AC3/DTS audio on non-AC3/DTS system...

Hello.

I'm running ATV OS 3.0.1 and recently I've been ripping my DVD/BR collection into iTunes. When I rip my DVD/BR discs, I include AC3/DTS audio. Right now I don't have a AC3/DTS speaker system, but since I plan to in the future, I figured it would be best to rip that way. I'm just using the analog stereo cables (right/left) from the ATV to my TV and assume there's some downconverting built into the ATV to handle this?

Anyway, the problem I'm having is that the voices when people speak are usually really hard to hear, while the rest of the sound (music, FX, etc.) is way loud. So, we end up cranking the volume when we can't hear people talking, then the next scene is some action scene and the volume is crazy loud.

Does anyone know what might be wrong/a possible solution?

Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks,
k.

20" Intel iMac 2.16 Ghz, 12" PowerBook G4 1.33 Ghz, Power Mac G4 667 Mhz, Mac OS X (10.5.6), Xserves (Early 2009, Early 2008, G5), Mac Pro

Posted on Nov 12, 2009 7:19 AM

Dec 28, 2009 10:59 PM in response to kristin.

Kristin, here is the answer to your original question: When you encode the 5.1 (AC-3 or DTS) as the only audio file for the TV, you are not encoding the 5 discrete channels. You are encoding the front left & right channels. The left & right surround & the center channel are not encoded. That center channel contains the dialog track which for most movies are over 70% of the audio. That is why the dialog is so muted in your encoded movies. As is mentioned in the responses, you should always encode a down-mixed audio track from these sources (AC-3 stereo or ProLogic/ProLogicII). That down-mix will include the all important center channel as well the surrounds. If want 5.1 sound later, then you will need to include the 5.1 tracks as a pass-thru. Not an encode. What that means is you are including the digital stream as a separate file needed for a 5.1 decoder to work on. Those decoders are only found on HT receivers and in some DVD/BR players. They are not built into the TV or most (all?) HDTVs. That is why it is called a pass-thru. It is not an audio file that the TV or HDTV can convert to sound and is ignored by their audio processors. But it is not eliminated and is always there. You don't want to "encode" 5.1 tracks as-is or you will lose the center & surround channels. You want to encode a down-mixed soundtrack (stereo/DPL/DPL II) for stereo playback on a TV or basic stereo and include a pass-thru of the intact AC-3/DTS digital bitstream for later use on a 5.1 home theater receiver. Handbrake can do that. And as far as I know the only way to pass that 5.1 bitstream to a receiver is using the optical audio out on the TV. Not sure if the HDMI connection will pass 5.1 bitstreams. It might, BUT be aware that many basic home theater receivers with HDMI connectivity only accept video signals through those jacks. Not audio. You may have to use the optical jacks for that anyway.