What is AC3?
AC3 which stands for Audio Coding 3 is a file extension for surround sound audio files used on DVDs format. The AC3 file format was created by Dolby Labs for use in a Dolby Digital audio on DVD, Blu-ray and other digital video formats. For people who have download a lot of high definition videos that ultilize AC3 audio in MKV format, you will find it difficult to directly stream AC3 with Chromecast.
Solution to stream AC3 with Chromecast to TV
Here, we will offer you two solutions to stream AC3 via Chromecast to TV. The first solution is downloading a media server and the second solution is using a media conversion app to get Chromecast supported audio codec.
Solution 1: Use Plex Media Server
Although there are many different ways for you to stream local video audio to Chromecast with video streaming apps such as VideoStream, Plex Media Server or Google Chrome Browser Tab. However, as both VideoStream and Chrome Browser tab lacks the ability to handle AC3 audio codec, therefore, the best choice for you to perform the audio streaming process is using Plex Media Server which can automatically transcode unsupported content to Chromecast supported AAC audio codec. You can install and setup Plex Media Server on your computer and then add AC3 to Plex for direct streaming via Chromecast to TV.
Solution 2: Transcode AC3 for Chromecast streaming
As the media transcoding process is very CPU intensive and will occupy a lot of temporary storage, therefore, if your CPU is not powerful enough and there is not enough space on your os boot drive, it is ideal for you to find a alternative media conversion tool such as Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate for Windows/Mac (best Video Converter Ultimate Review) to transcode AC3 to Chromecast compatible audio codec listed above. Besides converting AC3 audio codec, the program also helps to transcoding other unsupported video formats such as Tivo, ISO files, MKV, FLV, VOB, H.265/HEVC, MXF, XAVC/XAVC S to Chromecast best favorable streaming video and audio codec.
How to Transcode and Stream AC3 with Chromecast to TV?
Step 1: Load AC3 audio codec into the program.
Start the program on your computer, click "File" > "Load IFO/ISO" to load video files with AC3 audio codec into the program.
Step 2: Output Chromecast supported video codec.
Click the "Format" bar, from its drop-down option, choose to output Chromecast best compatible video codec from "Common Video" > "H.264 High Profile Video(*.mp4)".
Step 3: Output Chromecast streamable AAC audio codec.
Click "Settings" on the main interface to open "Profile" settings window, in the audio section, click "Codec" drop-down list and select "AAC" for Chromecast streaming.
Step 4: Begin AC3 to Chromecast supported formats conversion process.
After all the setting is completed, hit right-bottom "Convert" button click "Convert"button to start the conversion process.
When the conversion is done, just feel free to stream converted audio files from Chromecast to TV.
