Bluray Playback

[drvnbysound]

I have a decent DVD collection on my Sage server and have started to want to also copy BD titles over as well. I have a full subscription to AnyDVD, and have attempted to both copy the entire contents into a <MovieTitle> folder, as well as use the AnyDVD Ripper to copy disc contents. Using either method I am able to see that the titles exist in the library and the video does playback. However, I get no audio (on TVs that are directly connected via HDMI to a HD200).

I have searched the forum for various Bluray keywords, and have found a few that suggest using either tsmuxer or MakeMKV. I will soon be adding another extender to my main (Living Room) TV, and want to ensure that I maintain all of the HD audio tracks as well. Can anyone explain the best way to go about maintaining the HD tracks, but also transcoding (or other) to allow audio playback on the other extenders/TVs as well?

Thanks in advance.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by drvnbysound

I have a decent DVD collection on my Sage server and have started to want to also copy BD titles over as well. I have a full subscription to AnyDVD, and have attempted to both copy the entire contents into a <MovieTitle> folder, as well as use the AnyDVD Ripper to copy disc contents. Using either method I am able to see that the titles exist in the library and the video does playback. However, I get no audio (on TVs that are directly connected via HDMI to a HD200).

They probably have DTS (or a variant), the HD200 can't decode DTS, and neither can most TVs. The HD300's can decode DTS.

I have searched the forum for various Bluray keywords, and have found a few that suggest using either tsmuxer or MakeMKV. I will soon be adding another extender to my main (Living Room) TV, and want to ensure that I maintain all of the HD audio tracks as well. Can anyone explain the best way to go about maintaining the HD tracks, but also transcoding (or other) to allow audio playback on the other extenders/TVs as well?

Thanks in advance.

You'll have to convert the audio in the DTS rips to DD or similar, I think there's a popcornhour tool or something if you search the forum a bit.

[drvnbysound]

Well, I don't really know anything about tsMuxeR, but I downloaded what I believe is the latest version (1.10.6) and gave it a go...

I selected the 'Add' button on the right side of the application and choose the largest .mpls file in the Playlist directory. I choose to Output the "Blu-ray disk" files to the desktop, and "start[ed] muxing".


NOTE: I actually choose to remove all of the French, Spainish, and Portuguese(?) audio tracks (not pictured that way above).

The output was (2) folders: BDMV and Certificate... the latter was completely empty. I then replaced the original folders, with these which were created.

Audio/video playback now works on my HD200 (directly connected via HDMI to my LG TVs).

Also note, my folder structure is slightly different than what may be depicted in the image above. I actually have multiple HDDs installed, including a 2TB drive, which I have basically dedicated for Bluray movies (F:\BluRays\<MovieTitle>). For the sake of this test, before I replaced the original folders, I copied them to my Desktop just in case the folder replacement didn't work.

[drvnbysound]

I must have just been lucky on the first one. I have tried the same process on Transformers Revenge of the Fallen and Battleship and neither of them play the correct audio file during the movie. ... back to the drawing board.

[rmiller]

Your best bet to get the audio to play is to convert it to AC3. Here's the process:
-Download and run ClownBD
-Download and run eac3to. ClownBD can batch this, but I have had problems with it, so I just run the command line: e.g. eac3to audio.dts audio.ac3
-Run TSMuxerGUI and add you video file, AC3 and PGS if you want sub titles.

[stanger89]

Actually I think Clown BD can do it all, you just have to enable the Network Media Tank options and there's a checkbox to create an AC3 track along side the untouched tracks.

[MattHelm]

Someone made a window cmd script that will scan any directory (you place paths in a config file) and add AC3 tracks for all that are missing. Works GREAT! (just forget the name and who did it, and not at home)

Personally I only use it on BR, as my DVD are run thru Handbrake, and it's set to always make an AC3 track.

I think this is the one I use:
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45902

[drvnbysound]

Can any of you explain what it is exactly that Clown BD does? Specifically, as listed above where it is not being used as a GUI for EAC3to and/or tsMuxeR.

I found this thread on the Slysoft forum, which seems to indicate that Clown BD should certainly be able to do it all: http://forum.slysoft.com/showthread.php?p=166910

I'm going to give this a shot...

[stanger89]

It's basically a frontend/GUI for eac3to and tsmuxer. You pop a disc in, it uses eac3to to read the title/track info, you pick what you want, what format you want it to be output in, and it does all the eac3to/tsmuxer work for you and a little later you have a BD rip.

[drvnbysound]

That's what I thought, but this post (quoted below) lead me to believe otherwise... since it stated to run ClownBD (first), then eac3to and tsMuxeR separately, afterward.

Originally Posted by rmiller

Your best bet to get the audio to play is to convert it to AC3. Here's the process:
-Download and run ClownBD
-Download and run eac3to. ClownBD can batch this, but I have had problems with it, so I just run the command line: e.g. eac3to audio.dts audio.ac3
-Run TSMuxerGUI and add you video file, AC3 and PGS if you want sub titles.

Nonetheless, I have ClownBD running now on Battleship. I will report back any success or failures that I have...

[drvnbysound]

Alright... we it seems that I have found success with ClownBD. I have been able to get both Battleship and Transformers (Revenge of the Fallen) to work as well.

That said, I have found another issue and was curious if there is any sort of solution / work-around. I haven't specifically tested this on each BD title yet or checked to determine when else it occurs, but I have seen it more than once... I am not able to adjust the volume via the STV remote; the volume indicator moves but there is no change in the volume output by the TV. Also, during playback, if the movie 'info' is also displayed, the cover art for the movie also changes on each volume press...

I am pretty certain that during playback of DVD titles the volume functionality works properly.

[emotionnotion]

Not sure that's unique to BDs.

I get the same problem with DVD movies (SageTV volume not working) but file rips (avi etc) and regular recordings it works fine?

[Fuzzy]

The extender does not process AC3 audio in any way. It outputs it via the digital audio or hdmi output exactly as encoded, to be decoded in the receiving device. As such, it cannot change the volume of the audio.