5.1 Surround Mixing Question

[Brad]

Okay, I am going to take a stab at 5.1 surround mixing and need some information.

Here is what I have:

A software program capable of MIXING 5.1 (not encoding for DVD burning, though)

A soundcard capable of sending AC3 data down the SPDIF coax out.

(Will have this one tomorrow) A surround receiver with a digital coax in (I am assuming this will read the data coming out of my soundcard) and the obligatory 6 speakers.


I don’t think my DVD authoring software is capable of encoding 5.1 mixes and burning. It is pretty amateurish software. If that is the case, I know I would need to get authoring software if I want my mixes to play back 5.1 on a DVD player, but I am not really interested in that.

What I would like to know is this: (if you have experience with this, great, but I am interested in educated guesses as well) Let’s say I do a 5.1 mix for a client who has access to a post facility that does 5.1 encoding for DVD (or film or whatever). Can I take the 6 tracks I have mixed in 5.1 and send them to 6 discreet tracks on my DTRS recorder, give the client the DTRS master (properly labeled, of course) and then the post facility would be able to take the tracks and my instructions and encode what I was hearing in my 5.1 mixing environment?

Am I on the right track? (pun intended)

Thanks,
Brad

 

[subtractor]

I dunno about you question... But I do know that although ac3 and 5.1 are digital, they are not the same. So you may have a problem between the soundcard and reciever. Just a thought.
FYI, SX and nuendo have 5.1 capabilities if your software doesn't work out.

 

[Brad]

Thanks subtractor. I should have stated that my soundcard manual says it can send AC3, DTS, and the Dolby standards (can't remember their exact names) out of the SPDIF line. So, I think it will work for what I need it to do (hope so!) and I have software that will mix 5.1 - not too interested in outputting the stuff on DVD *yet* but thanks for the reccomendations!

SX or Nuendo would put me in the poorhouse right now.

Oh wait, I am already in the poorhouse!

Let me rephrase; SX or Nuendo would put me in the basement of the poorhouse.

 

[knightfly]

I'm just starting to research this area myself, and still have probably as many questions as answers. One of the q's I've yet to clear up is the bass management thing. Some say put it all in the 5 channels and let the BM of the receiver sort it out, sending everything below the (typically) 80 hZ point to the sub, others use the sub for specific LF effects, etc - Here's a site I have yet to find time to completely go thru, maybe it will help -

http://www.surroundassociates.com/fqmain.html

The DTRS thing works, somewhere I read that there is a specific track order normally used, don't remember the order except that tracks 7-8 are normally used for a stereo mix for reference.

This nearly worthless tidbit brought to you by... Steve

 

[Brad]

This nearly worthless tidbit...

Hardly, Steve! Thanks for that link, man!

6.3 and 6.4 answered my question!

Thanks again!

I will be back with more questions as I go, but that website will help a lot!

Brad

 

[TexRoadkill]

I've never been able to get straight answers to those questions. I noticed in that FAQ that they say there are only 2 facilities in the USA that even do 5.1 mastering. That leads me to believe that equipment neccessary to get the final master is still very expensive.

There has to be some info on what equipment is neccessary for the final steps but I'll be damned if I can find it.

 

[knightfly]

Tex, I gathered from checking that site out more today, that it's kind of old. Still, it's been anything but easy to find current info, since it seems to change from day to day.

I'll try to remember to post any other useful info here if/when I come across it... Steve