AC3 to multichannel flac

[Dat Ei]

Hello, hello,

is it possible to convert an ac3 file with 6 channels (ripped from a DVD) with dBpa into a multichannel flac?


Dat Ei

[Spoon]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

See:

https://www.dbpoweramp.com/codec-central-ac3.htm

[Dat Ei]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

Hey Spoon,

ok, I've followed the instruction, but I still have some problems.

1.) I can select files with the extension ac3 within Batch Converter after I've edited the directshow.txt file, but I still don't get "Convert To" in the explorer context menu for this extension.

2.) If I convert a 6 channel ac3 file to flac, the result is just a 2 channel flac. Is it possible to convert into a 6 channel flac? How?


Dat Ei

[Spoon]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

Try configuring it:

https://www.ac3filter.net/wiki/AC3Filter:Configuration

there could be an option what to output as.

To get Convert To on right click, run dBpoweramp Control Centre, remove the convert to option, close Control Centre, then re-run it and add.

[Dat Ei]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

Hey Spoon,

still no improvements. I have installed AC3File, AC3Filter and dBpoweramp DirectShow Decoder on my system running Windows 10, 64bit (1803) and the latest dBpoweramp R16.5 beta.

Even after I have installed DirectShow Decoder the dBpa Control Center doesn't show the DirectShow decoder or any further infos about that decoder. In Batch Converter I can select ac3 files and i.e. Test convert them. If I convert them into flac files, those flac files are still 2ch files.

The "Convert to" menu entry is still missing, even if I follow your instructions.

So there must exist some fundamental problem or I do not have all infos to manage the ac3 conversion.


Dat Ei

[Spoon]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

It is listed in the image you uploaded:

DirectShow
.ac3

You have to configure the AC3Filter externally, I do not have it installed so cannot say what settings need changing, right now it is decoding as 2 channel.

[Dat Ei]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

It is listed in the image you uploaded:

DirectShow
.ac3

Ok. I wasn't sure about that because there is no further information in the Right column, like for the other codecs.

You have to configure the AC3Filter externally, I do not have it installed so cannot say what settings need changing, right now it is decoding as 2 channel.

I'll see if I find the solution, or if another user can assist me. It isn't that urgent or important. I just wanted to convert some music DVDs into multichannel flacs.


Dat Ei

[ac16161]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

Potential workflow to consider that you may find to be quite robust:

back up your DVD/blu-ray concert to mkv using makemkv

drop the .mkv file into MKVToolNix, select the audio track and chapter points only, and on the output tab select split mode "before chapters" and type "all" in the chapter numbers box. Hit the Start multiplexing button and you will get one .mka file per chapter (typically each song).

convert the .mka files to .wav using gMKVExtract or ffmpeg. I find ffmpeg is better at handling 7.1 HD tracks.

once you have a batch of .wav files, convert as required with dbpoweramp, tag with MP3tag. The filename-from-tags utility codec is useful here too. There's another thread here where Spoon advised the best settings for down-mixing multi-channel to stereo.

[ac16161]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

Potential workflow to consider that you may find to be quite robust:

back up your DVD/blu-ray concert to mkv using makemkv

drop the .mkv file into MKVToolNix, select the audio track and chapter points only, and on the output tab select split mode "before chapters" and type "all" in the chapter numbers box. Hit the Start multiplexing button and you will get one .mka file per chapter (typically each song).

convert the .mka files to .wav using gMKVExtract or ffmpeg. I find ffmpeg is better at handling 7.1 HD tracks.

once you have a batch of .wav files, convert as required with dbpoweramp, tag with MP3tag. The filename-from-tags utility codec is useful here too. There's another thread here where Spoon advised the best settings for down-mixing multi-channel to stereo.

Just to add, once you've got your .mka files, my recommendation would be to use ffmpeg thereafter, using an appropriate batch script. E.g. under Windows,

FOR %%f IN (*.mka) DO (
echo Converting: %%f
..\ffmpeg -i "%%f" -acodec flac "%%~nf.flac"
)

or under linux something like this

for file in /volume1/../*.mka; do /usr/local/ffmpeg/bin/ffmpeg -i "$file" -acodec flac "${file%.mka}".flac; done

My linux boxes are Synology, and the pre-installed version of ffmpeg does not support dts, but the Syno Community version does.

[Dat Ei]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

Hey ac16161,

thanks for your input, but I have to clarify some things. I have already extracted the audio track, separated in chapters and in a multichannel ac3 format. What I want now is to convert those multichannel ac3 files into multichannel flac files. There is no need for me to down-mix the mutlichannel audio tracks as the DVDs have 2ch audio tracks as well, which I have successfully converted in 2ch flac files already.


Dat Ei

[ac16161]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

Hey ac16161,

thanks for your input, but I have to clarify some things. I have already extracted the audio track, separated in chapters and in a multichannel ac3 format. What I want now is to convert those multichannel ac3 files into multichannel flac files. There is no need for me to down-mix the mutlichannel audio tracks as the DVDs have 2ch audio tracks as well, which I have successfully converted in 2ch flac files already.


Dat Ei

In that case I would just push them through ffmpeg, batch script as above will do multiple files in one go.

[eXtremeDevil]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

Hello, I'm having troubles with the DirectShow decoder. I used to have a 1803 Windows 10 with dbPoweramp (not latest version if I recall correctly). I had ac3file, ac3filter and DirectShow decoder installed and I could convert my ac3 files to whatever other format.

Then my windows broke. I had to format everything. Now I have clean Win10 Pro 1803 with dbPoweramp 16.1, ac3file and ac3filter, and the DirectShow decoder (latest, release 3). But not I get error 'unable to insert simplegrabber' when I try to convert ac3.

I have searched about the error and it seems to be a DS decoder bug, but I know I got it working before.

Any idea why? Any workaround?

Thanks.

[Spoon]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

I do not think the filters are working in place, you would have to investigate tools which show which filters are installed.

[eXtremeDevil]

Re: AC3 to multichannel flac

Funny though, as I use AC3Filter on an almost daily basis. Anyway, I reinstalled dbPoweramp, then AC3Filter then AC3 file, and now it's working.

Thanks for the tip!!