Problems rendering 5.1 surround to CD -ACID Product Family

Subject:Problems rendering 5.1 surround to CD Posted by: gunhed Date:6/21/2003 2:49:57 PM I'm having problems reproducing surround on CD. I'm using Acid Pro 4.0b and have made a simple test project that plays back perfectly, touching each speaker. To complete the test, I burned it to CD, and this is what I hear when playing that CD: It only plays back the front speaker channels (I can hear the sound assigned to the front channels in both the front and rear). No sound comes from the center speaker (I did not test the LFE). The sound assigned to the rear channels doesn't play out at all. I guess I'm missing something? I assume I don't have to buy the 5.1 DVD encoding package just to cut CDs in 5.1? BTW, I rendered to WAV files, and each channel plays back as expected - no problem there.
Subject:RE: Problems rendering 5.1 surround to CD Reply by: pwppch Date:6/21/2003 3:51:07 PM You do have to license the 5.1 DVD encoding package, but you CANNOT "cut" CDs in 5.1. A standard Redbook CD does not define surround sound. CDs use standard PCM uncompressed stereo audio. There are hacks that exist that will permit you to burn AC3 encoded audio onto a CD and SOME DVD players will decode and play these, but it is not a standard and we don't support this with our tools. Peter
Subject:RE: Problems rendering 5.1 surround to CD Reply by: BWO Date:6/21/2003 4:54:50 PM 5.1 surround sound cds can be made with Surcode CD-DTS encoder. Ofcouse you need DTS decoder for playback. BWO
Subject:RE: Problems rendering 5.1 surround to CD Reply by: gunhed Date:6/21/2003 9:29:14 PM Bummer. So how do movies work, then? A standard VCR tape only has two sound channels (left/right), yet it can reproduce surround effects on a 5.1 sterio. Why can't a CD do this? Is this the Surcode CD-DTS encoding that BWO is talking about?
Subject:RE: Problems rendering 5.1 surround to CD Reply by: BWO Date:6/22/2003 4:21:44 AM Movies on stantard VHS tape has Dolby Surround matrix encoded soundtrack, that has four channels (left, center, right & surround) encoded in two. 5.1 surround is a digital format and it cannot be recorded to analog VHS tape. Usually 5.1 is encoded in Dolby Digital (AC-3) or DTS. If you want to encode AC3 stream, you need encoder like Sonic Foundry 5.1 Surround Plug-In-Pack or Minnetonka Surcode that has DTS encoder as well. Read this article about 5.1 on CD: http://www.5dot1.com/articles/ac-3_5_1_audio_onto_a_cd-r.html BWO
Subject:RE: Problems rendering 5.1 surround to CD Reply by: pwppch Date:6/22/2003 12:46:35 PM To be clear, this is NON standard and CDs created this way are NOT redbook compatible and cannot be played on a standard CD player. Peter
Subject:Dolby Pro Logic II is the answer! Reply by: gunhed Date:6/23/2003 8:47:13 AM Peter and BWO, Thank you, guys for helping me understand all this; it's good to know there are some knowledgeable folks out there. BTW, I think the format I was looking for is SurCode Dolby Pro Logic II, which encodes 5.1 into a standard sterio audio stream, playable on most surround home systems (and all CD players): http://www.surcode.com/low/prologic2/prologic2.htm

Subject:Problems rendering 5.1 surround to CD

Posted by: gunhed

Date:6/21/2003 2:49:57 PM

I'm having problems reproducing surround on CD. I'm using Acid Pro 4.0b and have made a simple test project that plays back perfectly, touching each speaker. To complete the test, I burned it to CD, and this is what I hear when playing that CD:

It only plays back the front speaker channels (I can hear the sound assigned to the front channels in both the front and rear). No sound comes from the center speaker (I did not test the LFE). The sound assigned to the rear channels doesn't play out at all. I guess I'm missing something? I assume I don't have to buy the 5.1 DVD encoding package just to cut CDs in 5.1?

BTW, I rendered to WAV files, and each channel plays back as expected - no problem there.