Converting DTS to AC3

[NightStorm]

I've found that Handbrake 0.9.4 often will not load up a re-muxed file containing a newly converted or altered soundtrack. It just crashes the main CLI process in Windows or says it cannot find a valid file in OSX. I've read of a lot of other people running into a similar problem with certain Blu-Ray movies and what not. I think they traced the problem to ffmpeg, but even though this issue was known in SVN builds prior to the release of 0.9.4, it was NOT fixed for 0.9.4. The odd thing is that 0.9.3 works perfectly fine with such files. I've had to use it a few times in the past few days with DTS conversions, which died in 0.9.4 but worked fine in 0.9.3. I'm glad I kept it around since they only maintain source versions of older versions of Handbrake on their site for some reason when this shows it would be a good idea to keep older binary versions around if their new versions are so obviously buggered (i.e. they knew it wasn't fixed in 0.9.4 and released it anyway, removing the older version where it worked and have had no official non-SVN updates since then).

Try the nightlies -- there have been a ton of changes that improved encoding from HDDVD/Bluray sources.

You should be used to the long "official" release window of the Handbrake project by now. Since .9.4, there have been a number of developer snapshots (one very shortly after to fix the problem you're likely referring to), and now they make nightly builds available. IMO, the significant changes and improvements made in the six months since .9.4 was released far outweigh any potential instability you might encounter (although unlikely in my experience).

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Try the nightlies -- there have been a ton of changes that improved encoding from HDDVD/Bluray sources.

You should be used to the long "official" release window of the Handbrake project by now. Since .9.4, there have been a number of developer snapshots (one very shortly after to fix the problem you're likely referring to), and now they make nightly builds available. IMO, the significant changes and improvements made in the six months since .9.4 was released far outweigh any potential instability you might encounter (although unlikely in my experience).

After finally locating them (there doesn't seem to be any obvious link on the main site), I downloaded the latest Windows builds. I tried re-encoding The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions and it crashed on me. I guess that build isn't stable here. Maybe just inputting the same buffer values from the new setting on it into 0.9.4 and 0.9.3 (assuming they will take them) will help?

 

[ryanbeljan]

[HOW TO] Convert on MAC OSX a DTS track to AC3 file at 640 kbps


http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4YGNLS8V


- Drag your audio.dts on the "DTS to AC3 convertor" icone
Warning : Don't launch "DTS to AC3 convertor" before, you have to open your dts file with the application

The conversion will be made in "invisible mode" but you can see a ac3 file on your desktop
After, click "leave on me desktop"


i only change the "main scrit " to dts ---> AC3 640 Kbps from original script :




many thanks to "CODA" the autor of "DTS to AC3 convertor" !

This looks like a great option, but how do I convert the DTS audio that is within my MKV file to AC3. I do not have the original audio.dts file to use with this converter application.

 

[tommylotto]

To each there own I guess. Learning how to do one quick command is far easier and quicker then booting windows and converting every time.

The tool I linked produces a mkv with a complete, converted AC3 file (and the original DTS file if you don't specify) with one command ("./mkvdts2ac3 <mkv file name>" is all that is needed).

It is not just one quick command. You first have to compile three libraries: mkvtoolnix, libdca, aften. Then you need to delve into terminal and follow instructions like this:

If you're unsure of what any command will do run it with the --test argument to display a list of command execute. You can also use the --debug argument which will print out the commands and wait for the user to press the return key before running each.

$ mkvdts2ac3.sh --test -d -t 3 -w /mnt/media/tmp Some.Random.Movie.mkv
mkvdts2ac3-1.0.0 - by Jake Wharton <jakewharton@gmail.com>

MKVFILE: Some.Random.Movie.mkv
DTSFILE: /mnt/media/tmp/Some.Random.Movie.dts
AC3FILE: /mnt/media/tmp/Some.Random.Movie.ac3
NEWFILE: /mnt/media/tmp/Some.Random.Movie.new.mkv

Checking to see if DTS track specified via arguments is valid
> mkvmerge -i "Some.Random.Movie.mkv" | grep "Track ID 3: audio (A_DTS)"

Extract language from selected DTS track.
> mkvinfo "Some.Random.Movie.mkv" | grep -A 12 "Track number: 3" | tail -n 1 | cut -d" " -f5

Extract DTS file from MKV.
> mkvextract tracks "Some.Random.Movie.mkv" 3:"/mnt/media/tmp/Some.Random.Movie.dts"

Converting DTS to AC3.
> dcadec -o wavall "/mnt/media/tmp/Some.Random.Movie.dts" | aften - "/mnt/media/tmp/Some.Random.Movie.ac3"

Removing temporary DTS file.
> rm -f "/mnt/media/tmp/Some.Random.Movie.dts"

Running main remux.
> mkvmerge -o "/mnt/media/tmp/Some.Random.Movie.new.mkv" "Some.Random.Movie.mkv" --default-track 0 --language 0TSLANG "/mnt/media/tmp/Some.Random.Movie.ac3"

Removing temporary AC3 file.
> rm -f "/mnt/media/tmp/Some.Random.Movie.ac3"

Copying new file over the old one.
> cp "/mnt/media/tmp/Some.Random.Movie.new.mkv" "Some.Random.Movie.mkv"

Remove working file.
> rm -f "/mnt/media/tmp/Some.Random.Movie.new.mkv"

I guess if you do not have Bootcamp or Parrallels or VMware Fusion or some other emulator running Windows you might want a Mac OS X only solution, but if you already have a version of Windows on your Mac, I'd use Popcorn until someone puts together a GUI that pulls together these tools and commands in a manner more user friendly.

 

[dynaflash]

After finally locating them (there doesn't seem to be any obvious link on the main site),

Nope, they are only posted in the forums as they are unsupported

I downloaded the latest Windows builds. I tried re-encoding The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions and it crashed on me. I guess that build isn't stable here.

Its possible, though the hb svn tries to remain stable ... depending on when the servers generate the nightlies and where the svn trunk is at it very possible that you got an unstable build ... or that the nightly has a bug.

Maybe just inputting the same buffer values from the new setting on it into 0.9.4 and 0.9.3 (assuming they will take them) will help?

Both 0.9.4 and 0.9.3 can easily take vbv settings. However they will not be the same in their results. 0.9.4 uses a much better version of libx264 so it will be the closest to using a nightlie in terms of its vbv modified output. 0.9.3 is off the map on this as its libx264 etc is sooo out of date. Ymmv.

 

[husak]

This looks like a great option, but how do I convert the DTS audio that is within my MKV file to AC3. I do not have the original audio.dts file to use with this converter application.

read my previous post i give you a solution to extact DTS from MKV posted in NMT forum by Crivelvives extract DTS from MKV in OSX

 

[marcomanso]

DTS to AC3 using open tools

Hi: a way to convert DTS to AC3 from MKV that doesn't imply converting video (nor buying tools nor running XP...) is as follows: Use ffmpeg and then Mkvtoolnix

1. FIRST use ffmpeg to extract and convert audio. You must use command line. A way to do it is:

ffmpeg -i <INPUT_video_filename> -map 0:1 -acodec ac3 -ab 320k -ac 6 <OUTPUT_audio_filename>.ac3

Some explanation:
-i refers to input file
-map refer to audio channel to convert (0:1 is the first audio channel)
-acodec refers to audio codec of the output file (ac3 is a fine one)
-ab refers to bitrate (320k is OK)
-ac refers to number of audio channels (6=5.1)

2. THEN use Mkvtoolnix: it has a graphical interface so it should be easy. Just select video file, audio file (the one you converted), set the output_filename and select 'Start muxing'

DONE.

Regards,
M.

 

[ninethirty]

Any idea how to convert a 6.1 (7 channel) DTS track to AC3? Can't get FFMPEG to work.

Hi: a way to convert DTS to AC3 from MKV that doesn't imply converting video (nor buying tools nor running XP...) is as follows: Use ffmpeg and then Mkvtoolnix

1. FIRST use ffmpeg to extract and convert audio. You must use command line. A way to do it is:

ffmpeg -i <INPUT_video_filename> -map 0:1 -acodec ac3 -ab 320k -ac 6 <OUTPUT_audio_filename>.ac3

Some explanation:
-i refers to input file
-map refer to audio channel to convert (0:1 is the first audio channel)
-acodec refers to audio codec of the output file (ac3 is a fine one)
-ab refers to bitrate (320k is OK)
-ac refers to number of audio channels (6=5.1)

2. THEN use Mkvtoolnix: it has a graphical interface so it should be easy. Just select video file, audio file (the one you converted), set the output_filename and select 'Start muxing'

DONE.

Regards,
M.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Any idea how to convert a 6.1 (7 channel) DTS track to AC3? Can't get FFMPEG to work.

Have you tried Handbrake's built-in conversion?

 

[ninethirty]

I haven't. Handbrake doesn't allow pass through of video, and we're talking about 10 gig MKV files in which the video is H.264 already. With ffmpeg I'd simply convert the audio and pass the video through. It would take 2 minutes compared to the hours it would take with Handbrake.

I can always separate the DTS stream, but I'm unaware of any mac application that can remove that 7th channel and remux the stream. Know of any?

Cheers!

Have you tried Handbrake's built-in conversion?

 

[Diode]

I haven't. Handbrake doesn't allow pass through of video, and we're talking about 10 gig MKV files in which the video is H.264 already. With ffmpeg I'd simply convert the audio and pass the video through. It would take 2 minutes compared to the hours it would take with Handbrake.

I can always separate the DTS stream, but I'm unaware of any mac application that can remove that 7th channel and remux the stream. Know of any?

Cheers!

mkvdts2ac3 handles 7 channel dts. A little work to setup but nice once it is.