DTS audio drop outs

[steagle]

i can't believe this problem still hasn't been fixed by Syabas.

i have a particularly troublesome MKV file: Full Metal Jacket Remastered 720p, High@L5.1 / 8 ref frame w/ 6 channel DTS audio. 4 second audio drop outs every minute or so. so i took the advice in this thread and tried both mkvmerge and tsMuxer (so far - i know there are the Haali tools too). a remuxed MKV using mkvmerge significantly reduced the number of drop outs, but they still occurred periodically. the same file remuxed into TS with tsMuxer did not give me any dropouts for the full length of the movie. because of this test, i'll probably stick with tsMuxer - i don't think a straight MKV to MKV mux with mkvmerge really does much. what exactly is changing in this remux? is it even a true remux?

BTW i also downgraded to the June 09 firmware as the last two firmware updates haven't seemed to provide anything beneficial. not sure if this plays into the DTS problem at all but i did it anyway for some peace of mind

One DTS-related question: Does Mediainfo tell you if your MKV file has a DTS-HD track, or does it always display as simply DTS? If it doesn't specify, then in the PCH Audio set up, does it matter if your DTS is set to Digital (RAW) or DTS-HD (Raw)? DTS-HD seems to work fine for normal DTS tracks so I've always left it on that setting.

[mar_tin]

(02-07-2010 04:36 AM)steagle Wrote:  i don't think a straight MKV to MKV mux with mkvmerge really does much. what exactly is changing in this remux? is it even a true remux?

Well not exactly a true remux. If you want a full remux, you have to extract all tracks from the original mkv file using the mkvextract command (there is also GUI for this), then remux with mkvmerge. It helps when the original mkv file is muxed with an old version of mkvmerge, (2.2.0 or earlier) or a different muxing app.

Quote:One DTS-related question: Does Mediainfo tell you if your MKV file has a DTS-HD track, or does it always display as simply DTS? If it doesn't specify, then in the PCH Audio set up, does it matter if your DTS is set to Digital (RAW) or DTS-HD (Raw)? DTS-HD seems to work fine for normal DTS tracks so I've always left it on that setting.

Yes it displays as DTS_MA, and the bitrate will be higher than 1536 kbit/sec. Currently there is no way to output DTS-HD from mkv container on any PCH models. So the Digital (RAW) or DTS-HD (Raw) setting will make no difference at all. I guess it'll always output only the core track. The A-110 however can output DTS-HD if you mux to m2ts container with tsMuxeR.

[steagle]

that's good to know martin, thanks. i don't believe i have any dts-hd files, but as soon as i get one i will try the m2ts mux as you suggested. really seems like the PCH does not like high def MKVs, lol. oh well, as long as there are work arounds, i'm game.

[jerichoy2j]

just watched a perfect getaway m2ts with DTS-MA audio over the network no stutter no probs with picture but i had quite a few audio dropouts

[De1Phi4n]

(02-07-2010 04:36 AM)steagle Wrote:  i can't believe this problem still hasn't been fixed by Syabas.

i have a particularly troublesome MKV file: Full Metal Jacket Remastered 720p, High@L5.1 / 8 ref frame w/ 6 channel DTS audio. 4 second audio drop outs every minute or so. so i took the advice in this thread and tried both mkvmerge and tsMuxer (so far - i know there are the Haali tools too). a remuxed MKV using mkvmerge significantly reduced the number of drop outs, but they still occurred periodically. the same file remuxed into TS with tsMuxer did not give me any dropouts for the full length of the movie. because of this test, i'll probably stick with tsMuxer - i don't think a straight MKV to MKV mux with mkvmerge really does much. what exactly is changing in this remux? is it even a true remux?

BTW i also downgraded to the June 09 firmware as the last two firmware updates haven't seemed to provide anything beneficial. not sure if this plays into the DTS problem at all but i did it anyway for some peace of mind

One DTS-related question: Does Mediainfo tell you if your MKV file has a DTS-HD track, or does it always display as simply DTS? If it doesn't specify, then in the PCH Audio set up, does it matter if your DTS is set to Digital (RAW) or DTS-HD (Raw)? DTS-HD seems to work fine for normal DTS tracks so I've always left it on that setting.

I was in the habit of just remuxing all 1080p mkv with DTS to .ts using tsMuxeR rather then waiting to see if it had dts audio drop out and then having to do it anyway. nothing worse then sitting down to watch somethign and having the audio drop outs and then knowing you will just have to watch with wife another night because she isn't going to wait while it remuxes.

but then i've come across files that didnt' work as a .ts (rare though) and then I'd try the original mkv and it does. I've said before its like they improved mkv playback but decreased .ts playback ability though I guess that isnt' the case. In the past when that happened the mkv played fine, so i stopped remuxing all 1080p mkv with DTS (which I prefer DTS so always get/use that unless not available) to .ts.

This latest one played as an mkv but with dts audio drop out but i knew i couldn't remux to .ts cus I already tried that and the file didn't play at all. It was a L5.1 and high ref frames also which i think is why i remuxed it to .ts in the first place plus it had some extra audio or subtitle tracks I wanted to get rid of.

so since i already knew i couldnt remux it to .ts I just used mkvmerge and remuxed it as an mkv without extracting the tracks first and luckily it worked to fix the audio drop outs. I guess though much of the time that wont be enough as you experienced and as mar_tin said.

its just remuxing to .ts and being able to select just the tracks you want is a much quicker easier process then first extracting the tracks with mkv extract and then using mkv merge to remux the mkv with the tracks though that would be the proper way.

in fact even when i did just to do a mkv to mkv remux in merge I was using an older version of mkv merge i think 2.2.0. i have newer but didn't install.

i guess if i had to if the mkv to mkv mux didnt work in the case where .ts also didn't work, my last resort would be to install newer version of mkvmerge and then use extract to extract the tracks and remux it with the tracks.

I dont think older fw is going to help anything. if anything some things might have bugs they fixed. But yeah its crazy that this is one of the largest problems and hasn't been fixed though ppl say its the encoders fault. I understand that in the case of L5.1 and high ref frames as that is not scene standard and not how the original is but just highest quality so encoders thought it woudl make it even better but doesnt' and its only for higher then 1080p res which we dont have yet and all it does is cause problems.

but in the case of just dts audio drop outs i dont think its a case of the dts audio being encoded improperly or something. i think it is a case of the pch. maybe its not something they can fix as its hardware, hence why less hardware dependent .ts works.

another big problem is the fact that after playing a 1080p file (dts or not i think) you usually have to reboot the whole pch to play another file, or it just jumps back to the details page when you try (at least when using yamj which could be part of it cus that uses more memory but i think ppl have reported having same problem even without yamj)

basically the pch is cheap and so you get what you pay for. its really no excuse though but my point is i guess its hardware limitation and may be nothing they can do as far as fw update to fix either of those 2 major long time and still existing problems including this dts audio drop outs

funny thing is though i haven't seen that the newest pch (c200 i guess) even fixes dts audio drop outs or allows you to not have to reboot the whole pch after every time you play a 1080p file before you can play another file.

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(02-07-2010 10:07 AM)mar_tin Wrote:  Well not exactly a true remux. If you want a full remux, you have to extract all tracks from the original mkv file using the mkvextract command (there is also GUI for this), then remux with mkvmerge. It helps when the original mkv file is muxed with an old version of mkvmerge, (2.2.0 or earlier) or a different muxing app.

Quote:One DTS-related question: Does Mediainfo tell you if your MKV file has a DTS-HD track, or does it always display as simply DTS? If it doesn't specify, then in the PCH Audio set up, does it matter if your DTS is set to Digital (RAW) or DTS-HD (Raw)? DTS-HD seems to work fine for normal DTS tracks so I've always left it on that setting.

Yes it displays as DTS_MA, and the bitrate will be higher than 1536 kbit/sec. Currently there is no way to output DTS-HD from mkv container on any PCH models. So the Digital (RAW) or DTS-HD (Raw) setting will make no difference at all. I guess it'll always output only the core track. The A-110 however can output DTS-HD if you mux to m2ts container with tsMuxeR.

ah that is interesting that DTS-HD is displayed as DTS_MA in media info. thanks for that info. at first i thought it didnt' matter though as you digital (raw or DTS-HD (raw) setting in the pch made no difference.

but i didnt' realize that a-110 can do dts-hd if its a m2ts. Which brings me back to a past important question that i never got a straight answer on

When remuxing .mkv using tsMuxeR which is better, .m2ts or .ts?

everyone originally said to always do .ts then one guy explained how .m2ts was better but then either i saw conflicting opposite info or i had problem with .m2ts i forget so i went back to .ts

would be nice to get a straight answer on this. But i think my receiver can do DTS-HD (i think) so if its just a matter of choosing .m2ts (instead of .ts) in tsMuxeR when muxing an mkv (whether from the get go or after actually getting dts audio drop out) then obviously id like to choose .m2ts every time if there is no difference between that and .ts except that .m2ts will allow the DTS-HD. or at least when i see it is DTS-HD then i would definately choose .m2ts. now i wonder how many i've had that were DTS-HD and that i only muxed to .ts when i could have just as easily and quickly chose .m2ts

is there any size or quality difference? then yeah why not choose .m2ts since it does dts-hd and the fact that i've seen at least one person say it was perferable over .ts for whatever reasons he explained at the time (possibly earlier in this thread)

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(02-15-2010 12:58 AM)jerichoy2j Wrote:  just watched a perfect getaway m2ts with DTS-MA audio over the network no stutter no probs with picture but i had quite a few audio dropouts

and you have an a-110? so as an .m2ts it should have been outputting the DTS-HD/DTS-MA as supposedly the a-110 can do with .m2ts.

now my question is why are you still getting drop outs? as usually remuxing to .m2ts or .ts removes that problem from an mkv that did.

Is it the fact that you are playing over network, or is it the DTS-HD/DTS-MA that is causing the drop out? in which case i guess youd be better off having done .ts so as not to have dts-ma

is there much difference between reguarl DTS and DTS-HD/DTS-MA?

I mean i do notice the difference with DTS over say AC3, as basically louder (and not needing the volume up as high) and fuller sound so i prefer it. but if dts-hd/ma isn't noticeable then i'd be fine stickign with regular dts especially if dts-hd/ma causes a drop out even as an .m2ts

I guess next time i notice a dts-hd/ma i will choose .m2ts for the point of being able to actually get the dts-hd (and test if my receiver can do it) do i need to change to that in the pch settings though?

I'd like to try that as i dont play over network and if it works then why not. just knowing that its the file type that the pch can properly output the dts-hd then that will be cool and maybe i will notice a difference even above regular dts though i doubt like the difference between ac3 and dts.

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ok so i had an mkv on my pch and it had dts audio drop outs. my wife had already started to watch it and wanted to tonight but luckily she fell asleep so i had time to fix it. I was already remuxing it to .ts when i read this here about dts-hd capable with .m2ts but luckily this one was just regular dts.

It took 64 minutes to remux the mvk on the pch to .ts also put in same folder on the pch over my wired network. I guess it would be quicker if i had done it on my pc? so i guess next time rather then transfering the mkv to my pch only to find i have to then remux it while on the pch which takes longer i should just do it on my pc and then transfer the .ts

its just that for ppl that par then unrar and then have to transfer to the pch over network which is slow and yes i know about ftp and the other options but they are all about the same. and yes my a-110 has usb slave and i know how to do that but its just a pain to disconnect the pch and connect to pc so i only do when i absolutely must do a quicker transfer. otherwise i just assign a driver letter to the ip of my pch and open it like a drive and copy file to it that way.

i mean i'm not complaining dts drop outs suck but i've gotten used to just remuxing to .ts. its just that when i had ones not work as .ts and other issues im just wanting to keep up to date on this problem.

again, my main question right now, is which is better/preferable .m2ts or .ts. I have gotten mixed answer on that but now finding out for the first time that the a-110 can do dts-hd as .m2ts it makes me want to just do all to .m2ts instead of .ts......unless there is some other difference or negative to .m2ts over .ts but from one guy said .m2ts was alreayd preferable. mostly likely its not much diff so i may just do it anyway or just only do .m2ts for files that have dts-hd as .ts has been mostly solid dependable for me.

[blenky]

steagle - I agree with everything you say.

As a matter of course I convert MKV to ts to:

-remove DTS drop outs
-stop need to reboot PCH
-remove unwanted streams

but as you say High@5.1 is a problem. As I don't have many of these I leave as MKV and put up with drop out and reboots.

ts has its own issues though.

- need to use external subtitle file
- skip forward\back is really a pain as seems to go where it wants

Trust me these issues will NEVER be fixed - it fact Syabas do not even accept they are problems with their kit!

I've learned to put up with the issues and spend time post processing all my files.

As I've said before I'm keeping my eye on the Boxee Box and other kit coming out this year with a view to dumping the A110 on eBay.

Also making sure I tell anybody who will listen NOT to buy Syabas products as their support SUCKS!

[abdus]

just updated my pch to latest firmware today and now I can't play DTS movies. Won't even start

Any help?

edit: will start but no sound

[De1Phi4n]

(02-21-2010 12:52 PM)blenky Wrote:  steagle - I agree with everything you say.

As a matter of course I convert MKV to ts to:

-remove DTS drop outs
-stop need to reboot PCH
-remove unwanted streams

but as you say High@5.1 is a problem. As I don't have many of these I leave as MKV and put up with drop out and reboots.

ts has its own issues though.

- need to use external subtitle file
- skip forward\back is really a pain as seems to go where it wants

Trust me these issues will NEVER be fixed - it fact Syabas do not even accept they are problems with their kit!

I've learned to put up with the issues and spend time post processing all my files.

As I've said before I'm keeping my eye on the Boxee Box and other kit coming out this year with a view to dumping the A110 on eBay.

Also making sure I tell anybody who will listen NOT to buy Syabas products as their support SUCKS!

.ts doesn't stop the need to reboot the pch.
"- skip forward\back is really a pain as seems to go where it wants"

supposedly .m2ts is better in this area.

high @L5.1 with high ref frames mkv doesnt play when remuxed to .ts. I've gotten away with just using mkvmerge and remuxing the mkv as mkv to remove the audio drop out though and unwanted tracks.

if that doesn't work you have to mkvextract all tracks you want then remux them back into a new mkv and that should most definately remove the audio drop out but at least you having a working file with no audio drop out that you shouldn't have to settle for.

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(02-21-2010 02:46 PM)abdus Wrote:  just updated my pch to latest firmware today and now I can't play DTS movies. Won't even start

Any help?

edit: will start but no sound

what model pch? i dont think there is a new fw for the 100 series that this thread is about.

also i dont think any new fw would make dts not work. i know sometimes if you have hdmi audio enabled on your receiver the dts from pch wont play till you switch video source off hdmi then back to kick it in and best to turn off hdmi audio (tv sound) off in the receiver settings.

other then that i've known of instance where hdmi cable stops doing sound but still does video or vice versa.

check your hdmi cable and your receiver hdmi audio setting. if you changed nothign else in pch then it shouldnt' be that.

reboot the pch. nothing will play after playing one 1080p mkv with dts withour rebooting first so could be some form of that but i doubt it. prob the other things i mentioned.

[abdus]

(02-21-2010 03:38 PM)De1Phi4n Wrote:  what model pch? i dont think there is a new fw for the 100 series that this thread is about.

also i dont think any new fw would make dts not work. i know sometimes if you have hdmi audio enabled on your receiver the dts from pch wont play till you switch video source off hdmi then back to kick it in and best to turn off hdmi audio (tv sound) off in the receiver settings.

other then that i've known of instance where hdmi cable stops doing sound but still does video or vice versa.

check your hdmi cable and your receiver hdmi audio setting. if you changed nothign else in pch then it shouldnt' be that.

reboot the pch. nothing will play after playing one 1080p mkv with dts withour rebooting first so could be some form of that but i doubt it. prob the other things i mentioned.

A-110

I reverted back to my old firware (october one)...still won't play.

Was playing fine this morning. All movies are on the network. Not sure what's going on

Also, dolby movies are playing fine. so can't be the cable.

[De1Phi4n]

Receiver then

[blenky]

(02-21-2010 03:38 PM)De1Phi4n Wrote:  .ts doesn't stop the need to reboot the pch.

Does for me. Been using .ts only and NEVER and I mean NEVER have to reboot no matter how many I play.

(02-21-2010 03:38 PM)De1Phi4n Wrote:  "- skip forward\back is really a pain as seems to go where it wants"

supposedly .m2ts is better in this area.

Interesting! I'll try that.

(02-21-2010 03:38 PM)De1Phi4n Wrote:  high @L5.1 with high ref frames mkv doesnt play when remuxed to .ts. I've gotten away with just using mkvmerge and remuxing the mkv as mkv to remove the audio drop out though and unwanted tracks.

I did try that and it didn't work for me. May try again though.

(02-21-2010 03:38 PM)De1Phi4n Wrote:  if that doesn't work you have to mkvextract all tracks you want then remux them back into a new mkv and that should most definately remove the audio drop out but at least you having a working file with no audio drop out that you shouldn't have to settle for.

TBH thats getting too much arsing around to get a playable MKV. However for ones I want to have internal subtitles I may do that.

Thanks

[peterdm]

Even though this thread started more than 2 years ago, I am still experiencing this issue on my PCH A-110 anno 2010. I experience very annoying audio dropouts playing .mkv files with DTS audio directly from the HDD. I have the latest firmware (downloaded it yesterday). Most (if not all) of my .mkv files are affected. Can we expect a fix any time soon? I don't consider remuxing all my .mkv files as a viable option.

Cheers

[BrAtKo]

I have solved the problem - I sold the PCH out and replaced it by HTPC from ASRock. Good luck to all comunity.

[cybermat]

After almost 2 years i decided to come back to PC TV-OUT.

I think that this tank mediaplayer can't follow the steps of technology. If i have a brand new pc, this is compatible with everything. I bought a 5 meters HDMI cable and it works like a charm.

A wireless keyboard + trackball as remote control (or a mobile phone with some apps that can remote personal computer)

I was very bored by subtitle not supported, some drops out, some movies not played, some some some

I just wanted to sit down, relax and watch a movie...

[Sharro]

Just my 5 cents....

99% of my drop-outs/ non playable movies were solved by remuxing the movie with mkv-extract and mkv toolnix.

After the new firmwares I didn't have problems with either c-200 or a-110.

All the best,

Sharro