Problem With AC3 Files

[Steveo]

I am using DVD2AVI ver 1.77 and Tmpg ver 2.56.39.143

I was able to import the AC3 file into the TMPG wizard until I installed DVDit PE. Now when I try to open the AC3, I get a message saying there is something wrong with the file or it is an unsupported format. There is nothing wrong with the ac3 since I can open and listen to it with my Creative software. I can change DVD2AVI to output sound as a wav and then TMPG works. It's as if DVDit PE did something to the ac3 info on my computer with regards to TMPG.:angry:

[Crazyjoe]

If I'm not mistaken, TMPEG Enc doesn't support AC-3 Files. I suggest you use avi2mpeg2 instead, which is only a multiplexer. So encode your videos with TMPEG and than multiplex it with avi2mpeg2. :)

[Steveo]

Is it possible then that I was using a version which may have been altered in that it worked with ac3 files for the audio input.

I know that it was TMPG and I know that it worked with ac3's since I was able to make lots of DVD quality MPEG's before my system crashed

[Crazyjoe]

Puh....good question. There's no version I know of, that supports AC-3 files. It might be possible, that someone programmed a plugin for that purpose (like the plugin to encode Quicktime movies), witch you might have installed. But it shouldn't get lost by updating TMPEG.

[paxos]

Some people apparently can input ac3 directly to TMPG. I don't know whether this is for all versions, and may be related to installing the nimo codec pask. But I wonder if it is a good idea anyway. TMPG is not generally recommended for resampling wav to 44.1kHz, so will it be any better with ac3?

[Steveo]

Do you know where I might find this "Nimo Codec Pack"

[Steveo]

Thanks Paxos!!!


That was it.

I found the Nimo codec pack and that did the trick.

Now I can use DVD2AVI's demux AC3 option and TMPGnc imports the ac3 without error.

Thanks

[Vapor]

Not the best way quality wise to do it but it works. Nimo installs an old WinDVD AC3 filter if I remember correctly (IVI audio decoder).

The quality loss is due to 2 things really. Tmpg's sample rate conversion and it's mp2 encoder.

If you have to filters installed (which you have) to decode ac3 then you are best using graphedit to convert/strip the audio to 48khz pcm wav, then downsample to 44.1 with shibatch (ssrc) and encode to mp2 with toolame.

Guides and tools for above are available from doom9 webby.