[Black_Jacques]

I'm using the WDTV Live right now and my biggest beef is that it will downmix AAC 5.1 to 2 channel PCM over SPDIF to my old AV receiver.


I've been googling for days without a definitive answer over how to solve this problem.


I've looked into transcoding such files to MKV containers with AC-3. I tried one app called Super and in my tests with two files, it mistakenly reversed the center with the right channel. I'm presuming the files were fine because the WDTV knew how to downmix the AAC 5.1 to PCM 2.0, keeping the dialog centered.


My understanding, and please correct me if I'm wrong, is that every AV receiver that can decode the new high def audio formats via HDMI will be able to receive and decode LPCM 5.1. So I'm looking for a media player that can play MP4 files with AAC 5.1 and output LPCM six channel to such an audio receiver. Anybody running such a scenario and can definitively tell me which players can do this? Thanks.

 

[mlknez]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Black_Jacques /forum/post/20801711


I'm using the WDTV Live right now and my biggest beef is that it will downmix AAC 5.1 to 2 channel PCM over SPDIF to my old AV receiver.


I've been googling for days without a definitive answer over how to solve this problem.


I've looked into transcoding such files to MKV containers with AC-3. I tried one app called Super and in my tests with two files, it mistakenly reversed the center with the right channel. I'm presuming the files were fine because the WDTV knew how to downmix the AAC 5.1 to PCM 2.0, keeping the dialog centered.


My understanding, and please correct me if I'm wrong, is that every AV receiver that can decode the new high def audio formats via HDMI will be able to receive and decode LPCM 5.1. So I'm looking for a media player that can play MP4 files with AAC 5.1 and output LPCM six channel to such an audio receiver. Anybody running such a scenario and can definitively tell me which players can do this? Thanks.

Dune Players

 

[Black_Jacques]

Thanks for the reply. I looked into them. I have an external HD, so I'd prefer something low cost without internal storage.


As it turns out, I'm googling AppleTV + XBMC. It might be able to transcode AAC 5.1 to AC-3 on the fly. As it turns out, I have a Gen 1 ATV collecting dust in my closet.


More suggestions and experiences welcome.

 

[sean_w_smith]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Black_Jacques /forum/post/20801932


Thanks for the reply. I looked into them. I have an external HD, so I'd prefer something low cost without internal storage.


As it turns out, I'm googling AppleTV + XBMC. It might be able to transcode AAC 5.1 to AC-3 on the fly. As it turns out, I have a Gen 1 ATV collecting dust in my closet.


More suggestions and experiences welcome.

hmm it is low cost and does not have internal storage.


Sean

 

[Black_Jacques]

Which specific Dune model were you thinking?

 

[Alx330]

The Playstiaton 3 will output MP4 AAC 5.1 as LPCM 5.1 over HDMI if you already happen to have one.


If you stick Crystalbunutu on the ATV1 which is a linux OS that boots straight into XBMC (erases the internal HDD). That would give you a good XBMC installation for free, although without the CrystalHD card you will be reliant on the CPU for decoding media which is okay for SD video but is not recommended for HD video. You can run XBMC on the ATV1 through the AppleOS but it's simply not as good.


A CrystalHD + Crystalbuntu outfitted ATV1 is better than an ATV2.

 

[Black_Jacques]

Thanks for the response. I would hope to spend less than the price of a PS3. Another obstacle might be the Cinavia audio watermark that's enforced by the PS3.


Yes, currently reading about CrystalHD card. I appreciate the tip. While I'm not too concerned with 1080p because I usually watch 720p videos, you do raise a valid concern.


I also read a thread that claimed XBMC using ffmpeg to transcode AAC 5.1 to AC-3 on the fly was reversing the center channel with another channel. Since this is what I experienced using the app Super to perform the transcode on my PC, and Super is using ffmpeg, I'm assuming this is a widespread bug with ffmpeg and it's audio transcode.



Anyone have an existing setup where the media player is outputting an MP4 container's AAC 5.1 as lpcm 5.1 to an audio receiver, glitch free?

 

[SoNic67]

Why are you using the AAC in the first place? It is a pain to play surround, it's just a failed attempt by Apple to impose some crazy codec.

Go DolbyDigital (same quality), DTS (higher quality).

 

[Alx330]

Boxee Box also outputs AAC 5.1 as LPCM 5.1 so there's that but I dont know which cheap players do it, probably the Realtek based players are your best option.

 

[Black_Jacques]

Thanks for that link. Very useful to see the offerings along with the chipset in one glance.

 

[Imho4ep]

i was looking for the same thing, the boxee box sounds good but it is too expensive, don't need all those features, just need the aac decoding and a network port. any other suggestions anyone?

 

[elario]

I don't think spdif has enough bandwidth for LCPM 5.1

 

[pmcd]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Alx330 /forum/post/20802196


A CrystalHD + Crystalbuntu outfitted ATV1 is better than an ATV2.

I don't know about that but Crystalubuntu+ CrystalHD+ATV1 is a really nice setup. Excellent XBMC player. Mine has become the most used player I have at the moment. Plex on the ATV2 is very nice and Netflix there is great. They are different things. I don't think of the ATV2 as a very good XBMC platform. It's better than it was but not as good as the modified ATV1.


philip

 

[Alx330]



Quote:
Originally Posted by pmcd /forum/post/20952459


I don't know about that but Crystalubuntu+ CrystalHD+ATV1 is a really nice setup. Excellent XBMC player. Mine has become the most used player I have at the moment. Plex on the ATV2 is very nice and Netflix there is great. They are different things. I don't think of the ATV2 as a very good XBMC platform. It's better than it was but not as good as the modified ATV1.


philip

Well I was comparing as XBMC platforms only not taking anything else into consideration so yeah ATV2 has other features but it's more unstable as an XBMC platform.

 

[Imho4ep]



Quote:
Originally Posted by elario /forum/post/20952436


I don't think spdif has enough bandwidth for LCPM 5.1

What about hdmi, are there any other plays that can decode aac 5.1 to a 5.1 format a receiver can use?

 

[Paul Schulte]

I've run into a similar problem using my WD TV Live PLUS player, but I found a work-around using my BlackBerry PlayBook. As it so happens, the recommended video format for the PlayBook is MP4 (H. 264) with AAC (supports AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, and AAC LC in either 2.0 or 5.1), but it will play also play MOV and WMV files as well as AVI and MKV files (with some exceptions).


Here is how I do it... I keep the video file on my home server (although I could download it to the PlayBook if I wanted to) and access it (via WiFi) from the PlayBook using an app called LAN File Explorer (available from BlackBerry appworld) and navigating to the shared folder that contains my video files. I select the desired video and violà it starts to play.


But what about playing through my home theater you say? Well here is where the PlayBook's HDMI port and my Denon AVR 3312 come in: I simply plug my PlayBook into the front HDMI port on the Denon and enjoy 5.1 surround (as 5.1 "multi channel" on the Denon) and HD video (up to 1080p)!


Of course buying a PlayBook costs a little more than a WD (or similar) player (which I continue to use for other formats), but It can do so much more than play videos (case in point, I'm using it to post this reply).


I hope that helps.