Direct Play fail: Won't play mp4 file, always transcodes MKV file

[legallink 187]

So, I recently added Zootopia to my collection, ripped it like normal, named it like normal, and press play like normal, but it always chooses the mkv file and never the MP4 file.  I'm using the same preset as my other files with Handbrake, but it still chooses the mkv file, resulting in a transcode.  This doesn't happen with the other files.

 

Files at play:

Zootopia.mkv

Zootopia - Roku.mp4

 

They show up linked in the display, but when playing from a Roku or an apple tv, it always plays the MKV.

 

Thoughts?

 

Logs and a media info screen shot at the link below

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/shotjfiykstal42/AAAP9sfJoOmqCTm6c7B-DuGEa?dl=0

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

 

[legallink 187]

Update on this, it happened again, this time with The Martian extended edition.  Same setup as before, but still transcoding.  Thoughts?

[Happy2Play 9783]

Through what client?

[legallink 187]

Client's tested:  Apple TV, Roku 3, Roku 2, Web browser.

[Happy2Play 9783]

Best guess, looks like it is because of the first audio stream (7.1).

 

Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (dts (dca) -> ac3 (native))

[legallink 187]

So, I need to reorder the streams on the mp4?

 

Regardless of that, shouldn't it also look for container and video codec?

Edited June 14, 2016 by legallink

[speechles 2055]

@@Happy2Play is right. Have you tried using the "blueneon" roku app? In that app, you can choose "force directstream" for that mp4 and if the device connected to your roku hdmi supports ac3/dolby pass-through this will now play directly and you will hear sound. It if direct plays but doesnt have sound your setup doesnt support ac3 or DTS. If the stereo AAC track was not the first track it cant be used. For the roku to easily direct-play (automatically with no need to force) and keep compatbility, the first track should be stereo AAC, the second and later tracks can be your variants of ac3/dolby or DTS flavors.

 

The roku will decide correctly when direct playing which audio stream to use this way. If it doesnt use the * button and change the audio stream to the one you want. The blue neon app will show you which it has detected your setup to support. After the "more..." button in the detail menu is more text. At the end of it, is your detected audio. This can be stereo, dd, dts, dd dts, or private.

 

Keep in mind as well, the rokus built in captions menu to select subtitle/audio-stream changes works best with MKV. The built in captions also work best when direct playing. When transcoding the server creates 3 streams audio, video, subtitle/caption and you lose the other streams. For these items before playing you should choose from the audio & subtitles menu before you press play. This will always transcode when using the menu before playing.

 

It is best to always see if you can "force directstream" and try to directly play the item. Now use the * button and see if you can change audio streams to the desired ones. Keep in mind with MKV this works everytime, with MP4 you mileage may vary. You may want to adjust your strategy to use MKV container. Encode things exactly the same way you are, making the audio stream ordering change I suggested and MKV as the container. MKV has far more support for this kind of thing.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Edited June 14, 2016 by speechles

[legallink 187]

Anyone have an easy mp4 header editor like mkvtoolnix for mkv's?

[legallink 187]

Just as an update for any that read this, the switching of the order of the audio tracks solved this issue.