Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[bspachman]

I recently realized that my HD DirecTV boxes had DLNA features built-in and that I could use them to access my MC16 library! I'm mostly interested in using my DirecTV boxes to access my video collection on TVs that don't have an HTPC running MC on them. To that end, I've enabled Video support in the DLNA setup and configured it to "Always convert"

However, I'm running into some stumbling blocks...

- Many of my videos play just fine. However, those that don't play well seem to fall into a couple of general categories...

1) Videos with multiple audio tracks seem to default to playing the last audio track. I can't seem to find an option on the DirecTV side to choose which track to play. Is there a way to force MC to send the 1st audio track?

2) Videos with multi-channel AAC audio streams either play with no audio OR fail to play at all.

- There's not much documentation about all of the conversion options and special "Advanced" options in the DLNA setup area for MC. I've done a little trial and error, and found that only "MPEG2 medium bandwidth" works with the boxes, but I have no idea why. Also, I had to turn on the DLNA checkbox in the Advanced options, but I don't know why. Are any of the other "Advanced" options important or useful in solving the above audio issues?

- Finally, is there a way to prevent MC from auto-importing the files created in the conversion cache? My "Recently Imported" playlist seems to get filled up with converted MPG files that are parts of stacks...

Let me know if log files and/or test files would be of any help...

Thanks,
Brad

[bspachman]

Update: Messing around with the DLNA "Audio" settings don't seem to help with any of the audio problems above--which is perhaps to be expected, since I'm working with video files, but I didn't want to leave something obvious untried...

brad

[bob]

I recently realized that my HD DirecTV boxes had DLNA features built-in and that I could use them to access my MC16 library! I'm mostly interested in using my DirecTV boxes to access my video collection on TVs that don't have an HTPC running MC on them. To that end, I've enabled Video support in the DLNA setup and configured it to "Always convert"

However, I'm running into some stumbling blocks...

- Many of my videos play just fine. However, those that don't play well seem to fall into a couple of general categories...

1) Videos with multiple audio tracks seem to default to playing the last audio track. I can't seem to find an option on the DirecTV side to choose which track to play. Is there a way to force MC to send the 1st audio track?

In the current builds of 16 you can select the audio track to be used in DLNA by selecting it under the DVD Video Info database field.

2) Videos with multi-channel AAC audio streams either play with no audio OR fail to play at all.

The DirecTV box likely can't handle them. They'll need conversion.

- There's not much documentation about all of the conversion options and special "Advanced" options in the DLNA setup area for MC. I've done a little trial and error, and found that only "MPEG2 medium bandwidth" works with the boxes, but I have no idea why. Also, I had to turn on the DLNA checkbox in the Advanced options, but I don't know why. Are any of the other "Advanced" options important or useful in solving the above audio issues?

For your box, the generic profile (which SHOULD enable the DLNA checkbox under advanced) should be sufficient.
The audio options are only for audio files, the image options for images and the video options for video files

- Finally, is there a way to prevent MC from auto-importing the files created in the conversion cache? My "Recently Imported" playlist seems to get filled up with converted MPG files that are parts of stacks...

That was a bug in 16. It's fixed in recent builds.

[bspachman]

In the current builds of 16 you can select the audio track to be used in DLNA by selecting it under the DVD Video Info database field.

I'm having trouble finding this field. Can you give me a more specific place to look? I selected one of my mp4 videos with multiple audio streams, opened the tagging window, and made sure that "all tags" were showing--yet I don't see anything like that field available...

The DirecTV box likely can't handle them. They'll need conversion.

That was my guess. I expanded on my problem in this thread.

That was a bug in 16. It's fixed in recent builds.

Cool. I'll double-check it with my setup!

brad

[MrC]

I'm having trouble finding this field. Can you give me a more specific place to look? I selected one of my mp4 videos with multiple audio streams, opened the tagging window, and made sure that "all tags" were showing--yet I don't see anything like that field available...

This is a hidden library field.  You can see that it exists in Options > Library & Folders > Manage Library Fields, and the selecting the pulldown that includes showing hidden fields.  You'll then find it in the list.

I have no idea how to include this in views so that you can manipulate it though...

[bspachman]

This is a hidden library field.  You can see that it exists in Options > Library & Folders > Manage Library Fields, and the selecting the pulldown that includes showing hidden fields.  You'll then find it in the list.

I have no idea how to include this in views so that you can manipulate it though...

Good pointer! I created my own 'calculated' field that contained the expression [DVD Video Info] and was then able to see what values MC thought the DB contained for those fields in the tagging window.

However, it doesn't appear to allow me to manipulate the data, and even stranger, it shows the same available options to choose from no matter which video file I select.

More guidance will be welcome...

brad

[bob]

Good pointer! I created my own 'calculated' field that contained the expression [DVD Video Info] and was then able to see what values MC thought the DB contained for those fields in the tagging window.

However, it doesn't appear to allow me to manipulate the data, and even stranger, it shows the same available options to choose from no matter which video file I select.

More guidance will be welcome...

brad

Oh, that field is only editable for ripped dvd's (ifo).

There may be a way to select the specific audio track during conversion with the ffmpeg.xml file parameters however I don't see how that works with different layouts.

[bspachman]

The "-map" option seems to be useful, but I still can't get multichannel mp4 files to play back--so streams that are multichannel are simply skipped.

brad