Question about using Handbrake to rip DVDs for Apple TV

[henders98]

Hi, guys.

I have a quick question... I'm pretty new to all of this, so please bear with me.

Right now, I'm encoding a bunch of (older) TV show rips that are either in mono or stereo sound. Mainly stuff from the '70s and '80s... no surround sound.

When using Handbrake, my first audio track is always AAC. Is there any reason to include AC3 passthru as a second track? I want to make these MP4s as future-proof as possible, but at the same time, if it's not needed, I don't see the point in wasting hard drive space.

Thanks for any input.

 

[rspeaker]

Always a personal call.

For my TV shows, even newer ones with 5.1, I only encode an AAC audio track. My movies get both an AAC and AC3 passthru, in the event I ever get a home theater setup.

 

[henders98]

Thanks. I guess it really comes down to this: Whatever future home audio equipment I would buy, is it likely that it would play the AAC-only tracks? If so, I'll probably not bother including ACS passthru for TV shows that are only 1.0 or 2.0 ch.

 

[spice weasel]

You're not likely to notice any difference in audio quality by using AAC and not including AC3 if the source DVD is only stereo or mono anyway. For anything that's 5.1 that you want to have in surround sound, then by all means include the AC3 track. Otherwise, save yourself a bit of file space.

 

[NightStorm]

You're not likely to notice any difference in audio quality by using AAC and not including AC3 if the source DVD is only stereo or mono anyway. For anything that's 5.1 that you want to have in surround sound, then by all means include the AC3 track. Otherwise, save yourself a bit of file space.

This is my philosophy as well... if the DVD includes a 5.1 AC3 soundtrack, then I will include both the AC3 track and a 256kbps AAC DPL2 track. Otherwise I will only include the 256kbps AAC DPL2 track to save space.

 

[razorme]

This is my philosophy as well... if the DVD includes a 5.1 AC3 soundtrack, then I will include both the AC3 track and a 256kbps AAC DPL2 track. Otherwise I will only include the 256kbps AAC DPL2 track to save space.

I have noticed that many AC3 2.0 tracks are at 192 kbps, so there might not be a need to go higher than that with your AAC conversion.

Anyone know if AAC is better or worse than DD at the same bit rate?

 

[NightStorm]

I have noticed that many AC3 2.0 tracks are at 192 kbps, so there might not be a need to go higher than that with your AAC conversion.

Anyone know if AAC is better or worse than DD at the same bit rate?

I stick with 256kbps simply so I can use one preset to cover all encodes that I don't want to include the AC3 passthru soundtrack. Pure laziness on my part.