AC3->MP3 without intermediate files?

[Boost]

Hi!

I'm used to the Linux way of doing things. But is there a way of converting AC3 directly to MP3? Is piping really supported under Windows 2000? I mean I would like to do something like:
azid movie.ac3 - | lame - out.mp3

Is this possible or is it on it's way?

[LigH]

I would be impressed if that would work - as far as I know, all Windows versions simulate such pipelining by writing the output to a temporary file; windows programs started with a command line pipe don't run at the same time, they run after each other.

[ohliuv]

you may consider using graphedit

[Shabubu]

Graphedit is the way to go, worked fine for me doing that anyway (though you wouldn't be using azid)

[LigH]

If someone could write an application which streams the output from the Azid decoder DLL to the LAME MP3 encoder DLL, then this conversion shall be easy. DarkAvenger has some experience with the Azid DLL (he used it in HeadAC3he), and the LAME DLL is well documented.

[DSPguru]

please remind me of where i can find the lame.dll and its' documentation.
i really don't have spare time, but if i'd find it easy, i'll do it.

[LigH]

You'll find Win32 LAME binaries at http://mitiok.cjb.net or http://mitiok.ma.cx; the ZIP archive of version 3.89beta contains a folder named "html", there you'll find a document called "LameDLLInterface.htm".

Unfortunately, for the Azid.dll I couldn't find such a documentation - DarkAvenger shall know a bit about it, I hope. I'll try to ask him.

Wish you much luck...

[DarkAvenger]

In fact I wanted to add mp3 support in HeadAc3he, but right now I am a bit short in time, so development is temporarily frozen...

[mpucoder]

Maybe there an issue here with the quality of the conversion, but why not use ac3dec or vob2audio?

[DSPguru]

10q, i'll check it out... :)

[DSPguru]

well, i did check it out and.. made it.
i wrote a tool named 'AC3toMP3' that does the above.

now, i don't have any webspace to publish it, boost/doom9, let me know if you want me to send it to your email.

[LigH]

I would like to see that - in this board, you shall be able to attach it as a zip file to a reply (below the message and option fields you will find an "Attach file:" row, select the file from your local PC's harddisk before submitting).

Or simply send it to doom9 (you will find his mail address at the end of his "Contact" page); you'll notice soon if he wants to publish it.

[DSPguru]

ok, check this out.

- this is the first version of AC3toMP3, so it doesn't support any switches regarding AC3 decoding nor MP3 encoding.
- i guess it has bugs. if you find any, let me know about it.
- if many people would find this program useful, i will continue developing it and will add more features.
- DanniDin, you are invited to add support to my prog in your GUI ;)

Attachment:
AC3toMP3.exe [inputfile.ac3] [outputfile.mp3]

enjoy ! :)



Download latest version: AC3toMP3 v0.7a (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=114)

[Huge]

This is cool... first observation is that it seems to be going at about 2x original speed on a PIII-1GHz. So a 2hr movie would be done in one hour. Memory usage is also tiny, less than 1MB

What parameters are you using right now for decode and encode?

Naturally, I have some requests for future builds :-)

1) Multi-threaded so SMP machines can make use of extra CPU's. Can you get one thread to decode the AC3 and pass to another thread doing the encoding to MP3?
2) Some kind of configuration for AC3 decoding and MP3 encoding. Even if it's a simple text file that has a line for the Azid parameters and another line for the Lame ones.

[DanniDin]

- DanniDin, you are invited to add support to my prog in your GUI ;)
Not Bad DSPguru, Maybe I'll Add Support when You'll Add Switches ;)

Danni.

[DSPguru]

@DanniDin
if i'll get many respones, i'll add switches.

than, your GUI could "decide" which program to execute : if the user sets only parameters to azid&lame, your GUI could run my program. if the users sets parameters to CLI, than it would execture azid+cli+lame.

anyway, if many ppl would find this proggy useful, i would integerate it with bbdmux & ssrc.
that way, it would do VOB->MP3 :
VOB ->
48khz ac3 ->
48Khz wav ->
44.1khz wav ->
44.1khz MP3.

all in one shot, without intermediate files!

i'll wait and see if doom9 would publish it in his news page.

[NS]

thats an awesome idea...

things i'd like to see are...

- AZid commands like gain options and channel control (i.e lower the sub channel by 3db...)

- 48khz (isn't that what dvd is anywho) @ 96, 128, 160 kbits MP3 encoding

Top stuff..

[DSPguru]

@NS

did you check the speed of current version ?

[DanniDin]

@DSPguru

if i'll get many respones, i'll add switches.
Great :)

than, your GUI could "decide" which program to execute : if the user sets only parameters to azid&lame, your GUI could run my program. if the users sets parameters to CLI, than it would execture azid+cli+lame.
Exactly :)

Danni.

[Taric25]

@DSPGuru, Dannidin
Originally Posted by DSPGuru
if i'll get many respones, i'll add switches.
So, this is a positive response.:D Great program! I say this because it's fast. I was thinking, is it possible for you and Dannidin to work together to make multichannel AC3-> multichannel MP3 without intermediate files?;)

[damjang]

Good work! When you add the switches it will be great and if you add a demux will be the best...

damjang

[Huge]

While it would be awesome to be able to encode directly from VOB to MP3 I would still like the ability to encode from AC3 to MP3 too.

Huge

[DSPguru]

ok, with this good responses, it seems that i weren't wasting my time on a useless prog.

i will now start to add switches regarding azid.

what do you think about this idea :
all switches would be in the format :
azid -g0 switch would be AC3toMP3 -a+g0
lame -m j switch would be AC3toMP3 -l+mj
bbdmux would be -b+...
ssrc would be -s+...

@Huge
AC3toMP3 is only one program from a set of programs i were thinking about. (all in the 'Shuttle Shivers Project').
the vob-supported program would probably be called VOBtoAC3 ;)

@Taric25
1. I would love that DanniDin would make GUI for my programs. sure!
2. what do you mean by "multichannel AC3-> multichannel MP3 " ? are you talking about MP2 ?
3. would you/any1 be interesed in AC3to6WAVs program ?

next version would probably be released this weekend, when i have more of a free time.

[DanniDin]

@Taric25
We'll See How it Goes...

@DSPguru
How About:
azid -g0 switch would be MP3toAC3 -a(-g0)
lame -m j switch would be MP3toAC3 -l(-m j)
bbdmux would be -b(... )
ssrc would be -s(... )


Danni.

[DSPguru]

@Danni
I don't like this idea too much, 'cause dealing with the spaces (brackets-starts , brackets-ends) could give me a headache.
i prefer that all switches would be one word, and switches of different programs could be freely "interleaved".

anyway, we'll see the suggestions here and decide together.

[DanniDin]

@DSPguru
I Guess One Way or the Other One of Us will Get an Headache :)
That is the Easiest Way for Me to Add Support in My GUI without Rewriting Everything.

Danni.

[pacohaas]

Don't know if this is possible, but how about having switches based on their position in the command-line:

ac3tomp3 [azid commands] input.ac3 [lame commands] output.mp3

Then if you're thinking about adding bbdmux and ssrc, it could be something like this:

vobtomp3 [bbdmux commands] input.vob [azid commands] [ssrc commands] [lame commands] output.mp3

You shouldn't need the brackets as long as your program can decipher when azid commands stop and ssrc commands start, etc. Maybe something like this:

vobtomp3 [bbdmux commands] input.vob azid [azid commands] ssrc [ssrc commands] lame [lame commands] output.mp3

Also, the option to input a list of vob files might be useful. Personally, I prefer just to use ac3tomp3.

lastly, if you need someone to host the file, I'll be happy to host it if someone would email me the program because for some reason I've been unable to download it through this forum.

keep up the good work.

[Boost]

Woah!

What have I started! :D

Anyhow. I believe that there are standard libraries for dealing with command line switches. Getopt maybe is ported to windows. One way you could do it is to

1. Get the source for LAME and use it's command line parsing function

and

2. Release the source code of your program (AC3toMP3) and maybe license it in GPL (www.gnu.org)

Ok. So I am an open source fan... :cool:

Is all LAME options available though the DLL interface?

/ Fredrik

[pacohaas]

@Boost: yes all the lame options are available

oh, also, this question has been brought up many times before, it seems that this is just the first time anyone has thought to do anything about it other than say, "Get a bigger hard drive, they're real cheap right now".

here's the direct download link: AC3toMP3 (http://fairuse.releaseme.org/AC3toMP3.zip)

@DSPguru: just keep sending me new versions if you'd like me to keep that link up to date. Also, I tried your program using the LAME 3.90 dll (UPXed and non-UPXed) and it doesn't seem to like either one. Maybe you could look into that. thanks.

Edit: I just tried UPXing AC3toMP3.exe and it saves 36.64% and still worked on the ac3 file I tried. I know it's small already, but you might want to look into that for future versions.

[DSPguru]

download the new zip, and read switches.txt :

this file lists all switches for AC3toMP3 0.2a.
for now, all switches deals only with AC3 decoding (azid).
beware : azid switches are case-sensitive.

usage : AC3toMP3 [inputfile.ac3] [outputfile.mp3] [switches...]

Attachment deleted after 22 downloads (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=63)

[DanniDin]

@DSPguru
Are You Going to Add Support for Spaces in the Switches?

That Way it will Work with:

1.) -c heavy -L 1db -l 2db -C 3db -S 4db -g 5db

and

2.) -cheavy -L1db -l2db -C3db -S4db -g5db

Danni.

[DSPguru]

@DanniDin
i don't see a reason to support spaces.
after all, i believe that 90% of the users would use a GUI to run my program, and the other 10% that won't use GUI are the skilled users who can easily follow the switches ruleZ.

so, Danni, will you support my prog in yOur GUI ?

i guess you mentioned that all switches are in the exact format of those outputed by your GUI. i did it on purpose, to make you life easier in case you decide to add support to my prog.

the switches syntax would be :
AC3toMP3 [inputfile.ac3] [outputfile.mp3] -azid( switches ) -lame( switches )

just like you suggested.

[Huge]

I'm just thinking ahead here. Is it going to be possible to include support to 'find the maximum gain' in this program, or the gui before converting the file?

Huge.

[DSPguru]

i can add this feature if i do something like this :
{
m=0;i=0;
while !(eof)
m=max(m,abs(decode_ac3_frame(i++)));
}

and then :
{
i=0;
while !(eof)
lame(azid(frame[i++])/m)
}

this mode would be slower, but would work.

any1 interested ?

[DanniDin]

@DSPguru

The GUI Always Uses Spaces Except for Boolean Switches Like -z1 -b1...

The Command-Line Parsing Code I Added to the GUI Uses the Spaces to Split the Line.

ie:

"-c heavy -L 1db -l 2db -C 3db -S 4db" is Splitted to

01. "-c"
02. "heavy"
03. "-L"
04. "1db"
05. "-l"
06. "2db"
07. "-C"
08. "3db"
09. "-S"
10. "4db"

After Checking for a Valid Switch I Get a 'Switch' and 'AfterSwitch'

Switch(1) = "-c", AfterSwitch(1) = "heavy"
Switch(2) = "-L", AfterSwitch(2) = "1db"
Switch(3) = "-l", AfterSwitch(3) = "2db"
Switch(4) = "-C", AfterSwitch(4) = "3db"
Switch(5) = "-S", AfterSwitch(5) = "4db"

I Want to Add Support to Your Prog in My GUI and Really Appreciate Your Efforts to Make My Life Easier But the Spaces are Really What I Need for Easy Profiles Parsing.

I Guess I Can Adjust it to Work with AC3toMP3 But it Already Works Very Well with Azid, Lame, SSRC, WaveBooster and tooLame and this is the Easiest Way to Parse the Command Line and Make it Compatible with All the 5 Programs.

Why Not Make AC3toMP3 Even More Compatible with Azid and Lame? (If it's Not too Difficult).

Danni.

[DSPguru]

@DanniDin
ok, i would inverse the switches rules.
not a problem :cool:

[DanniDin]

Thanks DSPguru ;)

Danni.

[Huge]

Originally posted by DSPguru

this mode would be slower, but would work.

any1 interested ?

*Raises Hand* I'm interested :)

Agreed it would be slower but would be a nice touch.

[The Link]

me too!!

[DSPguru]

ok, now switches are in the format DanniDin likes.
there's a new switch :
-g max

enjoy !

Attachment Deleted after 50 downloads.. (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=64)

[DanniDin]

Great :)

I Added Another 'AC3 to MP3' Button to the GUI and it Seems to Work.
Now I Just Have to Adjust the Buttons Size So it will Look OK.

Danni.

[The Link]

Great stuff! :)
Thanks a lot!!!

[Huge]

Just checking something. I tried using the new -g max switch (which worked fine btw) and it gave me a max gain of 3.3 at the end of a three hour ac3 file. When the main prog started it doesn't show me that it is using this value. Here's what I get...

AC3toMP3 v0.3a by DSPguru.
--------------------------
taken from the 'Shuttle Shivers Project' v0.8d by DSPguru.
Using azid.dll v1.7.1 (b698) by Midas <midas@egon.gyaloglo.hu>.
Using lame_enc.dll v1.22 (2/11/2001), Engine 3.89 <http://www.mp3dev.org/>.

[00:00:00.000] +------ SETTINGS -----
[00:00:00.000] | Output configuration: 2/0
[00:00:00.000] | Ch0 [Left ]: None compression, 10.2dB gain
[00:00:00.000] | Ch1 [Right ]: None compression, 10.2dB gain
[00:00:00.000] | Output Dual mono mode: Stereo
[00:00:00.000] | Output Stereo mode: Dolby surround compatible
[00:00:00.000] | LFE levels: To LR 0.0dB, To LFE -INF
[00:00:00.000] | Center mix level: BSI
[00:00:00.000] | Surround mix level: BSI
[00:00:00.000] | Dialog normalization: No
[00:00:00.000] | Rear channels filtering: No
[00:00:00.000] +---------------------

Can I assume that the 10.2dB shown is actually the 3.3 value it found? Or is this wrong.

Also, I mentioned this earlier but is there any chance this can be multithreaded in the future?

[DSPguru]

@Huge
- 10.2dB=20*log10(3.2359) ;)
- i'm very happy to hear it worked find :)
- multithreaded ? well, this program doesn't have much of parallelity, in fact the program is basicly a SeriaL execuation of encoding/decoding functions.

[Huge]

Originally posted by DSPguru
@Huge
- 10.2dB=20*log10(3.2359) ;)
- i'm very happy to hear it worked find :)
- multithreaded ? well, this program doesn't have much of parallelity, in fact the program is basicly a SeriaL execuation of encoding/decoding functions.

Awesome - maybe make them the same so stoopid folk like me don't ask you questions everyday :)

Here's how I figured it could work using threads. One thread reads a block of data from AC3 and decodes using Azid - the decoded block is passed to another thread that encodes it using Lame then writes out to file. Two threads, plus main app thread of course :)

Also, it seems to have slowed up some since the original version. I've only got the max gain parameter on and it's working just a little faster than realtime. Before it was cranking out at nearly 2x speed.

[DanniDin]

http://worldzone.net/computers/dannidin/AzidLameGUIv0.3b14.zip

- Addded Support for DSPguru's AC3toMP3
In Azid's Locations Choose the:
1. Location of 'AC3toMP3.exe' Instead of 'azid.exe'
2. Location of 'Target mp3' Instead of 'Target wav'
3. Press the Green 'AC3 to MP3' Button

Danni.

[DSPguru]

- added some support for lame switches
- fixed the speed problem.

usage : AC3toMP3 [inputfile.ac3] [outputfile.mp3] -azid( [switches] ) -lame( [switches] )

i've tested it with :
ac3tomp3 02.ac3 02.mp3 -azid( -g max -L 1db -l 3 ) -lame( -v --vbr-mtrh -V 5 -b 32 -B 320 -m s )

and it worked fine.

i strongly believe that this version has bugs related to the lame_enc.dll .
it seem to have a problem with ABR.

for now, lame_enc.dll is statitcly linked, on my next version it might be dynamicly linked. this could solve the problem pacohaas talked about, and would enable use of newer versions of lame dlls.

@DanniDin
I checked your new GUI and it's great.
please pay attention to the new switches syntax (brackets stuff).

@Huge
showing maximum gain in dB while searching = slowering the process.
as for the threads idea - i'll think about it.

Enjoy! (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=66)

[DanniDin]

@DSPguru
Glad You Like it :)
(It will Do for Now)

Here is the Lastest:

Azid/Lame GUI v0.3b15 (http://worldzone.net/computers/dannidin/AzidLameGUIv0.3b15.zip)

- Addded Support for DSPguru's AC3toMP3 0.4a
1. In Azid's Locations Choose the:
... a. Location of 'AC3toMP3.exe' Instead of 'azid.exe'
... b. Location of 'Target mp3' Instead of 'Target wav'

2. Check Azid Switches
3. Check Lame Switches
4. Press the Green 'AC3 to MP3' Button

Danni.

[DSPguru]

@DanniDin
1. i checked the "Auto Find Maximum Gain" in your prog, but it didn't create the "-g max" switch, and therefore AC3toMP3 didn't run its' "find max gain" procedure.
2. is AC3toMP3 supported by the batch mode ?

[DanniDin]

@DSPguru
1. I'll Add the "-g max"

ps:
AC3toMP3 Doesn't Work with "-g 1db"
It Only Works with "-g1db"

2. Not Yet.

Danni.

[DanniDin]

Azid/Lame GUI v0.3b16 (http://worldzone.net/computers/dannidin/AzidLameGUIv0.3b16.zip)

- Added Support for 'Finding Maximum Gain' Switch ("-g max") in DSPguru's AC3toMP3

(To Do: Add Support for AC3toMP3 in Batch Mode)

Danni.

[DrKnowLittle]

please make a version for MP2 output as well for us SVCD junkies.
the TooLame source is good.

[DarkAvenger]

Hey DrKnowLitte,

what about your plans to write a ssrc.dll? Given up?

[DrKnowLittle]

Sadly my programmer friend has been busy with other things :(

I was hoping on you guys to make a miracle :)

[DarkAvenger]

Let's put it this way: As long as I don't need a function, don't expect a miracle. ;)

[DanniDin]

Azid/Lame GUI v0.3b17 (http://worldzone.net/computers/dannidin/AzidLameGUIv0.3b17.zip)

- Added Support for AC3toMP3 in Batch Mode ('ac3 -> mp3' Button)
- Added a Location Button for AC3toMP3.exe
- Azid's Target WAV will Be Used as AC3toMP3's Target MP3
(ie: If Azid's Target = x.wav then AC3toMP3's Target = x.mp3)

Danni.

[damjang]

Where I con download AC3toMP3 v04.a? I was able to find only v03.a

damjang

[DanniDin]

Click "Enjoy!" Under the End of the Subject "AC3toMP3 v04.a" Above.

Danni.

[LigH]

:mad: Damned board, sometimes I don't get informed when something is added to a thread... :( But nice to see that so much has come up; I'm horribly behind! :D WaveBooster beta 0.50 is on the way, now with DLL (I hope someone can use it). :cool:

BTW: While working on Beta 0.50, I found that Azid 1.7.1 has a bug when writing discrete channels, but only in a very uncommon circumstance: When decoding a 5.1 AC-3 to a 6-channel wave with 32 bits per sample, the wBlockSize field is correct (6 channels * 4 bytes = 24), but the wBitsPerSample field is set to 24 instead of 32; this only appears with 6 channels - in a stereo wave with 32 bits per sample, wBitsPerSample is 32 as it should be. Of course, my WaveBooster relies on these wave header fields... :eek:


...

(edit)
He, I attached a file here - why doesn't it appear? What do I need to do to see that it is attached?

I'll try this: BoostCLIwDLL_b050.zip (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=77)
(/edit)

[Doom9]

why don't you see your attachments immediately? because they're moderated. Only once a mod/super mod/admin okays your file the public can see it. This is a security precauting.. we don't want cracks and other illegal stuff to float around.

[damjang]

Originally posted by DanniDin

Click "Enjoy!" Under the End of the Subject "AC3toMP3 v04.a" Above.

Danni.


Thankyou. Previously I don't see the link....:D

[DanniDin]

;)

[DSPguru]

files can be found here :
- EXE+DLLs (http://dspguru.tripod.com/AC3toMP3.zip)
- EXE+DLLs+GUI (http://dspguru.tripod.com/Pack.zip)
- Latest Executable (http://dspguru.tripod.com/exe-only.zip)

mirrors :
- FairUse Homepage (http://fairuse.releaseme.org/AC3toMP3.zip)
- This VBB (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=66)

@Doom9
please make my attachment visible. i know that this thread has more than 1200 views, i would like to see the downloads counter.
anyway, don't you think it's time to publish AC3toMP3 on your news/software page ?
it has switches, it has gui... ;)

@DanniDin
Keep up the good work :D



btw,
the next version of AC3toMP3 will include a new command-line switches parser i wrote which supports all kinds of switches : [-l1]/[-l 1]/[-l0db]/[-l 0db] and so on..

i'm now considering to start working on VOB->MP3...

Dg.

[DanniDin]

@DanniDin
Keep up the good work
U2 DSPguru ;)

Danni.

[Doom9]

I moderated it.. but you really have to talk to the forum moderator about that.. it's a moderators tasks to okay attachments.. not an admins..

[pacohaas]

@DSPguru: When I add your program to my FairUse encoding Guide, I will most likely include a simple editable batch file that will simply allow the user(and myself) to drag their AC3 file and have it converted to an MP3. Perhaps you'd like to create a sample batch file that does just that

@DanniDin: don't get me wrong, I love the GUI and I know many people would be lost without it, so I don't think a batch file would belittle your work.

edit: old links removed...and due to a bug in VBB my signature is removed as well :mad:

[DanniDin]

@pacohaas
I'm Very Happy that You Love the GUI :) and Any Method that Works for You is Fine with Me.

Danni.

[Doom9]

guys.. want me to publish it? I didn't get anything in my inbox yet..

[DanniDin]

@Doom9
You Can Always Publish Any of My Betas if You Want.
The Reason I Didn't Send it to You is that the Latest Betas are a Little Messy and I Wasn't Sure they were Worth Publishing (Even as betas)

Maybe I'll Release v0.3b17 as an Official v0.3 and Start the beta Count at v0.4

Danni.

[DSPguru]

----- batchfile start -----
@echh off
AC3toMP3 %1 %2 -azid( -c light -L -3db -g max ) -lame( -m j )
pause
----- batchfile ends ------

something like that...

[Doom9]

it didn't make it today.. maybe tomrrow.. depending on the amount of new soft I have then... and the time to test

[pacohaas]

doom, the batch file should help a lot, but a couple things...
should be:

@echo off
AC3toMP3 %1% %1%.mp3 -azid( -c light -L -3db -g max ) -lame( -m j )
pause

and if you've going to use VBR, you need to specify -v.

@DSPguru: that's one of the reasons --r3mix doesn't work. I think you should work on that. If -V is specified, it is implied that VBR should be used. That, and the spacing is really tricky. Is there any way to make it so all these work:

-lame( -m j )
-lame(-m j)
-lame(-mj)
-lame( -mj )
etc...

Including a batch file in the distribution would help a lot as an example, perhaps one with some more options than just -mj.

keep up the good work.

[DSPguru]

@pacohaas
what do you think of the following :
AC3toMP3 %1% %2.mp3 -azid( -g max ) -lame( -m s -v --vbr-new -V 5 -b 32 -B 320 )

personally,
i don't know what's the best combination of lame's switches.

anyway,
i added more flexabilty to the switches-parsing engine, but basicly, not planning to support all types.

AC3toMP3 v0.4b (http://dspguru.tripod.com/AC3toMP3.zip) now supports VBR,ABR & r3mix.
unfortunetly, the lame_enc.dll has some bugs... & there's nothing i can do about it.

i also found out that not all features offered by lame.exe are offered by lame_enc.dll (ATH parameters, for instance) :( .

[Huge]

The link above downloads version 0.4a for me. This version also crashes on my Windows 2000-SP2 machine.

Program Error
AC3toMP3.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows. You will need to restart the program.
An error log is being created.

I can't find the error log though :(

[DSPguru]

@Huge

i re-uploaded the files to TRIPOD. should be ok now.

as for the program's crash, try to see if it happens with v0.4b.
if it does, please let me know if it happend right from the start, or only after some encoding, and please mention the switches you used.

before releasing v0.4b i've done some debugging, and i believe i eliminated all bugs only to those caused by the lame_enc.dll.
as i said before : there are differences between lame.dll & lame.exe.

[pacohaas]

unfortunetly, the lame_enc.dll has some bugs... & there's nothing i can do about it.
i also found out that not all features offered by lame.exe are offered by lame_enc.dll (ATH parameters, for instance)
perhaps both these problems are fixed in the newer versions of lame_enc.dll? I know some of the ATH tunings have been pretty recent.

i added more flexabilty to the switches-parsing engine, but basicly, not planning to support all types. it's good to be flexible :D

--r3mix in all it's glory: --nspsytune --vbr-mtrh -V1 -mj -h -b96 --lowpass 19.5 --athtype 3 --ns-sfb21 2 -Z --scale 0.98 -X0

This is of course in the newer 3.90 alpha versions. As for optimum settings, there really aren't any, different situations call for different settings. I think if you are to include an example, however, you should include a command-line that has all the LAME switches that AC3toMP3 is currently capable of employing. As for Azid, I don't think anyone would contest that -azid( -c normal -L -3db -g max ) is the way to go.

there are differences between lame.dll & lame.exe.True, but there have been some recent improvements to the dll that may have brought it more in sync with the exe. I haven't had any time to test your program lately, what is the news on the new dll(3.90a8), is it working?

[pacohaas]

Another thing I was thinking for you to tackle (how nice of me, eh?) was to implement a --onecd and --twocd shortcut that was talked about a while back on r3mix.net. I believe they called them --divxlow and --divxhigh. The settings are still up for debate, but I think it could be a good idea if you have time to think about it. It could turn something like this:
AC3toMP3 audio.wav audio.mp3 -azid( -c normal -L -3db -g max ) -lame( --nspsytune --vbr-old -V2 -mj -h --athtype 3 --ns-sfb21 2 -Z -X0 )
into this:
AC3toMP3 audio.wav audio.mp3 -azid( -c normal -L -3db -g max ) -lame( --twocd )

sorry, one more thing I just thought about while writing that last bit: if no -b or -B are specified in VBR mode, you should default to 32 and 320 respectively.

thanks and keep it up.

[DSPguru]

@pacohaas
--r3mix in all it's glory: --nspsytune --vbr-mtrh -V1 -mj -h -b96 --lowpass 19.5 --athtype 3 --ns-sfb21 2 -Z --scale 0.98 -X

--r3mix is supported :)

i can easily create new preset switches, the problem is : to agree on such one.
i will defualt -b & -B. not a problem.

say, did you update the AC3toMP3 files on your mirror site ?-)

as for the alpha dll, i don't support it.
in fact, i wonder of what should be the next step :
lame3.90 OR VOBtoMP3.

what do you guys say ?


and is it possible to find lame3.90 souRce codE ?

[Huge]

Originally posted by DSPguru
@Huge

i re-uploaded the files to TRIPOD. should be ok now.

as for the program's crash, try to see if it happens with v0.4b.
if it does, please let me know if it happend right from the start, or only after some encoding, and please mention the switches you used.

before releasing v0.4b i've done some debugging, and i believe i eliminated all bugs only to those caused by the lame_enc.dll.
as i said before : there are differences between lame.dll & lame.exe.

OK, no more crashed now :)

However, this AC3 filename fails - c:\encode\Entrapment.session-00.audio-00.ac3 with a AC3toMP3 error : problem with input file!!!! error.

[DanniDin]

Azid/LameGUI v0.3 (http://worldzone.net/computers/dannidin/AzidLameGUIv0.3.zip)

[dvdyke]

How do I get SSRC downconversion to 44.1Khz in between the AC3toMP3 process with relevant switches? Or is that not possible? :)

[DSPguru]

for now, it's impossible to pass thru SSRC when using AC3toMP3 ('cause there is no intermediate wav-file). but i might add SSRC support to future versions of AC3toMP3.

my vision :
one comprehensive freeware tool that integrates bbDMUX,AZID,SSRC,LAME.
that way, you would have a direct conversion : VOB->44.1khz MP3.

btw,
i'm not sure i will use SSRC, i might write my own sample-rate-convertor, implementing the same algorithm (same math), but a specifiec module of 48->44.1 . (that means : same quality, but faster).

[DSPguru]

AC3toMP3 v0.5 is out now.
this version is stable and F-A-S-T !!!!!

lame_enc.dll is now dynamicly linked. that means that both 3.89 & 3.90 of lame's dlls are supported.
lame's 3.90 is much smaller, and i believe, fAster.
also, i've tested many many switches (abr,vbr,--r3mix) with this new dll, and my program never crashed.

@Huge
I've also created a file on my h.d. :
c:\encode\Entrapment.session-00.audio-00.ac3
and it worked perfectly.

@pacohaas
i've added default setting for min/max bitrate.

@Doom9
i saw your link to this thread on the news, and that's wonderful, but i think you should add AC3toMP3 v0.5 (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=85) to your download page and post a direct link to it on the news page, 'cause i saw that over 200 people downloaded older versions from early pages of this thread :(.

[Puppetman]

I am new to encoding, and was having a terrible time with audio syncing via Flask. So I dumped out a .ac3 file, and could sync it back in with Nandub, but the Divx .avi got too big. Nandub couldn't seem to compress it for me.

Your tool makes it easy to convert to mp3, and with the Azid -g (gain) switch, I can normalize the audio a bit.

Way to go. Made my life much easier.

BTW, why isn't it in the Doom9 Downloads page?

Puppetman.

[Doom9]

BTW, why isn't it in the Doom9 Downloads page?
It soon will be.

[CyberDemonII]

please read my private message DSPGuru !

[DSPguru]

CyberDemonII wrote on 18th November 2001 11:24:

What language do you use ?
And why is the 0.5 so big in filesize ?

<<Important>>

-- Could you also make it possible to create a mp3 file with a wave header ?

Like the tool : WaveMP3 does. (you can find it on doom9 download page.)

When a wave header is present, it is possible to mix that audio file with an movie easy with virtualdub !


Hi guys, hi CyberDemonII,
AC3toMP3 is mixed-written in C&C++. DLLs are mixed-linked : staticly (azid) & dynamicly (lame).
i'm doing what i understand to be good & effective.

the new version is bigger than the previous versions, 'cause it holds a test feature i were checking (and didn't feel like removing from the compilation release).


i can easily add WAV header to the program's product.
any other ppl find it useful ?

@Puppetman
thank you very much for your feedback. it's great to hear :cool:.

[CyberDemonII]

If you have azid.dll statically linked, why do you need the azid.dll ?

Dll means dynamic library.

LIB means static library.

And have you compiled it in release mode ?

BUG*

when the ac3 file has some errors,
your tool completely quits,
as the original azid.exe file does just continue.

And do you alrady have more information about the wave header ?

[DSPguru]

If you have azid.dll statically linked, why do you need the azid.dll ?

Dll means dynamic library.

LIB means static library.

And have you compiled it in release mode ?

i don't have azid's source, so i don't understand what you mean by "compiled it in release mode".
i got the lib & dll from Midas example. the dll is the engine, the lib holds info of functions interface to this engine (used by the linker).
the lib is 4k in size, the dll 92kb.


BUG*

when the ac3 file has some errors,
your tool completely quits,
as the original azid.exe file does just continue.

attach a buggy ac3 here & i'll check it out


And do you alrady have more information about the wave header ?

what information ? i know everything about wave's header.

[CyberDemonII]

i have made a gui which is called dvd2avi_gui (http://www.geocities.com/compressavi/dvd2avi_gui/dvd2avi_gui_1.08beta15.zip)

And the exe file is only : 76kb and this tool does also use the azid.lib / azid.dll code.

--Cannot send the ac3 file, its too big.

--CAn you send me sample code about the riff wave header when converting a mp3 to an .wav mp3 file with another riff-header ?

thanx !

[DSPguru]

i fail to d/l from geocities. their servers sux.

let me get it straight : you claim that you wrote a program that running azid's engine without azid.dll ?? all you did was telling the linker to use azid.lib :confused:

i don't have a ready sample-code of WaveMP3 type, but the wave's header struct is the following :

struct WAV_Header
{
char riff[4]; /* the characters "RIFF" */
unsigned long file_length; /* file length - 8 */
char wave[8]; /* the characters "WAVEfmt " */
unsigned long offset; /* position of "data"-20 (usually 16) */
unsigned short format; /* 1 = PCM */
unsigned short nchans; /* #channels (eg. 2=stereo) */
unsigned long sampsec; /* #samples/sec (eg. 44100 for CD rate) */
unsigned long bytesec; /* #bytes/sec (see note 1) */
unsigned short bitsamp; /* #bits/sample (see note 1) */
short otherstuff; /* N = offset-16 (see note 5) */
char dataheader[4]; /* the characters "data" */
unsigned long datalen; /* #bytes of actual data */
};

Good Luck :)

[DSPguru]

@CyberDemonII
you mis-spelled my name on your thank-you-list of MP3WAV :(.

by the way, you didn't tell me if you succeded using azid engine without using its' dll.

Dg.

[CyberDemonII]

Hi DSPguru,

Sorry for the mis-spelling.

I created the following
ac3tomp3.exe

which uses ac3tomp3_dll.dll
which uses lame_enc.dll & azid.dll

And the total size from ac3tomp3.exe + ac3tomp3_dll.dll is less than 260Kbyte.

I can convert ac3 to mp3 as fast as your tool i guess.

I will also release ac3tomp3_dll.dll to the public , including header-file with some simple fucntions.
And i will also offer to create a mp3 file with a wave header.

(Did you use multi-threading for reading / writing data, or did you just do it in 1 thread/process ?)

grtz,cd2

[DSPguru]

CyberDemonII wrote
I created the following ac3tomp3.exe

create whatever you wish, but DON'T name it over my program.

and i don't know why you are so fixtured on the file's size.
no one complained about it :D.

by the way, you still didn't tell me if you succeded using azid engine without using its' dll.

[CyberDemonII]

Hello,

I use the azid.lib & azid.dll from azid.

And i will maybe create a program called :
ac3tomp3_gui.exe which uses all the dll's.

I'm sorry that i did insult you ! :)

I want to thank you for you idea and program !

If you have any other things, you can also email me.

bye

[ACClarke]

Mp3wav 1.0 creates an error in virtualdub :confused:
at the end, there is sound in the avi file but in "file information" in vitualdub the audio compression is unknowed

[DSPguru]

- added .vob input support :
i created bbdmux.dll & integrated it with my proggy.
syntax : AC3toMP3 -bbdmux( substream-id )
- added WaveBooster support :
i've implemented WaveBooster's manual algorithm in my proggy.
syntax : AC3toMP3 -boost( /l= /b= )
10q - LigH ;)
- normalize algorithm has been enhanced and now is faster.



example of use :
AC3toMP3 [inputfile.vob] [outputfile.mp3] -bbdmux( 0x80 ) -azid( -g max -L -3db ) -lame( --r3mix ) -boost( /l=0.98 /b=2.5 )

to find all available substreams in a specifiec VOB file, simply write :
AC3toMP3 [inputfile.vob]

@CyberDemonII
as long as you spell my name right, and pick original names for your programs - i promise to be cool :cool:


Enjoy! (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=107)

[dvdyke]

So how should these command line options be implemented in AzidLameGUI? I'd rather set a defaults in the GUI than have to keep typing it all at a command line (Never seem to get batch files to work like the old DOS ones in XP).

Thanks!

[DanniDin]

Wait and See ;)

It will Take More than One Release Until I'll Be Happy with the GUI.

Danni.

[MaTTeR]

Originally posted by CyberDemonII
Hi DSPguru,

And the total size from ac3tomp3.exe + ac3tomp3_dll.dll is less than 260Kbyte.

I can convert ac3 to mp3 as fast as your tool i guess.

I will also release ac3tomp3_dll.dll to the public , including header-file with some simple fucntions.
And i will also offer to create a mp3 file with a wave header.

(Did you use multi-threading for reading / writing data, or did you just do it in 1 thread/process ?)

grtz,cd2

I dont think anyone cares what size the app is, if its 5MB or 200K. Who cares? I'm pretty sure most of us are using a hard disk of more than 240MB now a days :-) If you want to concentrate on something then focus on the speed and compatability.

Also, you might find that the wave header feature isn't going to be in heavy demand. I think most of us are just using NanDub to interleave the MP3 or AC3 file.

Multithreading and SMP would be a very nice feature if you could implement it! Thanks for your work.

[CyberDemonII]

Hello matter,

I am not sure i will 'release' ac3tomp3 in that way.

I did need it for my dvd2avi_gui program :

http://www.geocities.com/compressavi/dvd2avi_gui/dvd2avi_gui_1.08beta16.zip

Let me think what your opinion is about this one !

grtz,cd2

[DanniDin]

Just So AC3toMP3.exe Won't Be Lonely and Until it will Get its Own Screen in the GUI Here is Azid/LameGUI v0.4 beta1 (http://worldzone.net/computers/dannidin/AzidLameGUIv0.4b1.zip)

Danni.

[DSPguru]

@matter
I dont think anyone cares what size the app is, if its 5MB or 200K. Who cares? I'm pretty sure most of us are using a hard disk of more than 240MB now a days :-) If you want to concentrate on something then focus on the speed and compatability.

well, i guess you saw that the new version is amazingly fast, and btw - it all fits on one floppy disk.
as for compatability, well, only w$ndows...

@DanniDin
the new file-configuration screen is beautiful, grEaaaaat stuff !
please add a checkbox regarding WaveBooster, in case some1 wishes to disable it. (current version always set switches for WaveBooster).

[DanniDin]

@DanniDin
the new file-configuration screen is beautiful, grEaaaaat stuff !
please add a checkbox regarding WaveBooster, in case some1 wishes to disable it. (current version always set switches for WaveBooster).

Thanks DSPguru :)

I'll Have to Add a Special GUI "Screen" for Your Program that will Have More Options.

Danni.

[DSPguru]

v0.61 (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=107) now supports all presets :
phone, voice, fm, tape, hifi, cd, studio

also switches parser is more flexible now.
this command will work for example :
AC3toMP3 -azid( -g max ) [output.mp3] -lame( --r3mix ) -bbdmux( 0x86 ) [input.vob] -boost( /b=4 )

(that's for all of you guys who asked for flexability ;))

[FLivanova]

I just tried out AC3toMP3 and it looks very useful. Thanks for taking the time to release it. A few questions though:

Are all LAME options supported? I am a hardcore lame user and would like to use some specialized settings from time to time.

It would also be nice if you could add a setting to add a certain amount of gain + the max gain setting from azid. Or is it already possible to normalize to more than 1?

Something like -g max+3db would work ;)

I find that the max sound level in the movie is usualy a door banging or some other loud noise that can withstand a bit of clipping. If I add about 3db to the gain the whole movie sounds better and you don't notice the clipping in the loud noises. It usualy happens only a few times anyway.

Thanks again for your interests in making a great util.

[b0b0b0b]

Do I have to encode each vob to mp3 separately?

Also, there's no way to join mp3's seamlessly, is there?

[dvdyke]

Good question. Does it rip the ac3 stream to mp3 from the VOB's 1 at a time or goes through them all to create one large MP3 from each stream? Time for a readme for AC3toMP3 don't you think? :)

[DSPguru]

@FLivanova
Are all LAME options supported? I am a hardcore lame user and would like to use some specialized settings from time to time.

It would also be nice if you could add a setting to add a certain amount of gain + the max gain setting from azid. Or is it already possible to normalize to more than 1?

Something like -g max+3db would work


on the zip, look for lame sw.html , there you can find all LAME's supported switches.

about normalizing,
setting a gain, bigger then max-gain would cause overflows in azid.
if you think the soundtrack should be increased by 3db over max gain, try using this combination :
AC3toMP3 -azid( -g max ) -boost( /b=3db /l=0.99 )

@ACClarke
if you wish to create a virtualdub-compatible output, use this switch :
AC3toMP3 [input.ac3] [output.wav] -core( -wavmp3 )

@b0b0b0b
Do I have to encode each vob to mp3 separately?

Also, there's no way to join mp3's seamlessly, is there?

joining mp3 is a simple binary append. (copy /b)
DanniDin, please add a checkbox to your GUI : "Join AC3toMP3's products!" (and implement it by yourself.. ;))



@dvdyke
Does it rip the ac3 stream to mp3 from the VOB's 1 at a time or goes through them all to create one large MP3 from each stream?

only one stream is extracted each time. that's what bbdmux do.
btw,
i am now optimizing BB's code for a faster version of bbdmux.dll. i already gained about 4% speed improvement comparing to the original version.
i might add a multi-substream support, but it's not on my task-list at the moment.
anyway, how many ppl would be interested in this feature ?

Time for a readme for AC3toMP3 don't you think?
i'm counting on Doom9 here, ask him to update his AC3toMP3 Guide (http://www.doom9.org/ac3tomp3.htm) ;).
and for more comfortablity, you can always use DanniDin's beautiful GUI v0.4b2 (http://dspguru.tripod.com/GUI.zip) :cool:

info about AC3toMP3 v0.62 :
- will include the optimized bbdmux.dll
- will include a new & automatic dynamic-compressor (that will automaticly calculate how many dBs should be "added" to max gain.)

[Doom9]

joining mp3s? hmm.. that is a major pain in the ass and very error prone. when I voted for direct vob -> mp3 support I was kind of thinking about the whole ac3 being demuxed.. then being encoded as a whole, not file by file.

[pacohaas]

Originally posted by Doom9
joining mp3s? hmm.. that is a major pain in the ass and very error prone.yes, especially when not using CBR, you've got to disable VBR headers when creating the separate mp3's so the player doesn't think the file ends after the first segment. I agree with doom, a list file as input is probably the easiest solution.

[DSPguru]

VBR would be problematic. true.

ok... so i can add an option to recieve a list with all VOB files, but what about the substreams ? and what about the max-gain routine ? could each vob have a different gain ?

to make things easier, i were thinking about the following plain-text file format :
[filename1.vob]
substream1
[filename2.vob]
substream2
:
[filenameN.vob]
substreamN

another idea is to have a plain-text like this :
[filename1.vob] -bbdmux( substream1 ) -azid( gain2 )
[filename2.vob] -bbdmux( substream2 ) -azid( gain2 )
:
[filenameN.vob] -bbdmux( substreamN ) -azid( gainN )


i guess that DanniDin's GUI will create this list-file automaticly for all the drag-n-droppers ;)

@pacohaas
How come AC3toMP3 hadn't got to your Fairuse homepage ? still insists to keep it as a secret until i release a SSRC-supported release ?

[pacohaas]

sorry it hasn't made it up yet, you'll notice also that HeadAC3he hasn't made it yet either and I've been using that method for about 3 weeks. I intend to revamp the audio section when I get a chance and it will have 3 choices:
1. the old method(batch file only)
2. AC3toMP3 (probably with a batch file example)
3. HeadAC3he+wav-->mp3 w/batch file

I just need to get off my lazy butt and get to it.

...on that note(laziness) has anyone tried using 24-bit output from azid in AC3toMP3? That would mean that the max gain is calculated with more bits in mind so it's theoretically more accurate.

[DSPguru]

has anyone tried using 24-bit output from azid in AC3toMP3? That would mean that the max gain is calculated with more bits in mind so it's theoretically more accurate

AC3toMP3 max-gain calculation, and in fact, most of the process, is implemented on a floating-point basis.
it's already as accurate as you can get.

[FLivanova]

on the zip, look for lame sw.html , there you can find all LAME's supported switches.


Thanks, missed it. Are all the --r3mix switches used internally in the lame dll? I guess so.

If you have time could you please add the --lowpass switch as well? Also, I see the -h or -q? settings aren't supported. Do you use -h by default?


about normalizing,
setting a gain, bigger then max-gain would cause overflows in azid.


yep


if you think the soundtrack should be increased by 3db over max gain, try using this combination :
AC3toMP3 -azid( -g max ) -boost( /b=3db /l=0.99 )

That looks like it will do the job. Thanks :D

[dvdyke]

The ability to convert the substream from every VOB to one MP3 file without having to join MP3's etc is a must. Surprised this was not implement as a default. I assumed it would do that and so did Doom9 by the looks of things ;)

[LigH]

F$%&ing mail notification - I'm still left behind... :mad:

Oh hell, you guys are doing a great job: DSPguru is changing his former one-step converter into what germans would call an "egg-laying wool-milk-pig" (sorry, sounds like some "english for runaways" :p); AC3toMP3 is truely becoming an all-in-one tool. :eek: The worst problem only is: More parameters, even more parameters... :(

@DSPguru: Nice to see that you enabled an "#db" parameter mode for the boosting function. Shall I add that to my WaveBooster? (Does anyone still *need* my stand-alone WaveBooster??? :D No, I don't mind!)

[b0b0b0b]

I have a quick suggestion about the vob2mp3 part.

How about it does what dvd2avi does and if you tell it the first vob, it looks for all subsequent consecutively numbered vobs (by default). I think that's the 99% of the time scenario anyway.

Also, is there any way for vob2mp3 to tell us the ac3 delay much like dvd2avi does?

Thanks for a cool utility!

[DSPguru]

@FLivanova
for now, i believe AC3toMP3 supports all switches accesible by the dll version of LAME.

@dvdyke
hehehe...
it's nice to hear you assumed it would do that, but in this case : it=me, and i don't have all the time in world working on this voluntary project ;).
whenever i have spare time - i add features.
but must admit, i'm getting tired lately...

dear LigH
the #dB support for WaveBooster is a by-product of the switches-parser i wrote.
in fact, if you'd write the switch -V0db it would act the same as writing -V 1. ;)

b0b0b0b
i never used DVD2AVI, so i can't imitate it.
anyway, do me a favor guys, let the GUI create the batch/list file.
at least for now.

i were thinking of a way to put some order into the switches syntax :
AC3toMP3 -core( -input [?.vob] -output [?.mp3] -substream 0x8?) -lame( ... ) -azid( ... ) -boost( ... ).

basicly, the idea is to remove the -bbdmux() section and to add input&output file specifiers. (instead of "assuming" that a string ends with ".mp3" is the output file, etc'..).

that would probably be the syntax of the upcoming version.

[LigH]

Checking for an A/V delay shall be not the worst problem: All you need to do is completely analysing the stream structure. It is a quite heavy work, but I've done this once, while trying to write a video bitrate stats collecting tool. You really need to know the structure of a VOB sector and all the MPEG system stream blocks.

I don't really remember (but it's very probable) if there is a timecode for the start of the audio stream available in the VOB sector headers; I think there shall be an offset in periods of the decoder frequency (27 MHz or some like that?) for each audio block; at least each video GOP has a timeode, and from there it must be possible to calculate at least at which video frame the audio starts - finally, a consumer DVD player must be able to do the same...

[echan09]

hi:

I use the following options for converting ac3 to mp3 using ac3tomp3:

ac3tomp3 input output -azid( -c normal -g max ) -lame( --abr -b 128 -m j )


I'm having problems with sound volume going soft and loud where it's not supposed to. The original AC3 file doesn't have this problem. Any suggestions.

Thanks

[DSPguru]

try not to use dynamic compression :
AC3toMP3 input output -azid( -g max ) -lame( --abr -b 128 -m j )

[Beave]

Thank you very much for that wonderfull Program!

Some questions:
How can I make a mono ~45kbit mp3? I want this for the Commantary stream. -lowpass10 and -resample32 would be nice for that. I used to have this command:
-azid( -oc -d1/0 -cnormal -smono -g max ) -lame( -mm --voice -v --vbr-mtrh -V 9 --lowpass 10 --resample 32 --athtype 3 )
Doesn't work with ac3tomp3, unfortunatly.
Any commands on that?

What is the best OneCd lame-switch nowadays with AC3toMP3? How about -V7 -mj -h --vbr-mtrh --athtype 3 --lowpass 17? Would --lowpass work with any workaround?

Is it possible to use a preset and then change values, like --r3mix -V9 -b32 -lowpass16 ...? This doesn't seem to work here.

How come the Auto-Boost value in the GUI is set to 6? The sound was extremely distorted. I use /b=2 /l=0.95 rightnow.

Best regards

[Huge]

Hi,

I'm seeing some odd things with ac3tomp3. It may just be a co-incedence but my last three VBR encodes have come out with a bitrate of exactly 160. If I use the old ac3-wav-mp3 method on the same files I get lower bitrates of around 112 which is what I'd expect with the settings I'm using.

Here's my current .bat file settings (created using danni's gui).

"C:\DVD\Tools\ac3tomp3\AC3toMP3.exe" %1.ac3 %1.mp3 -azid( -z1 -b1 -c normal -g max -L -3db ) -lame( -m j -v --vbr-mtrh -V 4 -b 80 -B 256 --athtype 3 --nspsytune )

Any clues?

BTW: This program is sooooo fast compared to the old way's...

[Derian]

sorry for my bad english.

i have a ac3 file with dolby (3/2 channels) using DVD2AVI.
if i use the AC3toMP3 program, will the mp3 file keep 3/2 channels (Dolby Digital)?? and in the future??

Again sorry for my bad english, i hope that this forum accept foreigns ;).

[Beave]

if i use the AC3toMP3 program, will the mp3 file keep 3/2 channels (Dolby Digital)??
No, the mp3 will be Dolby surround at the most. So 2/1 is possible. If you want to keep the 3/2 simply take the generated .ac3 file an mux it with the video. There are some good guides on that on the doom9 site.

I wonder what the "Natives" of this forum would be? Is doom9 or/and each moderator the inhabitant of this place? What is the're native language? Hmm, too many thoughts I guess...
So , don't feel sorry.

[LigH]

According to the "ifrance" mail domain, doom9 may be French; many other members are Germans for sure; I know one from New Zealand... We all are newbies, with more or less experience in one or other areas.

[DSPguru]

@Beave
thank you for your kind words.
for now, AC3toMP3 doesn't support mono mp3 outputs, and neither do supports --lowpass or --athtype.
look here (http://DSPguru.tripod.com) for all supported Lame's switches.

about Booster, default boost=5, but you can set any value you find enjoyable.

@Huge
i've rechecked the VBR mode, and it's working good, varying all the time.
tell me, when the program print all settings, does it look like it "understood" all your switches ?



BTW: This program is sooooo fast compared to the old way's...

that's the idea ;).

[Huge]

Mr DSPGuru Sir :D

I've just a AC3 file through Danni's AC3-WAV-MP3 batch process and then used AC3toMP3 with the same switches. Danni's batch version gives me a bitrate of 140 while AC3toMP3 gives me 159.

[Huge]

I missed your question. Yes, AC3toMP3 looks like it picks up all the parameters OK.

One additional thing... there's a bug in the time display output. I've seen it jump around a bit and sometimes once it goes over the hour mark, the hour counter resets to zero or a - char.

Does anyone have a good VBR command line for 1CD rips?

[Beave]

Do you know if the --r3mix has all the commands "in it", even if --lowpass and --athtype is not supported bei the lame.dll?

Hopefully there will be a oneCD and twoCD Switch one day like --oneCD...

[DSPguru]

Originally posted by Beave
Do you know if the --r3mix has all the commands "in it", even if --lowpass and --athtype is not supported bei the lame.dll?

--r3mix include it all, yes :)

Hopefully there will be a oneCD and twoCD Switch one day like --oneCD...

maybe it's time to start a discussion about what should --twocd & --onecd represent.

[pacohaas]

here's my 2 cents:

1-CD (going for minimum size)
--nspsytune -V9 -mj -h --athtype 3 -Z -X0

2-CD (very high quality)
--nspsytune -V1 -mj -h --athtype 3 --ns-sfb21 2 -Z -X0

It's my feeling that the default lowpass set by the -V value is good. I know athtype isn't supported by AC3toMP3, but if the default athtype is 3 or 4 then I think it'd be ok to leave those off too. I can't recall what it is since it's been changed a few times, but if someone wants to check it out either at r3mix.net or in the source code, that would be great.

Again, just my 2 cents.

[Huge]

Hmmm, smallest file size is not what we should be after for 1CD's. Pacohaas, I know you're a FairUse user too and I'm guessing these aren't the settings you use for 1CD's. In fact we should try and emulate what FairUse is all about - *maximum quality* in the smallest file size.

My take at the moment would be to make 1CD's VBR and use -V4 but then I'm no expert on these things. -V9 seems a little cut-throat to me.

How about having --1CDVBR, --1CD settings?

[dvdyke]

Yes. I am still waiting to actually use this util but am waiting for something like a decent GUI or a batch file I can drop the 1st VOB file onto on the desktop and it will pull the 3/2 stream from all the VOB's in sequence and go to either 1 or 2 CD Lame MP3 with the optimum quality. Too much confusion about what command lines work best at present and no multi VOB stream pulling yet either. I'm too lazy to do it at the command line each time :)

[pacohaas]

Originally posted by Huge
Hmmm, smallest file size is not what we should be after for 1CD's. Pacohaas, I know you're a FairUse user too and I'm guessing these aren't the settings you use for 1CD's.Yeah, I go back and forth as to what I think a --oneCD preset should be. It comes down to personal preference. A year ago -V9 sounded pretty bad, but now with npsytune and all the other improvements, it sounds ok. Add that to the fact that you're not just sitting there listening to the sound, but involved in the whole movie experience and I think many people won't notice a difference between a 95kbps sound track and a 145kbps sound track. As you have suspect, I don't just use these settings blindly, but instead vary the -V value depending on the movie length and compressability of the actual movie. I have, however, used -V9 on many of my rips and to tell the truth, I can't tell the difference between those and ones that I've used -V3 on when watching a movie. Granted I'm using speakers that are embedded in my monitor, so again, personal preference/equipment has to be taken into account. Presets are a tough thing to agree on. Maybe DSPGuru could work on an adjustable preset like some of dibrom's ABR presets. here's what I'm thinking:

--divx N

where N is the -V value, for instance:

--divx 6 stands for:
--nspsytune -V6 -mj -h --athtype 4 --ns-sfb21 2 -Z -X0

Here we've got 3 things that would be adjusted based on N(the ATH curve, lame's internal lowpass, and consequently --ns-sfb21 2 because it only affects frequencies above 16kHz) Ok, well I'm going to see if I can find some info on what ATH method LAME currently defaults to.

[Taric25]

Originally posted by LigH
According to the "ifrance" mail domain, doom9 may be French; many other members are Germans for sure; I know one from New Zealand... We all are newbies, with more or less experience in one or other areas.

Aha! But Doom9 also speeks Swedish. Anyone up for just asking him? I would be really embarased to ask someone's race, it is rather odd to do that in my culture. (I hope Doom9 does not read this).

[Beave]

Since ac3tomp3 does not support all these fancy lame-settings what would be the best value there? Without lowpass and athtype and all those others what would be good for one CD? I mean for 2 CD we can take --r3mix.

I agree -V9 isn't that bad in movies, especially if you use lowpass like 16kHz. Usually the high frequencies reveal the compression first and if you don't compare it the original you won't notice the lowpass. The sound in movies isn't that clean either so artifacts will only show in heavy music parts. A setting of -V9 results often between 100 and 112kbit avg, which isn't that low either.

When I have heavy action movies with great sound I go for 2CDs with original ac3 sound.

[_TAG_]

just my 2 cents on lame options 4 encoding movies... just a suggestion (got switches from r3mix site, of course, with some adaptations)
note: i make 2 cds movies with 2 audio tracks, that's why my presents are somewhat space saving :p

movie small:
obviously for 1 cd movies which need the smallest audio (like animes, not Princess Mononoke)
--ns-sfb21 2 -Z -X0 -m j -v --vbr-mtrh -V 9 -b 32 -B 160 --lowpass 16 --athtype 3 --nspsytune

movie:
for 1 cd with decent sound or 2 cds which need a lot of video data (like batman)
--ns-sfb21 2 -Z -X0 -m j -v --vbr-mtrh -V 6 -b 32 -B 192 --lowpass 17.5 --athtype 3 --nspsytune

movie hi:
for 2 cds movies with a good sound/soundtrack
--ns-sfb21 2 -Z -X0 -m j -v --vbr-mtrh -V 4 -b 32 -B 192 --lowpass 17.5 --athtype 3 --nspsytune

sometimes i make the english soundtrack with <movie hi> and the italian one with <movie>, to save something on the audio track i don't usually listen to.

btw, shouldn't we switch lame settings discussion in a new thread?

[DSPguru]

Originally posted by _TAG_
btw, shouldn't we switch lame settings discussion in a new thread?

the idea was to agree on presets supported by the lame_enc.dll so i can add "-onecd" & "-twocd" presets to AC3toMP3.

it seems we lost focus :rolleyes:

please get back to the original discussion :
what should "-onecd" & "-twocd" represent in AC3toMP3 ?

[_TAG_]

Originally posted by DSPguru

it seems we lost focus :rolleyes:

please get back to the original discussion :
what should "-onecd" & "-twocd" represent in AC3toMP3 ?

didn't lose focus...

but maybe we could have 2 other presets:
-doubletwocd
for dual audio tracks on 2 cds (like <movie>), and
-smallonecd
for movies on 1 cd which need more video bitrate (like <movie small>)

imho --r3mix (or --dm-preset normal) is a good candidate for --twocd.

[pacohaas]

@TAG, specifying -B will only lower the quality and save maybe 1% of the filesize in movie soundtracks. It looks like you are going for a fast encode with the mrth and no -h(-q2). Neither of these flags are supported yet by AC3toMP3

@DSPGuru, how hard would it be to support -q and --npsytune? I assume -q is simple and npsytune might be next to impossible, but I just want to make sure.

also, i had a look at the source code and 0 is the default -X value and --athtype 3 is the default ATH for VBR though 1 is the default for ABR/CBR.

[_TAG_]

Originally posted by pacohaas
@TAG, specifying -B will only lower the quality and save maybe 1% of the filesize in movie soundtracks. It looks like you are going for a fast encode with the mrth and no -h(-q2). Neither of these flags are supported yet by AC3toMP3

didn't specify the -q2 cause that's what i get using RazorLame.

the mtrh is what r3mix uses, and i trust him (the --dm-preset doesn't use mtrh, so maybe it's the way to go, but i get pretty good results nonetheless).

as for the -B, i'm currently encoding Ronin audio, and i'll post the filesizes with -B192 and -B320, to see the difference...

btw, if ac3tomp3 does support --r3mix, it means that internally it uses the --npsytune, so it shouldn't be that hard to add it as a switch. (if i'm wrong please report me to the nearest sanitarium prior to flame killing) :D

[DSPguru]

Originally posted by _TAG_
btw, if ac3tomp3 does support --r3mix, it means that internally it uses the --npsytune, so it shouldn't be that hard to add it as a switch. (if i'm wrong please report me to the nearest sanitarium prior to flame killing) :D

for the last time : NO !!!
AC3toMP3 configures lame thru a BE_CONFIG structure, that DOES NOT have fields related to athtype & others. regarding psytune, it is written :
DWORD dwPsyModel; // FUTURE USE, SET TO 0

probably after lame 3.90 source code will be released, i could check for any changes.

the -r3mix is a PRESET. when i tell the dll : nPreset=LQP_R3MIX_QUALITY, the dll starts to fill all parameters internally. but still, i don't have access to this internal parameters.

i can only do two things :
1. to post about this shit to lame developers (i already did (http://66.96.216.160/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=c&action=display&num=1006889666))
2. to release my own version of lame_enc.dll that support everything (but that means - going back to version 3.89 :()

so please, don't give me hard time on this, i already did all i can do.

[DSPguru]

AC3toMP3 v0.7a (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=114) now supports list-file input.
more in the package :
- an example of list file.
- latest lame_enc.dll.
- a new & optimized release of bbdmux.dll

pay attention to the new syntax.
for a kick-start, just run the exe.

[damjang]

Hi DSPGuru! Thank you for your job...

I try AC3toMP3 0.61 (I deal with an 3h45min ac3 - 2dvd all in one rip) I see the time going positive and negative all the time: let I explain: first have e.g. 35 min decreasing and when arrive at 0 go to -35 decreasing to 0 and then 4-5 times the same. What this mean?

Thanks
DamjanG


PS: The handlig of mono files will be usable too...

[DSPguru]

Hi damjang,
please download AC3toMP3 v0.7a (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=114) and see if this bug still occurs.
anyway, as long the bug relates only to the interface and not to engine itself. i'm relaxed :p.

as for mono MP3,
i'll think about it..

[Huge]

Hi Mr Guru Sir :D

trying to figure out these new switches in 0.7a and failing miserably. I don't get any syntax errors (I think I should be getting some errors) but the program starts and just displays the help screen.

I've even copied and pasted your examples and they do the same.

edit - my mistake. I wasn't including the -output parameter as looking at the examples in the .lst files there are some that don't have it. I assumed it just added a .mp3 extension to the input file.

[DanniDin]

@Huge
If it'll Help You then I'll Release Azid/Lame GUI v0.4 beta 3 in a Few Hours...

You Only Need to Drag&Drop Your VOBs/AC3s and Press a Button.
The GUI will Create the List and AC3toMP3 will Do the Rest.

Danni.

[LigH]

@Danni: (Just what people like e.g. DAZA need...) Thank you for being so fast!

[DanniDin]

Thanks LigH ;)

Danni.

[Huge]

Does anyone know what --r3mix actually sets internally. The description is "special preset (sort of VBR)" which doesn't tell me much :)

@DSPGuru - sorry I've been a bit slow to notice that the supported parameters for LAME are in red on the HTML file :rolleyes:

Can we get some more suggestions on what --OneCD and --TwoCD should be using *only* the supported LAME parameters? I'm really only interested in --onecd so here's my vote:

-azid( -g max -L -3db ) -lame( -m j -v --vbr-mtrh -V 9 -b 80 -B 256 )

Do we need the -m j? Does the bold char in the html doc mean the default?

[DanniDin]

- Added Support for AC3toMP3 v0.7a Switches and List-File Input.

Azid/LameGUI v0.4 beta 3 (http://dannidin.netfirms.com/AzidLameGUIv0.4b3.zip)

Danni.

[DSPguru]

@Huge
Originally posted by pacohaas
--r3mix in all it's glory: --nspsytune --vbr-mtrh -V1 -mj -h -b96 --lowpass 19.5 --athtype 3 --ns-sfb21 2 -Z --scale 0.98 -X


as you could understand, the idea of using a list file, is only to set parameters for output mp3 once (-output & -lame() ) and all the rest can be set in the list file.
for example :
AC3toMP3 -core( -input example.lst -output test.mp3 ) -lame( --r3mix )

and then, example.lst could be :
-core( -input "e:\AC3toMP3\shuttle shivers.vob" -substream 0x80 ) -azid( -l-1db -c light )
-core( -input d:\temp\05.ac3 ) -azid( -g 3db -c none ) -boost( /b=3 /l=0.95 )
-core( -input c:\vobs\01.vob -substream 0x82 ) -azid( -g max ) -boost( /disable )
-core( -input c:\vobs\02.vob -substream 0x82 )
-core( -input "f:\cool stuff\applause.ac3" ) -azid( -g 6 -c normal )

anyway, configuration stands still if you don't change it.
for example, if you assume that maxGain(all vobs)=maxGain(first vob), your list could look like the following :
-core( -input 01.vob ) -azid( -g max )
-core( -input 02.vob )
:
-core( -input N.vob )



the bold characters in lame sw.html doesn't mean anything.

@DanniDin
where do you drag&drop the files to ? i don't find this window.. :(

users !
what's your impression of v0.7a ? did you notice that bbDMUX.dll is faster now ? did you find any bug ?
i believe this version is bugless, and i need your help before submitting this release to Doom9.

[DanniDin]

@DSPguru
Try Batch Mode :)

Danni.

[DSPguru]

@DanniDin
then what ?
it brings up the same window that is brought by "Location" controls (AC3toMP3.exe,VOB/AC3,MP3)

[DanniDin]

@DSPguru
Not a Same Window But Another DOS Window that Uses ~temp.lst in GUIs Path.

Danni.

[Huge]

@DSPGuru Would --r3mix -V9 override the -V1? If so that might make a good --OneCD setting.

[DSPguru]

@DanniDin
i found the problem -
it doesn't open the "Drag&Drop" window until i set all executable pathes (Azid,Lame,SSRC,2lame...)

@Huge
i'm 99% sure that the preset will override -V9 set.

[DanniDin]

I'll Change it So the Batch Mode Window will Open without Validation and Validate Each Button in Batch Mode

Danni.

[Huge]

Originally posted by DSPguru
@Huge
i'm 99% sure that the preset will override -V9 set.

Bugger :(

Yes it does.. I tested it.

[Huge]

Here's an example of the timecode display corruption. Notice the bottom line.

[00:00:00:000] +-------- AZID -------
[00:00:00:000] | Total Gain: 5.6dB, Compression: None
[00:00:00:000] | LFE levels: To LR -3.0dB, To LFE -INF
[00:00:00:000] | Center mix level: BSI
[00:00:00:000] | Surround mix level: BSI
[00:00:00:000] | Dialog normalization: No
[00:00:00:000] | Rear channels filtering: No
[00:00:00:000] | Source Sampling Rate : 48KHz
[00:00:00:000] +-------- LAME -------
[00:00:00:000] | Bitrate method : VBR (Merged)
[00:00:00:000] | VBR Quality : 9
[00:00:00:000] | MP3 Min bitrate: 80
[00:00:00:000] | MP3 Max bitrate: 256
[00:00:00:000] | Channels Mode : Joint Stereo
[00:00:00:000] +---------------------
[00:-7:-39:-456] writing e:\encode\xyz.audio-00.mp3 ....

[DSPguru]

[00:-7:-39:-456] writing e:\encode\xyz.audio-00.mp3 ....

hehehe :)
what's the length of the track ?
did you use -g max (two-pass mode) ? if yes, did it also happen in the first pass ?
did you transcode only one file or transcode a list ?
to be short, please give me all info ! ;)

[Huge]

:P

Track is 1:16:21 and I did use -g max. I didn't see it on the first pass only the second... I wonder if it happens when an overflow occurs?

[DSPguru]

it's only a bug in the interface. the conversion process doesn't affect by that.

[Huge]

Yup - conversion works fine.. I'm just letting you know :)

[DSPguru]

ok, download this bug-report-version (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=115).
now, use all switches like before, but also add to -core( -logfile bugreport.txt ).
and then attach it here.
this process will take the same time, but the info would be saved in the logfile instead of being printed on the screen.

-logfile normally doesn't log the timestamp, in this version - it does.

[Huge]

Bug report file.

[DSPguru]

ok, i believe i found the bug - 10q !
i also decided (consulting with DanniDin) to change to application name to VOBtoMP3 ;).

VOBtoMP3 v0.7 would be submitted to Doom9 in a few hours, so i guess you could download it from Doom9's software-page tommorow.

for those who can't wait, download latest exe here (http://dspguru.tripod.com/VOBtoMP3.zip) !

[Huge]

Wouldn't DVDtoMP3 be a better name? VOB might sound too techie for some.

[DSPguru]

Originally posted by Huge
Wouldn't DVDtoMP3 be a better name? VOB might sound too techie for some.

there's already an (horrorbly buggy) program with that name.
in fact, if future versions of my program would support MP2 output, i would haVe to change its' name.
i were thinking of three names : AudioMission, DVDtoMPx & BeSweet
other suggestions any1 ?

[Jayce_2013]

Hi there!

Could anyone tell me why the GUI does not work under Win2k although its says that it is in Win2k mode ??

Thanks a lot...:confused:

[MaTTeR]

Originally posted by Jayce_2013
Hi there!

Could anyone tell me why the GUI does not work under Win2k although its says that it is in Win2k mode ??

Thanks a lot...:confused:

Works fine for me in Win2k and XP. Try a fresh install of the GUI.

[Jayce_2013]

Unfortunately, nothing works...

Looks like I'm missing some files...the buttons ( Azid, Lame, vob to mp3 ) do not respond... I can't choose anything...

Thanks.

[The Link]

@ Jayce_2013
Did you download all the programs you need like azid, lame, toolame, vob2mp3 (incl. dlls)...?

[DanniDin]

@Jayce_2013

Download MSVBVM50.DLL from http://www.milori.com/developer/runtimes/ and Overwrite the One in Your Windows System Folder.

Danni.

[LigH]

Or more exactly: You need to install the VisualBasic 5 runtime.

But I once had a very strange incident: The "Virtual Machine" for VB5 (MSVBVM50.DLL) was exactly the same file as the one from VB6 (MSVBVM60.DLL) after installing some program (I never found out which one), and simply re-installing the VB5 runtime didn't work (it didn't overwrite the "newer" but wrong MSVBVM50.DLL), therefore I had to delete it first before reinstalling the VB5 runtime.

[DSPguru]

to all SVCD junkies,
i found a dll that encodes MPEG1 Layer2 audio.
for all the ppl asked me to make my program VOB->MP2 compatible, here we go...

download VOBtoMP3 v0.7 (http://www.doom9.org/Soft21/Files/Audio/VOBtoMP3v0.7.zip) & BeSweet v0.8a (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=126).
put the files in the same directory, and run :
BeSweeet -core( -input input.vob -substream substeram id -output output.mp2 ) -2lame( -b bitrate )

[DrKnowLittle]

My prayers have been heard !

thank you for the good work !


I will get back in a couple of days when I had the time to test it.


/DrKnowLittle

[Jayce_2013]

Thanks a lot everyone !!

And yes, DanniDin, I missed the MSVBVM50.DLL ....
It works just fine now... :cool:

Well, if you insist, I got one problem.
On one .vob azid was not able to determine the max gain ... ?
it was oscillating between 15dB and -120dB randomly...
do you guys know where it could come from ??

Thanx again (and in advance :) )

[Jayce_2013]

Anyone really ??

:eek: :(

[la-viper]

in my list.lst
-core( -input "d:\vob1.vob" )
-core( -input "d:\vob2.vob" )

in dos console :

BeSweet (or VOBtoMP3) -core( -input "d:\list.lst" -substream 0x80 -output audio.mp3 ) -lame( etc... ) -azid( etc... ) -boost ( /disable )

BeSweet works good but when it begin do load the second vob .. i receive a dialog box (error can not read blabla memory at blabla segment ..) and BeSweet crash :mad:

OS : Win2k SP2
CPU : P-III

Who can I extract all my Vobs to Ac3/Wav/Mp3 ??

can u load a smartripper lst file into BeSweet ??

[DSPguru]

try to transcode the 2nd.vob only :
BeSweet -core( -input d:\vob2.vob .... )

if that works, try to transcode this list :
-core( -input "d:\vob1.vob" )
-core( -input "d:\vob1.vob" )

post here the results and upload a logfile.

Dg.

[la-viper]

exacty .. that do not work :(


D:\Shush!\bin>besweet -core( -input d:\candyman\vts_02_2.vob -substream 0x80 -output d:\test.mp3 ) -lame( -h -b 96 -m j ) -boost( /disable ) -azid( -c normal -g 6 -L -3db )

-> Crash ...


I rip my dvd with SmartRipper 2.39, and with vStrip i can create ac3 file with my Vobs list ...
:confused:

i think your soft have a trouble with no first vob file.

Good Work ..

[DSPguru]

from what i understand, the problem is with d:\candyman\vts_02_2.vob and not with list file operation.
try to demux the ac3 from this vob using bbdmux.exe..
let me know if that works...

[la-viper]

oki, i will do that later..

[Huge]

How about a "Processor Priority" parameter that launches VOB2MP3 in whatever priority you ask it. Like,

--priority (low/below_normal/normal/above_normal/high/realtime)

[MaTTeR]

Originally posted by Huge
How about a "Processor Priority" parameter that launches VOB2MP3 in whatever priority you ask it. Like,

--priority (low/below_normal/normal/above_normal/high/realtime)

I really like that idea! :D

[DSPguru]

ok, i'll think about it..
anyway,
ssrc.dll is ready, and i will probably release the new BeSweet on weekend. (don't have time before that !:()

[philippas]

Great work DSPguru!!! :)

[DarkAvenger]

VobToMp3 v0.7

10:06min

HeadAC3he v0.15pre

dumb 9:54min
hybrid 7:52min
float 7:58min


Analysis:

(this test was run on an AMD Duron@800Mhz with 133FSB, 256MB RAM (CL3), 2xWD205BA in RAID-0 on hpt370 using a 30min sample of Shrek RC2 English, OS: w2k sp2)

I tried to use the same settings for mp3 encoding and you can see that a multi-threaded buffer implementation will speed up things. :) The dumb mode uses the same "algorithm" VobtoMP3 uses when doing auto gain find, and though the difference is only a few seconds, it will be much more the slower your harddisk(s) get. So for a whole movie with a 5400rpm single HD the difference could be nearly a minute. As you can see my other two-pass modes are *much* faster yielding the exact same quality (float) or to 99.99% the same (hybrid). As I thought before hybrid mode doesn't make much sense when doing a direct conversion from ac3->mp3. You may ask why is it nearly as slow as float mode. But that's the wrong question. You should ask yourself why float mode is nearly as fast as hybrid mode! The difference between float mode and hybrid on the computation side is that hybrid needs additional computation for the re-gainig (if you understood how it works...), but the amount depends on the ac3 file itself. If the peak was at the beginning, no additional re-gaining is done. So even in worst case (complete re-gaining) here hybrid shouldn't be much slower than float mode.But the disk use is a lot different. In fact in this test situation float read and wrote *double* the amount of hybrid mode, here 2x330MB=660MB. And for this it only needed 6 seconds more... No my RAID can't push 110MB/sec. :D It is HeadAC3he's buffering which makes all the difference. Because of being an own thread and because of good busmastering nowadays, nearly no time is wasted for disk i/o.

Of course HeadAC3he will be never that sweet as BeSweet, ie. having such an amount of features. But I am trying hard to be the fastest - with success as you can see.;)

HeadAC3he v0.15pre has not been released yet! I still need to do some minor coding, so it will probably be released this weekend.

So don't email me asking to send the current version, just be a bit patient.

Stay tuned!

[DSPguru]

but BeSweet also offers VOB input & SSRC.. :D

furthermore, DA - don't challange me :
you know i can create a multithreaded version in 1 daY.

Yours,
Dg.

[DarkAvenger]

Show me! :) You know how much work it is...

[damjang]

The big difference between HeadAC3che and BeSweet (vobtomp3, ac3tomp3) is that the first use a big amount of hd and the second writes the mp3 on the fly from vob. If I have a big hd I use the first in other cases the second...

damjang

[LigH]

Well, well - so which market gap is left for me? :rolleyes: If I just had the time to finish my plans... First I'll need to use the DLLs from Delphi. This will become a trial'n'error session. Wish me good luck.

[DanniDin]

Good Luck LigH ;)

Danni.

[DarkAvenger]

Well, perhaps one day i'll implement direct vob processing - but only perhaps... BTW an ac3 takes only about 400MB, wich is nothing on a 40GB HD. :D

[ChristianHJW]

Originally posted by DarkAvenger Well, perhaps one day i'll implement direct vob processing - but only perhaps... BTW an ac3 takes only about 400MB, wich is nothing on a 40GB HD. :D

Correct, direct VOB access is no big argument. When i am ripping the DVD to HDD i always use Smartrippers 'stream processing' to extract the AC3 to an extra file. Only video left in the VOBs.

For the moment i am using DanniDins GUI in 24 Bits mode including SSRC in all cases as i'm generally a lazy bastard and i can use some spare cycles of my SMP system to handle audio same time while video is encoded, so encoding speed is not an issue at all.
Even DVD2AVI/MPEG2DEC/AVISynth/Virtualdub( Gordian Knot 0.2 of course ) can not use my 2 CPUs fully ( i get 85 - 90% action ), even with 4 dll's involved, and my RAID 0 onboard has no probs at all with writing data at the necessary speeds, so i just let it run in the background .... Danni, why cant i minimize the batch encoding window ??

[damjang]

Originally posted by DarkAvenger
Well, perhaps one day i'll implement direct vob processing - but only perhaps... BTW an ac3 takes only about 400MB, wich is nothing on a 40GB HD. :D

Yes, but the wave normaly is more that 1GB... ant then I must encode mp3...

damjang

[DanniDin]

Danni, why cant i minimize the batch encoding window ??

Christian, I'll Add a Minimize Button to One of the Next Versions :)

Danni.

[DarkAvenger]

@damjang

It seems you haven't noticed that ac3->mp3 in dumb mode works exactly like BeSweet. There is no temp file in between! But you'll have to wait till the release to check it out....

[DSPguru]

BeSweet (http://dspguru.tripod.com/BeSweet_v0.81.zip) v0.81 (http://rilanparty.com/vbb/attachment.php?s=&attachmentid=175) :
- MP2 Output Support.
- SSRC Support.
- Azid's Surround & Stereo outputs are both supported now.
- Speed improvement.
- LogFile can be appended.

[Ripe73]

Hey!!!
How to use the preset settings in Vob->MP3?Is it only working with WAV->MP3?

[DSPguru]

which presets ?

[Ripe73]

http://66.96.216.160/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=general&action=display&num=1004134851

I mean that

[DSPguru]

they are not support by lame_enc.dll, and therefore not supported by BeSweet.

read old posts.

[elgan123]

Originally posted by DSPguru


for the last time : NO !!!
AC3toMP3 configures lame thru a BE_CONFIG structure, that DOES NOT have fields related to athtype & others. regarding psytune, it is written :
DWORD dwPsyModel; // FUTURE USE, SET TO 0

probably after lame 3.90 source code will be released, i could check for any changes.

the -r3mix is a PRESET. when i tell the dll : nPreset=LQP_R3MIX_QUALITY, the dll starts to fill all parameters internally. but still, i don't have access to this internal parameters.

i can only do two things :
1. to post about this shit to lame developers (i already did (http://66.96.216.160/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=c&action=display&num=1006889666))
2. to release my own version of lame_enc.dll that support everything (but that means - going back to version 3.89 :()

so please, don't give me hard time on this, i already did all i can do.

In the time it took me to read all the posts in this thread someone else asked exactly what i wanted to. ;)

To go back to the --1CD --2CD settings I think that --dm-preset <bitrate> would be ideal for 1CD.

If you can implement this into ac3tomp3/besweet I would have the 'perfect' mp3 encoding tool.

Great work on this proggy. :D

[Ripe73]

Okay thanks i have tried to read some old post and its not easy with all settings
Now i understand why!!!
:)

[pacohaas]

I'm going to reiterate this because I still think it's a good idea:
Maybe DSPGuru could work on an adjustable preset like some of dibrom's ABR presets. here's what I'm thinking:

--divx N

where N is the -V value, for instance:

--divx 6 stands for:
-V6 -mj -hIt would still be nice if we could get nspsytune in there, I know the developers are considering possibly defaulting nspsytune at one point.

@DSPGuru: you have stated a couple times that certain things would be possible if you were to compile your own version of LAME (32bit input, etc.) perhaps if you are up to it, you can get some of that stuff into the actual LAME source, i'm sure they'd love to have it. Then once you're there, you can get some of our presets compiled in the official version as well.

good luck :)

[DSPguru]

actually, i'm working now on adding a floating-point interface to lame_enc.dll .
after i do that, i might work on the presets issue.

[Nocturno]

*Damn* made a post that without reading back... sorry.. getting it now.. .lst file = not smartripper .lst file..

[DanniDin]

You Can't Use Any .lst File.

Check the Syntax of ~temp.lst that is Made (in GUI's DIR) After Pressing 'BeSweets List -> mp3' in Batch Mode.

Danni.

[chi]

hi.. just asking so pls don't shoot!

how about making it possible to use a list file like this:

anyfile_1.vob
anyfile_2.vob
anyfile_3.vob

and telling the stream with the -substream switch. i think (or hope) that most users would appreciate that...btw, i don't think that there are so much using such a listfile for encoding different streams with different settings and even they could do batch processing by adding the complete cmd-line to a batch file. most will use it for encoding a movie's ac3-stream, and therefore the standard smartri**er *.lst-file would be just ....great? useful? simple? ahhh i don't know...

[Nocturno]

it's working now.. no prob, but i could als o really use a "smartripper" .lst option on it.. i'm making *sigh* yet another automated dvd 2 divx conversion tool using mostly batchfiles,
with the new smartripper making a dvd2avi projectfile it would be great for me if i could rip the audio straight of the vobs, it would be a really fast method, only prob is.. since all dvd aren't created equall your .vob files will differ, so i can't automate it (or at least in an easy way) if besweet doesn't support smartripper .lst or automated vob selection. or somebody can tell me an easy way to convert a smartripper streamlist file to an besweet one?..

from this..

D:\riptmp\vts_01_1.vob
D:\riptmp\vts_01_2.vob
etc.

to this
-core( -input "D:\riptmp\vts_01_1.vob" -substream 0x80 )
-core( -input "D:\riptmp\vts_01_2.vob" -substream 0x80 )
etc.??

:confused:

[DSPguru]

@DanniDin
could you write this convertor ? should be very easy..
when the user input a list file, your GUI could automaticly detect its' "type", and if needed - convert it before inputting it to BeSweet.

[Movieslut]

Mp2 support, does that mean ac3 MC into mp2 MC (dolby surround)?

[DSPguru]

the output is MP2 (Mpeg1 Layer-2) not Mpeg2 Multichannel.
but, yes, the 2-channels MP2 can be dolby-surround encoded.

[DanniDin]

@DanniDin
could you write this convertor ? should be very easy..
when the user input a list file, your GUI could automaticly detect its' "type", and if needed - convert it before inputting it to BeSweet.

No Problem :)

Tomorrow...

Danni.

[Nocturno]

i know i'm pushing my luck here, but adding the converter to the gui wont help me as i'm using the commandline version in my batchproject, or you would be willing to release the converter seperately to so it can be run from a batch file?
:D

[Nocturno]

hmm dug up the old quickbasic.. (hey i'm no programmer!!) and fiddled with it a bit.. to make my own little converter,but i have a question.. what NEEDS to be in the .lst file.. i mean wil just the
-core( -input "D:\riptmp\vts_01_4.vob"

do or do i need to ad the:
-substream 0x80 ) -azid( -g max )

part too?. it seems a bit double if i can add them to the normal commandstring?
if not do i need to close the ( ) in the lst file or not?, seeing that i'm "adding" more commands on the commandline that looks like this :
BeSweet\BeSweet.exe -core( -input "d:\riptmp\vts_01.lst" -output "d:\riptmp\audio.mp3" -substream 0x80 -logfile "D:\audioconv\BeSweet v0.81\BeSweet.log" ) -azid( -z1 -b1 -s stereo -d 2/0 -c normal -g max ) -lame( -m s -v --vbr-new -V 5 )

i mean if i close the bracket in the .lst file will it still accept the other commandline options?

[Nocturno]

ive got a little converter commandline tool ready if anyone's interested, its a 40kb commandline tool that converts a smartripper
.lst file to a besweet .lst file,

from this :
D:\riptmp\vts_01_1.vob
D:\riptmp\vts_01_2.vob
D:\riptmp\vts_01_3.vob
D:\riptmp\vts_01_4.vob
D:\riptmp\vts_01_5.vob

to this :

-core( -input "D:\riptmp\vts_01_1.vob" )
-core( -input "D:\riptmp\vts_01_2.vob" )
-core( -input "D:\riptmp\vts_01_3.vob" )
-core( -input "D:\riptmp\vts_01_4.vob" )
-core( -input "D:\riptmp\vts_01_5.vob" )

suggestions welcome..

[DSPguru]

@Nocturno
you shuold always close brackets.
settings for files can be set from the command line or thru the list, with this limitation :
commandline can set -core( ) -azid( ) -ssrc( ) -boost( ) -lame( ) -2lame( )
while list only support : -core( ) -azid( ) -boost( )

beware that -output should be set once, and that -g max is finding the maximum gain of only one file at a time (but applying this gain for all files, until a new -g is set).

i might add a support for smartripper's list file. in the meantime, DD would do it.

[Nocturno]

thanx, got my convertor proggie working, i've already implemented it in my batch movie convertor.. your program really rocks!
and it's great that it can append the log to my own conversion log,
that really comes in handy for "debugging" my dvd2divx proggie.

if anyone wants it i can post it somewhere ( the smartripper .lst 2 Besweets .lst commandline convertor that is, my dvd2divx convertor is still pre-beta if you know what i mean :D )

[Tsui]

Bug-Report and Feature-Request :

-----

BeSweet-GUI 0.4 (14.12.2001) :

1. There is a small bug in the Drag and Drop-Routine. When I select for example 4 vob files in the
Explorer-Window and klick with the mouse on the 2nd, the 3rd or the 4th vob while dragging them to
the batch-window of the BeSweeet-GUI, this 2nd or 3rd or 4th vob is included as the first vob,
so the order is wrong. Only when I klick on the first vob of the 4 marked vobs while dragging them
to the batch-window the order is right. This is just a small bug, but I think it could be fixed
very easily by sorting them after dropping.

2. The BeSweet-GUI reprts an Error ('Runtime-Error 68' Device unavailable) and after that it crashes, when
I switch in any file-location-dialog (ac3 or vob or wav or mp3 input or output) to a drive that is
'simulated' by the Virtual-Daemon-Manager (my simulated cd-rom drive i: was unmounted and therefor
EMPTY at that time). I think you should make a error-handling-routine which firstly controlls whether
that drive is 'answering' any requests. The same error and crash occurs when switching to an EMPTY
cd-writer, dvd-drive etc.
You can say, that I just shouldn't switch to such an empty device or drive, but I think we (you)
should fix any bugs, no matter how small they are.

3. I want to hit the 'Enter' or 'Return' key instead of klicking with my mouse on the ok-button
in the file-location dialogs, but this is only cosmetic and not really important, just comfortable.

4. As I startet the GUI for the first time all works, but when I startet the GUI the second time it
crashes imediatly without any error-report (I haven't made ANY input). Then I started the GUI many times
but it crashes all the time. The solution I found was to overwrite the GUI.exe with the one that is
included in the original downloaded archive and all works fine, no crashes at startup anymore.
How can this happen ? Maybe you should check the integrity of the gui.exe while starting to avoid
those problems or is there an other problem with ini or registry settings I'm not aware of ?
The needed Visual Basic 5 and 6 Runtimes were installed bevor and after those crashes, so that
wasn't the problem.

Your GUI is great and mainly works without any problems, so I just want to report some (very) small bugs.
Keep up your great (and fast) work.

-----

BeSweet 0.81 :

5. The 'auto find maximum gain' option is started on every single vob, but I think this is the wrong method.
Imagine there is a very loud explosion in the 3rd vob but in all the other vobs there are only little
sound effects and mainly only dialogs. Normaly there is only one 'maximum gain' for ALL the vobs
(or the whole ac3-file), but when using BeSweet, there are 4 DIFFERENT 'maximum gains' (one for each vob)
so the maximum volume changes from vob to vob and this is bad. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

6. I compared the mp3 files from azid-lame (two steps) and from besweet
(vob-azid-lame and ac3-azid-lame in one step) and I was wondering why they are different.
The file length and the content is different.
The mp3 made by vob-besweet and ac3-besweet differs after eg 20000 bytes and the file length
of the vob-besweet mp3 is ca. 300.000 bytes greater.
The file length of the ac3-azid-lame (old two step-method) is ca. 1000 bytes shorter than the
ac3-besweet mp3 file.
I have no idea of the cause of this differences, so please explain me that.
When I play each of those mp3 files I can't hear any difference, so there isn't any real problem,
but I want to understand this.

-----

I have some requests :

7. MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio support (as source format), maybe you can include the winamp in_mp3.dll or
the QDesign MPEG Audio ACM Codec to decode those files. Or can the lame_enc.dll or the mp3enc.dll
also decode ? CDex can decode mp? files to wav (it possibly uses the mp3dec.dll),
so I think you can do it, too.
Why isn't the mp3enc.dll included in the besweet-archive ? (I found this dll in the CDex-Archive)

8. lpcm audio support (as source format).
If the source is mono, you eventually must convert it to stereo
(really easy, just write each source-sample [word] twice in the target-file and change the wav-header)
to match the svcd audio specification (mpeg muxing with mono audio results in choppy playback)

9. display of remaining time (or percentage) like azid and lame also do

10. can you offer the source-code of besweet 0.81 please ?

11. what have you changed on the ssrc.dll to optimize it ?

12. display of the language that is connected with the audio-stream-id.
You must parse the ifo-file to do that, but this isn't any problem, because streams 2.6.7 and vstrip
and SmartRipper can write those infos into textfiles, so you just have to parse textfiles to show
this infos in the GUI.

-----

BeSweet is a very useful peace of software I don't want to miss it anymore.
Thank you for this great piece or art.

Imagine what the future will bring...

Connecting the SmartRipper (it is already scripting-capable) to besweet and you will be able to
rip the vobs and convert audio in one step.
When you use mpeg2avi to encode the video to avi, it will be possible to do ALL transcoding in one step.
I request GordianKnot will get scripting-support to include it and Nandub, too.

[DanniDin]

Thanks Tsui :)

I'll Check Everything Tomorrow...

Danni.

[DSPguru]

Hi Tsui,

Originally posted by Tsui
Bug-Report and Feature-Request :

BeSweet 0.81 :

5. The 'auto find maximum gain' option is started on every single vob, but I think this is the wrong method.
Imagine there is a very loud explosion in the 3rd vob but in all the other vobs there are only little
sound effects and mainly only dialogs. Normaly there is only one 'maximum gain' for ALL the vobs
(or the whole ac3-file), but when using BeSweet, there are 4 DIFFERENT 'maximum gains' (one for each vob)
so the maximum volume changes from vob to vob and this is bad. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

you can set automatic/manutal gain for each vob, or once per list.
future versions of BeSweet might support 2-pass in list-span-meaning. (instead of file-span-meaning).

6. I compared the mp3 files from azid-lame (two steps) and from besweet
(vob-azid-lame and ac3-azid-lame in one step) and I was wondering why they are different.
The file length and the content is different.
The mp3 made by vob-besweet and ac3-besweet differs after eg 20000 bytes and the file length
of the vob-besweet mp3 is ca. 300.000 bytes greater.
The file length of the ac3-azid-lame (old two step-method) is ca. 1000 bytes shorter than the
ac3-besweet mp3 file.
I have no idea of the cause of this differences, so please explain me that.
When I play each of those mp3 files I can't hear any difference, so there isn't any real problem,
but I want to understand this.

the explanation to this is quite simple : lame_enc.dll != lame.exe :mad:
please mention the ratio between the two outputs, 'cause i think i got lost with all the numbers you gave.. ;)

-----

I have some requests :

7. MPEG-1 Layer 2 audio support (as source format), maybe you can include the winamp in_mp3.dll or
the QDesign MPEG Audio ACM Codec to decode those files. Or can the lame_enc.dll or the mp3enc.dll
also decode ? CDex can decode mp? files to wav (it possibly uses the mp3dec.dll),
so I think you can do it, too.
Why isn't the mp3enc.dll included in the besweet-archive ? (I found this dll in the CDex-Archive)
i'm using mp2enc.dll from CDEX, but for mp3 encoding, i'm using lame_enc.dll.
all output-dll's used by BeSweet ATM, only encodes.
i also thought of adding support for plug-ins. i'm not sure if this is really needed.


8. lpcm audio support (as source format).
If the source is mono, you eventually must convert it to stereo
(really easy, just write each source-sample [word] twice in the target-file and change the wav-header)
to match the svcd audio specification (mpeg muxing with mono audio results in choppy playback)
again, something i already thought about. might be supported already on BeSweet v1.0 :cool:

9. display of remaining time (or percentage) like azid and lame also do

all this stuff SLOWERING the process. believe me, i'm holding myself from not removing the time-stamps display, as i know it makes my program slower than it could be !


10. can you offer the source-code of besweet 0.81 please ?no.
but i might release BeSweet.dll .

11. what have you changed on the ssrc.dll to optimize it ?removed code (unneeded now) dealing with data manipulation & gain+saturation handling.
pretty fast, ah ;) ?
i also have future-plan to replace the rdft c-code in SSRC to assembly code.

12. display of the language that is connected with the audio-stream-id.
You must parse the ifo-file to do that, but this isn't any problem, because streams 2.6.7 and vstrip
and SmartRipper can write those infos into textfiles, so you just have to parse textfiles to show
this infos in the GUI.
this paragraph should be pointed to DanniDin -> the beautiful-GUI author.



-----

BeSweet is a very useful peace of software I don't want to miss it anymore.
Thank you for this great piece or art.
thank you for your kind words :)

Imagine what the future will bring...

Connecting the SmartRipper (it is already scripting-capable) to besweet and you will be able to
rip the vobs and convert audio in one step.
When you use mpeg2avi to encode the video to avi, it will be possible to do ALL transcoding in one step.
I request GordianKnot will get scripting-support to include it and Nandub, too.
don't wait for the future, bring it now !

Dg.

[The Link]

6. I compared the mp3 files from azid-lame (two steps) and from besweet
(vob-azid-lame and ac3-azid-lame in one step) and I was wondering why they are different.
The file length and the content is different.
The mp3 made by vob-besweet and ac3-besweet differs after eg 20000 bytes and the file length
of the vob-besweet mp3 is ca. 300.000 bytes greater.
The file length of the ac3-azid-lame (old two step-method) is ca. 1000 bytes shorter than the
ac3-besweet mp3 file.
I have no idea of the cause of this differences, so please explain me that.
When I play each of those mp3 files I can't hear any difference, so there isn't any real problem,
but I want to understand this.


I recognized this too and got some problems with the resulting mp3 (but it was no problem to extract ac3 and go the other way :) )

BTW: Great program!!!

edit: I posted this reply at the same time and didn´t see dspguru´s answer.

[DSPguru]

hi guys, check v0.9beta (http://dspguru.tripod.com/BeSweetv0.9.zip) and report bugs !

new features :
- Full Floating-Point process support !!!!!!!!
- Stereo Wav Output
- Six Mono Wav Output
- Azid's Rear channels filtering support
- Azid's dialog normalization support
- Timestamp is added to logfile
- Minor changes in interface
- Now supporting SmartRipper's list aside BeSweet's list

i'm sure there were more, but i forgot all the others.. ;)

[dvdyke]

This file is hosted by Tripod, a Lycos®Network Site, and is not available for download. Please check out Tripod's Help system for more information about Remote Loading and our Remote Loading policy.

[MaTTeR]

Originally posted by dvdyke
This file is hosted by Tripod, a Lycos®Network Site, and is not available for download. Please check out Tripod's Help system for more information about Remote Loading and our Remote Loading policy.

Same problem here on my end.

[DSPguru]

another link (http://dannidin.netfirms.com/BeSweetv0.9.zip)

[MaTTeR]

Ok, after 30 mins of beating my head against a wall, I give up. Just downloaded BeSweet0.9 and decided to test some VOBs and an AC3 file. The problem is that the resulting MP3 file has no sound. Here's a log shot-

Logging start : 16:38:26

C:\Program Files\BeSweetv0.9\BeSweet.exe -core( -input d:\1120\dolby digital trailer\dolby_rain.vob -output m:\DIVX\rain.besweet.test.mp3 -substream 0x80 -logfile C:\Program Files\BeSweetv0.9\BeSweet.log ) -azid( -z1 -b1 -g max ) -lame( -b 128 )

[00:00:00:000] +------- BeSweet -----
[00:00:00:000] | Input : d:\1120\dolby digital trailer\dolby_rain.vob
[00:00:00:000] | Output: m:\DIVX\rain.besweet.test.mp3
[00:00:00:000] | Substream ID: 0x80
[00:00:00:000] | Floating-Point Process: Yes
[00:00:00:000] +-------- AZID -------
[00:00:00:000] | Output Stereo mode: Dolby surround compatible
[00:00:00:000] | Total Gain: 10.3dB, Compression: None
[00:00:00:000] | LFE levels: To LR 0.0dB, To LFE 0.0dB
[00:00:00:000] | Center mix level: BSI
[00:00:00:000] | Surround mix level: BSI
[00:00:00:000] | Dialog normalization: No
[00:00:00:000] | Rear channels filtering: No
[00:00:00:000] | Source Sample-Rate: 48.0KHz
[00:00:00:000] +-------- LAME -------
[00:00:00:000] | Bitrate method : CBR
[00:00:00:000] | MP3 bitrate : 128
[00:00:00:000] | Channels Mode : Stereo
[00:00:00:000] +---------------------
[00:00:33:984] Conversion Completed !
Logging ends : 16:38:37

What am I missing here? The encode process seems to work fine but MP3 playback has no sound whatsoever.

[Farok]

hi,

Thanks dspguru foryour soft.
Maybe could you add an option to display the time-stamps display every 10 seconds maybe to increase the speed...
another question: should we boost the output or uses the dialog normalisation ??
cul8r

[DSPguru]

10x, matter, you're right !
one wrong condition... and nothing worx ;)
please download the v0.9beta (http://dannidin.netfirms.com/BeSweetv0.9.zip) again :)

@Farok
i might add a switch for "quiet" process, meaning no display while encoding, but i will only offer it for mp3-float-encoding.
about boosting : some people will suggest you to use the dialog-norm, other will say boosting is better, i suggest that you let your ears to judge.

I hope tomorrow we will release BeSweet v0.9 & BeSweet GUI v0.5 .
the new GUI kicks ass ! (please read with Cartman's voice-style).

[MaTTeR]

Originally posted by DSPguru
10x, matter, you're right !
one wrong condition... and nothing worx ;)
please download the v0.9beta (http://dannidin.netfirms.com/BeSweetv0.9.zip) again :)



No problem. Glad it wasnt me doing something wrong. I'll start doing some testing now and post my results.

[DanniDin]

Here is BeSweet GUI v0.5 (http://www.dannidin.f2s.com/BeSweetGUIv0.5.rar)

Enjoy :)

Danni.

[Taric25]

Originally posted by LigH
According to the "ifrance" mail domain, doom9 may be French; many other members are Germans for sure; I know one from New Zealand... We all are newbies, with more or less experience in one or other areas.

I couldn't take the assumption that Doom9 may be French based soley on the mail domain. Don't forget, Doom9 speaks very good Sweedish. :)
If you tried to assume my nationality from the many animé e-mail addresses I have, you'd probibly assume I was Japanese. :p

[ChristianHJW]

Originally posted by Taric25 Don't forget, Doom9 speaks very good Sweedish. :)

.... but he recently stated that now the expression '... just my 2 cents..' even makes sense for Europeans .... and the Swedish still use the 'Crown' ( ? ; SEK ; German : Krone ) ...

[MaTTeR]

Hmmm..perhaps soon we might be saying something like...just my 2 Euros:D

[ZeB]

Originally posted by ChristianHJW


.... but he recently stated that now the expression '... just my 2 cents..' even makes sense for Europeans .... and the Swedish still use the 'Crown' ( ? ; SEK ; German : Krone ) ...

Yes, we still use the crown. I thought Doom9 was from german or austria but I may be wrong. Not that important, or?

[Doom9]

the Danish and Norwegian also use crowns.. so they'd say my 2 öre (or that special character for which I can't find the appropriate ascii code ;)

I guess I'll have to learn even more languages so that it will become even harder to guess where I'm from. Unfortunately I don't really pick up anything when watching asian films.. would be cool to learn Cantonese by just watching Jet Li flicks :)

[ZeB]

Originally posted by Doom9
the Danish and Norwegian also use crowns.. so they'd say my 2 öre (or that special character for which I can't find the appropriate ascii code ;)

I guess I'll have to learn even more languages so that it will become even harder to guess where I'm from. Unfortunately I don't really pick up anything when watching asian films.. would be cool to learn Cantonese by just watching Jet Li flicks :)

Ø ?

:)

[Doom9]

yup.. that's what I meant ;)