Question about using AC3 sound

OldTimer wrote on 7/19/2003, 8:28 PM
I was always under the impression that having a project with surround sound would result in having a file where a much percentage of the total was devoted to audio than if you just had wave file audio. Tutorial # 7 from the Jetdv site suggests that since AC3 is compressed that in fact less space is devoted to audio that would be the case if you rendered the audio to wave files. If this is so wouldn't we always be better off rendering to AC3 all of the time particularly since this should either enable you to get more video on the disk or the same amount of video but at a higher quality?

I have a DVD player that can play back almost all sound formats. My computer doesn't however have a 5.1 or 7.1 sound card on it since I hadn't thought of creating a surround sound track on a disk. This being the case can one render a normal 2 channel soundtrack as AC3 thus allowing you devote more of your total DVD space to video?

Comments

aussiemick wrote on 7/20/2003, 2:58 AM
Yes, AC3 stereo.
OldTimer wrote on 7/20/2003, 7:27 PM
That answer doesn't say if the yes apply's to all of my questions? Does it?
PeterWright wrote on 7/21/2003, 4:02 AM
I think DVDA converts audio to AC3 automatically, whether it's Stereo or 5.1.



aussiemick wrote on 7/22/2003, 5:07 AM
AC3 is compressed audio and will give you more space on your DVD for video. If you render for DVD in DVDA it renders audio automatically to AC3 stereo.
farss wrote on 7/26/2003, 2:48 AM
I do this all the time also and I believe the DVD player specs require all player to at least play AC3 stereo. Have to ask why they ever bothered with the linear tracks in that case.

The only problem I still have with AC3 stereo is the level being way down, at least 10dB. Its not exactly a show stopper but still annoying. I've tried some of the suggestions elsewhere on this forum and none of them make a shred of difference that I can hear.

PS, good to see some Aussies posting here!
AnotherMovieMaker wrote on 7/26/2003, 8:53 AM
I have a minor problem with coding in AC3 stereo also.

I have a 5.1 surround sound system connected to my TV. Whenever I play back the DVD I made with DVDA, for some reason, the left and right channel sounds come from the REAR speakers instead of the front speakers.

Again, I rendered using the DVD stereo format in AC3, not the 5.1 surround, and the sound/voices come from my rear speakers.

I've checked some settings in DVDA, but couldn't find anything pertaining to this, unless I've missed something somewhere.
aussiemick wrote on 7/27/2003, 2:55 AM
When you put vinyl LP's through for burning onto CD's you use Normalise plugin to correct low volume without distortion. Can't see it in Vegas, but someone might have a workaround. Any ideas on the forum.
Mick
farss wrote on 7/28/2003, 7:14 AM
Right click audio track, select switches and then normalise.