Audio playback problem in final DVD

[KCE]

WIN XP SP3
The FilmMachine 1.6.1.
AC3Filter 1.63b
Haali 1.9.42.1
ffdshow tryouts revision 1909

I've been getting some playback problems. I've noticed with a file that has AAC LC stereo I have playback problems whereas a file that has AAC LC 5.1 has no playback problems when converted to stereo output. It playsback fine on the computer but not on standalone players (which is more important to me). On the standalone player, the video plays smoothly but the audio seems to drop. I've tried this with different files and the same result so its not that the movie files are corrupt. After many tests, I've also ruled out other possibilities such as an error in the burning process or defective dvd-r media and found the problem within the audio conversion process. I've noticed with the 5.1 audio it uses a different process with two ffdshow instances (and other processes) whereas the stereo uses one ffdshow instance outputting to SPDIF (and other processes).

Both are MP4 files with H264/AAC LC audio.

Terminator Salvation (5.1)

Format : MPEG-4 at 2 557 Kbps
Length : 2 GiB for 1h 57mn 31s 114ms

Video #0 : AVC at 2 110 Kbps
Aspect : 1280 x 544 (2.353) at 23.976 fps

Audio #0 : AAC at 444 Kbps
Infos : 6 channels, 48.0 KHz

Role Models (Stereo)

Format : MPEG-4 at 969 Kbps
Length : 701 MiB for 1h 41mn 9s 440ms

Video #0 : AVC at 845 Kbps
Aspect : 720 x 368 (1.957) at 23.976 fps

Audio #0 : AAC at 121 Kbps
Infos : 2 channels, 48.0 KHz

For now I'm going to try a workaround similar to here using another tool to encode the audio. Would your TFM Audio Tool work?

BTW, thanks for this great tool. While I'm at it, I might as well add some suggestions:

• Audio tracks - In part 2 of the wizard, choose which audio tracks to keep and individual process settings for each track.
• FadeIN(50) - what's this for? Based on what I could find it's for if AC3 tracks aren't proper encoded in the begging. I find myself removing this line as my movies are fine. Add option in settings or make this automaticlly detected?
• More advanced HC settings - AQ, Scene change, DC precision; also ability to have these settings for each session instead of a global default
• More advanced audio settings - I think you're already working on this...downmix/upmix matrices, user-specified audio boost dB
• Options - Default Encoders - In the options menu, add a setting for default encoders so you don't have to keep setting it for each session.
• Batch mode - I think you're already working on this too...this would be sweet!

EDIT:
Also how come you don't just use the mixer filter in ffdshow instead of AC3Filter?

I'm going to try reinstalling ffdshow (update) and AC3Filter...maybe I touched one of the settings. doh

[KCE]

Okay, the problem is with the multiplexing and/or authoring process, even though the log doesn't show any errors. I used the same video and audio files encoded through TFM and used muxman to multiplex them and author the dvd (muxman produced VOBS/IFO). Burned them and the DVD played flawlessly.

I also noticed this problem only happened when I dropped the audio bitrate below 224 kbps to 192 kpbs (trying to maximize video bitrate).

I'm guessing my problem is similar to here:
http://www.videohelp.com/forum/archi...e-t338382.html

Muxman is free so maybe add the option of using muxman instead of mplex. Also they mention BatchMux regarding batch processing and command line stuff. I haven't test imago multiplexer.

EDIT:
Okay, I just tried Ifoedit(0.971) to author the DVDs and works well also. It would be easier to implement than muxman.

[The_Mask]

WIN XP SP3
The FilmMachine 1.6.1.
AC3Filter 1.63b
Haali 1.9.42.1
ffdshow tryouts revision 1909

I've been getting some playback problems. I've noticed with a file that has AAC LC stereo I have playback problems whereas a file that has AAC LC 5.1 has no playback problems when converted to stereo output. It playsback fine on the computer but not on standalone players (which is more important to me). On the standalone player, the video plays smoothly but the audio seems to drop. I've tried this with different files and the same result so its not that the movie files are corrupt. After many tests, I've also ruled out other possibilities such as an error in the burning process or defective dvd-r media and found the problem within the audio conversion process. I've noticed with the 5.1 audio it uses a different process with two ffdshow instances (and other processes) whereas the stereo uses one ffdshow instance outputting to SPDIF (and other processes).

Both are MP4 files with H264/AAC LC audio.

Terminator Salvation (5.1)


Role Models (Stereo)


For now I'm going to try a workaround similar to here using another tool to encode the audio. Would your TFM Audio Tool work?



BTW, thanks for this great tool. While I'm at it, I might as well add some suggestions:

• Audio tracks - In part 2 of the wizard, choose which audio tracks to keep and individual process settings for each track.
• FadeIN(50) - what's this for? Based on what I could find it's for if AC3 tracks aren't proper encoded in the begging. I find myself removing this line as my movies are fine. Add option in settings or make this automaticlly detected?
• More advanced HC settings - AQ, Scene change, DC precision; also ability to have these settings for each session instead of a global default
• More advanced audio settings - I think you're already working on this...downmix/upmix matrices, user-specified audio boost dB
• Options - Default Encoders - In the options menu, add a setting for default encoders so you don't have to keep setting it for each session.
• Batch mode - I think you're already working on this too...this would be sweet!

EDIT:
Also how come you don't just use the mixer filter in ffdshow instead of AC3Filter?

I'm going to try reinstalling ffdshow (update) and AC3Filter...maybe I touched one of the settings. doh

So your problem exists only with 2.0 AAC audio and not for AC3, MP3 audio?

Yes, you could try TFM Audio Tool for the audio processing. The conversion procedures are fully rewritten and improved. This is also what will be implemented in TFM 2. TFM Audio Tool is a test version of the audio conversion dll I have build for TFM 2.

As for your suggestions:

• Audio tracks - In part 2 of the wizard, choose which audio tracks to keep and individual process settings for each track. --> This will be in TFM 2.0.
• FadeIN(50) - what's this for? Based on what I could find it's for if AC3 tracks aren't proper encoded in the begging. I find myself removing this line as my movies are fine. Add option in settings or make this automaticlly detected? --> This is because some old codecs (divx and xvid) gave a green screen for the first frames. That is why fadein is used to not showing that.
• More advanced HC settings - AQ, Scene change, DC precision; also ability to have these settings for each session instead of a global default --> This will be in TFM 2.0 and also x264 MKV or MP4 encoding and maybe even AVCHD.
• More advanced audio settings - I think you're already working on this...downmix/upmix matrices, user-specified audio boost dB --> yep this is in TFM Audio Tool and will also be in TFM 2
• Options - Default Encoders - In the options menu, add a setting for default encoders so you don't have to keep setting it for each session. --> This will be in TFM 2.0.
• Batch mode - I think you're already working on this too...this would be sweet! --> This will be in TFM 2.0.

[The_Mask]

Okay, the problem is with the multiplexing and/or authoring process, even though the log doesn't show any errors. I used the same video and audio files encoded through TFM and used muxman to multiplex them and author the dvd (muxman produced VOBS/IFO). Burned them and the DVD played flawlessly.

I also noticed this problem only happened when I dropped the audio bitrate below 224 kbps to 192 kpbs (trying to maximize video bitrate).

I'm guessing my problem is similar to here:
Multiplexer, any good out there? - VideoHelp.com

Muxman is free so maybe add the option of using muxman instead of mplex. Also they mention BatchMux regarding batch processing and command line stuff. I haven't test imago multiplexer.

EDIT:
Okay, I just tried Ifoedit(0.971) to author the DVDs and works well also. It would be easier to implement than muxman.

So it is only when the audio kbps is lower then 224?
Could you check if it is Mplex (multiplexing to mpg) or DVDAuthor (creating VOBS and IFO's) that is the problem?

I would like to use DVDAuthor in the next release because you can create dvd menu's more easier then MuxMan. With IFOEdit you can't create menu's and it is very old and not supported anymore.

If it is DVDAuthor you could try the new build of DVDAuthor (I hope TFM supports it, not tested it with TFM 1.6.1). You can get it from here.

Also you can try Mplex from commandline and change some settings to see if it fixes something. Just run mplex -? on the commandline to see the options.

[KCE]

Alright. I have a feeling its not muxman but dvdauthor causing problems since muxman doesn't show any underrun problems. I'm getting an error with the new dvdauthor - pthreadGC2.dll missing.

EDIT:
Found it @ http://sourceware.mirrors.tds.net/pu...pthreadGC2.dll

Oh yea, another suggestion for calculating resizing is to implement FitCD. It could allow the user more advanced resizing options with overscanning, aspect ratio, etc. This program is just like FitCD or even better. The source code is available:
PARanoia - Doom9's Forum

EDIT2:

Okay, getting an error:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 1/18/2010 7:20:15 PM
- MP4 to DVD recovery conversion
- The FilmMachine version 1.6.1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initializing.

Computer Info
CPU name : Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU 5120 @ 1.86GHz
Available memory: 2.00 GB
Windows version : Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3
Initializing finished.

DirectX Version = 9.0c

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 1/18/2010 7:20:23 PM
- Free on drive C: 64.39 GB
- Creating DVD compliant files
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mplex is multiplexing the video and audio stream of file 1 .....
INFO: [Mplex.exe] Scanned to end AU 143642
INFO: [Mplex.exe] STREAM e0 completed
INFO: [Mplex.exe] STREAM bd completed
INFO: [Mplex.exe] Multiplex completion at SCR=539151067.
INFO: [Mplex.exe] Video e0: completed
INFO: [Mplex.exe] Audio bd: completed
INFO: [Mplex.exe] VIDEO_STATISTICS: e0
INFO: [Mplex.exe] Video Stream length: 4451943113 bytes
INFO: [Mplex.exe] Sequence headers: 12751
INFO: [Mplex.exe] Sequence ends : 1
INFO: [Mplex.exe] No. Pictures : 143643
INFO: [Mplex.exe] No. Groups : 12751
INFO: [Mplex.exe] No. I Frames : 12751 avg. size 69640 bytes
INFO: [Mplex.exe] No. P Frames : 50562 avg. size 42023 bytes
INFO: [Mplex.exe] No. B Frames : 80330 avg. size 17915 bytes
INFO: [Mplex.exe] Average bit-rate : 5944800 bits/sec
INFO: [Mplex.exe] Peak bit-rate : 9914400 bits/sec
INFO: [Mplex.exe] BUFFERING min 15 Buf max 224080
INFO: [Mplex.exe] AUDIO_STATISTICS: bd
INFO: [Mplex.exe] Audio stream length 143786496 bytes.
INFO: [Mplex.exe] Frames : 187222
INFO: [Mplex.exe] BUFFERING min 67 Buf max 11875
INFO: [Mplex.exe] MUX STATUS: no under-runs detected.
Multiplexing finished.

DVDAuthor is writing the VOB files.....
DVDAuthor::dvdauthor, version 0.6.17-TFM-1.
Build options: gnugetopt iconv
Send bugs to <thefilmmachine@home.nl>

C:\Program Files\The FilmMachine\DVDAuthor\dvdauthor.exe: invalid option -- r
ERR: getopt returned bad code 63

Writing VOB files finished.

Finished authoring DVD

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 1/18/2010 7:25:46 PM
- Free on drive C: 60.03 GB
- DVD creation finished!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think the -r option was removed in the new version.

I'm being lazy but I'll do it CLI. lol

[KCE]

It's still stuttering.
I'm playing this on my old PS2, reason being that I need it to be able to play on most DVD players. If it can play on my PS2 then it can probably play on others.

Are there any betas or other versions for mplex?

The profile used with mplex is -f 8 right?

:\Program Files\The FilmMachine\DVDAuthor>dvdauthor -x "C:\Program Files\The F
lmMachine\Output\TFM_DVD_Script.xml"
DVDAuthor::dvdauthor, version 0.6.17-TFM-1.
Build options: gnugetopt iconv
Send bugs to <thefilmmachine@home.nl>

INFO: dvdauthor creating VTS
STAT: Picking VTS 01

STAT: Processing C:\PROGRA~1\THEFIL~1\Output\TFM_Muxed_Video1.mpg.. .
STAT: VOBU 12736 at 4468MB, 1 PGCs
INFO: Video pts = 0.133 .. 5991.251
INFO: Audio[0] pts = 0.133 .. 5991.237
STAT: VOBU 12751 at 4470MB, 1 PGCs
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 0.000
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 149.115
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 298.881
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 448.865
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 599.065
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 748.831
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 898.814
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 1049.181
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 1198.947
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 1349.181
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 1499.164
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 1648.813
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 1799.214
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 1949.113
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 2098.930
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 2248.913
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 2399.113
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 2549.096
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 2698.829
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 2848.812
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 2999.046
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 3149.062
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 3299.045
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 3449.245
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 3598.845
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 3748.795
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 3899.061
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 4049.011
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 4198.861
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 4348.977
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 4499.244
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 4649.027
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 4799.010
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 4948.827
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 5098.843
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 5248.876
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 5398.860
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 5548.793
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 5699.193
CHAPTERS: VTS[1/1] 5848.893
INFO: Generating VTS with the following video attributes:
INFO: MPEG version: mpeg2
INFO: TV standard: ntsc
INFO: Aspect ratio: 16:9
INFO: Resolution: 720x480
INFO: Audio ch 0 format: ac3/2ch, 48khz drc, 'en'

STAT: fixed 12751 VOBUS
INFO: dvdauthor creating table of contents
INFO: Scanning C:\PROGRA~1\THEFIL~1\Output\DVD/VIDEO_TS/VTS_01_0.IFO

Okay what I have concluded is that dvdauthor can't handle very high bitrate close to 9000 and above. For now I'm using MuxMan.

BTW, here's the latest batchmux and some more info on it:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=116297

Also FAVC uses it so you can also check how it's used there in the log files.

[The_Mask]

Alright. I have a feeling its not muxman but dvdauthor causing problems since muxman doesn't show any underrun problems. I'm getting an error with the new dvdauthor - pthreadGC2.dll missing.

EDIT:
Found it @ http://sourceware.mirrors.tds.net/pu...pthreadGC2.dll

Oh yea, another suggestion for calculating resizing is to implement FitCD. It could allow the user more advanced resizing options with overscanning, aspect ratio, etc. This program is just like FitCD or even better. The source code is available:
PARanoia - Doom9's Forum

EDIT2:

Okay, getting an error:


I think the -r option was removed in the new version.

I'm being lazy but I'll do it CLI. lol

I will take a look at Paranoia and see if I can implement something of it in TFM 2

[The_Mask]

It's still stuttering.
I'm playing this on my old PS2, reason being that I need it to be able to play on most DVD players. If it can play on my PS2 then it can probably play on others.

Are there any betas or other versions for mplex?

The profile used with mplex is -f 8 right?



Okay what I have concluded is that dvdauthor can't handle very high bitrate close to 9000 and above. For now I'm using MuxMan.

BTW, here's the latest batchmux and some more info on it:
BatchMux release 1.3 - a C/L Interface for MuxMan - Doom9's Forum

Also FAVC uses it so you can also check how it's used there in the log files.

So DVDAuthor is the problem. Does this happen often or only with this file with the high bitrate?

I will take a look at muxman and batchremux for TFM 2 when I am at the stage of implementing authoring.

Thanks.

[kingofdevils]

Hi
MuxMan 0.16.6 (free version of muxman) not support srt,txt format for subtitles, so it's better dvdauthor for me.
There's an interested package of dvdauthor GUI:

GUI for dvdauthor/MuxMan (Version 1.07)

GUIforDvdauthor normal setup (5.2MB; dvdauthor + MuxMan included, GDI+ and VB Runtime necessary)
GUIforDvdauthor full install (7.3MB - incl. VB-runtime, dvdauthor, MuxMan and GDI+)
GUIforDvdauthor EXE (and help) only (2.9MB; VB Runtime, GDI+, dvdauthor windows binaries and MuxMan necessary)

They are all free version.

[The_Mask]

Yes I know. I have good contacts with the author of that package so maybe you will see someting from it back in TFM 2

[KCE]

That's good to hear. Hopefully they can improve it some more. I'm not trying to be ungrateful, I mean it's all free open-source software they program on their own time, but it's interesting that since the DVD format came out in 1995 (15 years ago), it's still being developed, at least from our end.