HD .ts files and audio description

[Bobins]

As the BBC has started broadcasting more and more in HD, I've started recording more in HD (especially over Christmas). I want to keep several of the recordings and as they will often be played back on the MVPs, I usually convert from .ts to .mpg format before archiving.

With a standard .ts file I have no problem with this but when it's a HD file the "audio description" (for partially sighted people) gets imposed on top of the normal sound. This extra audio doesn't playback when I use GBPVR to play the .ts file but it does appear if I use Windows Media Player (in Windows 7). Every conversion programme I've tried doesn't allow me to disable this extra audio.

Has anyone any ideas how I can convert the HD .ts file to .mpg and omit the extra "audio description" stream?

[martint123]

Handbrake http://handbrake.fr/ will allow you to select an audio track to include when converting. It is a fairly good conversion tool in it's own right. (I can't remember if it is the mpg or ac3 that is the plain audio?).

[gEd]

I'm currently playing around with the free HDConvertToX which (I think like handbrake) is a front end to open source encoders. It looks very neat from the 1 .m2ts file that I have so far encoded. It also also you to select the audio channel.

[pBS]

i just wish the encoders stayed away from making you install Halli splitter, avisynth, and vobsub to use it...i mean come on,halli isn't he only thing that splits files...
not to mention, what if i already use another version of it?
other than that it seems very good, tho a bit slow like most..

mencoder and ffmpeg can selectively map the audio channels, letting you leave some out..
just have to get into the mapping parts..it does get confusing...

[gEd]

well I use the Halli splitter anyway with the SAF pack so that wasn't a problem. All I had to do was to install avisynth but it's all seems pretty lightweight/small footprint stuff.
(I try and avoid installing too much guff on my gbpvr system)

[Bobins]

Guys,

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I cant use Handbrake because it codes to MP4 and I want MPEG2 files.

I'm confused now because I tried TSDoctor and that clearly identifies two audio tracks. One is mpeg and the other AC3. If I deselect the MPEG track I get no sound in the output file. If I deselect the AC3 Stream, I get sound but with the extra Audio Description imposed.

Playing the file via GBPVR gives normal sound without the extra audio but everything else I try plays the extra audio. I can't use VideoRedo as it doesn't support H264 sources yet.

I tried ffmpeg but that bombs out on many of the files after a couple of seconds encoding and results in 0 byte files so I've not been able to prove that would work either way.

What am I missing? Is the audio description a descrete stream? What is GBPVR selecting that Media Player etc does differently?

Any ideas welcome.

[hansol123]

I noted this problem almost a year ago in this forum .

The beta Video Redo 264 (restricted to a number of long term users) resolves the problem and can be used to edit BBC HD and ITV HD.

I recollect using VLC and playing about with the audio settings to play back the files. Suggest you stick to GBPVR until the final release of VRD.

Also WMC on Windows 7 has AC3 problems until processed using VRD.

[Bobins]

I think I've sussed it. The Audio Description seems to be in the MPEG audio channel and is pre-mixed with the normal sound.

The standard sound is in the AC3 stream (the second stream).

For some reason TSDoctor creates a file with no sound if you select only the AC3 channel.

I've now tried a programme called Axara Video Converter and that will convert a HD .TS file into mpeg and allow me to select the 2nd audio track. The only disadvantage is it takes hours to convert a 1 hour HD programme.

Roll on VideoRedo's version 4

Edit:

Stupid me!!! TSDoctor isn't producing a file with no AC3 sound..... It's Media Player that's not playing the AC3 sound!!! A TSDoctor produced file with AC3 only successfully cuts out the audio description. Also, I think the ffmpeg attempts to transcode fail because it's not forgiving of errors in the video stream.

[mvallevand]

I seem to recall getting a BBC HD sample that used the AC3 track for 5:1 sound and the narrative stream was carried in 2:1 on the MP2.

Martin

[hansol123]

To get the sound to play on Win 7 media player I had to change the transport output setting AC3 PMT format to ATSC on Videoredo as the PAL ?? setting resulted in silence.

Please note that ITV HD has other issues such as no picture in WMP and VLC untill edited in Videoredo but plays ok in GBPVR this is something to do with the PID.

I only use the dreaded WMP to stream to a Zyxel DMA 1000 attached to a bedroom tv device as the original software supplied does not stream 264 files.

I normally use a Popcorn to watch recorded programs.