Which encoding option to use for DVD?

TheManuel · 17th July 2006, 22:39

Hello.

I was starting to use FFMPEG to encode into ac3 the audio from my camcorder captures to create DVD's. I chose the tool because of the good reviews on the tools section but today read somewhere in the web that the output quality is not quite high with its ac3enc.dll. The post was 21/2 years old so I am wondering if the quality of the tool has improved since then. Does besweet use the same dll for ac3 encoding or does it use a better one?
If there is currently not a very good free ac3 encoding tool, should I rather do mp2? What would be the best free tool for this.

Thanks in advance

Awatef · 17th July 2006, 23:52

If you're doing PAL DVDs, it would be much more simple for you to encode in MP2, since it's as easy as MP3 encoding (if not even easier!). No DRC hassle and less encoding time.
224kbps is good enough a bitrate.
The freeware MP2 encoders available are very mature and offer a very good quality.

As for your AC3 question, I don't want to give bad advice, so I'll leave that to other forum members

Skelsgard · 19th July 2006, 05:02

Use aften for AC3 encoding, it´s free and it´s currently under development so u´ll can be sure that u´ll get support if needed.
As new as it is, it already offers more encoding options than any other free AC3 encoder.

marnix88 · 19th July 2006, 13:20

I'm also looking for a way to encode various audio properly to AC3 to create DVD's.

Aften only supports WAV -> AC3 and no other input, right?
FFmpeg only seems to be able to encode to 2 channel AC3.
ac3enc.dll has a bug that reduces the volume with 50% or more.

danpos · 19th July 2006, 13:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by marnix88

Aften only supports WAV -> AC3 and no other input, right?

Yes, correct.

Quote:

Originally Posted by marnix88

FFmpeg only seems to be able to encode to 2 channel AC3.

No, it encodes to 6 channels too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by marnix88

ac3enc.dll has a bug that reduces the volume with 50% or more.

Yes, it's based on old liba52 ffmpeg code, which was buggy. The Aften's author corrected this bug through a patch which was officially accepted by FFMPEG Team and it is present at Aften code as well.

TheManuel · 19th July 2006, 15:05

Thanks Danpos.

It looks like Aften it is. Like you said it is actively under development so good things should happen. The fact that it corrected the audio volume bug is already a significant improvement.

My thanks and encouragement go to the author.

marnix88 · 19th July 2006, 15:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by danpos

No, it encodes to 6 channels too.

But unfortunately the channel mapping is wrong (well, it is for me), so it can only be used for 2.0 channel output.

If I have 5.1 channel 448kbps AC3 and try to encode it to 5.1 channel 384kbps AC3, then all the voices from the center channel are moved to the right front channel.

Code:

ffmpeg -i "D:\TestAudio.ac3" -ab 384 -ar 48000 -ac 6 -acodec ac3 -y "D:\TestAudioEncoded.ac3"

danpos · 19th July 2006, 15:29

@marnix88

The channel mapping must be done prior use of ffmpeg.

marnix88 · 19th July 2006, 16:02

Thank you, danpos. I just downloaded BeHappy and it also showed me the correct command. Specifying the amount of channels is not necessary. It will automatically keep all the channels the same way they are.

17th July 2006, 22:39	#1 \| Link
TheManuel Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Canton, MI USA Posts: 30	Which encoding option to use for DVD? Hello. I was starting to use FFMPEG to encode into ac3 the audio from my camcorder captures to create DVD's. I chose the tool because of the good reviews on the tools section but today read somewhere in the web that the output quality is not quite high with its ac3enc.dll. The post was 21/2 years old so I am wondering if the quality of the tool has improved since then. Does besweet use the same dll for ac3 encoding or does it use a better one? If there is currently not a very good free ac3 encoding tool, should I rather do mp2? What would be the best free tool for this. Thanks in advance

17th July 2006, 23:52	#2 \| Link
Awatef A CORE Media Player User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Africa Posts: 789	If you're doing PAL DVDs, it would be much more simple for you to encode in MP2, since it's as easy as MP3 encoding (if not even easier!). No DRC hassle and less encoding time. 224kbps is good enough a bitrate. The freeware MP2 encoders available are very mature and offer a very good quality. As for your AC3 question, I don't want to give bad advice, so I'll leave that to other forum members __________________ Stereo better than 128kbps MP3? Ogg Vorbis at -q2! (~96kbps) / Get the LANCER releases for max conversion speed (at least twice as fast as Lame 3.97!)

19th July 2006, 05:02	#3 \| Link
Skelsgard foobaring my ass off Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Argentina Posts: 618	Use aften for AC3 encoding, it´s free and it´s currently under development so u´ll can be sure that u´ll get support if needed. As new as it is, it already offers more encoding options than any other free AC3 encoder. __________________ "Damn, respect my authoritay!!" - E. Cartman

19th July 2006, 15:29	#8 \| Link
danpos BDVD Team Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Rio de Janeiro - RJ/Brasil Posts: 306	@marnix88 The channel mapping must be done prior use of ffmpeg. Last edited by danpos; 19th July 2006 at 16:10.

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19th July 2006, 13:20	#4 \| Link
marnix88 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 40	I'm also looking for a way to encode various audio properly to AC3 to create DVD's. Aften only supports WAV -> AC3 and no other input, right? FFmpeg only seems to be able to encode to 2 channel AC3. ac3enc.dll has a bug that reduces the volume with 50% or more.

19th July 2006, 15:05	#6 \| Link
TheManuel Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Canton, MI USA Posts: 30	Thanks Danpos. It looks like Aften it is. Like you said it is actively under development so good things should happen. The fact that it corrected the audio volume bug is already a significant improvement. My thanks and encouragement go to the author.

19th July 2006, 16:02	#9 \| Link
marnix88 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 40	Thank you, danpos. I just downloaded BeHappy and it also showed me the correct command. Specifying the amount of channels is not necessary. It will automatically keep all the channels the same way they are.