (F1) item "Rendering Projects for Use in DVD Architect" and come back after that.
OK, I've read it. To export an audio format other than mpeg for DVD it appears you need to render the audio and video separately as two separate processes/files. In other words, it's not possible to render a DVD-ready, mpeg2 video file from Vegas with an embedded AC-3 or PCM audio file. That's weird - why not?
Can you provide me a link where that is stated for a specific and default Video DVD?
Here's one source, likely many others: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD-Video
Grandmaster Nick to the rescue as always https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/scs-help-avoiding-recompression-in-dvd-architect--105496/
Further from an old VPro webinar: "Recompression only takes place when you’ve imported media that doesn’t properly match the requirements of burning the disc. If you import MPEG-2 video for DVDs and MPEG-2 or AVC (H.264) video for Blu-ray discs as well as AC3 audio (or PCM) for both types, the only compression DVD Architect will have to do is for the menus or any multiple video angles."
And "If you give DVD Architect video with embedded audio, it will re-encode the audio, even if both streams are compliant."
This was my response to a similar question.
Any pro DVD program will expect separate files so you need to render AC3 or PCM separately. If you need a single file you can mux the files using various programs that can be found online.
david-tu wrote on 11/25/2017, 7:37 AM
In the US, an MPEG audio track is not part of the standard. Only AC3 and PCM. DVDA (as well as any other DVD authoring program) will have to demux the mpg file before it can create the DVD so why not give it two separate files? You have to remember that a DVD can have multiple audio tracks so all of the tracks (video and audio) are treated as separate entities. DTS was added later.
Why separate audio? Let me count the reasons.
1. Quick replacement of an audio track without rendering the video again.
2. Multiple audio tracks - - languages, narrative, karaoke, anything the mind can devise.
3. Vastly superior audio to the deprecated mpeg-1 layer 2 audio that was popular in the 1990s.
4. Dolby Digital or Discrete PCM Surround sound.
Thats why professional authoring does it this way. Simply - - - better.
Thanks @Former user for the comments I knew were there and wanted to find :)
A note: all PAL players should accept ntsc DVD without complaining--no need to render to PAL resolution or frame rate.
Frankly 29.97 is still low for me.
PAL playback always looked soft horizontally to me.
The one advantage pal dv has is 420 subsampling. Ntsc 411 becomes 410 after conversion, causing red channel splatter
That PAL flicker always bothered me. I guess it is what you get used to viewing.
And "If you give DVD Architect video with embedded audio, it will re-encode the audio, even if both streams are compliant."
Ahh hah! I missed that entirely!
OK, so - authoring a DVD with PCM/AC-3/DTS audio requires two separate files - not embedded. Even if you could produce such a file from Vegas, DVDA would re-encode it!
OK, thanks everyone. I've learned a lot today!
And "If you give DVD Architect video with embedded audio, it will re-encode the audio, even if both streams are compliant."
That's contrary to my experience. If, when making a SD DVD, I give DVDA a VOB or mpeg file containing AC3 audio it doesn't recompress either video or audio.
But with Blu-ray it's different and yes it doesn't like embedded audio. But then neither does it like AC3 separate stream prepared by Vegas.
My experience with Vegas Pro 8 was that mpg/ac3 would always render, and vob/ac3 would sometimes mux, but not necessarily every time.