How to directly mux an DD+ audio track in a MKV container

[VincentNguyen]

I'm trying to achieve the following: mux a DD+ audio track into an MKV file.

The video portion is taken care of, but the audio portion still eludes me. The mpa file (output from EVODemux) cannot be recognized as an AC3 file.

I don't want to decompress/recompress, since it would be a lossy process.

Plus I believe that DD+ is only a high bit rate version of an AC3 track (since it can be decoded perfectly with my amplifier through SPDIF passthrough).

any pointer welcome

[Awatef]

I think we had such a question a few weeks ago.
At first, I thought the same thing you thought, but it seems like it's not the case. Afaik, there is no way to mux it in mkv, nor is there any DS filter capable of playing it back.

[Revgen]

You can mux it using the latest beta of MKVToolnix and use orbitlee's AC3/DTS/DD+ directshow source filter. Unfortunately, the sound is never in sync even if you try to make it so using MKVToolnix's "delay" function. Their is currently no tool that can cut or delay DD+ audio that is open-source.

[VincentNguyen]

Actually, I found a way to have perfectly synced audio and video

- use gdsmux to demultiplex the HD-DVD EVO files to mkv. Since main feature is divided into two files, you need to repeat that step twice, once for each file
- use AVIMux to merge the two

The resulting file is an MKV container with the VC1 video track and the DD+ audio track, perfectly in sync.

For some reason MKVMerge does not keep the sync, no idea why

No the issue is that only SonicDecoder can play this back, and it cannot passthrough it through SPDIF, which is a pain.

I could not find Orbitlee filter for testing

AC3Filter cannot decode or passthrough it either unfortunately

[ACrowley]

Actually, I found a way to have perfectly synced audio and video

- use gdsmux to demultiplex the HD-DVD EVO files to mkv. Since main feature is divided into two files, you need to repeat that step twice, once for each file
- use AVIMux to merge the two

The resulting file is an MKV container with the VC1 video track and the DD+ audio track, perfectly in sync.

For some reason MKVMerge does not keep the sync, no idea why

No the issue is that only SonicDecoder can play this back, and it cannot passthrough it through SPDIF, which is a pain.

I could not find Orbitlee filter for testing

AC3Filter cannot decode or passthrough it either unfortunately


AC3 Filter encodes the DD+ Output from Nero/Sonic4.2 to AC3640kbps 5.1 on the fly with no Problmes
Just add AC3 Filter behind Son ic/Nero in the decoding chain.
Sound great with not to much Quality loss

[The_Keymaker]

ACrowley is correct. AC3 Filter encodes the DD+ Output from Nero/Sonic4.2 to AC3640kbps 5.1 on the fly with no problems.

However on my system (SPDIF out to Krell Processor to Pass Labs amps to B&W Nautilus 802 speakers) I can easily tell there is a quality loss. Usually less clarity and less bass (LFE) articulation.

I get around this by opening the Nero Audio Decoder 2 filter properties and clicking the SPDIF option, bypassing AC3Filter altogether. Unfortunately I have to do this every time I start a movie and there is no way to do this automatically (Nero Audio Decoder 2 will not retain the SPDIF setting).

The_Keymaker

[arty]

sonic decoder applies constant DRC to the output as I know :(
this you will get quality loss
the ac3 encoder is not the best quality in ffdshow
you will loose quality again

not the best solution imho :(