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Importing and exporting surround audio files
Import
When importing MPEG-2 files with Dolby Digital sound (e.g. VOB files from DVDs or
DVB-TV recordings), you can choose from two different applications:
• Mixdown: Surround sound is displayed as an audio object under the video object,
playback of the surround track is reduced and recalculated to stereo playback.
Use this option if you don't wish to edit the surround sound, but rather wish to
export it. You can also use it if you think that a stereo export is enough to meet
your requirements
• Surround mix: The individual surround channel pairs (L-R, C LFE, Ls-Rs) are split
into three audio tracks as separate objects and the mixer is then set to surround
mode. This mode allows you to change the surround mix.
In MAGIX Video Pro X5 the import of Dolby Digital surround is always executed as a
mixdown. MAGIX Video Pro X5 can also import interleaved wave files (multi-channel
wave files), multi-channel Windows Media Audio and MP3 surround files; a surround
mix is always created.
Export
Surround mix exports can occur in any one of the following formats:
• 6-channel PCM files (interleaved wave)
• Windows Media files (as a surround soundtrack of a Windows Media Video or
WMV-HD disc)
• MPEG-2 files with a Dolby Digital audio track
The files created are fully compatible with the normal file formats, this means that
they can also be played on computers incapable of playing surround (in normal
stereo).
The export is performed via the same menu commands (e.g. "File -> Export movie ->
Audio as wave") like the normal stereo export. You will then be asked if the export
should be in stereo or surround format.
Export Dolby Digital surround via Smart Encoding
You can also burn material to be exported with surround sound again without the
need for the Dolby Digital codec (in MAGIX Video Pro X5 or MAGIX Video Pro X5
without Dolby Digital encoder activation) to DVD or export the corresponding MPEG
files while keeping 5.1 surround sound. To do so, use the "Smart Rendering" option
which transfers the unprocessed parts of the output material without renewed
encoding. Read more on this in the MPEG encoder settings section "General settings
(view page 352)".