Apple TV supports Dolby Digital 5.1 / AC3

[scr]

I saw the following proof-of-concept that the AppleTV can support Dolby Digital 5.1 and AC3, if encoded properly.

http://web.mac.com/ragboy/iWeb/TheGarci ... 6FE4E.html

I noticed many new features that include encoding to Dolby Pro Logic II, which is definitely an improvement over plain Stereo, but I'm wondering if/when the full-blown Digital Surround format(s) will be supported by HandBrake so that I don't need to purchase QT Pro or do this on a combination of Mac & PC.

I'm wondering if other digital formats, like DTS are supported too, but just not documented, much like DD 5.1?

-SCR

[loyalty_anchored]

if you want true surround sound playing from your ATV, you can rip your DVDs with the AC3 audio track (no workaround encoding needed), then you need to hack your ATV and use ATVFiles/Perian/A52Codec to pass the AC3 stream from the ATV directly to your receiver for processing.

the only issue with this is that AVI which is the only container that will support AC3 and playback properly on the Hacked ATV, but it cannot hold Anamorphic video.

MKV is the only other option as a container and it does not play properly on the hacked ATV yet. notice keyword is YET. I do believe the ideal combination is going to be H.264 anamorphic video with an AC3 audio stream packed into an MKV with chapter markers.

so for now, you will have to settle for a NON-Anamorphic encode in an AVI container if you want to use AC3 and play it back on the ATV.

hope this helps.

[Jaxonhell]

What really blows my mind is that all the hardware that has been coming out doesn't support the absolute latest in digital surround encoding. we've had high quality audio and video from dvd for years and for the sake of convenience it's all been thrown out the window. I'll be impressed when the last 4:3 tv in the world is smashed into oblivion, every single audio device can suppurt all of the latest digital surround formats with discrete channels, and every video device outputs the exact aspect ratio as the movie was shot in and there is finally no more stupid choices of fullscreen and widescreen. Also anyone out there who complains about seeing bars on top and bottom and gets a clue about different aspect ratios. Format wars and encoding formats and non 16:9 tvs are absurd. We are so capable of amazing technology but are stuck squabling over nonsense

[hawkman]

Whilst I sympathise with your frustration, for reasons it's not important to go into it's not so much the hardware as limitations in the standards it supports. If everyone was on the Matroska bandwagon, that'd be cool, but sadly it's still very much a niche format for now.

[ordovice]

Sadly, the limitations have nothing to do with hardware OR software, but politics, as in licensing ...

For example, The DVD Consortium (DVD CCA) has a license on CSS encryption and holds the proverbial keys to the kingdom which prevents easy backup of DVDs.

Dolby holds licensing on AC3 (Dolby Digital). Since Dolby Pro Logic is just a method of encoding, the media file only sees stereo audio, and the receiver actually splits it back up to the respective channels.

It all comes down to intellectual property licensing and greed

[hawkman]

While I'd usually be the first to criticise those in the movie industry, licensing has very little to do with this.

[meall]

Hi,

I was reading this, and was asking myself something.

I did a test recently with a downloaded file encoded in DTS 5.1. It worked like a charm on the TV without any hacking.

So, for DVDs that have DTS encoding, I'm asking, what would be the best way to encode it using Handbrake and have the 5.1 output without having to hack or make extra steps?

Thanks

[Cavalicious]

No it didn't...
First of all, Un-hacked, the AppleTV doesn't support any file in which one could include a DTS track.

So either yours is hacked, or the file didn't have a DTS track. This is common knowledge across the planet. So lets not troll this thread.

[meall]

No it didn't...
First of all, Un-hacked, the AppleTV doesn't support any file in which one could include a DTS track.

So either yours is hacked, or the file didn't have a DTS track. This is common knowledge across the planet. So lets not troll this thread.

Ok, first of all, my Apple TV is not hacked, I can assure that to you.

Second, the test I made was using a file found on this site: http://www.diatonis.com/downloads_dts_ac3.html. You're free to test it yourself, it worked for me and my receiver was displaying the DTS has the sound source it was receiving and decoding. I foudn this information on this other page: http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/RDM.Te ... 2B75A.html. The guy there describe clearly that the Apple TV is capable of transmitting the DTS signal, because it does not need to understand it, just transfert it to the decoder, then the decoder do the decoding tasks. The files are WAV files, which are compatible with the Apple TV out of the box.

Third, I'm not trying to troll anything, except to understanding the concept of why those DTS files worked, and why or how it can be done with handbrake, if ever possible. Be sure, I took my information and tested them before posting.

[Cavalicious]

So why would I assume that you were talking about a *Video* file...maybe due to the fact that you post on a forum dedicated to a piece of software whos main focus is *Video* conversion.

That said, my statement still holds true (with an addition of a word):

First of all, Un-hacked, the AppleTV doesn't support any Video file in which one could include a DTS track.

Now, to answer your question, Yes HB will allow you to create a *Video* file with Pass-Thru Audio. But it will not be able to play on an un-hacked AppleTV.

[realityking]

Can't MP4 hold a LPCM Track? Wouldn't the same trick then work with video files also?

[meall]

So why would I assume that you were talking about a *Video* file...maybe due to the fact that you post on a forum dedicated to a piece of software whos main focus is *Video* conversion.

That said, my statement still holds true (with an addition of a word):

First of all, Un-hacked, the AppleTV doesn't support any Video file in which one could include a DTS track.

Now, to answer your question, Yes HB will allow you to create a *Video* file with Pass-Thru Audio. But it will not be able to play on an un-hacked AppleTV.

Sure, I never told either that it was an audio file only. Sorry for the confusion.

But that said, why an Apple TV, un-hacked, could not play a video file with a DTS encoded audio track? The article that I pointed to states, unless I do not understand, that the DTS track does not have to be decode on the Apple TV, but only pass-through, then decode on the receiver.

Also, I made a few tests with handbrake using the 6 channels option on tracks mix, what does it do exactly? From what I can see on my (aging) receiver, is nothing very special.

Thanks for clarification.

[nightstrm]

Your receiver cannot decode AAC5.1.

[meall]

Your receiver cannot decode AAC5.1.

Is there any decoders that can do so? If so, how can I figure out if it does it?

I'm planning to change it for something new, so I may take care of some more information!

Thanks

[nightstrm]

As far as I know, there are no receivers currently available that can decode AAC5.1. All it would take is the manufacturer's licensing the codec...

[BucksSaddler]

What you have to remember is the DTS file you downloaded has been re-encoded to a WAV file, which the Apple TV will play. At the moment it will not, unless hacked, play a direct DTS stream.
So, yes, you could play a DTS file without hacking the box, but to get that point you have to hack the original DTS stream to make it a WAV file (and there are many guides out there on how to do that).
The 6 channels option in handbrake will give you the 5.1 soundtrack in 6 direct AAC streams. Unfortunatly, as nightstrm says, there are not many receivers out there that will decode this.
However i have been using it as the PS3 (slightly moving onto another device) decodes this internally and sends it out as six PCM channels, which most receivers can receive.

[nightstrm]

What you have to remember is the DTS file you downloaded has been re-encoded to a WAV file, which the Apple TV will play. At the moment it will not, unless hacked, play a direct DTS stream.
So, yes, you could play a DTS file without hacking the box, but to get that point you have to hack the original DTS stream to make it a WAV file (and there are many guides out there on how to do that).
The 6 channels option in handbrake will give you the 5.1 soundtrack in 6 direct AAC streams. Unfortunatly, as nightstrm says, there are not many receivers out there that will decode this.
However i have been using it as the PS3 (slightly moving onto another device) decodes this internally and sends it out as six PCM channels, which most receivers can receive.

Interesting... I did not know the PS3 would handle AAC5.1 in the manner you described... might have to do some testing when I get home.

[BucksSaddler]

Just to qualify, when i say most receivers i mean ones where you are hooking your PS3 up via HDMI. PS3 only sends 2 channel PCM out via Optical due to bandwidth.
Ta

[e71]

What you have to remember is the DTS file you downloaded has been re-encoded to a WAV file, which the Apple TV will play. At the moment it will not, unless hacked, play a direct DTS stream.
So, yes, you could play a DTS file without hacking the box, but to get that point you have to hack the original DTS stream to make it a WAV file (and there are many guides out there on how to do that).
The 6 channels option in handbrake will give you the 5.1 soundtrack in 6 direct AAC streams. Unfortunatly, as nightstrm says, there are not many receivers out there that will decode this.
However i have been using it as the PS3 (slightly moving onto another device) decodes this internally and sends it out as six PCM channels, which most receivers can receive.

This isn't exactly right. The current, unhacked Apple TV will play back a video file with a DTS audio stream encoded as LPCM. The problem is that the DTS stream typical to most DVDs is encoded at a 48 kHz sample rate. The Apple TV will automatically convert any LPCM stream to 44.1 kHz which destroys the DTS signal resulting in just random noise (this same problem affects AC3). If the Apple TV codec for LPCM would look at the sample rate of the stream and change the hardware sample rate to match, it would then work with DTS. It would also likely work with AC3 as well depending on the receiver. There is a bit embedded in the digital S/PDIF audio stream that indicates whether AC3 data is present. Some receivers require that.

My hope is that the new Apple TV software does this so we don't need a different container / file format or other hackery.

[Cavalicious]

I didn't think we needed to define "playback" as "watchable." ...thus being able comprehend the audio.

[dbrajkovic]

OK Now that, AppleTV (OK in 2 weeks) will support AC3 Passthrough, how do I get Handbrake to keep the AC3 info??

[lordeagle]

OMG!!! Stop posting without even looking at the thread that's just next to it. It's not like you have to search deeply in the forum

EDIT: sorry if I sounded rude but that's probably the 3rd time some asked that today.

[brygo]

I didn't think we needed to define "playback" as "watchable." ...thus being able comprehend the audio.

A couple of thoughts from reading this thread:


*I hear people complaining about all the "politics" that have caused format wars, etc and in the same breathe, you guys are arguing just as needlessly and to no end about whether DD is "technically" impossible to output, versus "literally" impossible, or only "impossible for all intents and purposes." Give it a rest. You're just as bad as the retarded kaisha executives who created the HDDVD v. Bluray war (which is now thankfully over... not that I care about physical media). I bet their arguments were a lot more substantive than these asinine debates.

*Can we please stop bickering and attack this problem pragmatically... we will soon know exactly what SJ had in mind when he said that ATV Take2 will support 5.1 -- let's all either be patient or start thinking about some plausible scenarios that can be addressed proactively. And by "let's", I am of course referring to the people on this board who are way smarter than me.