[MPlayer-users] transcoding dvds to mpeg-2 video + discrete n-channel audio?

[Darrell Berry]

Hi -- I'm looking for any suggestions on the best way to transcode from
dolby digital dvd to a format with will leave the video as it is (mpeg-2),
but with the audio ac3 bitstream decoded into n (n=6 for 5.1, presumably)
discrete, lossless (preferably flac, but wav would be ok) channels, with
the resulting (single) file playable by mplayer or vlc. The two things I
need help with are (1) suggestions of a good container format for the
nultiplexed data, and (2) mencoder or other commandlines that will
actually do the business for me.

The need behind this is for lossless (big emphasis on that) backup of dvds
into a single-file format which doesn't require realtime decoding of the
ac3 bitstream on playback -- having the audio unwoven into discrete
channels simplifies the issues around latency and licensing on the
playback...for this project these requirements are more important than
space-efficiency.

All help much appreciated...