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Channel order when exporting to AC3 5.1 surround

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 1:24 pm
by DrLex
I'm trying to make my own AC3 surround track. I have 6 separate channels for Lf, Rf, C, Ls, Rs and LFE respectively. Can anyone tell me in what order I should put these channels to get them assigned correctly when exporting to an AC3 file?

I could search the correct channel order through trial & error when I have access to a surround system, but it would save me a lot of time if someone has done this before and could share their experiences...

Edit: adding '5.1' to make this topic easier to find in search engines, because I couldn't even find my own post while searching for stuff like "5.1 channel ordering" ;)

Re: Channel order when exporting to AC3 surround

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 2:09 pm
by kozikowski
How sure are you it doesn't let you assign them at the export step?

Koz

Re: Channel order when exporting to AC3 surround

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 4:31 pm
by DrLex
kozikowski wrote:How sure are you it doesn't let you assign them at the export step?
It lets me assign channels (if 'custom mix' is enabled in the preferences), but the target channels just have numbers, not very helpful.

Anyhow, I did the trial & error thing, and the correct ordering appears to be:
1. L front
2. Center
3. R front
4. L surround
5. R surround
6. LFE

Re: Channel order when exporting to AC3 surround

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 3:14 am
by takm
Just to complement, i think if you try to export to OGG it is:

1. Left
2. Center
3. Right
4. LS
5. LFE
6. RS

Re: Channel order when exporting to AC3 surround

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 2:02 pm
by DrLex
It seems that the ordering of the AC3 channels has changed between Audacity 1.3.7 and 1.3.8 :roll:
The new ordering is:
1. L front
2. R front
3. Center
4. LFE
5. L Surround
6. R Surround

1.3.8 is useless anyhow because it refuses to save .aup projects. Time Machine to the rescue...

Re: Channel order when exporting to AC3 surround

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 11:48 pm
by kozikowski
<<<1.3.8 is useless anyhow because it refuses to save .aup projects. Time Machine to the rescue...>>>

So you're on a Mac. Have you been following all the troubles 1.3.8 has on Macs? Try the latest build.

http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 37&t=11534

Koz

Re: Channel order when exporting to AC3 surround

Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 5:50 pm
by Gale Andrews
DrLex wrote:It seems that the ordering of the AC3 channels has changed between Audacity 1.3.7 and 1.3.8 :roll:
The new ordering is:
1. L front
2. R front
3. Center
4. LFE
5. L Surround
6. R Surround
Whatever may or may not have happened, that ordering is correct for 5:1.



Gale