Question on audio transcoding quality

General questions or discussion about HandBrake, Video and/or audio transcoding, trends etc.
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curious d
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Joined: Sun May 06, 2018 3:37 pm

Question on audio transcoding quality

Post by curious d »

Hello. I have a file with DTS 5.1 audio on the original file. I am transcoding using Handbrake. When I choose Auto Passthru or DTS passthru for the audio, my television can not play the file whereas my computer can. So I'm looking for an alternative that will give me the best reproduction of sound for my meager entertainment system. My television can play the AC3 passthru and the AAC at a bitrate of 160 (any higher distorts) with Dolby without any problems. Which selection would be better for audio experience? Is there another option for better audio? Thanks.
Woodstock
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Re: Question on audio transcoding quality

Post by Woodstock »

You CAN put more than one audio track in. Put in AC3 for the TV, DTS pass through for the computer.

Many TVs have a way to send the audio out to an amplifier that understands the encoding.
curious d
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun May 06, 2018 3:37 pm

Re: Question on audio transcoding quality

Post by curious d »

Woodstock wrote: Fri Sep 21, 2018 2:24 pm You CAN put more than one audio track in. Put in AC3 for the TV, DTS pass through for the computer.

Many TVs have a way to send the audio out to an amplifier that understands the encoding.
Thank you for replying. I have been encoding with multiple audio track. I was wondering which method of audio re-encoding (AC3 passthru or AAC at a bitrate of 160 with Dolby) was better. When I use AC3 passthru, I usually get 384 to 640 kb/s. One file gave me 224 kb/s. I was wondering how that compared to the AAC with a bitrate of 160 with Dolby stereo. If I hooked up my satellite speakers, would it make a difference since it seems my television can't handle 5.1 audio anyway?
Woodstock
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Re: Question on audio transcoding quality

Post by Woodstock »

Using AAC encoding with handbrake, on anything but a Mac, is going to give you degraded quality, unless you compile your own copy with the better AAC encoder. (Version 1.2, when it arrives, may improve that, but that's not now.)

I try to make sure all videos I encode have at least one AC3 track, preferably passed through from the source, if the source has an AC3 track. But I will not go out of my way to include an AAC track UNLESS it is pass through.

I think the reason most presets include encoding AAC is because Apple devices don't like AC3, because Apple didn't want to license the codec. Everything I play video on works better with the AC3 track.

But, that's just me.
curious d
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun May 06, 2018 3:37 pm

Re: Question on audio transcoding quality

Post by curious d »

Thank you
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