Utility: SAGEAudioConvert, DTS to AC-3

[ybrew]

This tool saves me a few hundred dollars at least. I've been looking at receivers for several weeks with the hope of buying one after Christmas. I can always watch movies in my theater, but occasionally other rooms are simply more convenient.

Now I can save that money I was gonna spend on the receiver for something else.

Thank you very much!

[electronics4lif]

Download is unavailable.

[mikep]

Originally Posted by electronics4lif

Download is unavailable.

I just verified and download IS available. sorry.
Mike

[electronics4lif]

Originally Posted by mikep

I just verified and download IS available. sorry.
Mike

Yep, it is back up now.

[gdrider77]

how do you use this? I downloaded it, but am lost as to how i actually use it?

Thanks.

[mikep]

Hi,

SAGEAudioConvert is a windows console program, you have to use the windows command line program (cmd.exe) is order to launch it.

I will write a windows version (GUI front end) to ease the process for people without command line experience. The GUI version will be available before the end of the year... when I got some spare time

Mike

[ybrew]

Originally Posted by gdrider77

how do you use this? I downloaded it, but am lost as to how i actually use it?

Thanks.

To make it simple,

1) you have to extract the download. 7zip or Jzip are both good free programs to use with .rar files.

2) I moved the extracted directory structure to the root of my c: drive. I also renamed the folder to sageac, so at the root of my c: drive I have a folder called c:\sageac

3) So now, click start, run cmd

4) at the command prompt window, type cd c:\sageac

The command I ran was:

5) sageaudioconvert -recursive -language=EN I:\videos\1) movies

Where my videos are located at I:\videos\1) movies
the program handled the space in the directory name just fine.

On my winxp box (dual core, e6600, 2gb ram) It took between 7 & 15 minutes per movie. I let it run overnight and all my movies (250+ in that folder) are now perfect.

Granted, most of my movies are 720p. The DTS issue is more of a factor with 1080p movies. But I still had lots of movies fixed with this program.

Personally, I prefer the smaller size of the 720p. The quality diff of 1080p isn't worth the extra disc cost. And my HD100s prefer to stream the 720p movies anyway.

[gdrider77]

Originally Posted by ybrew

To make it simple,

1) you have to extract the download. 7zip or Jzip are both good free programs to use with .rar files.

2) I moved the extracted directory structure to the root of my c: drive. I also renamed the folder to sageac, so at the root of my c: drive I have a folder called c:\sageac

3) So now, click start, run cmd

4) at the command prompt window, type cd c:\sageac

The command I ran was:

5) sageaudioconvert -recursive -language=EN I:\videos\1) movies

Where my videos are located at I:\videos\1) movies
the program handled the space in the directory name just fine.

On my winxp box (dual core, e6600, 2gb ram) It took between 7 & 15 minutes per movie. I let it run overnight and all my movies (250+ in that folder) are now perfect.

Granted, most of my movies are 720p. The DTS issue is more of a factor with 1080p movies. But I still had lots of movies fixed with this program.

Personally, I prefer the smaller size of the 720p. The quality diff of 1080p isn't worth the extra disc cost. And my HD100s prefer to stream the 720p movies anyway.

thanks ybrew, and everyone else for the info and this great little tool

that was exactly what i was looking for, just a bit of direction. I seem to have got it working processes video, and replaces ok, how do i actually switch the audio in sage when the video is playing?

I gotta say this helps sooooo much with WAF. I just made this whole sage switch and after doing all this and slowly getting her comfortable, its hard to explain only half of the videos will work on certain tvs, and that i need to buy speakers/receivers for all rooms!

Man, this is great! love the sage community so much, you all make great stuff and really try to help when possible!

ryan.

[gdrider77]

Ok, so looks like there is no way to actually pick a different stream once its playing, so my question is

"can i use this tool to convert to an ac3 stream and simply save that file without the DTS one?"

So i have a dts in and an ac3 out? without keeping the DTS track?

Thanks.

[hugenbdd]

gdrider77
If you have an HD200 use the "audio" button on the remote. It will switch between streams on the mkv. If you are running the SageMC screen hit the "options" button then find the "audio" item, click enter and it will show all streams available. Highlight and click ok on the stream you want to listen to. (AC-3). If your on the standard sage interface I'm not sure what to hit, but I assume it would be in the sage manual somewhere.

I have also requested for a new flag to set the AC-3 stream as default. MikeP responded affirmatively that he would try to add it in the next release. Raising WAF even higher (and allowing us to be lazy)

Dave

[gdrider77]

Appreciate the tips, that flag thing would be great! unfortunatley i tried that, the audio button works fine for dvd movies ripped in full folder format, but not for mkv files.

[mikep]

Originally Posted by hugenbdd

gdrider77
If you have an HD200 use the "audio" button on the remote. It will switch between streams on the mkv. If you are running the SageMC screen hit the "options" button then find the "audio" item, click enter and it will show all streams available. Highlight and click ok on the stream you want to listen to. (AC-3). If your on the standard sage interface I'm not sure what to hit, but I assume it would be in the sage manual somewhere.

I have also requested for a new flag to set the AC-3 stream as default. MikeP responded affirmatively that he would try to add it in the next release. Raising WAF even higher (and allowing us to be lazy)

Dave

Hi,

New version will have an option to set the AC-3 stream as default. It will be available before the end of 2009.

Mikep

[hugenbdd]

gdrider77
What are you using? hd200? SageMC? Standard Sage GUI? This will help us give you the proper instructions.

Dave

[gdrider77]

I am using 3 hd200s as well as placeshifter software. Using sagemc.

I have tried the default stv as well, and can find no option in there either.

Thanks.

[hugenbdd]

gdrider
You have a PM.

If you use this command it will overwrite your original file.
SAGEAudioConvert -recursive z:\movies

If you use this commad it will put the new file under z:\moviesConverted
SAGEAudioConvert -outputdir=z:\moviesConverted -kbps=448 z:\movies



I start playing the mkv file.
(Depending on if you use the overwrite when converting, make sure you are playing the correct file that has the ac3 track).

Click the options button.

Screen comes up with lots of options.
Video info
Subtitles
Subtitle Language
Audio Language

Click Audio Language.
(If the file only has one soundtrack Audio Language will not be in the list)

a new window comes up
"Select an Audio track to use:"
#1 eng DCA 5.1 x
#2 eng AC3 5.1 o

Arrow down to the ac3 track and click. Video will freeze for a second then catch back up and you will hear sound.

Dave

[KingPumpkin]

This tool sounds exactly like what I've been looking for. Any way you could compile for OSX or post the source somewhere for someone to port? Thanks either way!

[gdrider77]

Thank you so much for all the help everyone. It seems to be working now. It looks like i was not waiting long enough for the HD200 to update to the new file or something. I tried again this morning and everything seems to be working fine, the audio option is now present, and the "audio" button on the remote works as well.

I believe next time i do the convert i will do the update import scan option in the menus and hopefully that will work immediately.

Thanks again.
Ryan.

[hugenbdd]

Hi
I have a file it doesn't like to process.

It has an audio language of [und] which I assume means undefined.

Here's the "error" string.

Audio track: [und] DTS 5.1.
Replacing existing AC-3 track requested by -force switch.
Creating AC-3 track. 100%
Merging 1 new AC-3 track.mkvmerge v2.9.8 ('C'est le bon') built on Aug 13 20
09 12:49:06

Error: No language specified in '--language 0:'.


My Command Line
D:\SAGEAudioConvert_0_1_11\SAGEAudioConvert\SAGEAudioConvert.exe -force -outputdir Q:\ -debug "D:\Movies\"

Thanks
Dave

[mikep]

Originally Posted by hugenbdd

Hi
I have a file it doesn't like to process.

It has an audio language of [und] which I assume means undefined.

Here's the "error" string.

Audio track: [und] DTS 5.1.
Replacing existing AC-3 track requested by -force switch.
Creating AC-3 track. 100%
Merging 1 new AC-3 track.mkvmerge v2.9.8 ('C'est le bon') built on Aug 13 20
09 12:49:06

Error: No language specified in '--language 0:'.


My Command Line
D:\SAGEAudioConvert_0_1_11\SAGEAudioConvert\SAGEAudioConvert.exe -force -outputdir Q:\ -debug "D:\Movies\"

Thanks
Dave

Hi,
Oup you found a bug, I will adress it within the next release.

Mike

[HuMan321]

Just tried this on an mkv file and it worked great
Thanks!!!