Having trouble with DTS encoded Sound

I am trying to add a DTS surround track to a sample DVD I am preparing for a
client so that we can evaulate the effects that DTS might add to the final
piece. The video and the DTS audio track are being brought together in Encore
CS3.

I do not have a PCM track on DVD just a DTS track and not aware that one is
necessary just for this evaluation. The DVD is being played back on a system
that plays studio releases encoded in DTS with no issues. I realise there are
some difference in the two types of DVD but this verifies that the playback
equipment is workihng normally. The settings in Encore are standard default
settings for DTS audio.

The DTS audio track in Encore is hashed which I assume is due to the fact that
Encore is simply passing it through. I would like to know if this is a proper
assumption or is Encore telling me that something is in error with the track.

At this point I have no audio in the burned DVD but since there is no way to
verify that the DTS is in tack (since Encore will not decode or perview it) is
in fact properly encoded but I have no reason to believe it is not. I used
Minnentonk's DTS for DVD to encode the audio track.

Does anyone have a suggestion for me to at least test or monitor the encoded the
DTS track to seee if it is OK?

Normally, a DTS clip will not appear with hash marks in the timeline.

kb242,

You might want to place a PCM on the first Audio Track, and then, via Menu,
allow selection of DTS. In NTSC DVD, I do not believe that DTS is part of the
core specs., and is supported on equipment, such as you cite as an additional
format. You can still do your test, but the Audio will need to be selected from
a Menu.

Minnekonta DTS DVD, is the source DTS encoder. Wave files are imported for each
channel and the encoder takes care of the rest with a single DTS file extension
for the audio track. This encoder is made especially for DVD authoring. Since my
post, I did include the PCM audio track as track one with DTS on track two. Two
buttons on the opening menu play the time video but are mapped to the two audio
tracks, track 1 PCM, track 2 is DTS.

When played back, the DVD the surround sound test receiver indicates that the
input source is Digital 2/0 via the coaxial input. The same message is indicated
regardless of which button mapped track I select.

For that reason, I feel that perhaps the DTS track 2 is not being seen, I just
cannot determine what I need to do.

So the hash markings on the DTS track indicate an error for certain? Why would
Encore even attempt to process it in that case?

Studio movies used as a test play fine and play in 3/2/1 full DTS playback.

I am running out of time and any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Have you used the correct settings in the DTS Encoder?
Can you please post exactly what you used?
Also - what were your source files, what resolution, and how were they created?
You cannot play the stream through Encore - it will not play it & will
usually drop to stream #1. I am also wondering if you scrapped the entire
project when you added the LPCM track, or just rejigged things?
Try rebuilding from scratch - sometimes I have found the AL gets confused, and
does not let go properly.

The SurCode encoder is a very old one these days - and it also does DTS-CD which
will result in something that looks like a stereo WAV file (it was *not*
"made especially for DVD", but at the time it was new handled all 3
types of DTS encoding then available. It is dated, and the algorithm is now much
enhanced since the DTS-PSE (now also obsolete) added DTS-ES and DTS 96/24
capabilities for DVD and the even better DTS-HD SAS/MAS encoders are now
current. The quality is audibly better with these encoders.

Bill is totally correct in his statement that you cannot - period - use DTS as
Audio stream #1. This will fail replication as it will be out of spec. DTS is an
optional stream, and Audio #1 must be either LPCM or AC3.

As far as monitoring the DTS track, you would be able to do this if you have
access to any of the following:
1 - DTS Streamplayer as bundled with DTS-HD MAS. This also allows sync check
with a quicktime video.
2 - VLC Media Player should also play this back - it is a free download from
<http://www.videolan.org/vlc/> and again should be okay for sync check.
The DTS decoding is hacked though - so be aware of this.
3 - WinDVD
4 - PowerDVD

Needless to say, you must have a properly set up & configured Multichannel
Audio card running under WDM drivers - MME will not give you what you need, and
only the DTS Streamplayer will read from an ASIO only card.