MKV AAC and AVC muxing (no transcode)

[norkle]

Have been a long time PMS user and only now discovered UMS. Am planning to convert my Blu-ray library to rips, and would prefer to use MKV instead of MP4, as MKV allows blu-ray subs to be in the stream, whereas with MP4 I must burn the subs (which I don't want). I am using Handbrake and PMS/UMS on Windows. I can Handbrake MP4 files and stream them through PMS/UMS withOUT transcoding (ie. they mux), but the same Handbrake settings with MKV output won't go through PMS/UMS without transcoding the audio to DD/AC3 5.1. This is true for Mencoder, FFMPEG, tsmuxer, AVIsynth. Using default ps3.conf.

Before discovering PMS I already posted on the PMS forums:
http://www.ps3mediaserver.org/forum/vie ... =6&t=17313

but my experimentation and the suggestion of others in the PMS forums have brought no luck.

Have used UMS 2.65 and 3.0-a5 and same results.

So in summary, Handbrake-created MP4's stream AAC+AVC fine through UMS to PS3 (I have Common Transcode settings/Misc/Skip transcoding set to MP4,M4v), but MKV's transcode AAC to DD/AC3 (can't include MKV in the skip list, PS3 won't play it).

Haven't included a debug/log because the problem reproduces on all decoders, but if someone feels it necessary let me know and I will post.

Sample MKVs:
http://www.auby.no/files/video_tests/
Harry Potter (mkv aac+h264)
Shrinkage 2 (mkv aac h264)
Note: 'Shrinkage' mp4 plays without transcoding

[DeFlanko]

Have been a long time PMS user and only now discovered UMS. Am planning to convert my Blu-ray library to rips, and would prefer to use MKV instead of MP4, as MKV allows blu-ray subs to be in the stream, whereas with MP4 I must burn the subs (which I don't want). I am using Handbrake and PMS/UMS on Windows. I can Handbrake MP4 files and stream them through PMS/UMS withOUT transcoding (ie. they mux), but the same Handbrake settings with MKV output won't go through PMS/UMS without transcoding the audio to DD/AC3 5.1. This is true for Mencoder, FFMPEG, tsmuxer, AVIsynth. Using default ps3.conf.

Before discovering PMS I already posted on the PMS forums:
http://www.ps3mediaserver.org/forum/vie ... =6&t=17313

but my experimentation and the suggestion of others in the PMS forums have brought no luck.

Have used UMS 2.65 and 3.0-a5 and same results.

So in summary, Handbrake-created MP4's stream AAC+AVC fine through UMS to PS3 (I have Common Transcode settings/Misc/Skip transcoding set to MP4,M4v), but MKV's transcode AAC to DD/AC3 (can't include MKV in the skip list, PS3 won't play it).

Haven't included a debug/log because the problem reproduces on all decoders, but if someone feels it necessary let me know and I will post.

Sample MKVs:
http://www.auby.no/files/video_tests/
Harry Potter (mkv aac+h264)
Shrinkage 2 (mkv aac h264)
Note: 'Shrinkage' mp4 plays without transcoding

Untrue, i use DVDFab with Blu-ripper plus, and my h264.mp4.aac profile have the subtitles embedded as like a stream your looking for and not "burned in" as like a permanent overlay. Also its able to embed the multiple audio streams like HD-DTS 7.1, 5.1, and 2.1 stereo, as well as the "other languages" the movie may offer.

Highly recommend DVDfab with blu-ripper plus sir... no need for handbrake...

[norkle]

Highly recommend DVDfab with blu-ripper plus sir... no need for handbrake...

Sweet, good tip. I'll take a look at DVDfab.

All the same, does anyone use UMS to play MKV's without transcoding?

[Wolfgan]

All the same, does anyone use UMS to play MKV's without transcoding?

I do. My fileserver is just that, and most DLNA clients are more than capable of processing video (ie rescaling) for many of most commonly used codecs, so I try to use remuxing w/wo audio transcoding as much as I can (my server doesn't have CPU power for video transcoding anyways)
Wolf.

[norkle]

Untrue, i use DVDFab with Blu-ripper plus, and my h264.mp4.aac profile have the subtitles embedded as like a stream your looking for and not "burned in" as like a permanent overlay. Also its able to embed the multiple audio streams like HD-DTS 7.1, 5.1, and 2.1 stereo, as well as the "other languages" the movie may offer.

Highly recommend DVDfab with blu-ripper plus sir... no need for handbrake...

Ok, am trying DVDFab.

1. If I try the Ripper using mp4.passthrough it fails with the error 'Process Failed'.
2. If I Rip to mkv.passthrough, it allows multiple audio and subtitles streams, but insists on making idx+sub external subs.
3. If I then attempt to Convert the MKV with mp4.h264.aac it only allows 1 audio track and .srt/smi/ass/ssa subs (not the external subs from 2. above).
4. [EDIT] If I try the Ripper using mp4.h264.aac to 720P/AAC-5.1-512kbps/EXT Subs, I can only include 1 audio track.

Perhaps I'm missing something with DVDFab. Can you advise process to use DVDFab to Rip Bluray to MP4 with multiple audio and subtitles streams?

DVDFab also seems to be limited to 512kbps AAC audio - is that true?

[norkle]

I do. My fileserver is just that, and most DLNA clients are more than capable of processing video (ie rescaling) for many of most commonly used codecs, so I try to use remuxing w/wo audio transcoding as much as I can (my server doesn't have CPU power for video transcoding anyways)
Wolf.

Can you advise what I need to do to achieve that with MKV? I only seem to be able to do it with MP4.

[DeFlanko]

Here is how i have DVDFab setup:












There is TONS of formats to choose from and 3d formats...

This is just the setup i have set and i have yet to really have an issue.

My average Movie rip is about 4 GB... I chose MP4 becasue for a while there MKV gave me a bad taste... MP4 just seams more dignified... and h264... thats a hell of a container...

[DeFlanko]

I considered buying the Video Converter... but i haven't found a true need for it yet, to outweigh the cost, my server can rip a blu-ray in 2-3 hours.... sooooooo.... for me its best to just re-rip the movie in a better format.

Some Good Reads on Containers... (only cause i wanted to refresh my self)
h264 and MKV Explained
LifeHacker: what's the difference?

Something else to think about... The Media Industry... Like TV/Sat Broadcasting, the Movie Industry, Youtube... etc.. they seem to favor the h264 container. the Motion Pictures Experts Group formed by ISO and IEC are the baseline for setting standards... which is good because the more we use a standard the easier it is to use universally. MKV is very "opensourcy" , we still try to use it, but its not held by "standards".

and h265... is what looks like its going to be very promesing for 4K...

[norkle]

Here is how i have DVDFab setup:

Many thanks - that is very specific. However if I use those settings, it will only let me include a single audio track with multiple subtitles. I'd like to be able to use multiple audio tracks and multiple subtitles. Is there a way to do that?

[DeFlanko]

No, all the audio tracks are still embedded and are available for selection, i'm using VLC to demonstrate this.


as well as multiple Subtitle tracks are embedded... i have no use for other languages nor subtitles, but i embed them anyways.