MSGID: 1:153/7001.2989 637a79a1
TZUTC: -0000
CHRS: UTF-8 4
Hey Berki!

I checked out the site and noted (reformatted quote);

 > The following open source libraries implement AC-3:
 >
 >  * libavcodec in ffmpeg (LGPLv2.1+) and libav (LGPLv2.1+)
 >
 >       * Decoder and encoder for AC-3
 >       * To compile only the AC-3 decoder: --disable-everything 
 >                                           --enable-decoder=ac3
 >                                           --enable-demuxer=ac3 
 >                                           --enable-parser=ac3
 >         (then enable other parsers, demuxers, muxers, decoders, and 
 >          encoders that you need)
 >       * To compile the AC-3 decoder and the AC-3 encoder:
 >                                           --disable-everything 
 >                                           --enable-encoder=ac3 
 >                                           --enable-decoder=ac3
 >                                           --enable-muxer=ac3 
 >                                           --enable-demuxer=ac3 
 >                                           --enable-parser=ac3 
 >         (then enable other parsers, demuxers, muxers, decoders, and 
 >          encoders that you need)
 >       * Warning: When preparing to use libavcodec in any product, 
 >         you should always start by disabling all encoders, decoders, 
 >         parsers, muxers, demuxers, bitstream filters, protocols, 
 >         filters, and hwaccels, then selectively enabling the
 >         ones that your product absolutely needs. To do this, use 
 >         --disable-everything as your first ./configure option. This 
 >         will help protect your product from unnecessary intellectual 
 >         property disputes as well as some security vulnerabilities. 
 >         If you have not added --disable-everything as your first 
 >         option, you should at least manually disable the encoders, 
 >         decoders, muxers, demuxers, and parsers for eac3, mlp, and 
 >         truehd.
 >  * liba52 (GPLv2) used by VLC and others
 >
 >       * Decoder only for AC-3
 >
 >  * valib from AC3Filter (GPLv2)
 >
 >       * Decoder and encoder for AC-3. Note: Build process does not 
 >         allow easy removal of patented E-AC-3 code.

Of the above three listed above I have /usr/lib/liba52.so.0.0.0 and
/usr/lib/libavcodec.so.59.37.100.

 $ ffmpeg -version
 ffmpeg version 5.1.2 Copyright (c) 2000-2022 the FFmpeg developers
 built with gcc 12.2.0 (GCC)
 configuration: --prefix=/usr --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-nonfree
--disable-static --enable-shared --disable-debug --enable-libass
--enable-libfdk-aac --enable-libfreetype --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopus
--enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libxvid
--enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-openssl --docdir=/usr
share/doc/ffmpeg-5.1.2
 libavutil      57. 28.100 / 57. 28.100
 libavcodec     59. 37.100 / 59. 37.100
 libavformat    59. 27.100 / 59. 27.100
 libavdevice    59.  7.100 / 59.  7.100
 libavfilter     8. 44.100 /  8. 44.100
 libswscale      6.  7.100 /  6.  7.100
 libswresample   4.  7.100 /  4.  7.100
 libpostproc    56.  6.100 / 56.  6.100

Note that none of the --enables mention anything about ac3 as per the
recommendation for both the encoder or decoder.  So far it has never been an
issue.

 BY> I was doubtful but after hearing it, it really made a difference.

I'll take your word for it.  I used to like in the good ol' days when they had
sound rooms in stores that sold audio equipment so one could listen to before
buying.

 BY> As I don't want to bother neighbors and prefer headsets anyway, I 
 BY> opted for one that supports virtual surround.

Understood.  If you're getting 2 channel stereo at least that is better than
nothing which is what Winmodems (your analogy) true value was.  You're
probably far ahead of the game already, comparitively speaking.

Life is good,
Maurice

... Fidonet 4K - Sweet Sixteen Penguins of the Apocalypse.
--- GNU bash, version 5.2.2(1)-release (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)
 * Origin: One of us @ (1:153/7001.2989)
SEEN-BY: 1/19 123 15/0 16/0 19/10 37 90/1 105/81 106/201 114/709 120/340
SEEN-BY: 123/130 131 129/305 134/100 142/104 153/135 141 757 6809
SEEN-BY: 153/7001 7715 154/10 203/0 218/700 840 221/1 6 242 360 226/30
SEEN-BY: 227/114 229/110 111 112 113 114 206 275 317 400 424 426 428
SEEN-BY: 229/452 470 550 616 664 700 240/5832 266/512 267/67 280/464
SEEN-BY: 280/5003 5006 282/1038 292/854 301/1 317/3 320/119 219 319
SEEN-BY: 320/2119 322/0 757 326/101 335/364 341/66 234 342/200 396/45
SEEN-BY: 423/81 460/58 633/280 712/848 4500/1
PATH: 153/7001 757 221/6 1 320/219 229/426