[Help] Bit depth for standard DTS? [SOLVED]

[ChainsawAsh]

So I'm trying to encode a 5.1 DTS track using Surcode from six mono AIFF files. The resulting DTS file is perfectly fine - the channels are mapped correctly, it syncs when muxed with video, etc.

But when I pop it into MediaInfo, it's saying the bit depth is 24-bit, whereas my source material is all 16-bit. I've tried everything I can with Surcode and eac3to to get a 16-bit output file, but no matter what it always reads as 24-bit.

So in Googling around for advice or info, I came across a few people who insist that bit depth is irrelevant for lossy codecs, so whether MediaInfo reads as 16- or 24-bit shouldn't matter. But then others have been saying that standard 48kHz DTS reading as 24-bit is incompatible with various programs and players they've used.

So does anyone have any advice on this? How can I force a 16-bit output DTS file? Can I patch the 24-bit DTS file to read as 16-bit without reencoding again and degrading quality (under the assumption that bit depth *is* irrelevant for lossy codecs)? Does it even matter?

[Chewtobacca]

So in Googling around for advice or info, I came across a few people who insist that bit depth is irrelevant for lossy codecs, so whether MediaInfo reads as 16- or 24-bit shouldn't matter.

That's correct.

But then others have been saying that standard 48kHz DTS reading as 24-bit is incompatible with various programs and players they've used.

I've never heard of that but am inclined to doubt it when it comes to stand-alone players because "24-bit" lossy DTS is DVD compliant.

[ChainsawAsh]

Awesome, thank you for the help (and the link explaining the DVD specs)!

[Chewtobacca]

By the way, MuxMan will accept the result of a Surcode-encoded DTS file that is flagged as 24 bit.

Code:

eac3to.exe "test.w64" "test.dts" -down16

Code:

General
Complete name                            : test.dts
Format                                   : DTS
Format/Info                              : Digital Theater Systems
File size                                : 1.44 GiB
Duration                                 : 2 h 16 min
Overall bit rate mode                    : Constant
Overall bit rate                         : 1 510 kb/s

Audio
Format                                   : DTS
Format/Info                              : Digital Theater Systems
Duration                                 : 2 h 16 min
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 1 510 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 6 channels
Channel positions                        : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 93.750 FPS (512 SPF)
Bit depth                                : 24 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 1.44 GiB (100%)

Code:

MuxMan version 1.4.4
new project database size 400, base 2780018.
new pointer management list size 50.
new clipboard database size 20, base 70ccb0.
Accepted audio test.dts

Begin multiplex VTS01.
Title Segment List
Segment_1 non-seamless
Buffering audio track 1 file test.dts.
Maximum audio duration 491288 fields.
Multiplex delay set to 25257.
Positioned test.m2v to 00:00:00:00
Starting scene Segment_1_scn1 at 00:00:00:00
SeqEnd at A64856E0.
SeqEnd at 1248A48AA.
Bytes remaining in buffer = 0.
Bitrate - avg: 6430121, min: 859300 (lba 0), max: 11457342 (lba 2730208).
Shortest GOP has 10 fields, longest GOP has 36 fields.
Fields: 491288, VOBU: 16358, Sectors: 3216757.

Begin multiplex VMG.
End multiplex.

And it's very particular about what files it accepts.

EDIT: It's worth noting that Surcode is considered deprecated. You might consider trying ffdcaenc instead.

Code:

eac3to.exe test.w64 stdout.wav| ffdcaenc.exe -i - -o test.dts -l -b 1509.75

[ChainsawAsh]

Thanks, I might give that a shot for the next attempt.