Pro Tools 5.1 export channel order

[Arno Peeters]

Also disturbed by the lack of control and overview with this, I did a small survey; this is what I've found:
Indeed whether AIFF of WAV, the export-order is "Film Alternative" (Dolby -like Audio Vision said): L, C, R, Ls, Rs, Lf
First off, Quicktime 7.xx does not recognize the correct channel-ID's and will default to play them out as mono. Quicktime 10 however does recognize them, but plays (and would export*) them in the wrong order: L, R, C, Ls, Lfe, Rs. VLC Player adheres to QT and does the same.
This could have to do with naming-conventions, since an app like Vortex Surround Encoder changes things around like this:

L = LFE
C = C
R = RR
Ls = LR
Rs = LF
Lf = RF

Then again, drop the separate stems on AudioEase's excellent BarbaBatch, and pronto: a multichannel AIFF or WAV with the right channels coming from the proper positions.
CAF-files are yet another thing: as far as I can tell, these are in the 5.1-ch SMPTE/AES/ITU-order: LCR, Lfe, Ls, Rs.

So I fall short on any solutions, except that it's a format-jungle and the need of a simple app that recognizes the right channel-extensions and allows conversion to other formats is more than welcome and of course a PT-export routine would even be better!
I'm by no means any expert, but maybe some of you are and know of solutions to tackle this?

* QT10 is still a 'lite'-version. QT7.xx PRO offers surround-options for AIFF, but not for exporting to multichannel WAV. This is weird, since AIFF does not have a fixed channel-order and provides no additional flags as far as I know...!?

[Arno Peeters]

Apple CAF-files are also not recognized properly: the channel order gets swapped around: SMPTE/ITU gets changed to Film.

[Arno Peeters]

Any workaround to this one? (CAF import > correct channel order)

[Dode]

The only workaround i know of is to use splitted files proprely postfixed with .L/.R/etc. or to reorder the channels with another tool before import (i do this with TwistedWave). It would be great indeed to have the choice between Film/SMPTE-ITU in the preferences...

Bye.

[paranerd]

Sorry to bring this thread back up, but from what little testing I've done today, it seems PT exports 5.1 FILM, but Avid plays it out ITU default (I haven't really dabbled much into the settings and I'm not that familiar with Avid either). Can someone else confirm or deny this?

If so...well...that's kinda funny.

[macaholic]

So DBCSound, are you saying renaming the files is the only way it works even if I add 6 mono tracks below my target 5.1, and reorder them individually, and then Control Drag them up to my 5.1?

It is still going by file name in spite of the mono track order?

[Eric Seaberg]

Originally Posted by paranerd

Sorry to bring this thread back up, but from what little testing I've done today, it seems PT exports 5.1 FILM, but Avid plays it out ITU default (I haven't really dabbled much into the settings and I'm not that familiar with Avid either). Can someone else confirm or deny this?

If so...well...that's kinda funny.

Avid does play out L, R, C, Lfe, Ls, Rs. Our HDTV Remote truck has Dolby E and an Avid Nitris system. The SSL C200 console follows SMPTE/Dolby but everything has to be re-routed for the Avid.

[Eric Seaberg]

Originally Posted by Arno Peeters

Then again, drop the separate stems on AudioEase's excellent BarbaBatch, and pronto: a multichannel AIFF or WAV with the right channels coming from the proper positions.

Arno, HOW are you getting this to work? You're exporting as an interleved stereo file? I'm just trying to take an L-C-R mix and convert to a multi-channel interleve and it ain't happy!!


Thanks for the insight!!

[Arno Peeters]

Well, indeed if you export stems form PT as 'Interleaved', it'll create a 5.1. multichannel WAV if I remember it correctly. Barbabatch recognizes separate stems and will automatically take the other channels belonging to that specific multichannel-file into account: in other words, drop the file 'example.L' on it and it will add 'example.C' and 'example.R' (and any other idented 'example' file) to form whatever surround format it's given...
After that you can export or convert it to whatever fileformat you want (and BB) can offer.

I hope my English is clear enough...?!

[JonesH]

I find Audio Ease Snapper useful for converting between interleaved and multi-mono files. Also, it's a great utility for spotting sfx directly into pt tracks, format conversion and quick-n-dirty edits. Check it out.