Recording Dolby Pro Logic II on PC from external source

[Seraphic-]

So if one had a Dolby Pro Logic II source from an external RCA or Toslink cable, and the needed connections on the PC to input them, how would one go about recording the Dolby Pro Logic II?
Source is Playstation 2 (toslink) and Nintendo Wii (rca).

First your PC would need a Dolby Pro Logic II decoder of course:
Based on research, searching, and this post HERE (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=111603). (didn't want to bump topic from 2006)

The post was very interesting and covered a lot of information, but kind of ended without any clear solution. The basic process it seems was using Aux-X or FFDShow in graphedit (someone reported missing the two rear channels in one instance). I have no experience with Aux-X at all, but as far as FFDShow, as far as I understand it is not really "decoding" as the specifications for DPLII have never been released. So it does "best guess" process. Does anyone have experience with Aux-X and DPLII? Does it actually do decoding? And are there any programs that actually do DPLII decoding (something like ArcSoft, Nero, Sonic, Power DVD and Surcode) and also work with graphedit? I know AC3Filter works with graphedit and can output DPLII, not sure if it can accept it as input though or if it does decoding.

Also, in regards to DPLII. Does the audio stream differ in anyway from the normal stereo stream? For example, if source has option for stereo or DPLII output, are the audio streams exactly the same for both output modes? I mean, is the only difference the embedded DPLII flag when set to DPLII mode?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

[tebasuna51]

I'm not sure if you want record or play (decode).
To record:
If you have RCA input is analógic audio and you need convert to digital, by Toslink (SPDIF) the audio is already digital and you can record the stream directly.

To decode:
There are DirectShow filters, but I recommend you use a free method: Foobar2000 and the foo_dsp_fsurround (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=52235) plugin

There are differences between a stereo downmix (5.1 -> 2.0) and a DPLII downmix, but after the mix only the flag in ac3 BSI can difference the streams.

[Seraphic-]

What I am looking to record the decoded DPLII stream's five channels in a multichannel wav file or single mono wav files for each channel (or any process that gives me access to the separate channels in a lossless format). Yes, the RCA is analog, but I have the hardware to do exact copy stream recording of rca or toslink, so there should be no issues there.

Thanks for the link to that plugin, it looks promising. What DirectShow filters are you thinking about though?

Don't you mean stereo upmix in this case (DPLII = 2.0 -> 5.1)?

[Ghitulescu]

I'm not really familiar with all these filters and software you use...

However, any multichannel [semi]pro soundcard that uses ASIO (or anything that bypasses the kmixer) can digitally record any signal that is present at its digital input. Once you have your file on the HDD you can do with it whatever you want.

The kmixer issue is a warning to all of you that do not use uncompressed 48kHz/16b all the time.

[Ghitulescu]

To record:
If you have RCA input is analógic audio and you need convert to digital, by Toslink (SPDIF) the audio is already digital and you can record the stream directly.

The digital signal according to IEC[60]958 can be transmitted in both optical and electrical way. For electrical connexion there are 2 substandards, usually known as S/P-DIF and AES/EBU, the first one uses RCA/Chinch/Phono connectors, the other one uses Cannon (XLR) ones.

[tebasuna51]

...
Thanks for the link to that plugin, it looks promising. What DirectShow filters are you thinking about though?
If you read the link you can see I test a old version of PowerDVD DS filter. I think the last versión of the Foobar plugin works better than this DS filter
The ffdshow Dolby decoder is wrong
Don't you mean stereo upmix in this case (DPLII = 2.0 -> 5.1)?
If the source is dplII encoded I prefer the word 'decoded' instead 'upmix', and always to 5.0 the LFE channel can't be recovered.
If LFE is used when encode/downmix 5.1 -> 2.0 DPLII when decode/upmix the LFE is inside the Center channel.

[tebasuna51]

The digital signal according to IEC[60]958 can be transmitted in both optical and electrical way. For electrical connexion there are 2 substandards, usually known as S/P-DIF and AES/EBU, the first one uses RCA/Chinch/Phono connectors, the other one uses Cannon (XLR) ones.

You are right, I was thinking in 2xRCA stereo output, but SPDIF can go also by one coaxial RCA

[Seraphic-]

Downloaded the foo_dsp_fsurround files and set it up in foobar2000.
Question though, can this process be done live?
For example, can the DPLII decode and recording be done at the source is inputting in the PC?
Or does it have to take place after the input has been recorded?

Also, so kind of process am I looking at here in graphedit in order to decode the DPLII input source?

[tebasuna51]

Downloaded the foo_dsp_fsurround files and set it up in foobar2000.
Question though, can this process be done live?
For example, can the DPLII decode and recording be done at the source is inputting in the PC?
Or does it have to take place after the input has been recorded?
I think you need record the input first

Also, so kind of process am I looking at here in graphedit in order to decode the DPLII input source?
Like you can see in the link provided my test was made with CyberLink Audio Effect (PowerDVD 7)

[Seraphic-]

Yeah, so it appears to be working.
Did a direct stream copy recording of the source that was set to Dolby Pro Logic II and fsurround played it back as 5.1 with correct channel mapping.
How can I be sure the fsurround understands this is a Dolby ProLogic II source though?
Seems to be no way to set input type in the configuration.
But if the channel mapping is correct, it would seem to be all squared away.

Really appreciate your help tebasuna51/Ghitulescu. I'll try doing the RCA version later today maybe.
So for all intensive purposes, could this process be certified as true Dolby ProLogic II source recording?
Or would it be better to classify it as a "best guess" reproduction?

Also, do you recommended any changes to the default configuration?

[tebasuna51]

...
So for all intensive purposes, could this process be certified as true Dolby ProLogic II source recording?
Or would it be better to classify it as a "best guess" reproduction?
To obtain a certification you must pay. :cool:
This is a free tool.
Also, do you recommended any changes to the default configuration?

Read my posts in the related link.

[Seraphic-]

To obtain a certification you must pay. :cool:
This is a free tool.

What I meant was does this process produce the same results as you would get from a receiver with a hardware Pro Logic II decoder?