Dolby 2-channel IS stereo, it is not some sort of "widened stereo". It is 2 channel stereo, period.

"It is 2 channel stereo, period."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolby_Stereo

The Wikipedia article changes nothing. In the case of the AC3 encoder in Vegas, it does not encode any sort of Dolby Pro Logic surround sound. It is strictly a 2.0 stereo encoder. Now, one can derive multiple channels from the 2.0 stereo signal, but that is entirely the function of the decoder. There are a lot of ways to derive surround ambience from a stereo recording, my personal favorite was the completely passive $25 Dynaco QD-1.

http://home.indy.net/~gregdunn/dynaco/components/QD1/

Some misunderstanding here. That wikipedia article is referring to the Dolby analog matrix processes.

In Vegas we are concerned with AC3, the Dolby digital process which is a completely different animal. This comes in two principal versions, 2.0 (i.e standard stereo) and 5.1 (i.e. surround).

Mark

"In Vegas we are concerned with AC3, the Dolby digital process which is a completely different animal."

Ah yes, this I didn't know... I don't use dolby 2 channel at all.... Thank you Mark/John

The question however still stands with the OP... are you using dolby 2 channel or 5.1 surround?

"Ah yes, this I didn't know... I don't use dolby 2 channel at all.... Thank you Mark/John"

Now, I'm not looking to start something here, so I will try to be as diplomatic as possible. Blink, as is illustrated in this thread, quite often you will make some statement of "fact" which is simply incorrect and someone else has to set the record straight. People come to this forum for help and information, it is not particularly helpful when someone passes out erroneous information or advice. There is a good chance that a number of people will believe it and spread this incorrect information in other places. This is how rumors and nonsense get passed around. Even worse, someone might not come back to a thread and get the real answer because they're treating your answer as the gospel truth and are blissfully headed down the wrong path.

I have always made it a policy on this and other forums to not say anything about a particular subject unless I am 100% certain beyond any doubt whatsoever that what I'm saying is 100% accurate and completely factual. For whatever reason, some people around here pay attention to what you say, so you owe it to them to be absolutely sure of your facts. Otherwise, do what I do and let someone that knows what they're talking about answer the question. Stating an opinion is perfectly OK as long as you add the standard "this is my opinion and I could be completely full of it" disclaimer. Really, this applies to everyone, including you and me.

Are you remembering to reset your DVDA Project Properties to 5.1?

What I'm getting sounds like "big stereo" and not actual surround.
Are you talking about the preview in DVDA or the finished DVD? The preview is always stereo, you need to prepare the project to hear the 5.1 sound.

"Now, I'm not looking to start something here, so I will try to be as diplomatic as possible. Blink, as is illustrated in this thread, quite often you will make some statement of "fact" which is simply incorrect and someone else has to set the record straight"

First... don't be a liar John... you ARE trying to start something
Second... show me where I said "statement of fact"
Third... I was wrong and was corrected... this happens to you as well as any one else on this forum. No one is "100%" accurate and I'm sure if I search through your posts I will prove the point. However unlike you, i'm not trying to start anything.
Forth... yes John... you are a bit full of yourself these days. i couldn't believe that absolutely stupid post of yours the other day trying correct someone's vocabulary... something about you not liking the word "prolly". You're an English teacher now are you? Going to clean up the English language being used on this forum??

Get off your high horse there John before you bump your head on a low branch.

Now if there is anything else on your mind John bfore we get back to the OP's question?

First... No, I wasn't trying to start something but, apparently, I did.

Second... You didn't say "statement of fact", I did. It was to indicate that you present some things to be factual, when they aren't. Your statement about "widened stereo" was not the first time you just threw something out there without really knowing what you were talking about.

Third... Search away. I am as conscientious as possible about being accurate. In fact, much more often than not, I do some research to confirm my answers before I post.

Fourth... Regarding my "prolly" comment, I stated up front that it was just a pet peeve of mine. Like it or not, people are judged by their use of the language. I tend not to take someone that uses the non-word "prolly" very seriously. It amazes me that some people for whom English is not their native language can write English more properly than a lot of native English speakers. The post which prompted my comment also had a reference to sucking on dog's genitalia, so perhaps my focusing on his use of "prolly" missed the more obvious grammatical and social offense, It amazes me how some people think it's acceptable to be crass and vulgar in a public forum. The increasing level of rancor and nonsense on this forum has caused one of the more valuable members of this forum, John Meyer, to severely curtail his participation. This is not good.

Yes, one final thing; I just suggested that we should all try to be more accurate when posting and if we aren't sure, either say so or don't post anything. We all have our areas of expertise, we should stick to them. This raises the forum's signal to noise ratio. Can this really be a bad thing?

You know John, I have the utmost respect for you on this forum. You have helped so many. But in the last year or so some of the condescending comments are overshadowing that wonderful dedication. I don't get it. You didn't do that years ago.

John

A few things: Have you got your rear speakers selected in your PC set up? Do you have 5.1 selected in your project properties/audio tab? Do you have the surround sound mapper selected in preferences/audio devices? Have you tried panning the sound around with the 5.1 panner?

John, I understand your position and, you're right, I didn't do that years ago. However, this is not the same forum it was few years ago.

I've been a participant here for over seven years and, apparently, long-term membership in this forum does not give one the right to attempt to actively influence the direction of the forum. So be it. The inmates have taken over the asylum, but the exit is unguarded.

Hi guys me again (formerly StimulusCafe who asked the question in the first place) :)

Sorry I obviously didn't include enough information with my original question -my bad.

The ac3 file render is the "5.1 surround" setting. My project properties in DVDA are also 5.1 surround. The projects 5.1 audio plays beautifully in Vegas.

There are no issues with how my speakers/amps/mixers are set up or configured. I can monitor in surround quite nicely in Vegas (as well as numerous other audio programs such as Sonar 8 etc.)

I also understand that the audio file representation on the timeline of DVDA will appear to show a stereo file (even if it's a 5.1), and I also understand that previewing the dvd in DVDA will also probably not come through in surround.

I'm talking about after the dvd is burned, and then played on a pretty decent Yamaha surround receiver system. The audio seems to have been mixed to stereo- and then the same stereo signal appears to be coming out of both front and back speakers. (much the way the players decoder would function if there was just a stereo signal there to begin with). -that's all I meant by "big stereo".

So I'm wondering what I've missed.
Sorry if I've caused a fuss on the forum-
-Ross

If you're getting proper 5.1 sound representation while on the time line then there is something getting lost in the render. Are you using the "studio" encoder or the Pro encoder? The "studio" is not a certified encoder and I (as well as others) have had issues with it in the past. The studio encoder will also recompress in dvda whereas the pro encodings will not.

I don't know if you're aware but you can turn speakers completely off in the surround panner on the time line. (I bring this up only because this was the problem some on else was having). If you want one track panned all the way to front left for example, you can click on the other speakers in the panner and gray them out (in other words turn them off completely.

I'm using the "Pro" encoder.

I am aware of the graying out of speaker icons, thanks though.
-Ross

It sounds like you've covered the obvious, but to double check on possible issue with the Yamaha system (home amp/surround system I assume:

Receivers/amps for surround systems have multiple input configuration options. If you run multiple analog/RCA outs from the DVD player to the amp, a "multichannel" input on the amp will give you a straight 1:1 mapping of your 5.1 channels with no decode. If you use digital, this is decoded from the bitstream and a "straight" setting should give you 5.1.

Since you have DVDA set for 5.1 and it is a 5.1 AC3 the final DVD out should be fine, and probably is; my guess would just be a setup change you weren't aware of on the yamaha - may just be set for 5-channel stereo, or the DVD output set incorrectly, etc by another viewer - I have to double check ours at home due to the presence of 8 and 4 yr olds using the remotes on a daily basis. ;-)

If you want to post your AC3 settings, we can at least double check those, though I doubt there is a problem there (there are some quirks/or rather setting-dependencies on encoding 5.1 and AC3 through Vegas, but most affect level, not multichannel vs. stereo as long as the encode is for multichannel/5.1 and DVDA is set for 5.1).

hth....

I've never done anything 5.1 as I don't have the facilities to monitor it.
If I was ever to face your problem the first thing I'd be doing is making a test DVD. "This is the front left speaker", "This is the centre channel speaker",...etc. Even just a tone panned between each of the channels would do for the purpose.

I have been lucky enough to hear good 5.1 mixes in a monitoring studio. Your description of it sounding like enhanced stereo is on the money.

Bob.

If you can make up a sample of a tone to all the 6 speakers and post it some where that would even be better.

I have done 5.1 mixes in Vegas, even managed to win a sound award with a 5.1 mix done in Vegas, but enough of me...

I assume that the system you are replaying on will play a commercially released Dolby Digital DVD (say a recent movie) in full 5.1?
Is the DVD player set up to pass the AC3 through to the Yamaha amp correctly?
Is it connected via a digital feed, either SP/DIF coax, optical or HDMI to the amplifier?
Does the AMP indicate it is receiving Dolby Digital signal?

All fairly basic questions but necessary step in helping you solve the problem because Vegas and DVDA will definitely produce a Dolby Digital 5.1 AC3 track which will decode correctly on domestic DVD players and amplifiers that are set up correctly.

"Vegas and DVDA will definitely produce a Dolby Digital 5.1"

ditto... and it will do it better than pretty much any other nle out there too.