Stream movies to my PS3

[Poseidon79]

A blue ray mt2s file is 25+ gigs... a PS3 can only read FAT32 external hard drive format (from what I've read). FAT32 drives can't handle files larger than 4gigs. So my question is how can one stream video files to a PS3 using an external hard drive... or is this just not possible?

[deank]

The fastest way to do this is:

1) Download multiAVCHD (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1228237)
2) Load your m2ts file
3) Press multiAVCHD button
4) Copy the output folder (AVCHD) to the root of your external USB disk

As simple as this.

There is no limit how big is your input M2TS/MKV/TS file. multiAVCHD will split it to 4GiB chunks and you can have your 40GiB bluray backup transfered to external USB disk and played on PS3.

[Poseidon79]

Sweet deal... I'll test tonight when I get home :). Ultimately I think it's going to be cheaper to buy multiple TB drives and store movies on them to stream to the PS3. This come out to be about $3 a movie whereas blue ray media is up around $5 a disk and has the potential for damage. When I create the multiAVCHD file will it retail full 1080 resolution and the uncompressed HD audio?

[deank]

Yes, it will not reencode your video or audio. I hope you are using it for files from bluray discs you own!

[Poseidon79]

Yes I own the disks I am backing up. I want to have a full digital back-up of all my blue-ray and DVD movies. After reading through your entire guide I am a bit hazy on a couple details. After I rip the movie do I need to use tsmuxer first to create the mt2s file or is this built into the multiAVCHD program? (I see the tsmuxer tab but no where to select main movie) I only want the mail movie file which I can identify with eac3to if needed. Now... when I'm ready to output the file I assume it's going to create multiple 4GB files within a folder. Can the destination be the FAT32 drive or do I have to create it on my PC then transfer them over to the external? Last question.... after it's on the external and I plug into the PS3... will it just see a single movie file and then play seamlessly?

[deank]

You will have to use your movie m2ts file. Usually it is the largest file in your BDMV\STREAM folder.

You don't need to do anything else.

Yes, you can tell multiAVCHD to use as Destination folder the root of your USB drive. It will create AVCHD folder there.

Once you plug your usb disc to PS3 - go to Video and open your drive. You will see AVCHD. Open it with 'X' button and movie will play.

[Poseidon79]

Thanks for all your help. The largest file in the stream folder is usually the main movie file but don't some blue-ray disks try and "trick" you into splitting up the file and therefore I would have to use eac3to to select the correct playlist file to import into tsmuxer rather than just relying solely on the stream file?

[deank]

This is true. If you want a full backup of your BD - use BD-RB (BD Rebuilder).

[Poseidon79]

So if I don't want the full backup.. just the main movie then I don't ever have to worry about the playlist file displayed by eac3to? It's always just going to be the largest file in the stream folder?

[deank]

In most cases it is. Play the file yourself and if it is what you need - go :)

[Poseidon79]

I just read the AVCHD Manager guide and now I'm thoroughly confused. His guide doesn't use your program... it uses tsmuxer to create a blue-ray disc file structure with 4GB splits. Instructions from this thread says to use txmuxer first on the main movie file.. then use the output file and load the m2ts into multiAVCHD and let this do the work. Additionally his guide reports that tsmuxer messes up true HD audio and I have to uncompress with eac3to and then mux this file in with the video (which I have no clue how to do). Can you please help clear up some of this? My ultimate goal is to gave a 2TB drive with multiple AVCHD's on it with true HD audio.

It looks like multiAVCHD converts all audio to AC3 no matter what... correct? I opened up the eac3to GUI and have absolutely no clue what options to check to output what I want. I may just settle for AC3 audio with HD video until the process gets to be a bit more automated.

[deank]

You ask too many questions instead of following directions. Do what you like.

And you obviously read a lot, but didn't understand nor care what thread authors wrote for users like you.

1) Check again what AVCHD Manager is to be used for
2) Read again all posts in this (your own) thread
3) Read what multiAVCHD can and cannot do
4) Just try to TEST at least once and then come back and ask more

[idbirch2]

I just read the AVCHD Manager guide and now....You really are getting mixed up now - the TSMuxer/AVCHDManager guide never mentions MultiAVCHD. MultiAVCHD, as the name implies, is great for creating an AVCHD structure with multiple titles e.g. a TV series. If you want to do individual movies and you are using BluRay material as your source, you are best off sticking to the basics.

TSMuxer already does 99.9% of the work for you, it outputs an AVCHD structure (well technically its a BluRay/AVCHD hybrid structure but I'm trying to keep this simple) and it lets you split the files every 4GB for FAT32/PS3 compatibility. It just bodges a couple of tiny little things which an app like AVCHDManager will correct for you. Please re-read the guide, following the steps using one of your own .m2ts/BD structure and it will make more sense. As Dean has already said, don't try and figure it all out from just reading, try actually doing it, it's the best way to learn. If you get stuck at a specific point, ask and you will get a much more targeted answer.

Regarding TrueHD, you will not get that working until a new version of TSMuxer comes out which fixes the bug. Until then, you will have to re-encode any TrueHD tracks to something else. The format is up to you, it can be .pcm, .dts or .ac3 but you will have to use eac3to for this and you will have to learn the ins and outs of that process by reading and experimenting. Again, if you get stuck, ask a specific qestion in the eac3to thread and someone there will undoubtably give you an answer.

[Poseidon79]

Thanks for all your help guys. I am a Moderator on an iPhone/Apple forum and learned to read... read... and read some more before asking questions. The reading just caused me to get more confused since I'm new to this. I figured out the PS3 does not play True HD audio from an mt2s file anyway so I have to down convert to AC3 no matter what. In the end what I've decided to do is save the mt2s files on an external drive formatted with NTFS connected to my PC via USB 2.0 and stream the files over the CAT6 network using TVeristy. This way I avoid 4GB issue and having to rename the folder to AVCHD everytime I want to watch a different movie.

[idbirch2]

Yes, streaming is easier if you can do without subtitles and VC-1 support. Streaming does however support 5.1 PCM which means you can losslessly decompress the TrueHD track to .pcm and stream that instead of AC3.

[Poseidon79]

After I stream the PCM to the PS3 I was under the impression that I could only output this TrueHD signal through the HDMI cable. The optical only supports AC3 from what I've read... and the movies that I've been watching from the disk itself i am only getting AC3 anyway. If this is the case I would have to replace my receiver to one that can accept HDMI.

[deank]

My receiver is Pioneer 917 and I have my PS3 connected to it with optical cable. I never had problems with AC3, DTS and TrueHD. You have to configure your Playstation3 - go to Sound settings and check all available checkboxes when you use Digital-Optical option.

[idbirch2]

After I stream the PCM to the PS3 .... The optical only supports AC3 ...I would have to replace my receiver to one that can accept HDMI.Yes, if you are going to stream 5.1 PCM, you do of course require equipment capable of playing it back. In your particular case (streaming + optical), the best sound you can achieve is AC3 so assuming you're not planning on getting a HDMI amp, continue converting everything to AC3.

My receiver is Pioneer 917 and I have my PS3 connected to it with optical cable. I never had problems with AC3, DTS and TrueHD. You have to configure your Playstation3 - go to Sound settings and check all available checkboxes when you use Digital-Optical option.He's streaming so straight away, DTS and TrueHD are out. Also, if you're using optical, your TrueHD tracks will always be stripped down to their AC3 core as optical does not support the high bitrate of TrueHD.

[deank]

I wonder how can I connect my PS3 to the TV and AV receiver with HDMI...

One HDMI PS3->AV
One HDMI AV->TV...

Probably...

...

It doesn't work :) It is just for video pass-thru.

This pioneer has 2 inputs and one output, but it won't accept audio via HDMI. I'll upgrade some day.

[idbirch2]

That's how I've done it. My amp has 3 HDMI inputs and 1 output so my PS3, 360 and SkyHD go into the amp and then a single HDMI cable to the TV.

[Poseidon79]

Ugh... so another $500+ investment in an HDMI receiver is now in the works. HAHa.