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No audio with TrueHD in mp4 container


raven-au

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raven-au

Hi all,

I'm trying to play an HDR movie in an mp4 container and I'm getting no audio on playback.

The mediainfo output for the movie is:

General
Complete name                            : M:\1\Movies\Sonic The HedgeHog (2020)\Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) - 4K-HDR-DV.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID                                 : mp42 (mp42/isom/dby1)
File size                                : 10.00 GiB
Duration                                 : 1 h 38 min
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 14.5 Mb/s
Movie name                               : Sonic the Hedgehog
Performer                                : Jeff Fowler
Performer/Sorted by                      : Jeff Fowler
Genre                                    : Action & Science Fiction & Comedy & Family
Description                              : Based on the global blockbuster videogame franchise from Sega, Sonic the Hedgehog tells the story of the world’s speediest hedgehog as he embraces his new home on Earth. In this live-action adventure comedy, Sonic and his new best friend team up to defend the planet from the evil genius Dr. Robotnik and his plans for world domination.
Recorded date                            : 2020
Encoded date                             : UTC 2021-01-08 10:03:00
Tagged date                              : UTC 2021-01-08 10:30:22
Writing application                      : DVDFab 12.0.1.5
Cover                                    : Yes
Title/Sort                               : Sonic the Hedgehog
LongDescription                          : Based on the global blockbuster videogame franchise from Sega, Sonic the Hedgehog tells the story of the world’s speediest hedgehog as he embraces his new home on Earth. In this live-action adventure comedy, Sonic and his new best friend team up to defend the planet from the evil genius Dr. Robotnik and his plans for world domination.

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : HEVC
Format/Info                              : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile                           : Main 10@L5.1@High
HDR format                               : Dolby Vision, Version 1.0, dvhe.05.06, BL+RPU / SMPTE ST 2086, HDR10 compatible
Codec ID                                 : dvhe
Codec ID/Info                            : High Efficiency Video Coding with Dolby Vision
Duration                                 : 1 h 38 min
Bit rate                                 : 10.0 Mb/s
Width                                    : 3 840 pixels
Height                                   : 2 160 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0 (Type 2)
Bit depth                                : 10 bits
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.050
Stream size                              : 6.91 GiB (69%)
Encoded date                             : UTC 2021-01-08 10:03:00
Tagged date                              : UTC 2021-01-08 10:28:43
Color range                              : Limited
Color primaries                          : BT.2020
Transfer characteristics                 : PQ
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.2020 non-constant
Mastering display color primaries        : Display P3
Mastering display luminance              : min: 0.0050 cd/m2, max: 4000 cd/m2
Maximum Content Light Level              : 698 cd/m2
Maximum Frame-Average Light Level        : 204 cd/m2
Menus                                    : 3
Codec configuration box                  : hvcC+dvcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : MLP FBA 16-ch
Format/Info                              : Meridian Lossless Packing FBA with 16-channel presentation
Commercial name                          : Dolby TrueHD with Dolby Atmos
Codec ID                                 : mlpa
Duration                                 : 1 h 38 min
Source duration                          : 1 h 38 min
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 4 434 kb/s
Maximum bit rate                         : 7 872 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 8 channels
Channel layout                           : L R C LFE Ls Rs Lb Rb
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 1 200.000 FPS (40 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossless
Stream size                              : 3.06 GiB (31%)
Source stream size                       : 3.06 GiB (31%)
Title                                    : English (truehd 7.1)
Language                                 : English
Default                                  : Yes
Alternate group                          : 1
Encoded date                             : UTC 2021-01-08 10:03:00
Tagged date                              : UTC 2021-01-08 10:28:43
Number of dynamic objects                : 11
Bed channel count                        : 1 channel
Bed channel configuration                : LFE

Menu
ID                                       : 3
Codec ID                                 : text
Duration                                 : 1 h 38 min
Encoded date                             : UTC 2021-01-08 10:03:00
Tagged date                              : UTC 2021-01-08 10:29:26
Menu For                                 : 1
00:00:00.000                             : Chapter 1
00:03:51.898                             : Chapter 2
00:09:32.989                             : Chapter 3
00:12:46.015                             : Chapter 4
00:18:09.463                             : Chapter 5
00:22:20.380                             : Chapter 6
00:27:33.693                             : Chapter 7
00:35:09.357                             : Chapter 8
00:41:37.328                             : Chapter 9
00:51:24.664                             : Chapter 10
01:01:04.827                             : Chapter 11
01:04:38.249                             : Chapter 12
01:10:20.340                             : Chapter 13
01:18:54.062                             : Chapter 14
01:25:38.758                             : Chapter 15
01:30:27.338                             : Chapter 16

 

Server log during playback is attached.

 

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raven-au

Some more information ...

The log shows the playback client is a Shield TV but not the model, it's a Shield TV 2019 tube but I have seen the same symptoms on a 2017 Shield TV.

The Shield is connected to a Denon AVR-X1400H which is connected to a Sony KD-X8500F, HDR capable TV.

When the same movie is in an mkv container playback works fine.

 

When played my receiver phone app shows it's receiving unknown audio, not PCM or anything else.

 

The server version, platform and Andriod TV client version is included in the log and in the log it appears Emby Server thinks it's direct playing.

That's about all I say, if more info is needed please ask.

Edited by raven-au
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raven-au
11 hours ago, ebr said:

Hi. Please play the item for just a few seconds and then send a log from the app.  Thanks.

I think I have sent a log from the app.

The time was 8:51pm US Eastern time and the Emby user was Poppy.

The tittle I played was the same title I talked about above, "Sonic the Hedgehog".

 

Hope that's what you need, 😀.

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The player cannot see the audio track at all.  It appears that support for TrueHD in mp4 containers is pretty sketchy and Exo must not support it at this point.

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jrwalte

I'd use MKVtoolnix and change it to MKV. Quick and simple. No converting and everything will stay original.

Edited by jrwalte
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raven-au
5 hours ago, jrwalte said:

I'd use MKVtoolnix and change it to MKV. Quick and simple. No converting and everything will stay original.

It is a lot more work to convert the Dolby Vision encodes I get from DVDFab from mp4 to mkv, without loosing the Dolby Vision bit.

And I kinda like the mp4 that's produced by the encode.

 

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2 minutes ago, raven-au said:

It is a lot more work to convert the Dolby Vision encodes I get from DVDFab from mp4 to mkv, without loosing the Dolby Vision bit.

You could also choose a more compatible audio format (DD or DD+) as another option.

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raven-au
9 hours ago, ebr said:

The player cannot see the audio track at all.  It appears that support for TrueHD in mp4 containers is pretty sketchy and Exo must not support it at this point.

That's strange, Emby ffmpeg looks like it understands it:

Quote

[/share/media/1/Movies/Sonic The HedgeHog (2020)] # /share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/EmbyServer/bin/emby-ffmpeg -i Sonic\ the\ Hedgehog\ \(2020\)\ -\ 4K-HDR-DV.mp4  
ffmpeg version 4.3.0-emby_2020_05_23 Copyright (c) 2000-2019 the FFmpeg developers and softworkz for Emby LLC
  built with gcc 8.3.0 (crosstool-NG 1.24.0)
Execution Date: 2021-01-12 07:05:51
[mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 @ 0x1541080] stream 0, timescale not set
[hevc @ 0x1542a40] Skipping NAL unit 62
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) - 4K-HDR-DV.mp4':
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : mp42
    minor_version   : 0
    compatible_brands: mp42isomdby1
    creation_time   : 2021-01-08T10:03:00.000000Z
    title           : Sonic the Hedgehog
    artist          : Jeff Fowler
    album           :  
    comment         :  
    genre           : Action & Science Fiction & Comedy & Family
    date            : 2020
    sort_name       : Sonic the Hedgehog
    sort_artist     : Jeff Fowler
    description     : Based on the global blockbuster videogame franchise from Sega, Sonic the Hedgehog tells the story of the world’s speediest hedgehog as he embraces his new home on Earth. In this live-action adventure comedy, Sonic and his new best friend team up to defe
    synopsis        : Based on the global blockbuster videogame franchise from Sega, Sonic the Hedgehog tells the story of the world’s speediest hedgehog as he embraces his new home on Earth. In this live-action adventure comedy, Sonic and his new best friend team up to defe
    encoder         : DVDFab 12.0.1.5
  Duration: 01:38:52.89, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 14477 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: hevc (Main 10) (dvhe / 0x65687664), yuv420p10le(tv, bt2020nc/bt2020/smpte2084), 3840x2160 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 10005 kb/s, Level 153, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 24k tbn, 23.98 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2021-01-08T10:03:00.000000Z
      encoder         : DOVI Coding
    Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: truehd (mlpa / 0x61706C6D), 48000 Hz, 7.1, s32 (24 bit), 4433 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2021-01-08T10:03:00.000000Z
    Stream #0:2(und): Data: bin_data (text / 0x74786574)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2021-01-08T10:03:00.000000Z
    Stream #0:3: Video: mjpeg (Progressive), yuvj420p(pc, bt470bg/unknown/unknown), 500x750 [SAR 1:1 DAR 2:3], 90k tbr, 90k tbn, 90k tbc (attached pic)
At least one output file must be specified

Stream 0:3 is probably the chapters, that doesn't look too good.

And I guess the problem is the client not knowing how to identify it though ...

 

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If you Google TrueHD in mp4 you will find a lot of discussion about the lack of support for that audio in that container.  I'm not sure if we can extend Exo to support it right now so the app will have to be updated to transcode those - but that is going to lose both the lossless track and  your DV.

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raven-au
9 minutes ago, ebr said:

You could also choose a more compatible audio format (DD or DD+) as another option.

LOL, kinda defeats the purpose of HDR and DV when your play back device and audio gear understands it and, of course, the Atmos effects are lost.

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3 minutes ago, raven-au said:

LOL, kinda defeats the purpose of HDR and DV when your play back device and audio gear understands it and, of course, the Atmos effects are lost.

Then using mkv will probably be your best near-term solution.

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raven-au
1 minute ago, ebr said:

If you Google TrueHD in mp4 you will find a lot of discussion about the lack of support for that audio in that container.  I'm not sure if we can extend Exo to support it right now so the app will have to be updated to transcode those - but that is going to lose both the lossless track and  your DV.

Yes, it is fairly new, and those same limitations are largely the reason it's so much effort to convert them to mkv.

But it must be happening since tools are slowly being updated to understand it.

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raven-au
Just now, ebr said:

Then using mkv will probably be your best near-term solution.

Yes, it's not the end of the world, I'll need to continue converting them to mkv for now.

Please keep an eye out so this can be done some time in the future.

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  • 2 weeks later...

MKV is the preferred container for movies. It would be simple to change containers from MP4 to MKV using XMedia Recode. You can set it to copy both video and audio. Or use Mkvtoolnix-Gui. Both are free.   

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raven-au
4 hours ago, sammy2 said:

MKV is the preferred container for movies. It would be simple to change containers from MP4 to MKV using XMedia Recode. You can set it to copy both video and audio. Or use Mkvtoolnix-Gui. Both are free.   

Yes, I am aware of my options.

Keep in mind that it's not just any old movie I would need to convert, the ones that are more complicated to convert are the Dolby Vision encoded ones.

I want to encode them to reduce size to something more sensible and I can only do that with an output of an mp4.

Then I need to be careful that the apps I use to further transform these don't loose the Dolby Vision from the video track.

At the moment, for me, after the encode that means extract the original video, use tsmuxer to create an iso from the encoded video, use MakeMKV to create an mkv from the iso, use mkvtoolnix to mux the bits together, basically replacing the Dolby Vision track with the enocded one.

If you have any suggestions on how I can make this simple then please share.

 

It's this that prompted the question in the first place since mkv is pretty much what I use for everything normally.

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rbjtech

There is plenty of info on makemkv's forums on how to do this.

Personally I don't get why you would ever want to do this -  you want to keep DV and HD Audio - but sacrifice bitrate to save space ... err.. ok. 

If you have the equipment to play DV and HD Audio - then add an 8Tb HDD to the list .. just saying.

 

 

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raven-au
1 hour ago, rbjtech said:

There is plenty of info on makemkv's forums on how to do this.

Personally I don't get why you would ever want to do this -  you want to keep DV and HD Audio - but sacrifice bitrate to save space ... err.. ok. 

If you have the equipment to play DV and HD Audio - then add an 8Tb HDD to the list .. just saying.

 

 

No, I want to encode to a high enough quality the difference is not noticeable.

Historically that meant a significant reduction in movie size but with UHD material that's not always the case.

But there is still a reduction, most noticable for newer material that, for whatever reason, is better quality than others.

Some may have been just upscaled by the movie companies and sold as UHD when it's really not up to that quality, I don't know I just see differences.

 

As far a adding disks to my NAS, it's fully populated, and to repopulate it with larger disks would cost at least $1200 AUD.

And, storage is not the only issue, as the size of movies grows so does the overhead of moving them around and re-encoding them for whatever reason I may have.

That infrastructure also costs quite a bit.

 

So it's not as simple you say as far as I am concerned and, for me, it's what I want for myself that counts.

 

And, I'm not complaining that Emby isn't in a position to do this now or even in the near future, I understand the way things are and I'm happy that the developers were kind enough to listen and respond.

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