Playing MPEG-2/DTS muxed MPEG files & Video files playlists

[jmone]

FYI some backgroud on the MPEG/DTS Format as it really is not that strange is identical to DVD. I actually own these DVD's and thought it would be cool to break them up into tracks onto the HDD like you do CDs so you can do playlists, skip the crap ones etc. I simply used DVD Decrypter to rip the DVD by Chapter selecting the audio stream I wanted (normally a choice between a digital 5.1 format (DD or DTS) and PCM). As I've got a good 5.1 system, I've been ripping these DVD's in what ever 5.1 format is on the disk (ether DD or DTS). Once DVD Decrypter has droped these on the HDD all I have to do is rename them from Chapter_XX.VOB to TITLE.MPG and I had a folder containing each track as an indivual file. This process does NOT convert/transcode either the video or audio track - it is a perfect copy of each chapter but as individual files.

The playing of these files was fine using Showtime / Nero Home (but this prog is not as good at MP IMHO) regardless of if the audio was PCM/DD/DTS. It seems that MP & WMP is fine with a MPEG/PCM or MPEG/DD combo but not MEPG/DTS for some reason. I know that my setup can play them so I am assuming it is some form of logic error that prevents the audio track from being recognised correctly.

FYI for those interested, http://www.savefile.com/files/50512 is an example file (Note: it is 38MB and the video is just a static image but the sound tracks is DTS)

Lyxalig / scoop I'll look at your segestions after the next chaper of Lord of the Rings playing DTS perfectly from DVD using Media Portal!

Thanks
Nathan

[mPod]

FYI: I closed the other thread, let's continue here. (Crossposting is not allowed anyway here.) Also I renamed the thread to something more descriptive.

I just checked your file and the problem is the Microsoft demuxer used by both, WMP & MediaPortal. That demuxer does not support those files muxed this way. As you can only use Microsoft's muxer in MP/WMP you're lost there for now. As said, this combination is only defined for DVD, not for MPEG files. That's the problem about it.

I'm afraid there's nothing you can do about it. Or anyone has a different suggestion/idea?

[mPod]

See the problem in the attached images...

[jmone]

Ahhhhhhhh I think that I need to call the anti DTS discrimination police!

Hi mPod - I'm not sure what the problem is in the attached image (as I don't know what I'm looking for?!?).

FYI - I just re-ripped my Queen Greatest Video Hits 1 (tragic I know) by chapter. I only had the choice of 2Ch PCM or 5.1 DTS sound tracks and selected the DTS track. I can now highlight all these files in Windows Explorer, right click and play with Nero Show Time - perfect DTS & Navigation! But unfortunatly the same result in MP - I see the video and no sound so it looks like my choices are:
1) stick with Nero Media Home (please no!)
2) find some way to get the logic in the Microsoft demuxer to accept a DTS audio stream from a file instead of just a DVD (the best option by far)
3) covert the MPEG/DTS5.1 to MPEG/DD5.1 in some easy one click prog
4) find the best integrated external player for video that is OK with MPEG/DTS and will play all of a play list not just the first file! (least preferable)
5) give up, get rid of the PC and get myself and 8-Track player (at this stage the wife is keen on this as she thinks I've lost my mind).

I must admit I just don't get it - surely you must be able to play your own Music Vids from the HDD regardless of the Audio track being encoded as PCM, DD, or DTS without resorting to a DVD Tower.

FYI - I've been trying to buy Music DVD's over CD's as they are they same price and you get the Video bit and often 5.1 sound - If you have not had the pleasure try the Eagles - Hell Freezes Over in DTS 5.1, just fantastic.

[mPod]

Well, quite easy to spot. For your DTS file the demuxer does not have an audio output pin. So there is no audio data delivered to the codec.

Well, you can ask Microsoft if they code a new muxer for you. We cannot change that muxer, it's part of Windows XP. If so, we'd be Microsoft developer, not open source devs.

Only way out would be using a different muxer that supports it all. But that's not that easy and will most likely not be done... At least not in near future.

[jmone]

Thanks mPod...I will not hold my breath on the M'Soft redevelopment, but would it be possible to present the file to the demuxer in such a way as that it would decode it as it was from a DVD? The demuxer obviously had the smarts to output DTS but does not like the MPEG container.

[mPod]

I think for DVD a different demuxer is being used. So I'm afraid it will be a "no" again.

...and to user the DVD demuxer you need a DVD... We're at the beginning again.

Well, the easiest way for you would be ripping your owned DVDs to an image file and let MP mount it using Daemon Tools. This way you have your chapter points, DTS and all the other stuff you have on DVD but not in a single video file... Might be an alternative way for you. (Everyone else does it like that). And if space is a concern, you might wanna use DVD shrinking/stripping tools. But those cannot be discussed here, cause you'd have to crack CSS most likely while ripping. (Legal issue) It's up to you, of course, but it cannot be discussed on this board.

[jmone]

Thanks for getting to the root of the problem MPod - Had a google around today but did not get much further:
1) Seems a few others have had the problem, but no posted solutions (there is even apparently a demo "DTS Experience" MPEG file from DTS themselves that does not play in WMP
2) Tried a few on the "one click" conversions progs to try to convert DTS to DD but at best got DD2.0 or PCM
3) I'm part of the Vista preview prog and am currently downloading RC1 - Any idea if that has the same demuxer?

Thanks
Nathan

[mPod]

Originally Posted by jmone

3) I'm part of the Vista preview prog and am currently downloading RC1 - Any idea if that has the same demuxer?

Probably a new demuxer, but hard to say what way MS decided to go. Only way to find it out is: Try it.
Latest SVN versions should run with Vista already. And if they changed their demuxer to output DTS, MP should take advantage of it automatically. Means: DTS passthrough should work in that case without MP code modifications.

[jmone]

As you say only one way to find out - but first if they havn't fixed the Soundcard driver problems of Beta 2 I'll never know anyway!