ffmpeg's DTS not playing on hardware decoders

[VA1DER]

I am having trouble getting any DTS (DCA) 5.1 track created in ffmpeg to decode properly on my hardware decoders. My two main AVRs are older JVC units that play back a loud buzz over top of any audio.

Interestingly, an old version of ffdcaenc will produce usable output, but ffmpeg's mkv muxer also doesn't much like using external tracks in many cases. I can get around the issues, but it complicates my workflow greatly to have to insert ffdcaenc and MKV Toolnix/mkvmerge into the mix.

I know that ffmpeg uses dcaenc's library for its dts/dca encoding. So I don't see why ffdcaenc can encode a track that will work while ffmpeg can't.

Does anyone know how to coax ffmpeg's dca encodes to tow the line a little better?

[tebasuna51]

I see that problem longtime ago, but no one is interested in modifying ffmpeg for an obsolete codec like DTS.
It's better to use AC3, which has better compatibility and quality/size than DTS.
The current use of DTS seems like an attempt to pass off edited audio as original; I don't see any other justification for it.

[microchip8]

I have the same issue. Encoded DTS by ffmpeg gets decoded by my AVR with a loud buzz.

No, DTS is not obsolete. And I find it sounds better than AC3/EAC3. Granted, the AC3/EAC3 encoder in ffmpeg is not best of all. DTS sounds more spacious to me. I don't really care for the a bit higher bitrate. You can't really compare DTS and AC3 1-on-1.

[VA1DER]

DTS isn't my first choice. For some critical titles that come in TrueHD (which my older JVC AVRs don't support) where I want to preserve quality, I will re-roll them as DTS @ 1509.75kbps.

I find DTS is superior to AC3 at anything over about 1100kbps.

That said, I don't want to start a DTS vs AC3 discussion. Just hoping there is some setting hidden in ffmpeg somewhere that will help.

[microchip8]

DTS encoder in ffmpeg is very experimental, that's why you need to use the -strict option to enable it. There are no hidden options that can "fix" it. Some coder with knowledge needs to have a look at it.

[tebasuna51]

... DTS sounds more spacious to me...

What is this?

Sorry, I couldn't resist...

We're not really going to argue about it. For the record, I say it was a better quality-to-size ratio.
We're not going to compare a 1500 bitrate to a 448 bitrate like the tracks on old DVDs.

But maybe yes with a 640 DD+ and with a AAC CVBR 448 (average, go over 1000 Kb/s when needed)
Remember disable the DRC for DD in AVR's to recover the original (maybe more spacious) dynamic range.
A old multichannel test:

[huhn]

DTS isn't my first choice. For some critical titles that come in TrueHD (which my older JVC AVRs don't support) where I want to preserve quality, I will re-roll them as DTS @ 1509.75kbps.

I find DTS is superior to AC3 at anything over about 1100kbps.

That said, I don't want to start a DTS vs AC3 discussion. Just hoping there is some setting hidden in ffmpeg somewhere that will help.

how about LPCM or flac that get's deflate compressed by mkv container?
there is a real chance it is actually smaller and lossless.

or is his some spdif stuff?