Convert Stereo Soundtrack -> DTS 5.1

[saurabh]

But first to check if your 5.1 works fine.....

http://www.sr.se/multikanal/english/e_index.stm

Download the last item called "Multichannelcheck" in either DD or DTS. It's in Swedish but that makes no difference, it will do the job.

Then an additional fun one is the "Banf Demo" which is a DTS 5.1 Swedish radio demo (but in English). Click Instructions then download. Make sure to enable DTS bitstream in your DVD player before playing your CD.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
First off, you need to use a PCM WAV as opposed to any other format. Even the slightest disparity within an mp3 file will result in phasing.

Secondly, forget about Dolby - DTS 5.1 is the only real option to create Surround-Sound CDs.

I used Goldwave to create the different channels. If you don't have it, you should get it. Its free (there is a permanent nag screen but the program is fully-functional). Visit Goldwave.com to get the latest version.

01. Rip a CD track to a WAV file and rename it master.wav (you don't have to rename it, it just gets confusing!);

02. Open the master.wav in Goldwave;

03. On the Goldwave toolbar, click "Edit", "Channel"; "Left". The left-channel waveform will be highlighted;

04. Click "File", "Save Selection As..." and name the file "left_front". Change the "Save as type" to "Wave" and the File Attributes to "16 bit, mono, signed";

05. On the Goldwave toolbar, click "Edit", "Channel"; "Right". The right-channel waveform will be highlighted;

06. Click "File", "Save Selection As..." and name the file "right_front". Change the "Save as type" to "Wave" and the File Attributes to "16 bit, mono, signed";

07. At this point, the right-channel waveform will still be highlighted. On the Goldwave toolbar, click on "Effects" and then "Invert";

08. Click on "Edit", "Channel" and "Both". Click "File", "Save Selection As..." and name the file "right_back". Change the "Save as type" to "Wave" and the File Attributes to "16 bit, mono, signed";

You've just created a right-channel OOPS file! For more information on the OOPS effect, click here.

09. Close the file onscreen by clicking "File" and "Close" on the Goldwave toolbar;

10. Open the original WAV named master.wav;

11. On the Goldwave toolbar, click "Edit", "Channel"; "Left". The left-channel waveform will be highlighted;

12. On the Goldwave toolbar, click on "Effects" and then "Invert";

13. Click on "Edit", "Channel" and "Both". Click "File", "Save Selection As..." and name the file "left_back". Change the "Save as type" to "Wave" and the File Attributes to "16 bit, mono, signed";

That's the hard part over and done with!

14. Close the file onscreen by clicking "File" and "Close" on the Goldwave toolbar;

15. Open the original WAV named master.wav;

16. Move your mouse over Goldwave's toolbar icons until you find the "Low/Highpass" option and click it;

17. In the Filter options, click the radio button which says "Dynamic". The default option is for the filter is "Lowpass" but if this isn't already selected, make sure that it is!;

18. Change the initial Hz to 80 and the final Hz to 120 (you can just overtype the values). The default "Steepness" is 5, which is fine. Click "OK";

19. Click "File", "Save Selection As..." and name the file "lfe". Change the "Save as type" to "Wave" and the File Attributes to "16 bit, mono, signed";

20. Close the file onscreen by clicking "File" and "Close" on the Goldwave toolbar;

21. Open the original WAV named master.wav;

22. Move your mouse over Goldwave's toolbar icons until you find the "Maximise" option and click it;

23. Half the volume of the file by clicking the "New maximum" radio button, adjust the slider to 0.5 and then click "OK";

24. Move your mouse over Goldwave's toolbar icons until you find the "Parametric EQ" option and click it;

25. Choose the "Presets" option named "Treble boost" (its towards the bottom of the screen) and click "OK";

26. 19. Click "File", "Save Selection As..." and name the file "centre". Change the "Save as type" to "Wave" and the File Attributes to "16 bit, mono, signed".

You now have six (5 + 1) channels from an originally stereo source! Okay, its not perfect but its really, really convincing.

Just a few notes...

The left and right OOPS files are the only means of creating background "ambience" from a stereo source. They sound odd on their own, but great when mixed together.

The actual DTS protocol specifies that the Subwoofer frequencies should be no higher than 120Hz - I did do some reading on this.

I decreased the volume of the center file, so that when I raise the treble, it doesn't distort. The treble sounds great raised on the middle channel because this is where vocals and guitars are usually placed. The OOPS files in the left and right background take care of any high frequencies which aren't slap-bang in the middle (such as panned tambourines and cow-bells).

Once you have your 6 files, you do need to mix them to a DTS WAV file - download the SurCode DTS CD demo at SurCode.com to hear how it wil sound.

So that's the recipe for converting stereo WAV files to 5.1 DTS Surround Sound CDs.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well I didnt write these instructions since I was busy with my work and other projects, so best of luck and lets collaborate the results.