upsampling question split from guide list

[tlavell]

This is my first post. I have been using the forum for about 4 weeks and would like to thank everyone for for making my initiation into encoding so pleasurable.
I am currently foloowing Eyes of Hours stereo to surround method and creating DTS cd's with surcode and getting great results already.

A stupid newbie question comes to mind which i have been unable to find an FAQ to in the forum : To make the most of the DTS encode resolution (24Bit) am i wasting my time upsampling with R brain from my original 16bit CD data to 24bit prior to encoding to DTS. I seem to get the same file size after conversion!

terry

[ursamtl]

Originally posted by tlavell
To make the most of the DTS encode resolution (24Bit) am i wasting my time upsampling with R brain from my original 16bit CD data to 24bit prior to encoding to DTS. I seem to get the same file size after conversion!

Hi Terry and welcome to the forum! Since you end up with the same file size whether using 16- or 24-bit input, it's obvious that the encoding software converts 24-bit input to 16. We've discussed this here before and no one seems to be able to find out definitely whether the encoders properly dither to 16 bits or simply truncate.

One thing is clear, if you're going to write 16-bit files as the output from Bidule, you should definitely add a dither VST plugin to the outputs. Bidule works internally at 32 bits and does not dither. For more information, see Step 2 in http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.ph...hreadid=79862.

As to whether or not you should dither to 16 bits or leave your file at 24 or 32 bits if you've converted it, given that it's not clear whether or not the encoding software does dither, it's probably better to do so.

Happying surrounding!
Steve.

[tlavell]

Hi steve,

thx for your reply. I have tried many of the different bidule methods and yesterday downloaded adobe audition on a 30 day full functional trial. Using surroundboys latest method I was very pleased with the results. Also I found that I could upsample to 32Bit prior to processing the 6 wavs and then down sample with R8Brain after processing. This result did give me a larger file and I checked the properties of the files before inputting into Surcode DTS. They were stated to be 24bits. Obviously adobe audition must be using some kind of interpolator but I presume getting a 24 bit file into surcode DTS must have benefits. I believe I cannot do this with the Bidule/Besweet method. What to do you think ?

terry

[daphy]

Hiho

Also I found that I could upsample to 32Bit prior to processing the 6 wavs and then down sample with R8Brain after processing.

why downsampling if 32bit is supported -> feed surcode with that files, it should work

Obviously adobe audition must be using some kind of interpolator but I presume getting a 24 bit file into surcode DTS must have benefits.

does surcode DTS support 24bit/32bit output?
please check your DTS file f.e. with mpc (at the botton if this app it tells you what kind of DTS you have -> f.e. 6 channel 16bit DTS)
-> as I remember surcode transform all sources into 16bit DTS

[ursamtl]

Originally posted by daphy
-> as I remember surcode transform all sources into 16bit DTS

This message replaces my earlier reply because I now have new information.

According to SurCode's technical support, their DTS and Dolby encoders will accept 32-bit files, but will only output to a maximum of 24 bits. In other words:

  16-bit input --> 16-bit output
  24-bit input --> 24-bit output
  32-bit input --> 24-bit output

If someone uses 32-bit files, I wouldn't worry about the reduction to 24-bit resolution because the difference is inperceptible even without dithering, whereas reducing from 24- to 16-bit resolution does require dithering to avoid audible artifacts.

I think we can probably assume that SoftEncode does the same thing for AC3 files it produces. Its help file hints at this with statements that it does support 24-bit files.

[daphy]

sounds good but:

are there any further information on which program version this statement is? All versions? there are many diffrent around.

One thing I never found one their webpage is the development history/change log of surcode applications.
To be honest, I have no idea which one is the newest
Maybe someone could help

[ursamtl]

He said that both their DTS and Dolby Digital products output at 24 bits, but he did not give any specific versions, so I assume he meant all.

By the way, SurCode has dropped the price of SurCode DTS-CD to just $99. This only encodes DTS at 44.1kHz so it's no good for doing DVD soundtracks but fine for surround CDs. The version that does both 44.1- and 48-kHZ output is quite a bit more expensive at $495.

Steve.

[Sycho]

any word on inexpensive dolby digital 5.1 encoders