# AC3 Export Options

From Audacity Development Manual
AC3 is a compressed audio format developed by Dolby Laboratories, often used in DVD production.

  Accessed by: File > Export Audio then choosing AC3 Files (FFmpeg) from the Format dropdown menu.

| FFmpeg is not shipped with Audacity but you can download it and then export as AC3 by following these instructions.

## Audio Options

### Channels

Sets the number of channels for the exported audio file. There are three options

- Mono: single channel
- Stereo: stereo pair with left and right channels
- Custom mapping: use this to export multi-channel (surround sound) files or to make customized assignments between Audacity tracks and the channels in the exported file.
  - Selecting this and clicking on the Configure button causes the Advanced Mixing Options dialog to appear. For details please see Advanced Mixing Options.

### Sample Rate

Sets the sample rate for the exported file. Default setting is 44100 Hz, which is CD quality.

### Bit Rate

Choose a bit rate from 32 kbps to 640 kbps (defaults to 160 kbps). Larger bit rates give higher quality but produce larger files.