Stereo to 5.1 surround sound??

[dandino]

Hi all

Simple question:-

Is there a way to convert a stereo wave file to 5.1?

I have tried BeSweet, but all I get when I convert to 5.1 is static!
I have tried the convert to "6 Wave Files" option and it works but for some strange reason each file when played back plays much too quickly, just like a tape on fast forward!

Any help greatly appreciated
Dan Hawkes

[Crash Override]

How are you planning on mixing the stereo wave file to 5.1? If you've got a left and right channel only, what are you intending to be played on the left and right surrounds and center channel, not to mention the subwoofer track?

[dandino]

Hi crash

I have converted some of my old music concerts from VHS video to DVD and I just wanted to make a better job of it by somehow enhancing the stereo soundtrack. The sound thst ends up on my DVD is 2ch dolby AC3. I want to rip the sound off and convert it to 5.1 if possible, or even 2ch surround sound if 5.1 is not possible.
I had the idea of copying the file 5 times to get 6 identical files and then using cool edit's graphic equaliser to bring out different frequencies in each file (eg bass in one trebble in another etc) and then encode them as 6 channels in a 5.1 ac3 file. Just an idea. Is there anything that I could do to enhance the stereo into something better? As I said earlier, even a 2 channel surround sound file would be an improvement. Surely it must be possible, I'm sure professionals electronically create surround sound from original stereo.

Any help appreciated
Dan Hawkes

[Crash Override]

Sure, they do. But you'd have similar results if you just played your new stereo DVD through a receiver with surround DSP settings like "stadium", "concert hall", etc.

It would be interesting experiment to take the left channel and copy it to the back left as well, then take the right channel and copy it to the back right, and then make a mono mix and copy it to the center channel. Once you had created those 5 channels you could, as you said, use CoolEdit to mess with the frequencies -- bring out the voice in the center, etc., and add depth or echo effects in the back channels.

[dandino]

Thanks for your input crash, I think i will try what you suggest.

[The Maynard]

If all your source has is 2 channels then that's all your DD is going to have...unless you do a little sound editing and create your extra tracks. But just taking 2 channels and making a DD track out of it is going to give you a 2.0 DD track. You can't magically get something that wasn't there to begin with.