Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

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DBD_85
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Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 4:08 pm

Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by DBD_85 »

Using version 1.0.2, with the latest version of the K-Lite codec pack, on Windows 10. I'm trying convert MKVs of ripped Blurays, made with MakeMKV. I'm trying to keep the audio the same from the source files, but Handbrake keeps mixing down the audio to 2 channel stereo, often with a major drop in bitrate (sometimes from 1536 down to 160). This is even when using PassThru settings, even with DTS passthru. When viewing the file details, it shows the audio as 2 channels, and the original as 6 channels.

The only time I an get 5.1 audio is doing an AAC mixdown to 5.1, but even then the audio bitrate will be lower than what I set it at, sometimes a great deal lower (i.e. set at 1536, final bitrate came out at 960 kbps). I've reinstalled handbrake and k-lite, to no avail. Unsure what else I can do. Can anyone help me out?

I've played it in VLC and PotPlayer, both say it's stereo, along with Windows 10.

Here's a preview file created with the second log (Evil Dead 2):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7Ly62 ... sp=sharing


Activity Log:
Mortal Kombat movie preview (unable to get handbrake to create a 5.1 track)-
http://pastebin.com/TbeS6nx2

Evil Dead 2 preview (DTS passthru) -
http://pastebin.com/S5YGvw9E

Evil Dead 2 mkv scan log:
http://pastebin.com/TqFVC6dm

ED2 mp4 preview file scan log:
http://pastebin.com/490izjaH


I use a program called MediaInfo (I think that's the name) that gives detailed info about media files. This is what it shows for the generated preview file for Evil dead 2. I also added in what PotPlayer says: http://pastebin.com/wvJw8dU3
Last edited by DBD_85 on Thu Feb 16, 2017 12:14 am, edited 5 times in total.
rollin_eng
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Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by rollin_eng »

Seems like your DTS was passed through, however DTS in MP4 is not widely supported.

Maybe try encoding your audio to AC3 or use MKV container instead of MP4.
DBD_85
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Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 4:08 pm

Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by DBD_85 »

I'm trying to save space my converting the MKVs to MP4, along with compatibility issues. And the problem with AC3 is that the highest bitrate is 640 kpbs, a far cry from the roughly 1600+ kbps typical for bluray audio. However, one of my rips is of my Blade Runner bluray, which had a 640 kbps AC3 5.1 audio. AC3 passthru for it kept the original audio, so it maybe partly a weird compatibility issue.

However, some rips, even when doing AAC 5.1 mixdown, still wind up in stereo. My rip of Mortal Kombat, which has a 1509 kb/s DTS 5.1 audio track, will get mixed down to 2 channels, even when using AAC 5.1.
rollin_eng
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Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by rollin_eng »

Please post a log of your problematic encode.
DBD_85
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Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by DBD_85 »

The log in my original post is of a problematic encode. It's a preview, yes, but it suffers from the same issue. I can't get it to create a proper 5.1 track, not even with pasthru. However, I'll post another log, with a different file, showing the same issue.
rollin_eng
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Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by rollin_eng »

That log says the DTS was passed through.

What are you using to play the files?
mduell
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Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by mduell »

Oh you're the same guy with the reddit thread https://www.reddit.com/r/handbrake/comm ... even_when/
DBD_85
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Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by DBD_85 »

Yes, that's indeed me on Reddit. I'm asking in multiple places, to get multiple points of view, of my issue.

VLC, Windows 10, KODI, and Pot Player all concur the file is in stereo. I'll upload the preview file created, that has the issue.
rollin_eng
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Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by rollin_eng »

Can you open the output file in HB and post the log?
mduell
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Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by mduell »

No, I mean open the encode that HB produced in HB, not the same file you started from.
Deleted User 11865

Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by Deleted User 11865 »

mduell wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2017 12:12 am No, I mean open the encode that HB produced in HB, not the same file you started from.
He did, it's the latter part of the log provided.
mduell
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Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by mduell »

Oh, yes, and that shows 6ch.

I think he's being confused by MediaInfo reading the container stupidity instead of actually looking at the content. HB is writing the container wrong, but it's irrelevant.
DBD_85
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Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by DBD_85 »

If it was just MediaInfo, I wouldn't be so confused and wouldn't have posted here. But Windows 10, and PotPlayer, seem to think it's stereo as well. Are they reading it wrong, like MediaInfo?
mduell
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Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by mduell »

Yes, I bet they're reading the container and not actually analyzing the content.

HB doesn't have a DTS encoder, so if there's DTS in the output it's from passthrough.
rollin_eng
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Re: Handbrake always mixing down audio to stereo, even when using passthru

Post by rollin_eng »

VLC seems to read DTS in MP4 from HB fine.

Have you tried using MKV as your container?

Can you post the output from Mediainfo?
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