Looking for a eac3 7.1 encoder

[tormento]

If your are referring to the 5.1 dts core, I use TSmuxer GUI...

I want to extract the 1509 kb/s 5.1 channel DTS.

Audio
Format : DTS ES XXCH XLL
Format/Info : Digital Theater Systems
Commercial name : DTS-HD Master Audio
Bit rate mode : Variable / Constant / Constant
Bit rate : Unknown / 1 509 kb/s / 1 509 kb/s
Channel(s) : 7 channels / 7 channels / 6 channels
Channel layout : C L R Ls Rs LFE Cb / C L R Ls Rs Cb LFE / C L R Ls Rs LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 93.750 FPS (512 SPF)
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossless / Lossy / Lossy

Edit: using downconvert to DTS of TSMuxer I get another 6.1 file...

Audio
Format : DTS ES XXCH
Format/Info : Digital Theater Systems
Commercial name : DTS-ES Discrete
Duration : 1 h 40 min
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 509 kb/s
Channel(s) : 7 channels / 6 channels
Channel layout : C L R Ls Rs Cb LFE / C L R Ls Rs LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 93.750 FPS (512 SPF)
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 1.06 GiB (100%)

[SeeMoreDigital]

Okay... Here's an example: -

https://i.ibb.co/0qjbXkf/Capture.png (https://ibb.co/VVW4Ndv)


Cheers

[SeeMoreDigital]

I want to extract the 1509 kb/s 5.1 channel DTS.

Edit: using downconvert to DTS of TSMuxer I get another 6.1 file...

Audio
Format : DTS ES XXCH
Format/Info : Digital Theater Systems
Commercial name : DTS-ES Discrete
Duration : 1 h 40 min
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 509 kb/s
Channel(s) : 7 channels / 6 channels
Channel layout : C L R Ls Rs Cb LFE / C L R Ls Rs LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 93.750 FPS (512 SPF)
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 1.06 GiB (100%)

Yep... Obtaining an lossy DTS-ES core is becoming quite common... Some of my Blu-ray audio discs occasionally offer DTS 96/24 cores ;)

[tebasuna51]

I have found another 6.1+5.1 DTS HDMA. How to extract the 5.1 part?

Seems you have a DTS-MA 6.1 with a core DTS ES 6.1 also.

The core 1509 Kb/s is accepted to be passed by SPDIF and played by DVD players 5.1 only but if you want encode to AC3 you need downmix it, from the MA or from the core.

If you want encode to DDP: Audition and TotalCode have the equivalent channel layout 3/3 L R C LFE Ls Rs Cs.
Like in this century Ls/Rs is decoded to SL/SR we need remap the wav order FL FR FC LFE BC SL SR -> ...|c4=c5|c5=c6|c6=c4

[tormento]

The core 1509 Kb/s is accepted to be passed by SPDIF and played by DVD players 5.1 only
That's a real pity.
If you want encode to DDP
Yes, that's the way I will follow. It's so weird that DEE can't encode it.

[tebasuna51]

The core 1509 Kb/s is accepted to be passed by SPDIF and played by DVD players 5.1 only

I want say than old players can play it, but not only them of course.

[SeeMoreDigital]

I currently don't have my AVR handy (it's in the loft), but the last time I checked sending a DTS-ES bit-stream to it from my OPPO via HDMI, the 'DTS-ES' icon lit up on the AVR. Same goes with DTS 96/24 content ;)

I didn't try the SPDIF optical or electrical outputs from my OPPO to the AVR.

[tormento]

If you want encode to DDP: Audition and TotalCode have the equivalent channel layout 3/3 L R C LFE Ls Rs Cs. Like in this century Ls/Rs is decoded to SL/SR we need remap the wav order FL FR FC LFE BC SL SR -> ...|c4=c5|c5=c6|c6=c4
Is your channel swapping correct for my file? TotalCode asks FL FR FC LFE BC SL SR but I have C L R Ls Rs LFE Cb in DTS file (according to MediaInfo).

[tebasuna51]

Yes.
TotalCode asks for 3/3 L R C (LFE) Ls Rs Cs, forget MediaInfo order please, when you decode the DTS to WAV/W64 the order is FL FR FC LFE BC SL SR then you need remap the BackCenter to the end (c6=c4) to match the CenterSurround

[tebasuna51]

@tormento, post moved to https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1977643#post1977643

[Balling]

"The core 1509 Kb/s is accepted to be passed by SPDIF"

Also a bug: https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/7730#comment:1

[Balling]

BTW. Be careful with leaked Dolby media encoder. It does not produce lossless TrueHD with stereo wav (it is mostly lossless though, I tried Plex decoder of TrueHD and ffmpeg's), did not check what happens with leaked Encoding Engine.

Oh, god. I just tried all 0xFF from infamous issue: https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/5054 and it did not produce even close to lossless binary. LOL!! Also "Optimize data rate" further corrupts it, apparently??? LOL. Not to mention that the file is bigger than with Dolby Media Encoder SE (standalone edition), the previous version of this app...

Anyway, DEE is lossless but bigger than DME SE, so whatever.

[tebasuna51]

Please Balling this thread is not for ffmpeg DTS or THD bugs, is for eac3 7.1 encoders.

[SeeMoreDigital]

Please Balling this thread is not for ffmpeg DTS or THD bugs, is for eac3 7.1 encoders.
Agreed... How about splitting all the DTS Q&A's out of this topic into their own topic?

[Balling]

Apparently EAC3 from Youtube app only works on my Galaxy S22 Ultra if it has Atmos action icon enabled. Nice. In fact if you disable it app switches to opus seamlessly, ON THE FLY. Nuts, Google knows how to code?! Tested on the new infamous video: https://youtu.be/MbdVuStrEV8

Also, apparently mp4 files must have special secret spatial atom for atmos to be recognized on Android https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/9996#comment:5
No, ffmpeg does not write it, but since these two commits it now recognizes atmos EAC3 JOC and TrueHD which allows to write code for this issue.

https://github.com/FFmpeg/FFmpeg/commit/a4e5b946332dd625affd0e259eb787575e5c32f2
https://github.com/FFmpeg/FFmpeg/commit/96ed043afa44d468ff3629095f90d391450c4e60

[aqpmlyscbw]

Must be remaped always, seems a problem with the Audition included encoder, can't recognize the standard WAV/W64 channel order FL,FR,FC,LFE,BL,BR,SL,SR and asign BL,BR to Ls,Rs instead to Rls,Lls.

eac3to and VLC detects an EAC3 core 5.1 on my 7.1 track, is this normal? did I do something wrong?

[SeeMoreDigital]

eac3to and VLC detects an EAC3 core 5.1 on my 7.1 track, is this normal? did I do something wrong?
Are you able to provide a download link to your sample encode?

[tebasuna51]

eac3to and VLC detects an EAC3 core 5.1 on my 7.1 track, is this normal? did I do something wrong?

Welcome to Doom9 forum.

I don't know for what you quote my post about an Audition encode.
Audition CC 2017 can't create eac3 files with ac3 core, maybe your eac3 7.1 track was created with other encoder.

And yes, eac3 tracks can have frames 5.1 ac3 inside (core) and extra frames until 7.1.

[aqpmlyscbw]

Are you able to provide a download link to your sample encode?

Of course

https://drive.filen.io/d/809c1db3-a5dc-424d-ad1e-694da6bcb2ed#evf4Cj4QNBiAjeehfT5XreuPkh3DX7CC

[aqpmlyscbw]

Welcome to Doom9 forum.

I don't know for what you quote my post about an Audition encode.
Audition CC 2017 can't create eac3 files with ac3 core, maybe your eac3 7.1 track was created with other encoder.

And yes, eac3 tracks can have frames 5.1 ac3 inside (core) and extra frames until 7.1.

Thanks.

I used Audition CC 2017 with channel mapping and parameters.
eac3to reads that file as follows:

E-AC3, 7.1 channels, 0:01:35, 896kbps, 48kHz
(core: E-AC3, 5.1 channels, 0:01:35, 502kbps, 48kHz)

[tebasuna51]

Your link don't work for me but you are right.
Sorry, my mistake is read AC3 core instead E-AC3 core like you say.

An EAC3 stream can have 3 types of frames:
0 Independents
1 Dependents
2 AC3
When it have AC3 frames we can extract the AC3 core, but we can extract the EAC3 core extracting the independents frames.
The Dependent frames have the extra channels/bitrate

I make a eac3 7.1 sample and I extract the eac3 core with eac3to.
With my tool LeeAudBi you can compare the info:
File: 7.1.ec3 File: 7.1_core.eac3
Size: 2243584 bytes Size: 1257008 bytes
----------------------------------------- First Frame Info ----------------------------------------- First Frame Info
StrmTyp .....................: 0 (0=Ind, 1=Dep, 2=AC3) StrmTyp .....................: 0 (0=Ind, 1=Dep, 2=AC3)
SubStreamID .................: 0 SubStreamID .................: 0
FrameSize....................: 2008 bytes (502 Kb/s) FrameSize....................: 2008 bytes (502 Kb/s)
SampleRate ..................: 0 (48000 Hz) SampleRate ..................: 0 (48000 Hz)
NumBlksCod ..................: 3 (6 Blocks) NumBlksCod ..................: 3 (6 Blocks)
Audio coding mode (acmod) ...: 7 (3/2 - L, C, R, SL, SR) Audio coding mode (acmod) ...: 7 (3/2 - L, C, R, SL, SR)
Low frequency effects channel: 1 (Present) Low frequency effects channel: 1 (Present)
Version (bsid) ..............: 16 (Enhanced sintax) Version (bsid) ..............: 16 (Enhanced sintax)
Dialogue normalization ......: -31 dB Dialogue normalization ......: -31 dB
Dynamic Range gain ..........: -0.27 dB Dynamic Range gain ..........: -0.27 dB
Mixing metadata exist (ignoring rest) Mixing metadata exist (ignoring rest)
----------------------------------------- Revised EAC3 Info ----------------------------------------- Revised EAC3 Info
Dyn. Range min/max : -10.55/3.34 dB Dyn. Range min/max : -10.55/3.34 dB
Frames Tot/Ind/AC3.: 1252 / 626 / 0 Frames Tot/Ind/AC3.: 626 / 626 / 0
Bitrate average... : 896 Kb/s (Bitrate ...........: 502 Kb/s)
Duration ..........: 20032 ms (0 h. 0 m. 20.032 s.) Duration ..........: 20032 ms (0 h. 0 m. 20.032 s.)
------------------------------------------------- End Info ------------------------------------------------- End Info


The 7.1 have 626 independents frames 5.1 and other 626 dependents for extra channels/bitrate with the average bitrate of 896 Kb/s

The 7.1_core have only the 626 independents frames 5.1 with the fix bitrate of 502 Kb/s and less size of course.

But don't exist AC3 frames like others encoders can create.

[aqpmlyscbw]

Your link don't work for me but you are right.
Sorry, my mistake is read AC3 core instead E-AC3 core like you say.

An EAC3 stream can have 3 types of frames:
0 Independents
1 Dependents
2 AC3
When it have AC3 frames we can extract the AC3 core, but we can extract the EAC3 core extracting the independents frames.
The Dependent frames have the extra channels/bitrate

I make a eac3 7.1 sample and I extract the eac3 core with eac3to.
With my tool LeeAudBi you can compare the info:
File: 7.1.ec3 File: 7.1_core.eac3
Size: 2243584 bytes Size: 1257008 bytes
----------------------------------------- First Frame Info ----------------------------------------- First Frame Info
StrmTyp .....................: 0 (0=Ind, 1=Dep, 2=AC3) StrmTyp .....................: 0 (0=Ind, 1=Dep, 2=AC3)
SubStreamID .................: 0 SubStreamID .................: 0
FrameSize....................: 2008 bytes (502 Kb/s) FrameSize....................: 2008 bytes (502 Kb/s)
SampleRate ..................: 0 (48000 Hz) SampleRate ..................: 0 (48000 Hz)
NumBlksCod ..................: 3 (6 Blocks) NumBlksCod ..................: 3 (6 Blocks)
Audio coding mode (acmod) ...: 7 (3/2 - L, C, R, SL, SR) Audio coding mode (acmod) ...: 7 (3/2 - L, C, R, SL, SR)
Low frequency effects channel: 1 (Present) Low frequency effects channel: 1 (Present)
Version (bsid) ..............: 16 (Enhanced sintax) Version (bsid) ..............: 16 (Enhanced sintax)
Dialogue normalization ......: -31 dB Dialogue normalization ......: -31 dB
Dynamic Range gain ..........: -0.27 dB Dynamic Range gain ..........: -0.27 dB
Mixing metadata exist (ignoring rest) Mixing metadata exist (ignoring rest)
----------------------------------------- Revised EAC3 Info ----------------------------------------- Revised EAC3 Info
Dyn. Range min/max : -10.55/3.34 dB Dyn. Range min/max : -10.55/3.34 dB
Frames Tot/Ind/AC3.: 1252 / 626 / 0 Frames Tot/Ind/AC3.: 626 / 626 / 0
Bitrate average... : 896 Kb/s (Bitrate ...........: 502 Kb/s)
Duration ..........: 20032 ms (0 h. 0 m. 20.032 s.) Duration ..........: 20032 ms (0 h. 0 m. 20.032 s.)
------------------------------------------------- End Info ------------------------------------------------- End Info


The 7.1 have 626 independents frames 5.1 and other 626 dependents for extra channels/bitrate with the average bitrate of 896 Kb/s

The 7.1_core have only the 626 independents frames 5.1 with the fix bitrate of 502 Kb/s and less size of course.

But don't exist AC3 frames like others encoders can create.

Link is up again, my mistake.

I understand, I just have a question.

EAC3 to WAV64 file in eac3/GUI:

E-AC3, 7.1 channels, 0:01:35, 896kbps, 48kHz
(core: E-AC3, 5.1 channels, 0:01:35, 502kbps, 48kHz)
Extracting E-AC3 core...
Decoding with libav/ffmpeg...
Reducing depth from 64 to 24 bits...
Writing W64...
Creating file "C:\Test\Dolby_EAC3_7.1_track.eac3_.w64"...
eac3to processing took 1 second.
Done.

What command should I use to convert the main 7.1 audio? Foobar2000/FFmpeg decodes it correctly.

[tebasuna51]

EAC3 to WAV64 file in eac3/GUI:
What GUI?

The libav decoder in eac3to is very old (2015) and don't support decode dependent frames, use always ffmpeg.

With the UsEac3to GUI you must use the 'A/V Recode' button to decode/recode EAC3 with ffmpeg.

[aqpmlyscbw]

What GUI?

The libav decoder in eac3to is very old (2015) and don't support decode dependent frames, use always ffmpeg.

With the UsEac3to GUI you must use the 'A/V Recode' button to decode/recode EAC3 with ffmpeg.

I understand, thanks for your clarifications.
Any additional suggestions for encoding from Audition?

[tebasuna51]

You have the options I use in this post (https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1963144#post1963144)

But, like I have a audio system 5.1.2 and not 7.1, I use it to recode atmos tracks, decodec with this (https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1990804#post1990804), to L R C LFE Ls Rs Vhl Vhr.
That 5.1.2 eac3 is not well recognized by eac3to:

E-AC3, 5.1 channels, 0:00:20, 896kbps, 48kHz
(core: E-AC3, 5.1 channels, 0:00:20, 502kbps, 48kHz)

But yes by MediaInfo: L R C LFE Ls Rs Tfl Tfr
And well decoded with ffmpeg to wav: FL FR FC LF SL SR TFL TFR
And well played by my Denon configured like 5.1.2

The core 5.1 of the 7.1 eac3 have the Side and Back channels mixed.
The core 5.1 of the 5.1.2 eac3 have the Top channels mixed with the Front channels.
I think it is a correct downmix.

[aqpmlyscbw]

You have the options I use in this post (https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1963144#post1963144)

But, like I have a audio system 5.1.2 and not 7.1, I use it to recode atmos tracks, decodec with this (https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1990804#post1990804), to L R C LFE Ls Rs Vhl Vhr.
That 5.1.2 eac3 is not well recognized by eac3to:

E-AC3, 5.1 channels, 0:00:20, 896kbps, 48kHz
(core: E-AC3, 5.1 channels, 0:00:20, 502kbps, 48kHz)

But yes by MediaInfo: L R C LFE Ls Rs Tfl Tfr
And well decoded with ffmpeg to wav: FL FR FC LF SL SR TFL TFR
And well played by my Denon configured like 5.1.2

The core 5.1 of the 7.1 eac3 have the Side and Back channels mixed.
The core 5.1 of the 5.1.2 eac3 have the Top channels mixed with the Front channels.
I think it is a correct downmix.

I perceive more clarity/objects (not JOC) compared to AAC on my old soundbar, I'll keep testing on other systems.

Thanks again.

[Thunderbolt8]

Does anyone know which would be the best/most useful way to convert a Atmos 7.1 THD track to a DDP 5.1 track? How can I mantain most of the original quality & channel information?

so far Ive used UsEac3to with A/V recode with audio set to DDP 1024 and additional ffmpeg command line '71-51c'

-filter_complex "asplit [f][s]; [f] pan=3.1|c0=c0|c1=c1|c2=c2|c3=c3 [r]; [s] pan=stereo|c0=0.5*c4+0.5*c6|c1=0.5*c5+0.5*c7, compand=attacks=0:decays=0:points=-90/-84|-10/-4|-6/-2|-0/-0.3, aformat=channel_layouts=stereo [d]; [r][d] amerge [a]" -map "[a]"

[tebasuna51]

If you want a DDP 5.1 with ffmpeg (freesoft without a DDP certified encoder) that is my recommended method.

[junh1024]

If it came from a BD I would suggest extracting the DD/AC3 core instead of making DDP using free DDP encoders. Free DD/DDP encoders are usually lower quality than paid ones.

[kurkosdr]

I see, thanks.

What happens when you play a EAC3 track on a system that only supports AC3? According to wikipedia and some explanations on Dolby's website, EAC3 is backwards compatible so it supposedly converts it bit perfectly to AC3.
Just to clarify, not every E-AC3 stream has an AC3 stream in it. Basically E-AC3/Dolby Digital Plus refers to three different technologies:

An AC3 5.1 stream extended to have more channels (as encountered in Blu-Ray).

An E-AC3 5.1 stream (which allows conversion to AC3 with minimal quality loss for output via SPDIF by E-AC3 compatible devices), for those cases bandwidth savings are critical, as encountered in some EU broadcasts.

An E-AC3 5.1 stream extended to have more channels or even object audio (as seen in Netflix, which is used to provided Dolby Digital Plus Atmos).

---

And I just realised I have one question: Can you take an AC3 stream and extend it with Atmos? This should allow for low-bitrate (lossy) Atmos on Blu-Ray using just one audio stream.

[szabi]

This 7.1ch DD+ encoding does not developing quickly.
My first post near 6 years old (https://forum.doom9.org/showpost.php?p=1754063&postcount=170) asking it.

Hi

Since my previous ask now I am in the situation I would like to do it again.
Are there any move forward regarding 7.1ch DD+ encoding?

Regards
szabi

[richardpl]

Nope, as nobody come to sponsor such feature.

[szabi]

My first question about it is 8 years old.
This is a said story.

[richardpl]

It is not sad story when nobody comes around to sponsor additions and expect miracle happens.
There are no miracles.

[tebasuna51]

Are there any move forward regarding 7.1ch DD+ encoding?

If you want DD+ use any commercial encoder, if you want 7.1 with open encoders use OPUS, the quality/size is equivalent.

[szabi]

If you want DD+ use any commercial encoder, if you want 7.1 with open encoders use OPUS, the quality/size is equivalent.

Unfortunately my home theater amplifier does not support OPUS.

[SeeMoreDigital]

Are there any move forward regarding 7.1ch DD+ encoding?
Unfortunately my home theater amplifier does not support OPUS.How about 7.1 channel LPCM or 7.1 channel Flac?

Out of interest... What's the make and model number of your AVR. And what playback device are you using to access your surround sound audio files?

[szabi]

I would prefer dolby digital plus 7.1ch.

[SquallMX]

If you want DD+ 7.1 just use Adobe Audition.

[j7n]

Didn't Adobe remove all their Dolby encoders a couple years ago due to a major disagreement about licensing?

TotalCode seems to have most features exposed. It can do uncommon channel layouts such as Quad, disable the highpass filter, disable dynamic compression. The rear and side channels in 7.1 can be swapped in the GUI. DTS channel order is completely wrong, but AC-3 remapping from WAV order seems to happen within the encoder itself. It takes RF64 without DirectShow, which can be produced in Reaper. To access blu-ray disk encoding mode with an AC-3 core and bitrates over 1 Mbit, you have to pull a Blu-ray preset, and can then remove the video stream. In the normal mode the core is EC-3. The SRC has atrocious quality, and the inputs must be resampled to 48000 Hz if they are not already.

An older version of TotalCode 2.1.0 has impractical bitrates up to 3 Mbit, but only 5.1, and the other sampling frequencies selectable for regular AC-3, and a HD-DVD flavor of EC-3 with small frames. But it reads from DirectShow and may lose samples or quality.

Download the channel test in p=1963170 (https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1963170#post1963170)Almost no software of old vintage plays that. Yes, the latest and greatest 64-bit ffmpeg does. AAC wouldn't be my first choice for a surround format. AAC even has a weird default layout for 7.1.

[tebasuna51]

I tested Adobe Audition 2017 (https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1963144#post1963144) but also MainConcept TotalCode Studio v5.3.0 (https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1967227#post1967227) but is useless for me because my audio system is 3D 5.1.2 (L R C LFE Ls Rs Vhl Vhr), layout not present in TotalCode, and not the standard 2D 7.1 (L R C LFE Ls Rs Lrs Rrs)

[tormento]

I tested Adobe Audition 2017 (https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1963144#post1963144) but also MainConcept TotalCode Studio v5.3.0 (https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1967227#post1967227) but is useless for me because my audio system is 3D 5.1.2 (L R C LFE Ls Rs Vhl Vhr), layout not present in TotalCode, and not the standard 2D 7.1 (L R C LFE Ls Rs Lrs Rrs)


Do you use DEE for that setup? What are the “switches” you touch?

[tebasuna51]

I test DEE v5.2.0 and only output the standard 2D 7.1 (L R C LFE Ls Rs Lrs Rrs) even if the input wav (RF64) file have a correct 3D 5.1.2 channel mask FL,FR,FC,LFE,SL,SR,TFL,TFR

[tormento]

I test DEE v5.2.0 and only output the standard 2D 7.1 (L R C LFE Ls Rs Lrs Rrs) even if the input wav (RF64) file have a correct 3D 5.1.2 channel mask FL,FR,FC,LFE,SL,SR,TFL,TFR


So, what do you use?

[tebasuna51]

If I want less size I use Audition 2017 to recode Atmos sources and I downmix standard 2D 7.1 to 5.1 and encode it to AAC without DN/DRC problems.

[tormento]

If I want less size I use Audition 2017 to recode Atmos sources and I downmix standard 2D 7.1 to 5.1 and encode it to AAC without DN/DRC problems.


So no 5.1.2?

[tebasuna51]

5.1.2 only from Atmos sources, I listen a mix of Side (90º) and Back (135º) in my Surround (120º) speakers, does not have sense use my Top Front speakers.

[j7n]

Looks like Audition 2017 is more complete and probably involves less hassle to prepare the input. I didn't know 5.1.2 layout existed in ec3.

[fla56]

hi buddy, did you ever get a chance to finish / release the Powerscript?

just going thru Windows 7.1 vs 5.1 transcode hell now, any help much appreciated

The ffmpeg in the transcoder is old, and it doesn't decode dtshdma 7.1 :(. After testing of it's decoding and looking at the resulting audio, its only decoding 5.1 DTS core. This also means when plex thinks its transcoding DTSHDMA -> AAC 7.1, its actually taking 5.1 DTS and upmixing it to 7.1 (probably just copying the side channels to rear). Modern ffmpeg does decode DTSHDMA correctly, so to maintain all channels we can decode 7.1 dtshdma to FLAC or similar lossless with modern ffmpeg, then input the FLAC to Plex transcoder/eae to encode 7.1 EAC3.

eae doesn't seem to respect the bitrate you set with ffmpeg args, it'll always encode at 1024kbps. I'm looking into it too.

I've also written a windows equivalent in powershell (that accepts args) and has an accompanying batchfile with drag and drop functionality. It only works with audio: drop in audio and get out eac3 7.1. that's all I'd use it for, I'd use modern ffmpeg for any other operation. There's no need to pass the transcoder ffmpeg video related information, can just do simple audio conversion.

truehd_eae seemed to decode and produce the same file that modern ffmpeg decodes with its truehd codec, so no issue there. The only useful thing here imo is eac3_eae. After I polish up this powershell implementation i'll look into hooking it nicely into Staxrip or something for ease of use.

[BuccoBruce]

Interesting that Dolby themselves don't offer 6.1 as an output option at all in DEE/DME, but I guess there really aren't any new 6.1 ES/EX mixes being created. That stanky old version of Audition is useful after all! I only kept it installed because I was too lazy to migrate all of my different effect and effects rack presets.

It works much the same as encoding to 7.1 does, including required channel remapping. Audition's DD+ export (incorrectly) assumes that the channel layout is 3/3 (L R C LFE Ls Rs Cs) whereas anything you import (FLAC with a plugin, WavPack with a plugin, WAV, etc) will all correctly assume L R C LFE Cb Ls Rs when decoded.

If you're using eac3to to decode your DTS-HD-MA-ES/TrueHD6.1 - make sure to add -0,1,2,3,5,6,4. This moves the extra (SPEAKER_BACK_CENTER) channel to where Audition's encoder is expecting it. If you forget, you can use the "channel mixer" effect in Audition, but it's slow and it will gobble up extra temp space because effects have to be applied to the file before you can export, at least in 2015.2.

The rest (bitrate, pre-processing, DRC, etc.) is up to you, but I only ever enable LFE Lowpass if it's needed since it does the filtering in parallel with the encode. 768k is probably overkill when an opus or AAC half the size would do, but at least I don't have to worry about my AVR or Windows or whatever screwing channel mapping up with bitstreamed DD+.

Hopefully this'll help anyone encoding the tiny amount of content out there with a discrete 6.1 mix.