AC3 question

[Rach420]

Hi all,

I have a mpeg2 video with ac3 audio that I want to put on dvd.
How do I make the dvd with 2 audio tracks(ac3 + mp2)?
Can I just convert the ac3 to mp2 or wav?

Also is it possible and is there any benefit to converting the ac3 audio to dts?

[techreactor]

you will have to use something like DVDlab pro to author your DVD and use HeadAC3he to convert your AC3 source to MP2.

No benefit in converting the AC3 to DTS and I dont think you can also.(since DTS uses higher bitrates not present in your source)

Once you have your Video and audio(2) streams, use DVD labpro to author your DVD.

[jsoto]

There is no reason to convert ac3 to mp2 and keep both tracks.

AFAIK, mp2 gives better results at low bit rate, and mp2 codec are free (BeSweet can do it easily).

So I can understand a conversion from ac3 to mp2 to reduce the bitrate, but with the intention to use only one track (the mp2 one) in the new authored DVD.

Don't forget that ac3 is mandatory in a DVD, but usually (at least in Europe) a mp2 is also decoded w/o any problem by a settop, so you can remove the ac3 track.

jsoto

[LT. Columbo]

simple ac3 to wav conversion can be acheived with a freeware program called "px3's ac3 to wav converter" but i'd keep the ac3 in the first place.

[Rach420]

Thanks guys for the help.

Does this make sense?

I want both ac3 and mp2 tracks, so when I watch the DVD with my 5.1 receiver I can choose the ac3 track, and when I watch the DVD on just a regular DVD player / TV, I can use the mp2 track.

Ac3(dolby digital) is better than stereo right? If so, I would definitely want to keep the ac3.

[techreactor]

AC3 5.1 is definitely better, its surround sound. But you dont need to keep a MP2 for your reasons since the AC3 will be downconverted to a stereo sound when played by a normal DVD player.