5.1 mixing -AC-3 Encoder - MAGIX Community Forums Archive

Subject:5.1 mixing Posted by: jordanl Date:7/11/2003 4:39:05 PM I am trying to use Vegas 4 in conjunction with a USB sound card that outputs Dolby Digital signals via optical cable into a 5.1 home theater receiver. When playing audio and panning from the Vegas timeline, playback does not register as "Dolby Digital," on my receiver and consequently doesn't play pans to the rear or the center in "surround sound." It's as though Vegas is not sending a multichannel soundtrack out of the computer. When I encode something to AC-3, it plays back as multichannel, but in Vegas I need the ability to hear what it is I am mixing through all of my 5 speakers. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong here?
Subject:RE: 5.1 mixing Reply by: Baylo Date:7/12/2003 11:32:02 AM You've sort of answered the question yourself. You're not doing anything wrong, I think you've just hit a limit of your current system configuration. Vegas does not output Dolby Digital compressed audio from the timeline. You need to render to Dolby Digital first. You need to set up your sound card to receive 6 (5.1) normal audio outputs from Vegas. This might not be possible with your current soundcard. In addition your receiver would need to be able to receive 6 discreet channels from the soundcard. Consumer receivers with optical inputs typically can only receive encoded streams, not discreet uncompressed audio. Hope that helps. If you do a search on these forums for the issues you're experiencing you'll find a number of other responses. Mark

Subject:5.1 mixing

Posted by: jordanl

Date:7/11/2003 4:39:05 PM

I am trying to use Vegas 4 in conjunction with a USB sound card that outputs Dolby Digital signals via optical cable into a 5.1 home theater receiver.

When playing audio and panning from the Vegas timeline, playback does not register as "Dolby Digital," on my receiver and consequently doesn't play pans to the rear or the center in "surround sound." It's as though Vegas is not sending a multichannel soundtrack out of the computer.

When I encode something to AC-3, it plays back as multichannel, but in Vegas I need the ability to hear what it is I am mixing through all of my 5 speakers. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong here?

Subject:RE: 5.1 mixing

Reply by: Baylo

Date:7/12/2003 11:32:02 AM

You've sort of answered the question yourself. You're not doing anything wrong, I think you've just hit a limit of your current system configuration. Vegas does not output Dolby Digital compressed audio from the timeline. You need to render to Dolby Digital first.

You need to set up your sound card to receive 6 (5.1) normal audio outputs from Vegas. This might not be possible with your current soundcard. In addition your receiver would need to be able to receive 6 discreet channels from the soundcard. Consumer receivers with optical inputs typically can only receive encoded streams, not discreet uncompressed audio.

Hope that helps. If you do a search on these forums for the issues you're experiencing you'll find a number of other responses.

Mark