audio rendering choices...
 

Seems like we have several choices with audio formats. What are the pros and cons of such things as:

AIFF
WMA
MP3
AC-3

Then for Template we have:

DEFAULT
mono
stereo
mono (multiple)

When are the best times to use these?

These are all compressed formats. Just like compressed video formats, they have artifacts because of the compression, They aren't perfect. Nevertheless, some compression schemes work pretty well. I would use these only when recordable file space is limited.

As for poly vs mony wav files, it really depends on what your DAW does with the poly vs mono files. Or, perhaps if you want to process the recording as mid-side, you may want to use monoL and monoR. Otherwise, it doesn't make much diff.

I think a lot of us a ways away from using a DAW. Just questions for the average user. No bells and whistles here. An old p4 and vegas 6.

The answer depends on why your are rendering audio. If it's for a DVD then AC3 is the format to use. If it's for burnign a CD then WAV is the format to use. If you need to give it to a Mac user than AIFF is the format and if you are rendering for a portable device or the web then MP3 or WMA is appropriate.

~jr

When rendering for DVD and when choosing AC-3 there are two choices: Studio and Pro - what are the differences and why would one be chosen over the other?

Pro lets you access the "custom" settings, Studio doesn't.

I personally use ac3 studio setting because most of my projects are similar, and I know with that setting there will be no re-compression in DVD Architect. It's a clean quick compatible setting. With the pro setting if I change settings I have to remember to stay within certain specs or it will require recompression in DVDA, and I don't have time to remember or play with setttings that don't make much difference to me to begin with.

Others have specific requirements and need to customize their settings, I'm not one of them.

Staying with the studio setting results in , IMHO, an unacceptably low volume after rendering. The resulting volume isn't consistent with audio level expectations of -20dBFS.

It does seem that way Bill. Next project I'll try a customized version...

Jeff...

if you use the AC3 Pro dialog, be sure to set the following custom settings:
1-AUDIO SERVICE TAB: set dialog normalization to -31 dB
2-PREPROCESSING TAB: set both "Line mode profile" and "RF mode profile" to NONE

Thank You! I will!

Will using these settings boost the volume up? And which template would you use for DVD? Default or stereo? Is default better for single channel/mono tv's?