Help choosing encode format

[sddawson]

I orginally posted the following in the Mac section, but that doesn't seem as lively as this one...

Hi. First time poster here. I'm looking for some help in deciding what format to best encode my own DVDs. I'd like to preserve AC3 soundtracks, but also use a format that is the most universal as far as clients is concerned. I do have a couple of PS3 clients, for which I'll use PS3 Media Server. But I'd also like to use Mac Minis as clients and possibly even AppleTVs. Is there a format that works with AC3 across all these platforms? I know AppleTV is a little non-standard, since it uses 2 soundtracks, 1 AAC, 1 AC3 in the container, which as I understand it is non-standard. If I need to sacrifice one platform it would probably be the AppleTV. I'm happy to use something like Boxee on the Minis and/or AppleTV.

Thanks for any pointers...

[shagrath]

I know some people use handbrake for this (mp4 output), but I never tested it

[j2048b]

i would also recommend handbrake, my buddie has a mac and if he lets me borrow any dvd rips they are all .m4v's apple tv standard!

and they work in pms just show up as the mpeg-2

[sddawson]

Thanks for the replies. I do use Handbrake - great app. I just don't know the most universal formats to use. AppleTV format encodes a stereo AAC soundtrack & an ac3 soundtrack into its container, which is non-standard. Most things just find the stereo & not the ac3. What formats do people use to get ac3 on the ps3 via pms?