How do I record "Dolby Digital 5.1" Surround Sound?

[Skull Kid]

Hello, I'm new here.

My first question is, how do I record sound from a DVD that has 6 channels? It says on the back of the DVD box that it is Dolby Digital 5.1 but in Audacity I can only record with Stereo or Mono?

Please help!

[kozikowski]

First you need to rip the DVD and get the show off, then possibly separate the AC3 bitstream (from the other sound tracks and the video layers). Then you can use a program to split the AC3 out to six audio channels.

http://register.video-buzz.com/Download ... 3285388610

Audacity will edit those, but it won't produce a new AC3 stream and it won't export a multi-channel sound file (over two channel stereo). You need a Dolby encoder for that. That's where they usually get you for licensing fees.

AC3 supports any number of channels between one and six (and possibly more), so you won't necessarily get surround when you decode the show. We routinely encode DVDs with Dolby AC3 stereo (two track) to save DVD disk space.

Koz

[Skull Kid]

Nevermind. I can still record with Stereo as a setting.

EDIT: I will download that AC3Filter and take a look at it. It seems that recording with surround sound is a good idea after all.

[kozikowski]

Right. That gives you the show's stereo PCM sound tracks, not the Dolby AC3, if it's a surround movie.

Koz

[Skull Kid]

Right. So I got AC3Filter installed. What do I do next to get the surround sound from the DVD?

[kozikowski]

What did the filter say it needed? Some converters can get the data direct from the disk and some need you to rip the movie. I don't remember how that one works. Does it need the MPEG2 transport stream (TS) as a file?

Koz

[Skull Kid]

I don't think I need the AC3Filter anymore. I got my speakers right, and the Stereo Mix right, and now the recording sounds just like I want it to sound.

Thanks anyway!

Kind Regards

Skull Kid