AC3 passthru is picked up as AAC

[Telkwa]

I'm going to ask a question or two at the risk of receiving one of those "RTFM newb" answers.

Code: Select all

[05:34:03] gtkgui: HandBrake rev2965 (2009113099) - Linux i686 - http://handbrake.fr
[05:34:04] hb_init: checking cpu count
[05:34:04] hb_init: starting libhb thread
[05:34:04] hb_init: checking cpu count
[05:34:04] hb_init: starting libhb thread
libdvdread: Using libdvdcss version 1.2.10 for DVD access
[05:34:11] hb_scan: path=/media/cdrom0, title_index=0
[05:34:11] scan: trying to open with libdvdread
libdvdnav: Using dvdnav version 4.1.3
libdvdread: Using libdvdcss version 1.2.10 for DVD access
libdvdread: Attempting to use device /dev/sr0 mounted on /media/cdrom0 for CSS authentication
libdvdnav: Can't read name block. Probably not a DVD-ROM device.
libdvdnav: Unable to find map file '/home/bpbar/.dvdnav/.map'
libdvdnav: DVD disk reports itself with Region mask 0x00fe0000. Regions: 1

libdvdread: Attempting to retrieve all CSS keys
libdvdread: This can take a _long_ time, please be patient

libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.VOB at 0x00000140
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_0.VOB at 0x0001dc0a
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_1.VOB at 0x0001dc0e
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_0.VOB at 0x0004c233
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_02_1.VOB at 0x0004f564
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_03_0.VOB at 0x003a3ac5
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_03_1.VOB at 0x003a3ac9
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_04_0.VOB at 0x003cb60f
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_04_1.VOB at 0x003cb613
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_05_0.VOB at 0x003cd812
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Get key for /VIDEO_TS/VTS_05_1.VOB at 0x003cd817
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Found 5 VTS's
libdvdread: Elapsed time 0
libdvdread: Using libdvdcss version 1.2.10 for DVD access
libdvdread: Attempting to use device /dev/sr0 mounted on /media/cdrom0 for CSS authentication
[05:34:11] scan: DVD has 5 title(s)
[05:34:11] scan: scanning title 1
[05:34:11] scan: opening IFO for VTS 1
[05:34:11] pgc_id: 1, pgn: 1: pgc: 0x9eeece0
[05:34:11] scan: vts=1, ttn=1, cells=0->1, blocks=0->189937, 189938 blocks
[05:34:11] scan: duration is 00:10:46 (646066 ms)
[05:34:11] scan: checking audio 1
[05:34:11] scan: id=80bd, lang=English (AC3), 3cc=eng ext=0
[05:34:11] scan: checking subtitle 1
[05:34:11] scan: id=20bd, lang=English, 3cc=eng
[05:34:11] scan: checking subtitle 2
[05:34:11] scan: id=21bd, lang=Espanol, 3cc=spa
[05:34:11] scan: checking subtitle 3
[05:34:11] scan: id=22bd, lang=Francais, 3cc=fra
[05:34:11] scan: title 1 has 2 chapters
[05:34:11] scan: chap 1 c=0->0, b=0->189932 (189933), 645066 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 2 c=1->1, b=189933->189937 (5), 1000 ms
[05:34:11] scan: aspect = 0
[05:34:11] scan: scanning title 2
[05:34:11] scan: opening IFO for VTS 2
[05:34:11] pgc_id: 1, pgn: 1: pgc: 0x9eef7e8
[05:34:11] scan: vts=2, ttn=1, cells=0->21, blocks=0->3491119, 3491120 blocks
[05:34:11] scan: duration is 01:51:41 (6701000 ms)
[05:34:11] scan: checking audio 1
[05:34:11] scan: id=80bd, lang=English (AC3), 3cc=eng ext=0
[05:34:11] scan: checking audio 2
[05:34:11] scan: id=81bd, lang=Espanol (AC3), 3cc=spa ext=0
[05:34:11] scan: checking audio 3
[05:34:11] scan: id=82bd, lang=Francais (AC3), 3cc=fra ext=0
[05:34:11] scan: checking audio 4
[05:34:11] scan: id=83bd, lang=English (AC3), 3cc=eng ext=0
[05:34:11] scan: checking audio 5
[05:34:11] scan: id=84bd, lang=English (AC3) (Director's Commentary 1), 3cc=eng ext=3
[05:34:11] scan: checking subtitle 1
[05:34:11] scan: id=20bd, lang=English, 3cc=eng
[05:34:11] scan: checking subtitle 2
[05:34:11] scan: id=21bd, lang=Espanol, 3cc=spa
[05:34:11] scan: checking subtitle 3
[05:34:11] scan: id=22bd, lang=Francais, 3cc=fra
[05:34:11] scan: checking subtitle 4
[05:34:11] scan: id=23bd, lang=Espanol, 3cc=spa
[05:34:11] scan: checking subtitle 5
[05:34:11] scan: id=24bd, lang=Francais, 3cc=fra
[05:34:11] scan: title 2 has 21 chapters
[05:34:11] scan: chap 1 c=0->0, b=0->180384 (180385), 322593 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 2 c=1->1, b=180385->330158 (149774), 267329 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 3 c=2->2, b=330159->477284 (147126), 263305 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 4 c=3->3, b=477285->643765 (166481), 297530 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 5 c=4->4, b=643766->822432 (178667), 319556 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 6 c=5->5, b=822433->1037176 (214744), 383464 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 7 c=6->6, b=1037177->1189863 (152687), 272635 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 8 c=7->7, b=1189864->1415947 (226084), 405469 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 9 c=8->8, b=1415948->1617545 (201598), 361451 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 10 c=9->10, b=1617546->1753414 (135869), 248506 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 11 c=11->11, b=1753415->1910803 (157389), 301359 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 12 c=12->12, b=1910804->2073802 (162999), 311547 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 13 c=13->13, b=2073803->2298844 (225042), 431633 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 14 c=14->14, b=2298845->2487683 (188839), 361471 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 15 c=15->15, b=2487684->2647738 (160055), 306431 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 16 c=16->16, b=2647739->2789945 (142207), 272448 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 17 c=17->17, b=2789946->3051392 (261447), 501614 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 18 c=18->18, b=3051393->3238488 (187096), 358435 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 19 c=19->19, b=3238489->3287853 (49365), 94285 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 20 c=20->20, b=3287854->3491114 (203261), 618927 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 21 c=21->21, b=3491115->3491119 (5), 1001 ms
[05:34:11] scan: aspect = 0
[05:34:11] scan: scanning title 3
[05:34:11] scan: opening IFO for VTS 3
[05:34:11] pgc_id: 1, pgn: 1: pgc: 0x9ef0040
[05:34:11] scan: vts=3, ttn=1, cells=0->1, blocks=0->162610, 162611 blocks
[05:34:11] scan: duration is 00:08:22 (502000 ms)
[05:34:11] scan: checking audio 1
[05:34:11] scan: id=80bd, lang=English (AC3), 3cc=eng ext=0
[05:34:11] scan: title 3 has 2 chapters
[05:34:11] scan: chap 1 c=0->0, b=0->162605 (162606), 501000 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 2 c=1->1, b=162606->162610 (5), 1000 ms
[05:34:11] scan: aspect = 0
[05:34:11] scan: scanning title 4
[05:34:11] scan: opening IFO for VTS 4
[05:34:11] pgc_id: 1, pgn: 1: pgc: 0x9eefba0
[05:34:11] scan: vts=4, ttn=1, cells=0->1, blocks=0->8684, 8685 blocks
[05:34:11] scan: duration is 00:00:24 (24000 ms)
[05:34:11] scan: checking audio 1
[05:34:11] scan: id=80bd, lang=English (AC3), 3cc=eng ext=0
[05:34:11] scan: title 4 has 2 chapters
[05:34:11] scan: chap 1 c=0->0, b=0->8679 (8680), 23000 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 2 c=1->1, b=8680->8684 (5), 1000 ms
[05:34:11] scan: aspect = 0
[05:34:11] scan: scanning title 5
[05:34:11] scan: opening IFO for VTS 5
[05:34:11] pgc_id: 1, pgn: 1: pgc: 0x9f08130
[05:34:11] scan: vts=5, ttn=1, cells=0->1, blocks=0->5982, 5983 blocks
[05:34:11] scan: duration is 00:00:14 (14020 ms)
[05:34:11] scan: checking audio 1
[05:34:11] scan: id=80bd, lang=English (AC3), 3cc=eng ext=0
[05:34:11] scan: title 5 has 2 chapters
[05:34:11] scan: chap 1 c=0->0, b=0->5977 (5978), 13020 ms
[05:34:11] scan: chap 2 c=1->1, b=5978->5982 (5), 1000 ms
[05:34:11] scan: aspect = 0
[05:34:11] scan: decoding previews for title 1
[05:34:11] scan: title angle(s) 1
[05:34:11] scan: audio 0x80bd: AC-3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=192000 English (AC3) (2.0 ch)
[05:34:11] scan: content PAR gives wrong aspect 1.78; using container aspect 1.78
[05:34:11] scan: 10 previews, 720x480, 29.970 fps, autocrop = 56/56/0/0, aspect 1.78:1, PAR 853:720
[05:34:11] scan: decoding previews for title 2
[05:34:11] scan: title angle(s) 1
[05:34:11] scan: audio 0x80bd: AC-3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=448000 English (AC3) (5.1 ch)
[05:34:11] scan: audio 0x81bd: AC-3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=384000 Espanol (AC3) (5.1 ch)
[05:34:11] scan: audio 0x82bd: AC-3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=384000 Francais (AC3) (5.1 ch)
[05:34:11] scan: audio 0x83bd: AC-3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=192000 English (AC3) (Dolby Surround)
[05:34:11] scan: audio 0x84bd: AC-3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=192000 English (AC3) (Director's Commentary 1) (Dolby Surround)
[05:34:11] scan: content PAR gives wrong aspect 1.78; using container aspect 1.78
[05:34:11] scan: 10 previews, 720x480, 23.976 fps, autocrop = 62/64/0/0, aspect 1.78:1, PAR 853:720
[05:34:11] scan: decoding previews for title 3
[05:34:11] scan: title angle(s) 1
[05:34:11] scan: audio 0x80bd: AC-3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=192000 English (AC3) (2.0 ch)
[05:34:12] scan: 10 previews, 720x480, 29.970 fps, autocrop = 60/60/0/0, aspect 1.33:1, PAR 8:9
[05:34:12] scan: decoding previews for title 4
[05:34:12] scan: title angle(s) 1
[05:34:12] scan: audio 0x80bd: AC-3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=448000 English (AC3) (5.1 ch)
[05:34:12] scan: content PAR gives wrong aspect 1.78; using container aspect 1.78
[05:34:12] scan: 10 previews, 720x480, 29.970 fps, autocrop = 0/0/2/4, aspect 1.78:1, PAR 853:720
[05:34:12] scan: decoding previews for title 5
[05:34:12] scan: title angle(s) 1
[05:34:12] scan: audio 0x80bd: AC-3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=448000 English (AC3) (5.1 ch)
[05:34:12] scan: content PAR gives wrong aspect 1.78; using container aspect 1.78
[05:34:12] scan: 10 previews, 720x480, 29.970 fps, autocrop = 0/0/0/0, aspect 1.78:1, PAR 853:720
[05:34:12] scan: title (0) job->width:720, job->height:304
[05:34:12] scan: title (1) job->width:720, job->height:304
[05:34:12] scan: title (2) job->width:656, job->height:368
[05:34:12] scan: title (3) job->width:720, job->height:416
[05:34:12] scan: title (4) job->width:720, job->height:400
[05:34:12] libhb: scan thread found 5 valid title(s)

We have an ancient Onkyo TX-DS474 receiver. Gotta be about 15 years old. I don't know if that makes any difference - maybe software & firmware has improved?

I've been ripping DVD's for over a year now (one or two a week) using Handbrake but never had a decent way to play the rips. Finally bought a WD Live (the first version, which is currently on clearance).

I've always chosen AC3 passthru. Early rips were .m4v but changed to .mkv months ago.

So I plug in the WD Live, feed the Toslink to the receiver, start up the external HDD, pick a rip. Before playing the file WD displays a small notification for a second or two saying what audio it sees. The WD Live almost always picks up audio as AAC. For some reason, "The Watchmen" is identified as AC3. The Onkyo indicator changes to "Dolby Digital". The Onkyo's "Home Theater" (dynamic range compression) mode functions, and that only works with a DD feed.

Does anyone have any ideas?

First thing I'd like to do is try ripping both audio tracks, as described in the Surround Sound Guide
http://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/SurroundSoundGuide
I've tried to choose both tracks but can't figure it out. How do you ask HB to rip both?? It's gotta be simple...

Also, the WD Live CD has a function where you can look for updates. We're on dial-up at home but I can go find some broadband. Anyone know if updating a WD Live makes any difference?

[hunterk]

One possibility is that you used the AppleTV preset for you encodings (did you?), which automatically includes a passthru AC3 soundtrack and an encoded AAC version. If this is the case, your device may be defaulting to the AAC soundtrack instead of the AC3 one.

We can't really tell either way from the log you provided, which is a scan log, not the more informative encode log. I would recommend checking out one of your existing encodings to see if 2 audio tracks are present (one way to do this is to install ffmpeg and type into a terminal: ffmpeg -i [filename]).

In the future, if you want to include multiple audio tracks, you just go to the Audio tab, select the track you want from the pulldown list, choose how you want to encode it (i.e., passthru, AAC, MP3, whatever) then click on the plus sign. Repeat these steps for each audio track you want to include.

I doubt updating your device will make much difference. However, it may just require changing an option somewhere in its configuration, assuming those multiple audio tracks are already there.

[mduell]

That's a scan log, not an encode log, n00b.

[Deleted User 11865]

http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/updates/? ... fwdtv_live

You should be able to do an offline update from a USB key or something. Don't know whether it makes any difference regarding AC3.

As mduell pointed out, you should provide an encode log. All logs are saved to disk: http://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/ActivityLogLinux

[Telkwa]

All rips have been done in High Profile.

Had no idea there was another log. Just have to figure out how to get to it. Don't see anything in /home folder. Must be CLI? I've done some work in terminal but not much. This is where someone like mduell takes the time and effort to say something nice but not provide a few lines of code for a newb like me to copy/paste.

EDIT: Found instructions for saving encode log to same location as movie. That's a start.

Rodeo, thanks for the link. The CD that came with the WD directed me to WD's homepage; I never saw a download link. As you mention, I'm not expecting firmware to make any huge difference but what the hey.

[Deleted User 11865]

All rips have been done in High Profile.

The High Profile preset makes the first track AAC and the second track AC3 passthrough. If you didn't change that, you'll have to switch to the second audio track on playback.

Had no idea there was another log. Just have to figure out how to get to it. Don't see anything in /home folder. Must be CLI? I've done some work in terminal but not much. This is where someone like mduell takes the time and effort to say something nice but not provide a few lines of code for a newb like me to copy/paste.

See the link I posted.

[Telkwa]

Thanks for the reply.

I went immediately to your trac link. It's just that I don't understand how to access the encode log. If I got to my home folder, there's nothing - wait, wait, back up the truck. This is a good indication of my Linux-fu or lack thereof. A faint bit of data rattled to the frontal cortex, saying something about hidden folders. I had to google how to access them. Ctrl+H. Found the encode logs.

Sheesh, you know, if HB provided a newbie sub-forum maybe there's be less annoying posts in the main forums. The wiki doesn't even mention hidden folders.

I'd post a screenie but this forum doesn't allow attachments. I set a default profile months ago. I just popped in a DVD and didn't touch anything until the scan was done. In the Audio tab, the Track dropdown says "English (AC3) (5.1 ch)". The Codec dropdown is set to "AC3 (pass-thru)". The second line in the box below is highlited. The one that says, "English (AC3) (5.1 ch) - AC3 (pass-thru) - 448 - Same as source - None". I thought that highliting it like that set HB to use that track instead of the Dolby Surround track, which is listed first. Have I been doing it wrong all this time??

What I'd like to do is rip a DVD, check it on WD Live to make sure it's detected as AAC, then post the Encode log here and cross my fingers for help identifying the problem.

[JohnAStebbins]

I think we've made a reasonable effort to make the location of the activity logs easy to find. When you open the activity window in HandBrake, the file name is in LARGE BOLD LETTERS at the top of the window. And Help->Guide will open a browser onto HandBrakes user guide that has sections dedicated to the activity log. To post the activity log in these forums, just create a code block (there's a button labeled 'Code' in the forum edit controls) and paste the text between the code tags.

[hunterk]

It's sounding more and more to me like there's not actually a problem with your encodings, you just need to figure out how to tell your WD Live to choose a different audio track. According to a forum post (http://community.wdc.com/t5/Firmware/No ... /m-p/16820), you can switch to a different audio track by hitting the option button during playback, highlighting 'Audio channel' and pressing enter.

Apparently, WD Live prefers the .mp4 extension to .m4v, so if the above directions don't help, try renaming the file and then trying it again. MKV files should be fine either way, it appears. Regardless, I would read the aforementioned forum thread in its entirety as it seems relevant to your interests.

Btw, highlighting audio tracks in HB's audio tab doesn't do anything, it's whether or not it has been added to the list and, if so, what order they're in. If dolby is listed first, your WD Live is going to default to that one and you'll have to select the AC3 track manually.

[Bling2Ming]

I don't know about the WDTV live but my original WDTV will not see the AC3 track in an MP4.
This is the main reason I encode to MKV when targeting the device.

I agree with the previous posters, a proper encode log is now a must.

[Telkwa]

Hey, guys, thanks very much for the help. I grabbed a DVD off the shelf and fired up Handbrake. The only thing I did different was to highlight the AAC track and click the "minus" sign. The AAC track disappeared. Did the rip. Saved to external. Started up WD Live, got Dolby Digital.

So I've been doing it wrong for over a year. I'll definitely take a look at the supplied link because the obvious next project is to figure out how/if the WD box can be told to ignore the AAC track on all those rips from the past year +. The .mkv rips at least.

If that works, I'll see what happens to mp4's remuxed to .mkv w/ mkvtoolnix.

OK, I'm gonna write this and you guys can say whatever. As amply demonstrated, I'm not the brightest bulb in the box. But I'm more computer-savvy than most people I know. Those things that seem painfully obvious to some of you who live and breathe this stuff? They're not.

I think it'd be great to have a newb's corner. I'd try to help if I could.

[hunterk]

If you're going to be remuxing everything into mkvs anyway, you should be able to re-order the audio tracks so that AC3 is the default, or even remove the AAC track entirely at the same time.

[Telkwa]

OK, I'll try that. I tried removing the AAC track before starting the remux process yesterday. The result was a small file (about 1/10th original size) that was unplayable in VLC.

Thanks for link to WD forum. Will try that out too.

EDIT 11-6-2010 The WD forum instructions to get into "Options" and pick AC3 worked. With .mkv, not .m4v. The device itself comes with sparse paperwork. Apparently you're on your own to figure out all the neat little tricks like that one. So one step forward.

m4v's remuxed to .mkv's via mkvtoolnix played OK as AAC. I used the "Options" button on the WDTV remote to change audio to AC3, but the sound track went gunnysack. Little skips every half second or so. One step back.

I misidentified our WDTV. It's not the newer WDTV Live, it's the second generation WDTV. I tried installing firmware from the link provided above. Didn't work. Found the link for second gen device. Will try that.