.wav to .ac3 problem

[Choice]

Hi there. I was wondering if someone could help a newbie out. Im trying to burn some anime episodes to DVD to play on a standalone. I found a tutorial at another forum. Right now I have gotten to the point where I have an .avi with no sound stream and a seperate .wav containing all sound info. I converted the .wav to .ac3 format using BeSweet, and then repaired it with AC3FIX. However, when I go to multiplex the two streams with TMPGEnc Xpress3.0 I get an error
Invalid MPEG audio stream
So I asked around and did some of my own research. The .wav I have is (Wave MPEG Layer-3 128kBit/s, 48,000 Hz, Stereo)

When I use another program, DVD-Lab, to load the same .ac3 file I get yet another error, this one is more specific: The file is corrupted (it doesnt start with the correct ac3 header) It then asks me if I wish to repair it. With the repaired .ac3 I still get an error that tells me the .ac3 file is 44.1 kHz and therefore unsupported for DVD playback.

Could anyone help me? I think I need to set something in BeSweet to have the .ac3 output 48kHz, or I could be incorrect and have no clue what I am talking about.

Thanks for listening
Cheers

[daphy]

I converted the .wav to .ac3 format using BeSweet, and then repaired it with AC3FIX.
Why at this point, are you sure that there is something wrong with your AC3? :rolleyes:
:logfile:
When I use another program, DVD-Lab, to load the same .ac3 file I get yet another error, this one is more specific: The file is corrupted (it doesnt start with the correct ac3 header) It then asks me if I wish to repair it. With the repaired .ac3 I still get an error that tells me the .ac3 file is 44.1 kHz and therefore unsupported for DVD playback.
this might result because of AC3Fix, please try another AC3 encoder with modded ac3enc.dll f.e. the latest HeadAC3 (you will find it on needfulthings (http://www.needfulthings.webhop.org) (with new installer ;) )
However, when I go to multiplex the two streams with TMPGEnc Xpress3.0 I get an error Invalid MPEG audio stream

As far as I know (please correctme if I´m wrong) TMPGEnc Xpress3.0 needs this plugin (http://www.pegasys-inc.com/en/download/tsp_ac3.html) to handle AC3 sound, maybe not for simple muxing but for encoding.

please report your result :D

[WhipHubley]

Originally posted by Choice
The .wav I have is (Wave MPEG Layer-3 128kBit/s, 48,000 Hz, Stereo)


How did you create the WAV file? I'm a newbie too, but I'm pretty sure it shouldn't have MP3 within it. I'm assuming MP3 was the format of the original audio. what you want to create is an uncompressed WAV file (PCM, is it?) so find an app that can do that. I'm sure BeSweet can do that, or if not VirtualDubMod definitely can - if your source is AVI.

I converted the .wav to .ac3 format using BeSweet...

That should be OK once you've completed the above step correctly, but I personally wouldn't touch BeSweet to create an AC3 file. It uses something called ac3enc from the ffmpeg project which is a valiant effort, but unfortunately produces poor results. Try and get hold of Sonic Foundry Soft Encode if you can.

I think I need to set something in BeSweet to have the .ac3 output 48kHz...

Yes, I'm fairly sure that for DVD authoring with AC3 you need 48. Not sure where the option is in BeSweet for that, but it def should be available to you. Soft Encode by default sets it to 48.

If you've got MP3 audio then it might just be easier to create an MP2 file, and author that along with your video to DVD. up to you though, of course.

[daphy]

The .wav I have is (Wave MPEG Layer-3 128kBit/s, 48,000 Hz, Stereo
This is a ACM stream
Try and get hold of Sonic Foundry Soft Encode if you can.
not supported anymore, try HeadAC3, real good results because of the modded ac3enc.dll

[violao]

Originally posted by daphy
...please try another AC3 encoder with modded ac3enc.dll f.e. the latest HeadAC3 (you will find it on needfulthings (http://www.needfulthings.webhop.org) (with new installer ;) )

Been there but cannot find download link. Also, on DarkAvenger's site there are no references to this version, only the old one (0.23). Where did you find this alpha :confused:

[daphy]

from the German Doom9 board (as linked on needfulthings ;) )

download link problem: we have a little hardware issue, plz always follow this thread (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=67354) related to the server and report errors there!
BTW: all download links are dynamic, means only shown when they are avaible, maybe in this special moment none of the mirrors responds - so this is not an real needfulthings error, it´s the provider behind (we noticed this happens sometimes, but it´s the best compromise we found to handle this amount of traffic)
Another thing: looking at the logfiles tells me that the server should work almost faultless right now -> plz try again :D

[violao]

Got it. :thanks:

[violao]

Originally posted by daphy
try HeadAC3, real good results because of the modded ac3enc.dll

Right, I did few tests with new alpha HeadAC3che and found (using azid decoder) that no matter what type of settings I used ac3enc.dll output file with:

- no DRC compression
- approximately -6 dB lower peak values
- dialnorm always set to -31 dB

I guess that still produces significantly lower volume audio. I am tempted to set global gain of 6 dB, but if that gain is applied to a normalized PCM prior to encoding I believe that would introduce significant distorsions.

[mrslacker]

Originally posted by violao
I am tempted to set global gain of 6 dB, but if that gain is applied to a normalized PCM prior to encoding I believe that would introduce significant distorsions.
I agree, It would be wise not to apply too much gain as this is refering to the pre-encoded audio. I have recently been investigating free AC3 encoding possibilities and have been very disappointed with the ffmpeg source based implementations. This thread (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52263) is pretty old, but it still applies. The results from recent ffmpeg builds are equally attenuated.

I completely agree with WhipHubley that the ffmpeg project has not exactly succeeded in their AC3 encoding attempts.

EDIT: Known Issue 16 (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15738) says it all.

[Mug Funky]

also for some reason besweet's ac3 encoding doesn't work on some pioneer DVD players.

[KpeX]

Originally posted by Mug Funky
also for some reason besweet's ac3 encoding doesn't work on some pioneer DVD players. Does anyone know if this is still true with besweet using the latest (supposedly fixed) ac3enc.dll?

DG reinstated AC3 encoding after it was pointed out that there was supposedly an AC3 compliance fix in the ffmpeg source code.

[Spotteri]

Originally posted by Mug Funky
also for some reason besweet's ac3 encoding doesn't work on some pioneer DVD players.
Some Pioneer DVD players are not the only ones that have with BeSweet encoded AC3s. I know at least 4 people incuding me that have reported "silence" when playing these streams. I don´t remember the player models or manufacturer they are using, but they weren´t Pioneers. My player is Sansui.

Far as I know I have used the latest versions.