DVD Audio

[Adam40291]

Hey everyone. Here's my deal...I have several audio cd's that I'd like to back up on one DVD in Audio format, very similar to the DVD Audio discs that you can buy in retail stores. I have ripped the files to MP3 format and have downloaded Be Sweet in order to convert them to AC3 (although there must be an easier way...that program sucks way bad....usable but time consuming as anything, and possibly more headache than its worth). Now I need to know how I burn just a DVD audio. Obviously DVD Shrink and DVD Decrypter won't do it, and Nero has no DVD settings for just an audio backup...so how do I go about actually burning the disc? Can anyone help? Blutach? Setarip? NWG? Anyone?

[Adam40291]

ADDENDUM: I realize I'll only be able to play these on home DVD players and the computer...and that's what I want because that's how my sound system is wired anyway.

[blutach]

This is a cross post from a thread that many ppl, including admin himself, have answered in the Off Topic forum.

Use BeSweet with BeLight and it sure as hell doesn't suck.

A DVD Audio is very different to a Video. Very few DVD Video players actually play DVD audio. Read this and come back for more. But please, no X-posting adam.

Regards

[Adam40291]

Okay I'll search in the off topic forum again, but I didn't find anything there before that was helping me....The BeSweet program is well put together...but not user friendly. I figured out how to reconvert the files, but if that program is supposed to author the burn as well, I don't see/understand how to do it.

[blutach]

Just where did these files come from? And what are you trying to do? Why did you make them MP3s. If they were VOBs, you could have ripped the AC-3 (or DTS or LPCM) streams you want directly with DVD Decrypter.

DVD-Audio can have up to 2 audio streams in the Audio zone (AUDIO_TS), each having 1 to 6 channels. Sample fequency is from 44.1 to 192kHz.

Note: In order to make a DVD-Audio play in ANY DVD-Video player, you must include an AC-3 stream in the VIDEO_TS folder, the other DVD-Audio files should be in the AUDIO_TS folder.

Creating the navigation for DVD-Audio is the same as DVD-Video: Instead of VMGM and VTSs there is AMGM and ATSs which hold audio objects (AOBs). I know of no easy editor that can create this for you - the other thread has suggested some, which you can try. The data structures are similar to VOBs, but of course a lot simpler (no need for video or interleaving etc).

If you just want to play the audio track of a music video, say, what I would do is do it ALL in the video zone and blank out the video stream (0xE0). DVD Shrink could accomplish this very easily with its still image function. This way you could have a menu, with 8 audio streams, not just 2 (as the DVD-Audio standard specifies).

Regards

[Adam40291]

Okay, one more time...these are 4 audio music CD's and I would like to back them up to 1 DVD disc in order for playback on my stereo system, through my DVD player. There are no Video files involved, only audio. I need the authoring software for DVD audio.

[blutach]

Have you tried to just drop the MP3 to your DVD? This works on my player and you can even use separate folders for the various CDs. However, many players may not support this feature.

I'd be surprsied if you needed "DVD-Audio" at all for this.

Regards

[Adam40291]

I searched the Off Topic forums again, and there was nothing that covers my topic, in fact, everyone seems to feel that what I want to accomplish is impossible.

[Adam40291]

Its not that I need the DVD audio, it's that I want it. First off the MP3 files of the 4 CDs barely reach 8% of the overall capacity of the disc, and I don't want to waste that much space. Secondly, if I can use BeSweet to convert the audiofiles to an AC3 2.0 or even 5.1 channel audio, or PCM, then I'd prefer the greater quality.

[blutach]

Try what I said. I have made a few DVDs with just MP3 on them. You pop them in the root directory (or a sub folder), not in any VIDEO_TS or AUDIO_TS folder. They are what is known as DVD-ROM files.

The OSD should show you your folder structure and you can navigate to the track you want to play.

Regards

[blutach]

Originally posted by Adam40291
Its not that I need the DVD audio, it's that I want it. First off the MP3 files of the 4 CDs barely reach 8% of the overall capacity of the disc, and I don't want to waste that much space.

You could use an RW and of course, you could up the bitrate on your MP3 - they don't have to be 64/128k

However, it seems that I am not being much help and you are getting aggravated. Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance.

Regards

[Adam40291]

Okay...if that's my only recourse, I already knew that would work but I wanted to author it as DVD-Audio. It is apparently possible if you want to spend the money, but I was hoping for freeware similar to DVD Shrink and DVD Decrypter.

[Adam40291]

I am always aggravated when I can't accomplish what I want...its a personality fault. Blutach, I beg your pardon and hope you do not take it personally. You have been of great help in the past and I value your advice immensly(sp), and I would hate to think that I had somehow pi$$ed you off.

[blutach]

Good luck.

A final thought: If it's quality you want, then LPCM at 1536Kb is your best bet. As you know AC-3 and MP3 are quite lossy (though most people can't hear the difference - I presume you can).

If your player supports MP3 playback, it would quite possibly support LPCM. This would be optimum quality - try dropping these files down onto a disk and seeing how you go. Try just a track or two on an RW first.

I know you say you want DVD-Audio, but perhaps the end (having the quality you want on a DVD) is more important than the means (DVD-Audio vs other format)?

Regards

[blutach]

You certainly haven't PMO. Not to worry.

Later

Regards