HD200 DTS Work-Around

[jarredduq]

I figured out a potential work-around for DTS. I took one of my HD200's and put it on a separate network from my Sage Server by putting another router in front of it.

Doing this forces the HD200 into place-shifter mode, as it can't see the Sage server directly. While in place-shifter mode, and playing a MKV file with a DTS track, the Sage server trans-codes the audio without needing a DTS decoder on the client side.

The downside to this is that I loose the ability to play DVD's or Blu-ray discs because of being in place-shifter mode.

It would be cool to have this trans-code ability without having to use place-shifter mode.

[stanger89]

It transcodes the video too.

[jarredduq]

Originally Posted by stanger89

It transcodes the video too.

True, that's why I'm hoping that there would be a way to just trans-code the audio from the server side.

[Fuzzy]

I think eventually, (hope actually) that sage implements on-demand transcoding. This would allow it to transcode JUST the parts it needs (depending on the capabilities of the playback device), and just copy the parts that are already in a supported format. ffmpeg already supports copying streams from input to output, it's just a matter of sage offering some sort of capability handshaking, and passing the proper transcoding flags to ffmpeg.

[Lucas]

Transcoding just the audio is difficult/impossible because then the synchronisation with the video could not be maintained.

There is a property which allows the transcoding of DTS and video already.

Have a look here

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...TS+transcoding

[Fuzzy]

No, there is no syncronization issues when using ffmpeg's transcoding functions. Video is still passed through the transcoding step, it is just left unchanged (copied), so sync is still maintained.

[Lucas]

So it could be a matter of the appropriate parameters being passed on to ffmpeg.

[Fuzzy]

yes, that's exactly what it is.. well, that and determining the capabilities of the playback device, so as to know WHAT parameters are to be passed.

[dbone1026]

Originally Posted by Lucas

Transcoding just the audio is difficult/impossible because then the synchronisation with the video could not be maintained.

There is a property which allows the transcoding of DTS and video already.

Have a look here

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...TS+transcoding

In the link the video quality was noted as pretty bad, does that still apply?

I just rely on adding a separate AC3 track in my Blu Ray mkvs/ts files so I can get audio on my HD200 connected directly to my TV.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by dbone1026

In the link the video quality was noted as pretty bad, does that still apply?

I just rely on adding a separate AC3 track in my Blu Ray mkvs/ts files so I can get audio on my HD200 connected directly to my TV.

Currently, yes, adding the AC3 track is probably the best option for ripped media... the limitation comes with playing back blu-ray's directly from the disc.

[Lucas]

Originally Posted by dbone1026

In the link the video quality was noted as pretty bad, does that still apply?

I just rely on adding a separate AC3 track in my Blu Ray mkvs/ts files so I can get audio on my HD200 connected directly to my TV.

At the time, my server was pretty low powered so it couldn't do any better.

I think I could get much better quality with my current hardware but haven't tried.....