AC3Filter and Adobe Audition plug-in

[Cai Campbell]

I've written before about an awesomely cool open source project called AC3Filter that allows decoding of DTS and AC3 files in Windows Media Player (and other media players). Well, now there is an Adobe Audition plug-in that allows AA to read AC3/DTS files and write to AC3 (mono/stereo only at this time; I hope surround and DTS write capability are added as the plug-in evolves). Still, you can always save as individual mono wave files!

Looks pretty promising! Check it out:

http://ac3filter.net/releases/adobe_audition_plugin_0_1a

 

[jdmack]

I didn't see any instructions on this page. I couldn't seem to get it to work. Is it supposed to read DTS files as six individual files, or downmix them to stereo?

J. D.

 

[Cai Campbell]

The instructions are in the ZIP file. Here is a portion of the "ac3filter_readme.txt" file:

Install:
========
Unzip this package to Adobe Audition installation folder.

You may be tempted to place the files in the "filter" subdirectory. Don't do this. Simply place them in the root Adobe Audition program folder.

After installing the filter, start Adobe Audition and use the "File/Open" command from the Edit View workspace. From the Open dialog window, check the "Files of type:" drop-down list. You should now see an item named "AC3/DTS (*.dts; *.ac3)". Select that item and open the appropriate file. You may need to rename the file with a .dts or .ac3 extension first.

Anyway, after you open the file, switch to the Multitrack View workspace. You should now see six discrete waveform files. You can double-click on any one to play with 'em individually, or select all six, right-click on the collection and select "Insert Into Multitrack."

Have fun!

 

[jdmack]

You may need to rename the file with a .dts or .ac3 extension first.

THAT was the missing piece of information. Thanks!

J. D.

 

[neil wilkes]

renaming a DTS-WAV file (extension .wav) might also work.
The sample rate would need to be adjusted, but it should still work.
Can anyone experiment? After all, it's just a .dts at 44.1KHz with faked headers to make it appear to be a WAV file.
I've even been able to encode DTS-CD from 24/48 mixes to DTS-WAV and have it work. Admittedly, not 100% reliable as some players play it back at the wrong speed.

 

[Rck60s]

I have tried to find a way to rename the wav file to DTS but each time I pull up the file it just shows the icon not the file

 

[Cai Campbell]

The AC3Filter for Adobe Audition limits file open choices to only those files with a .ac3 or .dts file extension. Therefore, you will not be able to open files with any other file extension in Adobe Audition via the AC3Filter plug-in.

I guess I don't understand the comment on the inability to rename a file extension. This is a simple Windows operation. Perhaps the system is configured to hide file extensions? Please configure your system so that it does not hide file extensions. Click the "Start" button and then select "Help". The Windows help system is your friend.

 

[Cai Campbell]

Neil, just a bit of follow-up. AC3Filter supports pretty much any DTS file variation you can think of. I used to think all DTS-WAV files were created equal. Boy was I wrong! With AC3Filter (the media player plug-in, not the AA plug-in) you can even configure it to reconstruct the DTS signal to the "standard" of your choosing and AC3Filter will configure it "on the fly" before passing it through SPDIF. This is great if you want to use an external decoder that is picky about the exact nature of the DTS signal it "sees".

Anyway, with other DTS file playback solutions, it was always a situation where some DTS files, ripped from CDs, would play while others would not. AC3Filter can handle them all, and the ability to reconstruct them, in real time, to a common standard of your own choosing is icing on the cake.

This is a great product and it is FREE! I encourage anyone even remotely interested in this to join the AC3Filter discussion group and provide input to the development community. They listen and updated versions with fixes and new features are released pretty regularly.

 

[neil wilkes]

Neil, just a bit of follow-up. AC3Filter supports pretty much any DTS file variation you can think of. I used to think all DTS-WAV files were created equal. Boy was I wrong! With AC3Filter (the media player plug-in, not the AA plug-in) you can even configure it to reconstruct the DTS signal to the "standard" of your choosing and AC3Filter will configure it "on the fly" before passing it through SPDIF. This is great if you want to use an external decoder that is picky about the exact nature of the DTS signal it "sees".

I know already that not all DTS-CD (DTS-WAV) files are created equally!!
It depends greatly on the encoder used as well as the source material.

Anyway, with other DTS file playback solutions, it was always a situation where some DTS files, ripped from CDs, would play while others would not. AC3Filter can handle them all, and the ability to reconstruct them, in real time, to a common standard of your own choosing is icing on the cake.

This is a great product and it is FREE! I encourage anyone even remotely interested in this to join the AC3Filter discussion group and provide input to the development community. They listen and updated versions with fixes and new features are released pretty regularly.

I have had this for a while, but hadn't picked up on quite how useful it is.
Thanks for the pointers.

 

[Wunlow]

Cai,

I've read the AC3Filter allowing for upmixing to 5.1. Do you know if this upconversion is via Dolby Pro-Logic? Or better yet, does it offer DPL-2 upcoversion?

Thanks,

-Greg-

 

[SCIENCE]

Hello Everybody,

When I Try To Save 6 Mono Wav Files To *.ac3 ,it Will Converted Into Two Digital Channel Only,
My Question Is how To Save 6 Indivisual Mono Wav Files To Ac3 5.1 Channels With Adobe

 

[neil wilkes]

Hello Everybody,

When I Try To Save 6 Mono Wav Files To *.ac3 ,it Will Converted Into Two Digital Channel Only,
My Question Is how To Save 6 Indivisual Mono Wav Files To Ac3 5.1 Channels With Adobe

You Can't.
There is no Dolby Digital Encoder supplied with Adobe Audition, and none available for it either.
There is a SurCode plugin for Premiere Pro, at the bargain price of $285 or thereabout

 

[Cai Campbell]

Cai,

I've read the AC3Filter allowing for upmixing to 5.1. Do you know if this upconversion is via Dolby Pro-Logic? Or better yet, does it offer DPL-2 upcoversion?

Thanks,

-Greg-

I haven't tried this myself and I don't know what AC3Filter uses for upmixing stereo content. I have read that it properly upmixes DPL-encoded audio files, so my guess is that something similar (if not identical) to DPL or DPL-2 is used. Sorry, but this is pure speculation on my part. To get the definitive answer, I would submit the question to the AC3Filter forum.

 

[neil wilkes]

I have read that it properly upmixes DPL-encoded audio files, so my guess is that something similar (if not identical) to DPL or DPL-2 is used.

Pedants Corner time....
If it's using - or playing back properly - DPL II files, it isn't really upmixing them. DPL & DPL II are both Lt/Rt Matrix Surround streams, where DPL = LCRS and DPL II = LCRLsRs.
Feed it a straight Lo/Ro file through the DPL II and it will try to decode it, and how well it comes out depends greatly on the mix.
Some work well, others don't.

 

[Cai Campbell]

Yeah, I realize the terminology is wrong... should be "decode" not "upmix" but "upmix" is the term that the AC3Filter site uses to differntiate between stereo-to-surround processing (no matter if the source is encoded or not) and decoding of DTS/AC3 files.

Semantics, semantics, semantics...

 

[Wunlow]

I haven't tried this myself and I don't know what AC3Filter uses for upmixing stereo content. I have read that it properly upmixes DPL-encoded audio files, so my guess is that something similar (if not identical) to DPL or DPL-2 is used. Sorry, but this is pure speculation on my part. To get the definitive answer, I would submit the question to the AC3Filter forum.

Thank you, Cai. I'll probably do just that.