Staff/StreamFab/Programmer - Please fix Amazon CBR Audio

Mike_M

StreamFab Staff,

Please forward this to the programmer/developer to fix how StreamFab handles Audio for CBR on it's Amazon downloader product.

StreamFab gets the best available audio nearly every time for CBVR (HEVC).

This is *not* the case with StreamFab CBR audio even when better audio (bitrate/# of channels/Dolby) is available via Amazon. (see attached)

This occurs on Amazon Prime Movies, TV Shows, Addon Channels and purchased movies.

Amazon is my number one goto streaming service and it's frustrating to have to compare files in order to get the best available download, which also includes audio quality.

Thanks!

PS: This is probably even more important considering your recent email to me about your new "aggregate search engine" that you will be coming out with. The best download option is different for different people but should also consider audio quality in it's assessment.

We plan to launch:

[B]* An aggregated search engine where you can search and compare videos from different platforms to find your best download option![/B]

- StreamFab via email to me on July 27, 2022.

Mike_M

StreamFab Staff,

Please forward this to the programmer/developer to fix how StreamFab handles Audio for CBR on it's Amazon downloader product.

StreamFab gets the best available audio nearly every time for CBVR (HEVC).[/I]
Mike_M

Some updates from today to include with yesterday's downloads.

DeadPixel

I just grab the worst quality CVBR video stream then manually mux the audio from CVBR and video from CBR.

potenial_user

I'm pretty certain that was intentional as the fact that it would do that was stated in the initial release of the feature allowing users to choose between CVBR and CNR, The audio bitrate encoding type was paired with each.

It would be nice to be able to choose the audio bitrate encoding type as a separate choice, IMO.

I know bitrate encoding type isn't the correct term, but can't remember the correct term for fixed quality vs fixed bitrate in audio.

Mike_M

I'm pretty certain that was intentional as the fact that it would do that was stated in the initial release of the feature allowing users to choose between CVBR and CNR, The audio bitrate encoding type was paired with each.

It would be nice to be able to choose the audio bitrate encoding type as a separate choice, IMO.

I know bitrate encoding type isn't the correct term, but can't remember the correct term for fixed quality vs fixed bitrate in audio.
potenial_user

Thanks for your post!

*****

I read a few previous posts from Kid Joe (re: Fixed Respecting) and Mona (H265 is usually better quality) in regards to audio quality on Amazon.

***** ⬇️

https://forum.dvdfab.cn/forum/softwa...azon-cbr-audio

Yes v4.0.1.3 has fixed respecting the H264/H265 setting for Amazon. The H265 (HEVC) files are smaller, but if I recall correctly that is because HEVC/H265 is more efficient at the same bit rates.

And so far Jolt and Without Remorse, which downloaded as H264 and 224 kb/s, 84 kHz, 2 Channel E-AC-3 (DD+) audio on 4.0.1.2, they now come down as HEVC(h265) video with 640 kb/s 48 kHz, 6 Channel (5.1), E-AC-3 (DD+) audio.

- KidJoe

https://forum.dvdfab.cn/forum/softwa...ged#post408173

Most streams with h265 video have better audio.
StreamFab downloads them, not re-encode them.

- Mona

******

To me this is a quality issue in audio and does not appear to be spelled out in any documentation on StreamFab's Amazon Downloader Module and their website.

It only says that a user has a choice of formats.

In the case StreamFab Amazon module if you choose CBR on Amazon the audio quality is diminished and you don't really have the choice of Audio options.

I kind of understand that it may be related to coding/re-encoding and only grabbing the standard offered configuration (fixed respecting?) for H264 from Amazon.

StreamFab currently takes a lot of time in downloading and processing a file and kicks off a "re-muxing" process near the end.

I don't know how difficult it would be for StreamFab to grab the best audio version and re-combine it in with the CBR/H264 format to produce a better file.

I do know that the alternate software does not *seem* to take much, if any time, in combining the best audio from Amazon into it's CBR File when it downloads these same files from Amazon Prime, subscribed channels or purchased videos.

I spent a lot of time (weeks) revisiting my movies and re-downloading what I think is the "best download option" for me.

Best for me: Good Resolution/Bitrate of Video and Audio with multi-channel/Dolby/Dolby+

I also spent time downloading files at least 3 different ways, putting them in a spreadsheet and comparing them for people to consider.

My main TV/Audio setup has a test emulation mode that emulates multi-channel from 2 channels, but it's *not* as good or enjoyable as having those aspects available in a download, especially in high action films and music offerings for artists.

Wilson.Wang

I just grab the worst quality CVBR video stream then manually mux the audio from CVBR and video from CBR.
DeadPixel

Hi all,

I know that the audio bitrate of CBR is 192 kbps/s, if we can confirm that the new video is played back well after mux from the CVBR audio and CBR video, we will consider to download CVBR audio when downloading CBR video from Amazon.

Wilson

Mike_M

Hi all,

I know that the audio bitrate of CBR is 192 kbps/s, if we can confirm that the new video is played back well after mux from the CVBR audio and CBR video, we will consider to download CVBR audio when downloading CBR video from Amazon.

Wilson
Wilson.Wang

Wilson Wang,

Thank You! for your consideration.

It will save a *lot* of work and go towards making StreamFab an even better and versatile product.

Really appreciate you looking into this.

It will be especially cool on the CBR files that are AAC stereo and have Dolby versions for the CVBR when there is a very notifiable difference in audio quality.

It doesn't just effect Amazon, but all of the other various channels and offerings including purchased videos.

Mike

DeadPixel

Hi all,

I know that the audio bitrate of CBR is 192 kbps/s, if we can confirm that the new video is played back well after mux from the CVBR audio and CBR video, we will consider to download CVBR audio when downloading CBR video from Amazon.

Wilson
Wilson.Wang

I've been muxing the two since CBR was enabled and I'm yet to see a situation where the audio was out of sync or didn't work properly.

jimc115

Hi all,

I know that the audio bitrate of CBR is 192 kbps/s, if we can confirm that the new video is played back well after mux from the CVBR audio and CBR video, we will consider to download CVBR audio when downloading CBR video from Amazon.

Wilson
Wilson.Wang

Nothing to confirm...they match and always have.

potenial_user

Thanks Wilson, that is great news! Hopefully it happens

Marty92

Wilson Wang,

Could it also be possible to see the audio format and bit rate directly before the download?

For example, AAC 128 kbit or Dolby Digital 640 kbit.

At the moment, only the approximate file size is displayed for audio.

It would be very helpful to see the exact bit rate and audio format before the download.

Mike_M

Wilson Wang,

Could it also be possible to see the audio format and bit rate directly before the download?

For example, AAC 128 kbit or Dolby Digital 640 kbit.

At the moment, only the approximate file size is displayed for audio.

It would be very helpful to see the exact bit rate and audio format before the download.
Marty92

This has been a question on my mind for a bit.

This would help a *lot* when updating stored files for quality due to lesser sound quality from previous CBR downloads.

The competition mentioned in StreamFab's recent email downloads the highest quality audio on CBR files and does what you are requesting - shows the audio quality before downloading.

Mike

Wilson.Wang

Hi,

Here is the test version for downloading the high bitrate audio file when downloading the CBR video.

streamfab_x64_5049official_2022_08_17_11_26_57_dev_version5_5d45d47f.exe

omplete name : D:\New folder\Amazon\Kill Order_1.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size : 435 MiB
Duration : 1 h 17 min
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 784 kb/s
Collection : Kill Order
Track name : Kill Order
Description : Chaos erupt when a group of armed men break into a high school classroom. They target David a quiet kid who secretly suffer from unexplained memories of a horrifying past. Tapping into a previously unknown strength David fights off his attacker and goes on the run. With his life and the lives of his loved ones in jeopardy David must master the use of his new superhuman strength and fighting skills
Recorded date : 2018
Writing application : Lavf58.76.100
Cover : Yes

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L2.2
Format settings : CABAC / 5 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames : 5 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 1 h 17 min
Bit rate : 137 kb/s
Width : 512 pixels
Height : 288 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.039
Stream size : 76.1 MiB (18%)
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709
Codec configuration box : avcC

Audio
ID : 3
Format : E-AC-3
Format/Info : Enhanced AC-3
Commercial name : Dolby Digital Plus
Codec ID : ec-3
Duration : 1 h 17 min
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 640 kb/s
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel layout : L R C LFE Ls Rs
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 355 MiB (82%)
Language : English
Service kind : Complete Main
Default : Yes
Alternate group : 1

Could it also be possible to see the audio format and bit rate directly before the download?

For example, AAC 128 kbit or Dolby Digital 640 kbit.

At the moment, only the approximate file size is displayed for audio.

It would be very helpful to see the exact bit rate and audio format before the download.

For the audio bitrate, I know that the other tool can show and choose the different audio bitrate before downloading the video, but in StreamFab, it always download the best one when downloading for EAC3 or AAC.

Wilson

Correct the Download Link

Marty92

Wilson Wang, first of all, thank you for the link to the test version.

I (live in Germany) have now tested several films and series episodes in different resolutions on Amazon Prime.

Unfortunately, each time I found that the video and audio file were downloaded correctly, but as soon as "being processed" appears, the process stops.

So there still seems to be a problem.

Please take another look and fix this error.

Mike_M

Hi,

1. Here is the test version for downloading the high bitrate audio file when downloading the CBR video.

2. For the audio bitrate, I know that the other tool can show and choose the different audio bitrate before downloading the video, but in StreamFab, it always download the best one when downloading for EAC3 or AAC.

Wilson

Correct the Download Link
Wilson.Wang

1. Updated to test/dev version and running a test of 32 previously downloaded movies from Amazon and various channels from the same sources.

Test of new version:

Finished, Video/Audio in Synch, GREAT CBR version!, 640 kb/s 6 Channel Dolby Digital Plus!:

Pet Sematary II via STARZ Channel in Amazon
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 EPIX Channel in Amazon
Time Freak MovieSphere Channel in Amazon
Hit & Run Showtime Channel in Amazon

Finished, Video/Audio in Synch, Great CBR Version!, 224 kb/s 2 Channel Dolby Digital Plus! - Same as CBVR versions:

Black Mountain Side FreeVee Channel in Amazon
Modern Vampires Showtime Channel in Amazon

Queued up - awaiting results via Amazon Prime, Channels & Purchased

Purchased The Martian 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
Purchase Spider Man - No Way Home 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
Epix My Life As a Rolling Stone (Episode 1) 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
Paramount+ Star Trek Discovery (S4E13) 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
Paramount+ Evil (S3E10) 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
Starz Ghostbusters - Afterlife 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
Showtime Dexter New Blood (S1E10) 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
Showtime Project Ithaca 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
Showtime Wakefield Series (S1E8) 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
FreeVee An American Werewolf in Paris 125 2 Channels AAC
Discovery+ Evil Lives Here (S12 Episodes 1-5) 128 2 Channels AAC
AMC+ A Discovery of Witches (S3E7) 128 2 Channels AAC
Discovery+ Ghosthunters (S13E9) 128 2 Channels AAC
Moviesphere Meatballs 128 2 Channels AAC
FreeVee Stevie Ray Vaughan 1954-1983 128 2 Channels AAC
AMC+ Needful Things 192 2 Channels AAC
AMC+ The Walking Dead (S11E16) 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
Showtime Side Effects 448 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus

Just Amazon Prime, queued up...

The Doors - When You're Strange 125 2 Channels AAC
Thirteen Lives 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
Flight 7500 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
Intensive Care 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus
Kill Order 192 6 Channels Dolby Digital Plus

2. Thanks for explanation.

One *really* good reason to list the audio first prior to downloading it is to compare them to previously downloaded versions whose audio was the best at the time, but is now being offered by a different means (Streaming service or Channel).

This happens a lot with Amazon. A movie will be offered by Amazon itself or by another Channel. There are many times that the resolution may be better for the new source (you show it) and the Audio can also be different (which you don't show).

So you'd have to download the file to see if videos you previously downloaded have better audio than the version you have.

*****

I can't upload any attachments due to 5 Kb limit (emailed Mona a screen shot) that Mona is looking into, so will post text results and then email Mona a spreadsheet with results.

Per Topic:

https://forum.dvdfab.cn/forum/softwa...or-forum-posts

Thanks!

Mike

US, Test Dev Version, No VPN, Win 10/64 (all current updates), Nvidia 2070 Super Graphics Card (latest drivers)

Mike_M

Hi,

1. Here is the test version for downloading the high bitrate audio file when downloading the CBR video.

2. For the audio bitrate, I know that the other tool can show and choose the different audio bitrate before downloading the video, but in StreamFab, it always download the best one when downloading for EAC3 or AAC.

Wilson
Wilson.Wang

(above truncated by me for brevity/response)

*****

1. Final test results Test/Dev Version for Amazon Prime audio quality on movies/series, subscribed channels and purchased videos.

Used movies from previous tests that can be found in spreadsheet attachments up thread for audio comparison for previous StreamFab version.

Video/Audio in Synch, GREAT CBR version!, 640 kb/s 6 Channel Dolby Digital Plus!:

Amazon: Thirteen Lives
Amazon: 7500
Amazon: Intensive Care
Amazon: Kill Order

Purchased Amazon: The Martian
Purchased Amazon: Spider Man - No Way Home

AMC+ Channel/Amazon: Walking Dead (S11E16)
Epix Channel/Amazon: Sonic The Hedgehog 2
Epix Channel/Amazon: My Life As A Rolling Stone (Episode 1)
MovieSphere Channel/Amazon: Time Freak
Paramount+ Channel/Amazon: Star Trek Discovery (S4E13)
Paramount+ Channel/Amazon: Evil (S3E10)
Showtime Channel/Amazon: Project Ithaca
Showtime Channel/Amazon: Side Effects
Showtime Channel/Amazon: Hit & Run
Showtime Channel/Amazon: Dexter New Blood (S1E10)
Showtime Channel/Amazon: Wakefield (S1E8)
Starz Channel/Amazon: Pet Sematary II
Starz Channel/Amazon: Ghostbusters Afterlife

Video/Audio in Synch, Great CBR Version!, 224 kb/s 2 Channel Dolby Digital Plus! - Same as CBVR versions:

Amazon: The Doors - When You're Strange

AMC+ Channel/Amazon: A Discovery of Witches (S3E7)
AMC+ Channel/Amazon: Needful Things
Discovery+ Channel/Amazon: Evil Lives Here (S12 Ep 1-5)
Discovery+ Channel/Amazon: Ghosthunters (S13E9)
FreeVee Channel/Amazon: An American Werewolf in Paris
FreeVee Channel/Amazon: Black Mountain Side
FreeVee Channel/Amazon: Stevie Ray Vaughn 1954-1983
MovieSphere Channel/Amazon: Meatballs
Showtime Channel/Amazon: Modern Vampires

2. Thanks for explanation.

One *really* good reason to list the audio first prior to downloading is to compare them to previously downloaded versions whose audio was the best at the time, but is now being offered by a different means (Streaming service or Channel).

This happens a lot even within Amazon.

A movie will be offered by Amazon itself or by another Channel and later it may be offered by a different subscribed channel or Amazon.

There are many times that the resolution may be better for the new source (you show it) and the Audio can also be different (which you don't show).

So you'd have to download the file to see if videos you previously downloaded have better audio than the version now being offered by Amazon.

Great Results!

Am going to run a test of StreamFab 5.0.4.8 vs. 5.0.4.9 for my other subscribed channels just to make sure there are no glitches & see if audio quality changed on any of them.

Mike

US, Test Dev Version, No VPN, Win 10/64 (all current updates), Nvidia 2070 Super Graphics Card (latest drivers)

Cats4U

Mike,
I hope I speak for everyone here in appreciation for the effort you took to first request this audio improvement and then the testing of it when Wilson was kind enough to provide it. Good job, both of you! We all benefit from it.

Mike_M

Mike,
I hope I speak for everyone here in appreciation for the effort you took to first request this audio improvement and then the testing of it when Wilson was kind enough to provide it. Good job, both of you! We all benefit from it.
Cats4U

Thanks Cats4U!

I'd also like to throw in my thanks to Wilson Wang and DVDFab/StreamFab for the quick response.

It's a very good StreamFab update to CBR and will save me a lot of time.

I'm gonna try to test the new StreamFab Test/Dev version on my other subscribed sites HBOMax, Netflix, Disney+, Paramount+ and a few free Streaming sites and compare the results to previous StreamFab version.

Also, just to make sure they work without problems.

I don't have Hulu or Apple+ so if someone that does wants to test a few files from there that would be cool.

Also non-U.S. and those using VPN might also test/update if they desire.

You might want to grab and save the current release off-line version, just in case you want to restore.

StreamFab 5.0.4.8 offline full install (current offered version)

StreamFab 5.0.4.9 (ver5) Test/Dev full offline version for downloading the high bitrate audio file when downloading the CBR video

Mike

Dijitul

I've tested 5.049 test version with amazon and for some reason some videos result in a mediainfo file that looks like this

Video
ID : 1
Format : V_QUICKTIME
Codec ID : V_QUICKTIME
Duration : 11 min 17 s
Bit rate : 3 671 kb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 FPS
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.074
Stream size : 297 MiB (94%)
Default : Yes
Forced : No

Audio
ID : 2
Format : E-AC-3
Format/Info : Enhanced AC-3
Commercial name : Dolby Digital Plus
Codec ID : A_EAC3
Duration : 11 min 17 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 224 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 18.1 MiB (6%)
Language : English
Service kind : Complete Main
Default : Yes
Forced : No

Text
ID : 3
Format : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Duration : 11 min 3 s
Bit rate : 92 b/s
Frame rate : 0.378 FPS
Count of elements : 251
Stream size : 7.50 KiB (0%)
Language : English
Default : Yes
Forced : No

whereas others might be fine, resulting in the regular avc files and such, instead of this weird quicktime coded file

Mike_M

I've tested 5.049 test version with amazon and for some reason some videos result in a mediainfo file that looks like this

Video
ID : 1
Format : V_QUICKTIME
Codec ID : V_QUICKTIME
Duration : 11 min 17 s
Bit rate : 3 671 kb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 FPS
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.074
Stream size : 297 MiB (94%)
Default : Yes
Forced : No

Audio
ID : 2
Format : E-AC-3
Format/Info : Enhanced AC-3
Commercial name : Dolby Digital Plus
Codec ID : A_EAC3
Duration : 11 min 17 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 224 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 18.1 MiB (6%)
Language : English
Service kind : Complete Main
Default : Yes
Forced : No

Text
ID : 3
Format : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Duration : 11 min 3 s
Bit rate : 92 b/s
Frame rate : 0.378 FPS
Count of elements : 251
Stream size : 7.50 KiB (0%)
Language : English
Default : Yes
Forced : No

whereas others might be fine, resulting in the regular avc files and such, instead of this weird quicktime coded file
Dijitul

Hi Dijutil,

In order to look at this, if it's a problem, they'll probably need more info -File names, the location of Amazon you're getting them from (U.S./Foreign) in order to duplicate.

And log files if you could attach them to a post here.

I'd like to try those files, if they are available to me with Amazon or subscribed channels via U.S.

I noticed that they are smaller durations (shorts films?).

Anyway, if you could provide the names I could see if they are available to me to look at.

Not even opposed to subscribing to a channel (for short term testing) if they are in one I don't currently have.

Thanks

Mike, just another user of StreamFab