Possible to convert 6.1 DTS ES to Dolby Digital EX?

[fatpizza]

As the topic states is this possible?
When I choose no downmix it automatically goes to 5.1, when I specify 6.1 downmix it automatically goes to 5.1...
Is there any way of avoiding the downmix and keep the '6.1' channel info for DD?

[Deleted User 11865]

Dolby Digital EX has 5.1 physical channels (plus a matrixed center surround channel). Whereas DTS-ES 6.1 Discrete (which is the one showing up as 6.1 in HandBrake) has an actual extra channel coded in the ES extension.

So with DTS-ES 6.1 input, we have to downmix to 5.1 to encode to Dolby Digital. Unfortunately, there's no way of flagging the output stream as being EX-encoded (then again, I'm not entirely sure our 6-1 -> 5.1 downmix is EX-compatible anyway). We could assume the 5.1 core of the DTS-ES stream is EX-comaptible, but that's not necessarily a good idea either.

[fatpizza]

Ok, if 5.1 is the best that can be done that's ok.
Once question though, when downmixing the DTS 6.1 ES to DD 5.1 is handbrake just adding the audio from the rear center ES channel to both the left and right rear surrounds? I just want to make sure I'm not actually 'losing' any audio here...

[Deleted User 11865]

Yes, we are downmixing, not discarding channels…

[fatpizza]

OK, thanks again. One more 'sort of unrelated but not worth starting a new thread over' question, how exactly is handbrake meant to handle 5.0 soundtracks? I havea Blu-ray with a DTS 5.0 soundtrack which handbrake automatically upmixes to 5.1 when converting to AC3 regardless of whether I tell it to or not.
Am I right in assuming that handbrake simply creates an empty LFE channel turning the track from 5.0 to 5.1?

[Deleted User 11865]

Am I right in assuming that handbrake simply creates an empty LFE channel turning the track from 5.0 to 5.1?

Yes, you are correct.