AC3 vs MPG2 Audio

[JonRead]

I use TMPGEnc to create XDVDs. What should I use for audio, AC3 or MPG2 audio ? When using 192K is there any difference in quality or use or compatibility ?

[Pyscrow]

Asumming your talking 2 channel stereo, why only 192k? Anyway
NTSC - AC3
PAL - Either
What ever suites. For instance I prefer to Build my Pal DVD's in TMPenc DVDAuthor, which does not play AC3 sound when editing, but it does play Mpeg2, so I prefer Mpeg2 for that reason alone

[Encoder Master]

You shouldn't use the XDVD Template of TMPGEnc because it's not dvd-compatibel. You should use the MDVD, MDVDex or KDVD Templates for your DVDs:

www.molevcd.de

www.kvcd.net

You should use AC-3 only if you want to keep the mulpichannel sound of your source. For only 2 channels MP2 is recommended. The sound of 192Kbps with for example besweet is very good.
MP2 and AC-3 are fully dvd-compatibel.

[E-Male]

i'd go for ac3

[Axed]

Asumming your talking 2 channel stereo, why only 192k? Anyway
NTSC - AC3
PAL - Either
What ever suites. For instance I prefer to Build my Pal DVD's in TMPenc DVDAuthor, which does not play AC3 sound when editing, but it does play Mpeg2, so I prefer Mpeg2 for that reason alone

If your in PAL land, not all PAL dvd players can play Mpeg2 audio well (Pioneer for one). Generally safer to stick with AC3.

[Pyscrow]

If your in PAL land, not all PAL dvd players can play Mpeg2 audio well (Pioneer for one). Generally safer to stick with AC3.

Yeah I am in PAL land, but never come across a player that doesn't like mpeg2. Lucky I guess.

[Kika]

I prefer to Build my Pal DVD's in TMPenc DVDAuthor, which does not play AC3 sound when editing

Sorry, that's not correct. If you have the AC3-Plugin, TDA plays AC3 (2.0, 5.1) while editing.

For only 2 channels MP2 is recommended.

That's also wrong. At same Bitrate, AC3 gives you better quality than MP2.
MP2 at 224 kbps is nearly the same than AC3 at 192 kbps.

[E-Male]

from dvb i have the experience that mp2 ruins dpl2, ac3 does not

[Inc]

a) my DDdecoder plays back surround informations out of mp2 correctly
b) AC3 is better BUT you have to watch out WHAT you use for encoding to AC3 ... ac3enc from Besweet is known for producing AC3 streams which give somes problems at playback on some SAPs. So u have to use software like Softencoder for instance.

[Mug Funky]

my experience is ac3 is better below 10 (or is it 12?) kilohertz. it's got the problem of being a transform-based codec with only 1 (very long) block size. mp2 has 1 blocksize too, but it's subband based, not transform based, meaning it doesn't suffer the same temporal smearing as ac3.

at 224kbps, mp2 is superior to ac3 on a lot of sources. ac3 fails at all kinds of transients, especially when there's lots of treble going on. try run applause with a wide stereo image through any ac3 encoder and you'll know what i mean.

also, below 224kbps ac3 suffers stereo collapse in the high end. it's very very subtle, but if you ever notice it it'll drive you mad (sounds almost like dynamic compression with independent channels).

bottom line, at 224 both formats will be very similar, so choose based on what the content is and what kind of compatibility you want - that is, for musical sources and maximum compatibility use ac3, and for anything that ac3 fails on (i guess this means listening tests...) use mp2.

That's also wrong. At same Bitrate, AC3 gives you better quality than MP2.

i'd be hesitant to make that statement without a few double-blind listening tests. both formats are about equal at 224, and both kinda suck at 192. i'd need to do some tests of my own to say more than that.

[Kika]

@Mug Funky

It depends on the Encoder, as incredible wrote. I'm using Softencode and sometimes TDA AC3-Plugin.

[Inc]

Useful Links .... do use an online Translator as its in german:

http://www.edv-tipp.de/dvd/047_dvd_sound06.htm
http://www.edv-tipp.de/dvd/047_dvd_sound07.htm

Ac3 comparison btw.:
http://www.edv-tipp.de/dvd/047_dvd_sound08.htm

Seems that Sonic Scenarist AC3Enc Encoder does the best job.
Very clean bandwith up to 20KHz. Many other do cut at 16Khz.

The ac3enc. in Besweet does giv bandwith up to 21Khz but comes incl some Phase issues in the stereo Channels beginning from 1Khz up to the end.

BTW: What application does he use for outputing those analysies?