Aud-X 5.1 Help www.aud-x.com
Overview Aud-X has been engineered as 5.1 channel surround sound CODEC, and is dedicated for the use with Xvid/Divx based movies. It is of course also possible to compress 5.1 music with Aud-X. Aud-X consists of three independent parts that will be described separately: Aud-X executable file encoder/decoder, Aud-X DirectShow decoder filter, Aud-X ACM encoder (for VirtualDubMod and other Audio Compression Manager compatible software). DirectShow Filter ensures compatibility with the most popular multimedia software players utilizing DirectX (this is around 90% of all). It is responsible for reading Aud-X content present in the movies or separate Aud-X soundtracks. ACM Encoder has been implemented to make movie encoding possible with the use of Audio Compression Manager compatible software (eg. VirtualDubMod) Executable Encoder/Decoder allows for: Independent sound compression (demuxed movie soundtracks or multichannel recordings), Conversion from Aud-X to 6-channel PCM or AC3 format.
PART I Aud-X executable file encoder/decoder
Sound Encoding with Aud-X File Executable Encoder Encoding is very easy and intuitive: Go to StartProgramsAud-X and run Aud-X, Choose Encode page, Choose Encoding quality, Click Support us button at the bottom ;-) Click Encode button at the bottom, Choose 6-channel wave file to encode, and confirm by clicking OK
Sound Encoding with Aud-X File Executable Encoder Encoded file is stored in the same catalogue as the input file, but the name is altered with information describing encoding quality. For example: The orginal name 6_Channel_ID Dolby Digital.wav was extended with parameter indicating Aud-X compression quality, eg. -AudX-STDQ (compression standards are described on the next page) Output file is mp3 backwards compatible and can be reproduced by standard mp3 players, If you play it on a computer with Aud-X installed, you will be able to reproduce full 5.1 surround sound, The input file has to be 6-channel wave. Since there are several 6-channel wave layouts in use, we decided to support the most popular one, which is [0: FL] [1: FR] [2: C] [3: LFE] [4: SL] [5: SR]. This channel order is used by the great piece of software called BeSweet. You can create needed 6-channel wave file by decompressing DVD movie sound track with BeSweet. Go to http://dspguru.doom9.net/ for download and tutorials. BeSweet is a command line program. You can use a nice GUI for BeSweet called Belight available at http://belight.corecodec.org/.
Sound Encoding with Aud-X File Executable Encoder Aud-X offers you four encoding quality options: This option is for Internet streaming or portable devices (80 kbps). If you create files that have to be as small as possible, please use this option. File name abbreviation for this option is [STRQ]. This option is mp3 mono compatible. This option is mp3 mono compatible, if played without Aud-X decoder. This option dedicated to Divx/Xvid movies. It takes exactly the same as standard stereo mp3 128 kbps track but stores complete 5.1 sound! File name abbreviation for this option is [STDQ]. This option is mp3 mono compatible, if played without Aud-X decoder. High Quality is meant for music encoding. It creates high quality 5.1 surround sound (192 kbps). Use this option to compress 5.1 surround music. Such tracks are available. for example. from satelite digital radio. File name abbreviation for this option is [HGHQ]. This option is mp3 stereo compatible if played without Aud-X decoder, thus the encoded files can be played with mp3 portable music players. Click on [Info...] button for in depth information Superb! (192 kbps) is recommended for films encoded on two CD- ROMS. Sometimes the movie is too long to encode it just for 700 MB. If you decide to split it into CD1 and CD2 you get great picture quality due to relatively high video bitrate. You can accompany the film with High Quality Aud-X that sounds as good as original Dolby Digital track. File name abbreviation for this option is [SPBQ]. This option is mp3 mono compatible, if played without Aud-X decoder.
Sound Decoding with Aud-X Executable Decoder Sometimes users have to leave one standard and reencode the content into the other. You may find it useful to change Aud-X track back into AC3 format. This can be handy for burning Internet downloaded movie back on DVD. Aud-X.exe allows you to do so. Please remember that reencoding always decreases the overal sound quality. If you can stay with Aud-X - do it. File decoder gives you two options: 6-channel uncompressed wave. This is useful for decoding sound for editing AC3 Dolby Digital at 6 bitrate qualities of your choice: this is useful for playing the soundtrack on a hardware DVD player in full surround, or for movie DVD burning. Please note that reencoding is not necesary if you are not desperate for surround. Aud- X can be played on stand-alone DVD players in mono or stereo. To Decode an Aud-X file: Choose Decode page, Choose Decoding format and quality, Click Support us button at the bottom ;-) Click Decode file button at the bottom, Choose Aud-X file to decode, and confirm by clicking OK
PART II Aud-X ACM Encoder
Sound Encoding with Aud-X ACM Encoder You can encode sound with Aud-X in VirtualDubMod (special version downloadable from www.aud-x.com). This is the best solution for movie DVD encoding. Please read DVD Aud- X backup tutorial for in-depth information on this subject [see tutorial downloadable at www.aud-x.com ]. [80 kbps] Use this option if the film is really long (over 2 hours) but you have to save it just on 1 CD. This format is mp3 mono compatible, if played without Aud-X decoder. [128 kbps] This is the recommended option for most operations. It balances sound quality and bitrate. This is best for standard DVD to 1 CD backup. Use this with Divx/Xvid for films lasting around 1,5 hour. This format is mp3 mono compatible, if played without Aud-X decoder. [192 kbps] High Quality is great for long films (over 2 hours) converted into 2 CD s. Usually the video bitrate is high enough to create great quality picture and there is still place for perfect surround sound. HQ Aud-X played on standard mp3 decoders (eg home theater DVD s) is stereo mp3 compatible. [192 kbps] This option can be used in similar way to High Quality Aud-X. The difference is that with standard mp3 players the Aud-X Superb! Quality track will be mono compatible. Making it this way allows more space to be utilized for 5.1 information (the best surround quality).
PART III Aud-X DirectShow Filter
Sound Decoding with Aud-X DirectShow filter To play Aud-X tracks in full surround, you need to have a PC computer, a multichannel sound card, or a sound card equipped with a spdif port. In addition it is necessary to install a DirectShow compatible software player and the Aud-X CODEC (such as the popular, free BSplayer downloadable at http://www.bsplayer.org). Please note that Aud-X performance can depend on software player quality. If you experience any problems check another player first. Aud-X tracks are mp3 backwards compatible. If for any reason you do not have Aud-X installed on your system, you will still be able to reproduce sound! It will be mono or stereo depending on Aud-X encoding quality option. How to make sure that the Aud-X stream is being decoded? Just look for the Aud-X icon at the right taskbar (near the clock). If it is there everything is allright Doubleclicking on Aud-X icon brings Aud-X configuration pannel Aud-X present and in use
Sound Decoding with Aud-X DirectShow filter Aud-X decoder configuration: Select this checkbox if you have a standard two speakers set. This is also good for headphones. All surround sound information will be properly downmixed to create well sounding stereo output. You should use this option for 2.1 setups also (stereo + subwoofer). + This option is perfect when you are the owner of analogue 5.1 computer speakers set and 5.1 sound card (eg. Sound Blaster Live! 5.1). In addition, this option works also good for less than 6 but more than 3 spekaers set (i.e. 5.0, 4.0, 4.1, etc.). + Text shown here identifies type of sound being played Click on info for in-depth information Spdif out option transcodes Aud-X into AC3 stream and sends the external digital audio output. It is dedicated for home movie theater amplifiers connected to such output. It is a nice feature allowing for enjoying Aud-X in your living room. This option is also recommended for digital 5.1 PC speakers sets. Digital link
Sound Decoding with Aud-X DirectShow filter Decoder CPU requirements: Aud-X is very efficient in terms of file space and bitrate. Utilizing complex algorithms costs a lot of computing power. We are constantly working on code optimizations but at this stage, we recommend using Aud-X with computers equipped with at least 1,7 Ghz processors or above. Lower processor specifications may cause sound skipping in some cases or cause Aud-X encoded films to freeze for 2-3 frames in 10-15 seconds intervals. Our tests show that you can still watch Aud-X encoded content quite comfortably on 1Ghz processor PCs under the condition that you do not use spdif out and disable video postprocessing (in the Xvid/Divx DirectShow decoder). It turns out that different software players manage the playing process in more or less efficient manners. Check out couple of them to find out which one works best for you. Remember that decreasing video postprocessing levels can help much. If you have to watch Aud-X encoded movie on a low spec computer (let s say P III 450 Mhz), you can use a player not supporting DirectShow (we recommend Video LAN Player downloadable from http://www.videolan.org/). Aud-X will be played in mp3 compatible mode, which means that you will be watching the movie without surround sound but with minimum CPU load. At this moment sending Aud-X content through Spdif to the external A/V receiver is the most CPU time consuming operation, since the stream has to be transcoded to AC3 on the fly. It works well on P IV 2.0 Ghz and above.
Spdif connection guide
Spdif connection guide Connecting your computer to the home movie amplifier via spdif is easy: Get the right cable. This is simple mono mini jack (3,5 mm) to RCA (Chinch) cable. You can buy one ready or prepare it yourself if you know how to solder. Ground Signal Find out if your sound card supports Spidf digital out. Most modern sound cards are capable of sending digital signals outside the computer. In many cases they do not have separate ports for this task and they share the digital and analog mini-jack socket. Refer to your sound card instruction manual for details. In case of popular Sound Blaster Live! Spdif is the orange socket shown on the picture above. By default, it works as analog, so you need to go to the driver configuration and activate spdif out. Remember to switch off AC3 decoding option, otherwise the card will try to decompress the Dolby Digital stream before sending it through the digital output.
Spdif connection guide Check if your home theatre amplifier (A/V receiver) is equipped with the Dolby Digital decoder. If it does, check the rear panel for the necessery sockets. In most of the cases output or input functional sections are marked with printed white rectangles and well described, as it can be seen in the picture above. Find section named Digital in or DVD in or Dolby Digital in. Within this section find socket named coaxial in (usually the orange one) and plug the cable. Now choose the right sound source at the front panel of the amplifier and play the Aud-X encoded film on your PC. Mark send surround sound through spdif in Aud-X DirectShow decoder. If everything is okay you should hear the surround sound and your amplifier should detect the Dolby Digital source stream. Troubleshooting: You can encounter problems in connecting your PC to the home theatre amplifier through Spdif. If there s no sound or sound skips or just white noise is heared check: The cable. Especially, if you have prepared it yourself. Take electronic multimeter and check for short circuits, Check for alternative coaxial in port in your home theatre amplifier. Change the port, Check if the right source is selected by the amplifier, Check the sound card driver if the Spdif port is activated, Make sure that you switched off AC3 in your sound card settings, Some amplifiers for unknown reason cannot understand Dolby Digital sent through the coaxial cable at all and accept only optical input for surround signals. Replace your amplifier with the new one, because it is a trash or buy an external USB sound card equipped with the optical out port,
Known problems Incompatibility issue with WinAmp. WinAmp cannot play 48 khz sample rate sound tracks (which is Aud-X standard) correctly (i.e. The sound is desynchronized with the video content) High processor load when Spdif output actived (due to computationally expensive Aud-X to AC3 transcoding) On stereo PC sound card systems you cannot leave decoder in 5.1 mode after movie watching. If you do so, Aud-X will not start itself the next time you play Aud-X encoded content. To fix this you need to start graphedit application, run the Aud-X decoder and set it to stereo mode. The next time Aud-X decoder will start normally