How to convert wmv video file to mkv with AC3 sound

[Little Simon]

There are a lot of threats about converting DTS audio to AC3 audio, but what if you have a wmv HD video file with wma pro 5.1 sound ? The PCH can output wma pro, but there are very little receivers that can decode it. Here is an easy way to convert the wmv file to an mkv file with vc1 video and ac3 5.1 audio.

The only tool you need is Xvid4PSP (http://www.winnydows.com/page.php?2), it's a GUI around common tools as MKVMerge, tsMuxeR, FFRebuilder, etc.

1. Open Xvid4PSP
2. Open the wmv file you want to convert
3. Set the following settings:
Format = Audio
Audio encoding = AC3 640k
4. Click 'Encode' to create an AC3 audio file
5. Click 'Tools' --> 'FFRebuilder'
6. Open the wmv file you want to convert
7. Set the following settings:
Video codec = copy
Audio codec = disabled
framerate = auto
format = mkv
8. Click 'Start' to create an mkv file with a vc1 video stream
9. Click 'Tools' --> 'MKVMerge'
10. Click 'Add' to add the mkv file you created in step 8
11. Click 'Add' to add the ac3 file you created in step 4
12. In the 'Tracks' section, select the ac3 audio track
13. On the 'General track options' tab, set the correct language
14. On the 'Format specific options' tab, set the delay to 3000 ms
15. Click 'Start muxing' to create your mkv video file with ac3 audio

These files play fine on my PCH A100.

Regards, Ben

[chris57]

Great GUI looking forward to trying it out on a WMV, looks like the app does quite a few useful things.

[GunterO]

(11-01-2008 07:26 PM)Little Simon Wrote:  There are a lot of threats about converting DTS audio to AC3 audio, but what if you have a wmv HD video file with wma pro 5.1 sound ? The PCH can output wma pro, but there are very little receivers that can decode it. Here is an easy way to convert the wmv file to an mkv file with vc1 video and ac3 5.1 audio.

Indeed! Thanks!!!

[wimg]

(11-01-2008 07:26 PM)Little Simon Wrote:  14. On the 'Format specific options' tab, set the delay to 3000 ms

Is this true for every wmv ? It seems when I try it on 'Planet Earth', the sound is out of sync ?

[Torob]

(11-25-2008 01:54 AM)wimg Wrote:  

(11-01-2008 07:26 PM)Little Simon Wrote:  14. On the 'Format specific options' tab, set the delay to 3000 ms

Is this true for every wmv ? It seems when I try it on 'Planet Earth', the sound is out of sync ?

I removed that delay to 0 and on my pc the sound synced fine
with 3000 ms delay it went out of sync


my problem is, when i converted my WMV8 to MKV PCH wouldn't play it
first it played the audio for a second, but no video would show
and it just kept going on, i skipped forward a bit hoping the video would show up, but then the PCH stopped playing the file, and now it wont play
it probably will do same process again upon reboot but i didnt try... so no luck, any ideas?

[Little Simon]

(Today 01:54 AM)wimg Wrote:  

(11-01-2008 07:26 PM)Little Simon Wrote:  14. On the 'Format specific options' tab, set the delay to 3000 ms

Is this true for every wmv ? It seems when I try it on 'Planet Earth', the sound is out of sync ?

I don't know if it's true for every wmv, but I haven't seen any wmv with another delay.
In FFrebuilder, when you've opened the wmv, you will see an info box. On the 4th line at the end of the line you will find a value after "start". In the wmv's I converted it was always 3.000000 seconds. You can check your own wmv to see if the delay has another value.

Regards, Ben

[renzov]

all what you did was correct howerever instead of 3000ms I need to use -3000ms and then all my MKV/AC3 files is OK.

[robertjk]

Great tutorial. I have followed the steps as described. When I am at step 14, all fields are greyed out, so I can't set the delay to 3000ms. This step is necessary for my movie, when I skip step 14 and finish the tutotial, the result is a movie with out of sync sound.

Any ideas?

[KL643]

(12-24-2008 07:52 AM)robertjk Wrote:  Great tutorial. I have followed the steps as described. When I am at step 14, all fields are greyed out, so I can't set the delay to 3000ms. This step is necessary for my movie, when I skip step 14 and finish the tutotial, the result is a movie with out of sync sound.

Any ideas?

12. In the 'Tracks' section, select the ac3 audio track and you'll be fine.

[robertjk]

(12-24-2008 10:09 AM)KL643 Wrote:  12. In the 'Tracks' section, select the ac3 audio track and you'll be fine.

As far as I remember I've selected the audio track because it merges the audio and the video, only with a delay.

But i will check it out

[renzov]

(12-20-2008 12:25 PM)renzov Wrote:  all what you did was correct howerever instead of 3000ms I need to use -3000ms and then all my MKV/AC3 files is OK.

ok for me all is clear now....by selecting the ac3 file you need to do 3000ms and if you are selecting the mkv file you need to do -3000ms, however keep in mind it will be or ac3 3000ms / or mkv -3000ms and not both

[arxiereas]

thank you
thank you
thank you
!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Torob]

It still doesnt work for my files No video, PCH just wont play them

[arxiereas]

(12-29-2008 01:55 AM)Torob Wrote:  It still doesnt work for my files No video, PCH just wont play them

I suppose what you 're doing wrong is when he says
"12. In the 'Tracks' section, select the ac3 audio track",
you un-check the other track. If you do so, then leave it checked and just highlight the ac3 track.
First time I did the same and resulted in black screen, only sound. Just like you.

[lchiu7]

Got quite excited when I read this post. Alas it didn't work for me either. The process completes fine and the resulting MKV file plays fine using VLC on my PC but just locks up my A100. While ffrebuilder says the delay is 2s I found I had to set it to 0 to get no sync issues. Still that's not very useful since I can't play the file on the PCH.

The file is one of the 4 that make up T2 Extreme edition (WMVHD) that I removed the DRM from a while ago since it was a royal pain to play on the PC and have to refresh the licence every 5 days. I wonder if that could an issue? The original wmv files play fine. In fact they play fine on the PCH and the PCH says audio is WMA3 or something like that but of course, my AVR can't process that audio.

[update] Instead of using mkvmerge I had on my PC I used the build that's part of this application. No difference except while the file plays fine on the PC, on the PCH I get audio only