Dolby Digital manual setup

Set up CW-AC3 1.0.1.0 in Exact Audio Copy.

Manual Dolby Digital setup using CW-AC3's EAC integration mode.

Download & install Use the automatic installer

Download

Get CW-AC3 1.0.1.0

Use x64 on normal 64-bit Windows systems; x86 is provided for 32-bit Windows.

64-bit Windows

x64 build

Recommended for normal modern Windows installations.

Download x64 ZIP

32-bit Windows

x86 build

Use this only when you need the 32-bit Windows build.

Download x86 ZIP

Step by step

Manual installation

The example uses EAC's conventional Encoders directory. Use your actual installation path if it differs.

Extract the download

Open the downloaded archive and locate the files for CW-AC3.

Place the encoder in EAC's Encoders folder

Extract cw-ac3.exe to the EAC Encoders directory. Keep the archive's runtime files beside it where supplied.

Example executable pathC:\Program Files (x86)\Exact Audio Copy\Encoders\cw-ac3.exe

Open EAC's external compression settings

Open EAC → Compression Options → External Compression. Enable the external program, select User Defined Encoder, set the extension to .ac3, and browse to cw-ac3.exe.

Example configuration

What the CW-AC3 settings look like in EAC

This is a static example using the usual EAC installation path.

Compression options

Use external program for compression

Parameter passing scheme : Use file extension : Program, including path, used for compression

Additional command-line options : Bit rate :

Delete WAV after compression Use CRC check Add ID3 tag Check for external programs return code

High quality Low quality

Example path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Exact Audio Copy\Encoders\cw-ac3.exe.

Enter the verified command line

--eac --title "%title%" --artist "%artist%" --album "%albumtitle%" --album-artist "%albumartist%" --date "%year%" --track "%tracknr%" --tracktotal "%numtracks%" --genre "%genre%" "%source%" "%dest%"

The published EAC profile uses CW-AC3's default 448 kbps bitrate. Add --bitrate <kbps> only if you deliberately want another legal AC-3 rate. CD-rate PCM is converted to 48 kHz automatically.

Open the compact EAC reference →

Test one track

Confirm that the resulting file is AC-3, reports 48 kHz and plays normally in a decoder that supports Dolby Digital.

Troubleshooting

Common CW-AC3 setup issues

Why is the output 48 kHz?

That is expected. CW-AC3 converts standard 44.1 kHz CD PCM to the AC-3 workflow's 48 kHz output.

Need another bitrate?

Add an explicit --bitrate option. Without one, the default is 448 kbps.

Encoder path is rejected

Browse to the executable again from EAC instead of typing an assumed path. The example path may differ from your installation.

Prefer automatic installation?

The EAC Codecs installer places the selected components in the detected EAC encoder directory automatically.

Download EAC Codecs →

Continue through the manual library.

Set up another codec or return to the compact settings reference.

Browse manual codecs Open EAC guides