path: root/doc/encoders.texi

@chapter Encoders
@c man begin ENCODERS

Encoders are configured elements in Libav which allow the encoding of
multimedia streams.

When you configure your Libav build, all the supported native encoders
are enabled by default. Encoders requiring an external library must be enabled
manually via the corresponding @code{--enable-lib} option. You can list all
available encoders using the configure option @code{--list-encoders}.

You can disable all the encoders with the configure option
@code{--disable-encoders} and selectively enable / disable single encoders
with the options @code{--enable-encoder=@var{ENCODER}} /
@code{--disable-encoder=@var{ENCODER}}.

The option @code{-codecs} of the ff* tools will display the list of
enabled encoders.

A description of some of the currently available encoders follows.

@section Audio Encoders

@subsection ac3 and ac3_fixed

AC-3 audio encoders.

These encoders implement part of ATSC A/52:2010 and ETSI TS 102 366, as well as
the undocumented RealAudio 3 (a.k.a. dnet).

The @var{ac3} encoder uses floating-point math, while the @var{ac3_fixed}
encoder only uses fixed-point integer math. This does not mean that one is
always faster, just that one or the other may be better suited to a
particular system. The floating-point encoder will generally produce better
quality audio for a given bitrate. The @var{ac3_fixed} encoder is not the
default codec for any of the output formats, so it must be specified explicitly
using the option @code{-acodec ac3_fixed} in order to use it.

@subheading AC-3 Metadata

The AC-3 metadata options are used to set parameters that describe the audio,
but in most cases do not affect the audio encoding itself. Some of the options
do directly affect or influence the decoding and playback of the resulting
bitstream, while others are just for informational purposes. A few of the
options will add bits to the output stream that could otherwise be used for
audio data, and will thus affect the quality of the output. Those will be
indicated accordingly with a note in the option list below.

These parameters are described in detail in several publicly-available
documents.
@itemize
@item @uref{http://www.atsc.org/cms/standards/a_52-2010.pdf,A/52:2010 - Digital Audio Compression (AC-3) (E-AC-3) Standard}
@item @uref{http://www.atsc.org/cms/standards/a_54a_with_corr_1.pdf,A/54 - Guide to the Use of the ATSC Digital Television Standard}
@item @uref{http://www.dolby.com/uploadedFiles/zz-_Shared_Assets/English_PDFs/Professional/18_Metadata.Guide.pdf,Dolby Metadata Guide}
@item @uref{http://www.dolby.com/uploadedFiles/zz-_Shared_Assets/English_PDFs/Professional/46_DDEncodingGuidelines.pdf,Dolby Digital Professional Encoding Guidelines}
@end itemize

@subsubheading Metadata Control Options

@table @option

@item -per_frame_metadata @var{boolean}
Allow Per-Frame Metadata. Specifies if the encoder should check for changing
metadata for each frame.
@table @option
@item 0
The metadata values set at initialization will be used for every frame in the
stream. (default)
@item 1
Metadata values can be changed before encoding each frame.
@end table

@end table

@subsubheading Downmix Levels

@table @option

@item -center_mixlev @var{level}
Center Mix Level. The amount of gain the decoder should apply to the center
channel when downmixing to stereo. This field will only be written to the
bitstream if a center channel is present. The value is specified as a scale
factor. There are 3 valid values:
@table @option
@item 0.707
Apply -3dB gain
@item 0.595
Apply -4.5dB gain (default)
@item 0.500
Apply -6dB gain
@end table

@item -surround_mixlev @var{level}
Surround Mix Level. The amount of gain the decoder should apply to the surround
channel(s) when downmixing to stereo. This field will only be written to the
bitstream if one or more surround channels are present. The value is specified
as a scale factor.  There are 3 valid values:
@table @option
@item 0.707
Apply -3dB gain
@item 0.500
Apply -6dB gain (default)
@item 0.000
Silence Surround Channel(s)
@end table

@end table

@subsubheading Audio Production Information
Audio Production Information is optional information describing the mixing
environment.  Either none or both of the fields are written to the bitstream.

@table @option

@item -mixing_level @var{number}
Mixing Level. Specifies peak sound pressure level (SPL) in the production
environment when the mix was mastered. Valid values are 80 to 111, or -1 for
unknown or not indicated. The default value is -1, but that value cannot be
used if the Audio Production Information is written to the bitstream. Therefore,
if the @code{room_type} option is not the default value, the @code{mixing_level}
option must not be -1.

@item -room_type @var{type}
Room Type. Describes the equalization used during the final mixing session at
the studio or on the dubbing stage. A large room is a dubbing stage with the
industry standard X-curve equalization; a small room has flat equalization.
This field will not be written to the bitstream if both the @code{mixing_level}
option and the @code{room_type} option have the default values.
@table @option
@item 0
@itemx notindicated
Not Indicated (default)
@item 1
@itemx large
Large Room
@item 2
@itemx small
Small Room
@end table

@end table

@subsubheading Other Metadata Options

@table @option

@item -copyright @var{boolean}
Copyright Indicator. Specifies whether a copyright exists for this audio.
@table @option
@item 0
@itemx off
No Copyright Exists (default)
@item 1
@itemx on
Copyright Exists
@end table

@item -dialnorm @var{value}
Dialogue Normalization. Indicates how far the average dialogue level of the
program is below digital 100% full scale (0 dBFS). This parameter determines a
level shift during audio reproduction that sets the average volume of the
dialogue to a preset level. The goal is to match volume level between program
sources. A value of -31dB will result in no volume level change, relative to
the source volume, during audio reproduction. Valid values are whole numbers in
the range -31 to -1, with -31 being the default.

@item -dsur_mode @var{mode}
Dolby Surround Mode. Specifies whether the stereo signal uses Dolby Surround
(Pro Logic). This field will only be written to the bitstream if the audio
stream is stereo. Using this option does @b{NOT} mean the encoder will actually
apply Dolby Surround processing.
@table @option
@item 0
@itemx notindicated
Not Indicated (default)
@item 1
@itemx off
Not Dolby Surround Encoded
@item 2
@itemx on
Dolby Surround Encoded
@end table

@item -original @var{boolean}
Original Bit Stream Indicator. Specifies whether this audio is from the
original source and not a copy.
@table @option
@item 0
@itemx off
Not Original Source
@item 1
@itemx on
Original Source (default)
@end table

@end table

@subsubheading Extended Bitstream Information
The extended bitstream options are part of the Alternate Bit Stream Syntax as
specified in Annex D of the A/52:2010 standard. It is grouped into 2 parts.
If any one parameter in a group is specified, all values in that group will be
written to the bitstream.  Default values are used for those that are written
but have not been specified.  If the mixing levels are written, the decoder
will use these values instead of the ones specified in the @code{center_mixlev}
and @code{surround_mixlev} options if it supports the Alternate Bit Stream
Syntax.

@subsubheading Extended Bitstream Information - Part 1

@table @option

@item -dmix_mode @var{mode}
Preferred Stereo Downmix Mode. Allows the user to select either Lt/Rt
(Dolby Surround) or Lo/Ro (normal stereo) as the preferred stereo downmix mode.
@table @option
@item 0
@itemx notindicated
Not Indicated (default)
@item 1
@itemx ltrt
Lt/Rt Downmix Preferred
@item 2
@itemx loro
Lo/Ro Downmix Preferred
@end table

@item -ltrt_cmixlev @var{level}
Lt/Rt Center Mix Level. The amount of gain the decoder should apply to the
center channel when downmixing to stereo in Lt/Rt mode.
@table @option
@item 1.414
Apply +3dB gain
@item 1.189
Apply +1.5dB gain
@item 1.000
Apply 0dB gain
@item 0.841
Apply -1.5dB gain
@item 0.707
Apply -3.0dB gain
@item 0.595
Apply -4.5dB gain (default)
@item 0.500
Apply -6.0dB gain
@item 0.000
Silence Center Channel
@end table

@item -ltrt_surmixlev @var{level}
Lt/Rt Surround Mix Level. The amount of gain the decoder should apply to the
surround channel(s) when downmixing to stereo in Lt/Rt mode.
@table @option
@item 0.841
Apply -1.5dB gain
@item 0.707
Apply -3.0dB gain
@item 0.595
Apply -4.5dB gain
@item 0.500
Apply -6.0dB gain (default)
@item 0.000
Silence Surround Channel(s)
@end table

@item -loro_cmixlev @var{level}
Lo/Ro Center Mix Level. The amount of gain the decoder should apply to the
center channel when downmixing to stereo in Lo/Ro mode.
@table @option
@item 1.414
Apply +3dB gain
@item 1.189
Apply +1.5dB gain
@item 1.000
Apply 0dB gain
@item 0.841
Apply -1.5dB gain
@item 0.707
Apply -3.0dB gain
@item 0.595
Apply -4.5dB gain (default)
@item 0.500
Apply -6.0dB gain
@item 0.000
Silence Center Channel
@end table

@item -loro_surmixlev @var{level}
Lo/Ro Surround Mix Level. The amount of gain the decoder should apply to the
surround channel(s) when downmixing to stereo in Lo/Ro mode.
@table @option
@item 0.841
Apply -1.5dB gain
@item 0.707
Apply -3.0dB gain
@item 0.595
Apply -4.5dB gain
@item 0.500
Apply -6.0dB gain (default)
@item 0.000
Silence Surround Channel(s)
@end table

@end table

@subsubheading Extended Bitstream Information - Part 2

@table @option

@item -dsurex_mode @var{mode}
Dolby Surround EX Mode. Indicates whether the stream uses Dolby Surround EX
(7.1 matrixed to 5.1). Using this option does @b{NOT} mean the encoder will actually
apply Dolby Surround EX processing.
@table @option
@item 0
@itemx notindicated
Not Indicated (default)
@item 1
@itemx on
Dolby Surround EX On
@item 2
@itemx off
Dolby Surround EX Off
@end table

@item -dheadphone_mode @var{mode}
Dolby Headphone Mode. Indicates whether the stream uses Dolby Headphone
encoding (multi-channel matrixed to 2.0 for use with headphones). Using this
option does @b{NOT} mean the encoder will actually apply Dolby Headphone
processing.
@table @option
@item 0
@itemx notindicated
Not Indicated (default)
@item 1
@itemx on
Dolby Headphone On
@item 2
@itemx off
Dolby Headphone Off
@end table

@item -ad_conv_type @var{type}
A/D Converter Type. Indicates whether the audio has passed through HDCD A/D
conversion.
@table @option
@item 0
@itemx standard
Standard A/D Converter (default)
@item 1
@itemx hdcd
HDCD A/D Converter
@end table

@end table

@c man end ENCODERS