AppleTV to support Dolby5.1 Natively

[rils]

"'m holding out hope that the iPhone will allow a file with both soundtracks (AAC+AC3) to be transferred over. A pipedream maybe..."

It is one of the working assumptions with movie rentals (watch them where you want: ATV, iPhone, iPod); I expect the support to be limited to 480p content, just like the iPods. This means that iPhone will carry the file with the DD content, but will likely playback only the AAC soundtrack (unless they've added spdif output on the bottom connector... rumors, rumors!).

One possible interesting development would be for Apple to add some form of HRTF (head related transfer function) to do positional audio- the well known "dolby headphone" is one example. However, this would require decoding all channels of DD then applying 5 HRTF equations, likely impacting battery life. This would also require quite a bit of uumpf from the CPU as those processes are not accelerated... Cheers!

[flybynight]

It is one of the working assumptions with movie rentals (watch them where you want: ATV, iPhone, iPod); I expect the support to be limited to 480p content, just like the iPods. This means that iPhone will carry the file with the DD content, but will likely playback only the AAC soundtrack ... Cheers!

No, HD rentals (the only ones with 5.1 sound) are ONLY available to rent directly on the @TV. The 480p content does not have a 5.1 audio track. Right now, there is no (supported) way to move rented content from @TV to another device/computer - only content rented from your computer (iTunes) can be moved around. I can only assume the dual audio tracks (stereo and AC3 5.1) are to maintain compatibility for people using @TV without a 5.1 receiver and just using the analog outputs.

[eddyg]

It is one of the working assumptions with movie rentals (watch them where you want: ATV, iPhone, iPod); I expect the support to be limited to 480p content, just like the iPods. This means that iPhone will carry the file with the DD content, but will likely playback only the AAC soundtrack ... Cheers!

No, HD rentals (the only ones with 5.1 sound) are ONLY available to rent directly on the @TV. The 480p content does not have a 5.1 audio track. Right now, there is no (supported) way to move rented content from @TV to another device/computer - only content rented from your computer (iTunes) can be moved around. I can only assume the dual audio tracks (stereo and AC3 5.1) are to maintain compatibility for people using @TV without a 5.1 receiver and just using the analog outputs.

That's right - a movie with only AC3 plays fine on my front room ATV via a dolby processor, however it will not play in my bedroom where the ATV is connected directly to the TV via HDMI. TVs generally can't decode the AC3.

So on the ATV in the bedroom you must:

1) Go to the ATV Audio settings and turn off Dolby Digital pass through
2) Have a movie with both the "Stereo" and "Surround" audio tracks

As you know we will be working on (2).

Cheers, Ed.

[Ozy]

I'm sure you hear it all the time, but I still wanted to say how much I appreciate the hard work you guys do. Thanks again.

[Deleted User 5579]

I'm sure you hear it all the time, but I still wanted to say how much I appreciate the hard work you guys do. Thanks again.

Cheers to the HB team and have another Cocktail on the house.

[Ozy]

I just test encoded a movie in AC3 with the current build of HB and it worked great. The only issue I'm having is the same issue I had when I used to use DivX + AC3 avi's. There is a audio sync issue where the audio is about 50ms faster than the video. When I play back the normal DBL-II version the lag is gone. Now because I'm sure some may not agree that the lag is there, I would love to request maybe a parameter where a user can dial in the video / audio sync offset so a user can tweak his encodes to be in sync on his given HW. I would really love this feature.

[GoodOmens]

I just test encoded a movie in AC3 with the current build of HB and it worked great. The only issue I'm having is the same issue I had when I used to use DivX + AC3 avi's. There is a audio sync issue where the audio is about 50ms faster than the video. When I play back the normal DBL-II version the lag is gone. Now because I'm sure some may not agree that the lag is there, I would love to request maybe a parameter where a user can dial in the video / audio sync offset so a user can tweak his encodes to be in sync on his given HW. I would really love this feature.

Your receiver might allow you to set the delay for that input.

[Ozy]

Your receiver might allow you to set the delay for that input.

It does, and I actually use an external unit that lets me dial in the amount for many inputs in my setup. My 72" DLP has a 24ms lag that I dial in constantly for all content. That's not the solution I want. I don't want to have to adjust sync based on what I play back because I'd have to adjust it for AC3 rips vs DBL-II rips.

[nightstrm]

Psst.. here's a secret I just found out...

AC3+AAC files play correctly on iPhones (as long as the video is compatible with both devices).

AC3+AAC+CRF+Anamorphic on iPhone = never have to re-encode again!

[MichaelLAX]

AC3+AAC+CRF+Anamorphic on iPhone = never have to re-encode again!

Does this mean that for "AC3+AAC+CRF+Anamorphic" the encode parameters work both on your iPhone and an AppleTV ("as long as the video is compatible with both devices"), or that you have two separate encodes for each movie (one for the iPhone and one for the AppleTV), and you never have to encode the audio again?

[nightstrm]

AC3+AAC+CRF+Anamorphic on iPhone = never have to re-encode again!

Does this mean that the encode parameters work both on your iPhone and an AppleTV, or that you have two separate encodes for each movie, and you never have to encode the audio again?

Exactly... one file to rule all devices.

[Cavalicious]

Great...he let the secret out.

Let the flooding of "How do I compile SVN" begin!

[Deleted User 5579]

Great...he let the secret out.

Let the flooding of "How do I compile SVN" begin!

LOL... you guys ROCK! `

[stiney3]

Psst.. here's a secret I just found out...

AC3+AAC files play correctly on iPhones (as long as the video is compatible with both devices).

AC3+AAC+CRF+Anamorphic on iPhone = never have to re-encode again!

nightstrm:

What setting did you have HandBrake set in for the latest SVN. I used 'Format: MP4 File" 'Codecs: AVC/H.264 Video/AAC Audio." I didn't have any luck with the 5.1 surround on my AppleTV. Did I not use the correct Format/Codecs? Or did I mess something up with in the Audio Tracks section?

Thanks

P.S. Thank You For Your Hard Work On HandBrake Everyone!!!

[MichaelLAX]

WOW!

The funny irony is that we have been beating ourselves up on this issue for over 10 months:

http://forum.handbrake.fr/viewtopic.php ... by&start=0

and the answer was always at hand:

AAC passthru to MOV container

[dynaflash]

WOW!

The funny irony is that we have been beating ourselves up on this issue for over 10 months:

http://forum.handbrake.fr/viewtopic.php ... by&start=0

and the answer was always at hand:

AAC passthru to MOV container

er, no. We are not using a mov container. We are using an mp4 container just like apple. And this also would not have worked until Apple came out with atv2 as atv1 did not support ac3 pass thru in any container afaik.
So the answer has only been at hand for about eight hours now.

[BucksSaddler]

Not to fan the flames of the "How do i get the SVN" brigade, but this latest build rocks. Selecting the 1st soundtrack as AC3 and the 2nd track as 6 channel discrete gives me 1 file that a) Plays in DD5.1 on my aTV and b) Plays 5.1 AAC on my PS3. Too bad the PS3 doesn't recognise AC3 in MP4 (wake up Sony, Apple have been supporting a non standard container for days )
I'm sure i tested the PS3 a few weeks ago and it didn't recognise m4v extensions, but does seem to be working on all the tests i've done so far.
P.S. Don't ask why i have both an aTV and PS3 basically doing the same thing - just love the gadgets.
@stiney3 - You need to select the AC3 codec, not AAC to get 5.1 on your aTV.

[jbjoret]

Hi, I am quite a newbie so please don't be too hard on me. I have been using AC3 Passthrough with MKV and AVI in the Past and Quicktime/iTunes (with Perian)/VLC where able to play the audio without any problem. Can someone explain what is so different in the way apple is using the AC3 stream ? whether I use the mp4 container or download the .mov example from the visualhub page I don't hear nothing on any of those softwares, but on my apple TV I can play 5.1 Passthrough.

I have build Handbrake this morning and there is an option to have 2 streams, if it does what I believe it does, this is a fantastic thing. The last thing that we need with Handbrake is a possibility to add closed caption.

Thx

[dynaflash]

is it something that was added in the night ?

HandBrake never sleeps.

[jbjoret]

Yep I can see that, there are some really great stuff in this last state. You guys rock !

[shungahsv]

Questions,

Is there a way to setup a User Preset that defaults Track 1 Mix to "Dolby PLII + AC-3" for a Track 1 "English (AC3)(5.1 ch) as it appears to default to "Dolby Pro Logic II"? Each time I open a source, I have to go back and remember to change Track 1 Mix. Or is it necessary to be selected every time based on "Track 1" pulldown that appears when source is open? Just trying to keep from forgetting to select that every time and screwing up the encoding .

What is the purpose of the "Text" track? I don't see that in the earlier MP4 encoding.

Again, great work guys!

[jbrjake]

Is there a way to setup a User Preset that defaults Track 1 Mix to "Dolby PLII + AC-3" for a Track 1 "English (AC3)(5.1 ch) as it appears to default to "Dolby Pro Logic II"?

...svn code, remember? The presentation hasn't been finalized yet, let alone the widgets that you interact with, and it's simply impossible to add them to presets until that's done. Just. Wait.

What is the purpose of the "Text" track? I don't see that in the earlier MP4 encoding.

It's the chapter markers....

[Cavalicious]

Like jbrjake said...don't get Preset happy just yet. None of mine work anymore, and I've changed them twice since 1261.

[petvas]

I converted one DVD using the latest svn and my receiver doesn't automatically recognize the ac3 stream. Instead, it finds the Dolby Prologic track and plays it! If I encode the ac3 track only, then everything works ok.

[Cavalicious]

What are your audio settings in the AppleTV?