# Why no ac-3 export option? **URL:** \ **Category:** Nuendo\ **Tags:** nuendo-6\ **Created:** [October 29, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/why-no-ac-3-export-option/633439 "2013-10-29T23:20:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Keyplayer](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/keyplayer/32/258_2.png) [@Keyplayer](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Keyplayer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/why-no-ac-3-export-option/633439/1 "2013-10-29T23:20:27Z")
Since Nuendo is supposed to a Post Production DAW, why doesn’t it offer ac-3 export as an option for DVD production? ---
**Author:** ![DogandPony](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/dogandpony/32/190061_2.png) [@DogandPony](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/DogandPony)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/why-no-ac-3-export-option/633439/2 "2013-10-30T03:52:25Z")
In the past there was an AC3 encoder/decoder option to buy but it’s gone (assuming we’re talking about Dolby AC3). I “think” it still works in the PC environment but not sold anymore. If memory serves it had to do with licensing. That said, no post audio software I’m aware of comes with an encoder, they are after market purchases. Minnetonka Software has Dolby Digital, Pro Logic and Dolby E, not cheap. Or Apple still sells Compressor ($40 on the App Store) and you can encode Dolby Digital with that although it may be an older version. John. ---
**Author:** ![Keyplayer](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/keyplayer/32/258_2.png) [@Keyplayer](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Keyplayer)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/why-no-ac-3-export-option/633439/3 "2013-10-30T17:50:33Z")
I don’t need to buy one. I just convert the mix-down in Vegas an render it there as ac-3 to import into DVD Architect. I wasn’t crazy about how Vegas translated the 5.1 import and I just wondered why I couldn’t just go straight from Nuendo 6 to DVD-A. Now I know. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![neilwilkes](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/neilwilkes/32/200970_2.png) [@neilwilkes](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/neilwilkes)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/why-no-ac-3-export-option/633439/4 "2014-01-04T19:33:58Z")
> [@Dog and Pony](#): > > In the past there was an AC3 encoder/decoder option to buy but it’s gone (assuming we’re talking about Dolby AC3). I “think” it still works in the PC environment but not sold anymore. If memory serves it had to do with licensing. That said, no post audio software I’m aware of comes with an encoder, they are after market purchases. Minnetonka Software has Dolby Digital, Pro Logic and Dolby E, not cheap. Or Apple still sells Compressor ($40 on the App Store) and you can encode Dolby Digital with that although it may be an older version. John. The Steinberg DDE and DTS encoders have not worked properly for ages now. In N5.5 on XP they worked if you had the latest patches but with issues (if you get settings wrong, reopening gets you a grey window, DTS-WAV does not work etc) but they simply do not pick up at all in Windows 7 - at least not in the 64-bit version. Not good. Minnetonka Audio do a DDE for under £200, but it is a plugin for Adobe CC only (I will write to Oliver at Minnetonka & request VST plugin versions, and see what he says as we get along quite well) but in general I agree completely, and there ought to be plugins at the very least that will handle not only AC3 but also DTS & Dolby True HD (AKA MLP Lossless but with BD compatibility enabled, as the standard SurCode MLP encoder outputs files that are refused by BD authoring tools) ---
**Author:** ![Big\_K](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/big_k/32/143051_2.png) [@Big\_K](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Big_K)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2014, 11:07pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/why-no-ac-3-export-option/633439/5 "2014-01-07T23:07:46Z")
Hello Neil! I wish you a Happy New Year and whatever else you hope for in 2014 🙂 As always I support your opinion about a proper support of surround formats and as usual we won’t even get an answer from SB. ☹ Btw, I have just bought a Harrison MixBus in the Don’t Crack group buy (-75%). What I see from the videos, it comes much closer to what I want to have in a DAW. It is not yet fully developed as to Midi or VSTi, but I kinda like the “analog” workflow. I mean, for 200 $ incl. FX-bundles … makes my old console heart swing. I can’t still get myself to work on N6. Well, for some reason I was forced to do a small project on it, but after that I was strongly tempted to kill it from the Studio-PC, completely. I still hate it as much as I like N5. Cheers, Big K ---
**Author:** ![planetariousach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e480ec/32.png) [@planetariousach](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/planetariousach)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 9:26pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/why-no-ac-3-export-option/633439/6 "2015-04-27T21:26:35Z")
Dear friends!, recently i had purchased a Nuendo 6, and i need make a master audio in a AC3 format, but my Nuendo 6 only make a in WAV. You know if exist some PLUGIN for Nuendo 6 to make this possible?. sincerely César Valdés Planetario USACH ---
**Author:** ![Heiner\_Einbier](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/heiner_einbier/32/207_2.png) [@Heiner\_Einbier](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Heiner_Einbier)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/why-no-ac-3-export-option/633439/7 "2015-04-28T19:12:41Z")
Depends. If you simply have to deliver a stereo ac3 so that someone else can author a DVD with, you can use something like SUPER ( [SUPER ©   Video Converter | Video Encoder | Free 3D Video Converter | Free 3D Video Encoder](http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html) ) which is my weapon of choice in that respect. If you need to deliver a 5.1 ac3 for commercial distribution, you will need an encoder with an OEM license from Dolby such as Minnetonka’s SurCode. If you want to produce a 5.1 ac3 for a product that will be marketed with a Dolby logo on the cover and maybe also a Dolby Digital trailer up front, you will also have to contact Dolby for a license agreement. AFAIK you studio will then also have to fulfill certain technical specs that Dolby will tell you about… ---
**Author:** ![neilwilkes](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/neilwilkes/32/200970_2.png) [@neilwilkes](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/neilwilkes)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 12:37pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/why-no-ac-3-export-option/633439/8 "2015-05-04T12:37:50Z")
> [@Heiner Einbier](#): > > Depends. If you simply have to deliver a stereo ac3 so that someone else can author a DVD with, you can use something like SUPER ( [SUPER ©   Video Converter | Video Encoder | Free 3D Video Converter | Free 3D Video Encoder](http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html) ) which is my weapon of choice in that respect. > If you need to deliver a 5.1 ac3 for commercial distribution, you will need an encoder with an OEM license from Dolby such as Minnetonka’s SurCode. > If you want to produce a 5.1 ac3 for a product that will be marketed with a Dolby logo on the cover and maybe also a Dolby Digital trailer up front, you will also have to contact Dolby for a license agreement. AFAIK you studio will then also have to fulfill certain technical specs that Dolby will tell you about… Well, yes & no really. The thing for Dolby Digital (AC3) on a DVD that is to be released to the public is that it should never be encoded on anything except a properly approved encoder - it is not free technology, and all the free ones are either reverse engineered or hacks (or in the case of Sony Vegas, a loss leader to get you into their system) The Dolby Licensing is dependant on the tool you use more than anything else - which makes sense. I fully agree we should have this built in to Nuendo - as we know it did exist & then it was withdrawn along with the DTS encoder, and there are very few plugin versions available - the only ones I know of are for Pro-Bloody-Tools only so the cheapest workaround is to grab a Minnetonka Audio standalone one from [http://www.minnetonkaaudio.com/index.php?option=com\_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=80&lang=en&phpMyAdmin=2f8ebc5437f1c9t59fb7cb7r58337](http://www.minnetonkaaudio.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=80&lang=en&phpMyAdmin=2f8ebc5437f1c9t59fb7cb7r58337) and it is far from cheap at almost $600. If you have Adobe’s Premiere Pro there is a plugin encoder for this at half that price (same place - SurCode for Premiere Pro) and Dolby themselves do one but it is for Mac OS only and part of a VERY expensive toolkit (which is frankly insane IMO) If you are stuck & need something doing, drop me a PM and I will happily help out a fellow Nuendee from a tight spot. ---
**Author:** ![Oliver.Lucas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Oliver.Lucas](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Oliver.Lucas)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 12:51pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/why-no-ac-3-export-option/633439/9 "2015-05-04T12:51:14Z")
DVD is dying…slowly but surely. In the past, customers have sometimes asked for AC-3, but these days I really do not get the request anymore. All people seem to want is discrete channels.