Apple TV 5.1 Update, Handbrake-encoded Files, and No 5.1 Audio

[slothrob]

So, just to be clear, this is not an inherent problem with Handbrake (dispite the title of this thread) or OS 5.1, but modifications that people are making to their files after Handbrake.

Is that correct?

[Ritsuka]

In an alternate group, only one track needs to be enabled. Multiple enabled tracks are meant to be played at the same time.

[mic j]

Originally Posted by slothrob

So, just to be clear, this is not an inherent problem with Handbrake (dispite the title of this thread) or OS 5.1, but modifications that people are making to their files after Handbrake.

Is that correct?

I believe that to be the case. I have no idea how people are getting both tracks checked as default, but it is not something that can be set in HB (at least as far as I am aware of). I think Diode's explanation is a likely one. When I first started using Subler, I did the same thing (check both tracks so they would be "included" in the file processing).

[Toeside]

Originally Posted by mic j

I believe that to be the case. I have no idea how people are getting both tracks checked as default, but it is not something that can be set in HB (at least as far as I am aware of). I think Diode's explanation is a likely one. When I first started using Subler, I did the same thing (check both tracks so they would be "included" in the file processing).

Thanks to this thread, I now understand why none of my ripped movies have audio on my new AppleTV 3 even though they worked just fine on my 1st gen.

Like it was theorized, I misunderstood what the "enabled" checkbox option did in Subler. It was part of my workflow to check all tracks of the M4V file. Oops.

Now I'm opening each file in Subler, unchecking the surround track, and saving. Not a hard task to do, but certainly tedious and mundane.

[JMEANS]

Thanks guys for clearing the issue up as far as the culprit being Subler! Back to the drawing board to uncheck the surround tracks on a ton of files : (

It's weird that Subler would make this audio default option an option anyway. I mean ATV always will default to the surround track if there is one present right? At least in my experience it has.

Thanks Jim

[mic j]

Originally Posted by JMEANS

Thanks guys for clearing the issue up as far as the culprit being Subler! Back to the drawing board to uncheck the surround tracks on a ton of files : (

It's weird that Subler would make this audio default option an option anyway. I mean ATV always will default to the surround track if there is one present right? At least in my experience it has.

Thanks Jim

Sorry, Jim, but Subler is not the culprit. People not have a good understanding of what they are actually doing is the culprit. IMHO.

[JMEANS]

Well yes if you mean we didn't know we weren't suppose to check both audio field defaults in Subler yes. The latest ATV update called a bunch of us out lol

Unchecked a bunch of 'surround' fields last night and these files are working again through the ATV2! Annoying process, learned the hard way but Overall happy that its figured out!

[jeff92k7]

Two questions:

Has anyone noticed if Apple TV OS 5.1.1 has gone back to the old way of playing the audio, where surround sound tracks would play even if they are both checked?

Secondly, I see references in this thread to an app that would run on Windows to automatically "uncheck" the second audio track in the itunes files. Any update on if this is available to download?

Unfortunately, I don't use Mac computers. I do use Handbrake to encode most content, but I also use xmedia recode to remux MKV files (foreign tv shows) where the video is already in h264 and doesn't need to be reencoded by going through handbrake. The problem is that these xmedia recode files come out the same way that others have mentioned above - two tracks: one is AAC stereo, the other is AC3 surround; but when played, I get no audio without doing the select, change audio track, select, change it back workaround.

I was hoping that someone had a utility that I could run on those files to "uncheck" the surround track so they could play. I want to avoid having to use handbrake for everything since re-encoding takes so much longer and reduces image quality needlessly.

Jeff

[mic j]

Originally Posted by Goyal

I have a bunch of movies (h264 +DTS 5.1) and some in (h264 + ac3 5.1) in .mkv format. I use subler to convert them to ATV2 format. Subler repacks the (h264 + ac3 5.1).mkv to (h264 + ac3 5.1).m4v just fine. I have no issues playing this on ATV2 with surround sound.

However, when I convert (h264 + DTS 5.1).mkv, with subler (using discrete channel preset in the audio), the output file is (h264 + AAC 6 channel).m4v. ATV2 can play this file just fine - but I can only hear stereo - the surround is lost even though the file has 5.1 in AAC format. Is this a limitation of ATV2 or am I missing something?

Few AVR's support AAC 6-channel. You will need to convert the DTS to AC3. Subler can't do that. Your options are: 1) convert with Handbrake, 2)use MP4Tools (v3.2.x) to change containers, or 3) find another app that will just convert the track to AC3.

[dynaflash]

Originally Posted by Goyal

However, when I convert (h264 + DTS 5.1).mkv, with subler (using discrete channel preset in the audio), the output file is (h264 + AAC 6 channel).m4v. ATV2 can play this file just fine - but I can only hear stereo - the surround is lost even though the file has 5.1 in AAC format. Is this a limitation of ATV2 or am I missing something?

correct, atv's mixdown aac 6 channel discrete to a bogus 3.0 dpl stereo track, in other words its not what you want.

And to address the above about subler and handbrake. Using the atv presets (any of them) the audio track layout is the way it is because its what the atv's expect. Then sent to subler it stays the same. Stop checking checkboxes on the audio track layout from hb in subler and you will stop having issues. There is a reason the preset is written the way it is.

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I'd also listen to Ritsuka above ... he knows an awful lot about Subler

[stiwi]

I am still not getting it. In Subler "enabled" field is to make the track / subtitle default, right? If so then why having Stereo aac checked and other than english subtitles, iTunes on 1st launch defaults to opposite values, i.e. playing surround and showing english subtitles?

My understanding is the iTunes should default to the options checked and display (turn on) default subtitles. I can't see any difference in iTunes / iPad having all audio tracks / subs "enabled" or only one from each group.

[Ritsuka]

iTunes defaults to what you set in its preferences.

[mic j]

Originally Posted by Ritsuka

iTunes defaults to what you set in its preferences.

I would like to thank you for developing such a fine app. I use it constantly.

Looked over your project home for a way to send you some cash. Couldn't find anything. Is it possible?

[Ramboxman]

Unfortunately, I don't use Mac computers. I do use Handbrake to encode most content, but I also use xmedia recode to remux MKV files (foreign tv shows) where the video is already in h264 and doesn't need to be reencoded by going through handbrake. The problem is that these xmedia recode files come out the same way that others have mentioned above - two tracks: one is AAC stereo, the other is AC3 surround; but when played, I get no audio without doing the select, change audio track, select, change it back workaround.

I was hoping that someone had a utility that I could run on those files to "uncheck" the surround track so they could play. I want to avoid having to use handbrake for everything since re-encoding takes so much longer and reduces image quality needlessly.



Just curious if their is a why of doing this on a PC, I know a Mac with Subler works but was wondering if this is possible without a using a Mac.

Thanks!

[lovelopez]

Have you gone into your Apple TV setting and turned off "digital dolby"? That worked for me.

[kmackenz]

Originally Posted by ConvertApple

SUCCESS!!! Thx for tips guys. I svn'd latest source + reinstalled vs2008 (didn't like vs2010) and got it compiled - So I now have a solution! Next comes the simple part writing the code.

It'll probably take me a week or 2 after that to get time to polish it, but then I'll release it. It's aim was the be mega-fast, require no user-intervention (beyond naming your files properly), minimal user options and to NEVER crash!

So beyond disabling track2 (or is that disabling all tracks bar track1?) are there any other maggots in the apple that might bite me in the future I should be aware of?

Curious if this application was ever published... Love to clean up my files....

[Idgit]

Originally Posted by Ramboxman

Just curious if their is a why of doing this on a PC, I know a Mac with Subler works but was wondering if this is possible without a using a Mac.

Thanks!

Check out ConvertApple's posts in this thread (starting on the first page). He seems to have made his own app for the PC to do this. Try sending him a private message.

Or try out MP4v2 (command line). Use mp4track to identify which MP4s have both audio tracks enabled and then use mp4track to disable the second audio track. But I believe you'll have to compile a version that works with Windows.

[kmackenz]

Idgit thanks for the reply. Might be new user syndrome but I don't see how to send a personal message via the forum.

I will check out those other tools as well.

[Idgit]

Click on his name in my post to view his profile. You should see a tab that says "Contact Info." That's where you'll find the "Send private message" option.

Originally Posted by kmackenz

Idgit thanks for the reply. Might be new user syndrome but I don't see how to send a personal message via the forum.