Dolby Digital AC-3 encoding for DVD

DJ_Izumi · Post by **DJ_Izumi** » Wed May 05, 2004 5:30 pm

I've been attempting to transcode audio to DD AC3 2.0 for the purposes of DVD. I've been using BeSweet but I've been getting odd results. I transcode to AC-3 and the result is an AC-3 file that plays fine in the computer, FooBar plays it, WMP plays it, no problem. I then mux the AC-3 stream into my Mpeg or my DVD and it dies, nothing but flat silence. At first I thaught it was a muxing problem.

To test this idea, I demuxed the AC-3 stream from a Dolby Digital VOB I got offline, then muxed it into another file, the audio played back fine. So the issue lies within my encoding itself, somewhere it dies off. Any ideas?

NME · Post by **NME** » Wed May 05, 2004 9:56 pm

Your DVD player sucks?
You're trying to put AC3 audio in an MPEG2 file on a CD?
You're a dipshit?

DJ_Izumi · Post by **DJ_Izumi** » Wed May 05, 2004 10:04 pm

No, the AC-3 isn't playing back in WinDVD, PowerDVD or my DVD player. Also, as I said before, all 3 of these players will playback AC-3 streams that wern't encoded by me, such as the one I said I muxed out of a DD trailer. That clearly shoots down any possability that my hardware/software can't playback AC-3. Also, I havn't done anything with Mpeg on a CD, I'm using DVD. I don't even know where you got that from.

If you're going to flame me, would you mind reading my whole post carefully first and then flaming towards things I HAVN'T mentioned? If you're going to be an asshole at least do it right.

Tab. · Post by **Tab.** » Wed May 05, 2004 10:11 pm

Dunno. ac3enc sucks.

DJ_Izumi · Post by **DJ_Izumi** » Wed May 05, 2004 10:12 pm

I'm starting to belive this. Are there any other freeware AC3 encoders?

I think I can get a freeware Adobe Audition plugin for AC3 but that's far from efficent. :\

Tab. · Post by **Tab.** » Thu May 06, 2004 12:19 am

There are supposed compatibility problems with ac3enc, so your problem isn't impossible. As for other free ac3 encoders...... no. You have to drop big bucks or get them in the alley behind fifth on monday nights.

mckeed · Post by **mckeed** » Thu May 06, 2004 7:55 am

What exactly you trying to do btw? There might be a better option than what you are doing depending on what your end game is.

mckeed · Post by **mckeed** » Thu May 06, 2004 7:56 am

Oh yeah, its a known issue the BeSweet doesn't make AC3 compliant streams. That is probally why your software DVD players won't play it.

narcted · Post by **narcted** » Thu May 06, 2004 12:35 pm

DJ_Izumi wrote:I'm starting to belive this. Are there any other freeware AC3 encoders?

I think I can get a freeware Adobe Audition plugin for AC3 but that's far from efficent. :\

Ulead DVD Movie Factory 3.0 and DVD Workshop 2.0 will encode AC-3 onto the DVDs they author. The trials will not support AC-3 though. There are liscence fees that need to be paid to Dolby Studios, which is why the trials do not have AC-3 and probably make it unlikely you will find a freeware encoder.