What is your Dolby 5.1 workflow

MarkFoley wrote on 11/25/2007, 12:49 AM

Curious to what users workflow they use if they are doing surround sound projects...specifically where you have multiple sequences going into a final/main project. How do you successfully nest a surround project? or do you pre render?...thanks in advance

Comments

riredale wrote on 11/25/2007, 5:08 PM

Mark:

I've done about 5 surround-sound projects to date. They generally have taken the form of a 2 hour (more or less) documentary with 4-channel audio.

The rear audio is not synthesized, but the actual audio recorded simultaneously with the conventional front audio. I've used Minidisc for this purpose in the past.

I do all my editing with just the front two channels. When I have a finished project, I pull out the rear audio and locate the rear audio for each shot. Synching takes time, since I don't have any sort of timecode on the rear audio. After balancing all tracks, I render to AC-3 on the Vegas timeline.

There's apparently no way to do nesting with surround audio.

ChristoC wrote on 11/25/2007, 9:31 PM

> When I have a finished project, I pull out the rear audio and locate the rear audio for each shot. Synching takes time, ..>

Sure would eat up time; you can bring in all channels for each sequence at start of project, and Group them, with the pictures if necessary.

vicmilt wrote on 11/26/2007, 3:39 AM

What soundboards are you guys using for 5.1 surround?
Speaker systems?

JeffreyPFisher wrote on 11/27/2007, 11:44 AM

I use a Focusrite Saffire which has 8 outs two for stereo and the other six for surround. I'm using the MX-4 system from M-Audio which I don't think is available as a kit today.

JPF

Ethan Winer wrote on 11/27/2007, 12:26 PM

> What soundboards are you guys using for 5.1 surround? Speaker systems? <

I do surround mixing on a Dell laptop with a Presonus FireBOX sound card connected to an inexpensive Pioneer home theater receiver. The receiver goes to Mackie 624 speakers plus a big bad SVS subwoofer.

--Ethan

UKAndrewC wrote on 11/27/2007, 2:32 PM

I tend to mix mine as part of the workflow.

I use an inexpensive sound card based on a cmedia 1876+ which has a Dolby Digital output which is fed into the ridiculously low priced Goodmans GHC 57 FMPRO.

The advantage of that system is it is a home cinema setup, which is what most people will view my editing on.

Home cinema has a different power dynamic to a PC system. It has most of the power coming from front speakers with the rear, centre and woofer intended for effects and filling in.

This is in contrast to PC speakers where the sound is intended to more immersive, not biased towards the front.

One other small advantage is that it keeps the same stereo dynamic for stereo projects.

Anyway, for less than £100 for the card, amp and speakers, it works really well.

Andrew