BD Ripper (3D Plus) Apple TV: Now with sound but not multichannel

[miltonberger]

Ok, finally with version 9.0.1.8 I'm able to rip a BD DVD using Apple TV and there is sound!!! This is great.

HOWEVER, when I play the film in Apple TV it is not coming out with multi-channel audio. This may not be DVDFab's fault but I'm looking for any help from users with similar configuration on how to solve this.

Facts:
1) I have bought a film on iTunes store and it does play with multi-channel audio (in my case 5.1). This discards any issues in the configuration of iTunes, Apple TV or the AV Receiver.
2) When I add the ripped file to iTunes, it is added with no issues and play in my PC with no issues.
3) When I go to Get Info for this file it does show that Channels is "Multi"
4) When I check the file info using other software, like MediInfo, it shows that the file is 6 channels, AAC (LC).
5) When playing the file from Apple TV, my AV Receiver shows that the input is stereo only.

Any clues out there?

[GregiBoy]

How is your receiver connected?
Does it support AAC Decoding?
Does the purchased file have 2 audio tracks? This is the norm. 1 x AAC, 1 x AC-3 (Dolby Digital). Give MediaInfo report on that file.

[CBR929]

Hi miltonberger
Please post your Internal log.
Thanks
CBR929

[miltonberger]

Dear GregiBoy,

You actually didn't answer my question, but YOUR questions enlightened me and I found out the solution.

Sharing with all now:

My AV Receiver is a Pioneer SC-LX56 and it indeed cannot decode AAC 5.1 (as a matter of fact, I found out that no AV Receiver in the market does it - at least this is what I read). It DOES decode AC-3 in full 5.1 channels. Therefore one has to do a bit of manipulation with the DVFab resulting file in order to make it work.

First, you need to decompose the mp4 file in it components: 1 video (.h264), 1 audio (.aac) and 1 text (Apple text). For this I used My_MP4Box. Then you need to convert the AAC file into a AC-3 file. I used Winff for this. Finally you need to repack the mp4 file with the correct AC-3 track file. I used My MP4Box for this. Important: If you leave the AAC track in the resulting mp4 file, resulting in two audio tracks, for some reason, Apple TV or the Receiver (I don't know who to blame) will select the AAC track by default and the result will again be in stereo, therefore repack the mp4 file only with the .h264 and the .ac3 tracks.

NOW, a plea to the folks in DVDFab: Why don't you provide direct AC-3 conversion when ripping DVDs under the Apple TV profile?

[90312]

Why not try the mp4.h264.ac3 profile under the mp4 format selection.

[90312]

I don't have an Apple TV but try this profile, might work without all the extra steps:

[akadennis]

I don't have an Apple TV but try this profile, might work without all the extra steps:

This worked thank you very much. Now my question to you is I asked pretty much the exact same question on 12/29 in this thread

and you did not tell me to try the mp4 ac3 preset. what is up with that? I'm smelling discrimination ha ha. I'm just messing with you. Good thing I frequent this forum and read other posts thanks again for your solution to my problem. Have a great day!!

[90312]

Glad it's working for you but miltonberger actually solved your problem.

[GregiBoy]

The reason that I didn't answer your post was because I wanted to pinpoint the problem.

It was what I suspected as you have found out but I have a few other suggestions:-

Some friends of mine have been stupid enough to purchas the ATV and I have done some encodes for them similar to to yours with the AAC as the first audio track and the AC3 (DD) as the second track.

They have their AV amp audio connected by optical and when the receiver is switched on, the DD 5.1 is automatically sent over the optical.

They think this is great because if the amp is not on, the stereo AAC track plays. When the amp is on, 5.1 surround.

You are totally correct about the AAC/AV amp decoding and this is one major point against iCrap.

[akadennis]

Glad it's working for you but miltonberger actually solved your problem.

i thought it worked until I played it back. Got the 5.1 from receiver but the video was very choppy. i give up on this, think i'm returning this icrap.

[90312]

That's probably your best bet. Check out an AIOS media player on Amazon.

[vschoell]

Apple TV 3 Profile

Hello,

to buy an new hardware is one solution. I will stay with apple tv. Is there a chance to get a solution for the apple tv3 profile (stereo/ac-3 5.1 DD)?

The hint with the mp4.h264.ac3 doesn't work for me too, cause the same problem with the choppy picture.

I bought DVD/blu ray ripper just for apple tv3.

It would be very nice if someone from DVDFab Team can look after it.

Thanks vschoell

[akadennis]

Hello,

to buy an new hardware is one solution. I will stay with apple tv. Is there a chance to get a solution for the apple tv3 profile (stereo/ac-3 5.1 DD)?

The hint with the mp4.h264.ac3 doesn't work for me too, cause the same problem with the choppy picture.

I bought DVD/blu ray ripper just for apple tv3.

It would be very nice if someone from DVDFab Team can look after it.

Thanks vschoell

I agree. The apple tv3 profile works perfectly except for the audio part not outputing 5.1 from an HDMI connected receiver. I did notice another option was added where you can select 2 audio profiles or something to that effect but that did not work either :-(

[miltonberger]

I'm with akadennis and vschoell. When I use the mp4.h264.ac3 profile, the audio is ok but the video is crap. I compared the info from the files resulted from Apple TV3 profile (which work ok for video but not for audio) and the one resulted from the mp4.h264.ac3 profile (which work ok for audio but not for video), using the MediaInfo SW, and the main difference I found between the two in the video section is that with Apple TV3 profile the 'Format settings , ReFrames' parameter is 1 frame and with mp4.h264.ac3 profile this parameter is 2 frames. May be this is the culprit for the choppy image.

Anyway, the procedure I mentioned above works perfectly and I will keep using it until DVDFab delivers a satisfactory solution.

DVDFab: Up to you now!

[90312]

I can tell you for sure there is nothing wrong with the DVDFab profile, I just made an mp4.ac3 with it and it plays fine on my AIOS. I even tried it on my iPad to see if it is an Apple thing and it plays fine on it as well. I think the problem lies with the Apple TV.