Problem with .MKVs (No Audio), How to remove header compression Options

[wuoma]

I've had my WD live hd for a while now and all videos have played with no problems.

Now however I've started to get some problems with some new .mkv files with 6ch audio.
First of all, I have tried both the digital and the stereo output and neither of them work. The videos live on my windows server share and I can play them perfectly well with my laptop using any program (for example VLC or media player classic) so the files are working.

The only thing I can see in common in these files is that they are new (like TV shows) and have similar audio

VLC gives me this info about the audio track of a file that refuses to play on the WD:
Dolby AC3 48000Hz 6ch
Codec: A52 Audio (aka AC3) (a52)
Language: English
Channels: 3F2R/LFE
Sampling rate: 48000 Hz
Bitrate: 448 kb/s

Any idea what is the matter or is this a feature?
Really frustrating and seemed to start just a couple of weeks ago.

EDIT: Tried with both the newest official FW and the newest beta.

[WDUser]

I assume your receiver can handle 6-channel AC3 audio properly? Also, if you're seeing this issue only with MKVs, then the problem is with the recently added "header removal compression" feature.

See these topics for more, including the solution using MKVMerge GUI:

http://wdtvhd.com/index.php?showtopic=18140
http://wdtvhd.com/index.php?showtopic=18624
http://wdtvhd.com/index.php?showtopic=1814...ost&p=29047

[wuoma]

I have an LG soundbar receiver that should be able to decode the AC3 audio as well, but I'd still like to use the stereo downsampling because the WD supports way more formats.

Thanks a lot for the quick answer, after checking out the links you provided I'm pretty certain that is the problem.

So just have to wait and see what happens and watch these videos with my laptop (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mellow.gif)

[WDUser]

So just have to wait and see what happens and watch these videos with my laptop (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mellow.gif)

Umm, why? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) The last link I gave you has a really easy solution for now, which is to simply use MKVMerge GUI to set the compression for each audio track in an MKV to None and then remux to a new file, which should take not more than a few minutes at best. This will fix the audio, until such time WD releases updated FW that can handle this new feature.

[wuoma]

Ok, somehow I didn't quite get the idea. I just glanced over the instructions and assumed they were for when you are creating the video files yourself from some other format.
Will try it out, thanks.

[Xsoldier2000]

Same boat as you, weird that only SOME of the TV shows (.mkv) don't have audio.

MediaInfo from a file that won't play on WDTV Live:

CODE

Audio
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AC-3
Format/Info                      : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension                   : CM (complete main)
Codec ID                         : A_AC3
Duration                         : 42mn 7s
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 448 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 6 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth                        : 16 bits
Stream size                      : 135 MiB (12%)

MediaInfo on a file that WILL play on the WDTV Live:

CODE

Audio
ID                               : 2
Format                           : AC-3
Format/Info                      : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension                   : CM (complete main)
Codec ID                         : A_AC3
Duration                         : 45mn 36s
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 384 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 6 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth                        : 16 bits
Stream size                      : 125 MiB (11%)

Can someone tell me WHY it won't play the Audio on #1 but it WILL play the audio on #2? (Both .mkv files, both play video perfectly)

[WDUser]

Sigh... Xsoldier2000, did you read the entire thread? As mentioned, it may be due to the new "header removal compression" feature.

Try this. Download the latest mkvtoolnix release and override the default header removal compression settings for each audio track you want to keep in an MKV. In MKVMerge GUI, you need to first open the MKV, then select each audio track in turn (in the middle pane). Then click on "Extra Options" and set "Compression" to "None". Do NOT leave it blank, as that is not the same as "None". Then remux with a different file name (so as not to overwrite the original) and test the new file. Let me know if it worked.

[Michael99]

Hi,

Just got the wdtv live a couple of days ago. Have tried to play a download Mkv file to check out the quality. Quality fine, but no audio. Checked all the posts on this around and about, and no solution.

I have the wdtv plus connected to a samsung 40" tv via hdmi, and connected to a philips home theater system using optical.

xvid files play fine, audio through the home theater.

The mkv file reports and English/Digital audio.

Have tried the Stereo/Digital setting in hdtv to no avail.

mkv plays fine on computer. On PC, mkv reports AC3 audio track.

Have tried in FW 1.0.17, 1.01.24 and 1.02.21 - always the same, no sound. In stereo mode, no sound from TV either. Have tried the standard rca connections and component connections

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[radialman]

its to do with the new mkvmerge that the encoder has used another mkv will work fine!

Is the film Repo men by any chance?

[Michael99]

Actually no, just some tv show - wanted to test with something smaller. I'll try some other file, thanx!

[WDUser]

@Michael99: Your post has been merged with this one (do browse and search the forum first next time). Try the fix mentioned above and report back.

@radialman: If an MKV uses the new "header removal compression" feature, it can be fixed. There's no need to download another MKV instead (not to mention the fact that before downloading how would you know that one's not affected too?) Also, you're most likely confusing two issues here. One is the compression feature, and the other is recent BluRay releases such as Repo Men and The Losers having Cinavia DRM on them (which doesn't affect these players at all). See this topic for more info. re. Cinavia and the WD TV players.

[radialman]

I wasnt suggesting downloading another version i was basicaly saying that there are only a few mkv's that have this issue most of them will play fine!

I am aware that it can be fixed and had to do it with the version of repo men i have.

And no i wasnt cofusing two issues (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Was just trying to help!

[WDUser]

Well that's fine then. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I only mentioned it because many people are confusing this issue with Cinavia and complaining about the players, and Repo Men is one of the titles affected. So when you mentioned it specifically out of all other possible titles, I thought you had mixed up the two as well.

Anyway, hope everyone's managed to solve the issue satisfactorily.

[radialman]

strange that these encoders are using this setting perhaps they dont even know they are doing it,as i think the header removal compression is on by default on the new mkvmerge.

I am pretty sure that no standalone players can play these files yet.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[WDUser]

Maybe they only test their encodes with software players.

Also, as I've stated earlier, the mkvtoolnix devs really should have made the option default to None, or popped up a dialog asking the user what he wants, instead of causing so much trouble for everyone with 'broken' files.

[pjerkanN]

all the machd relises i cant get any sound on

http://www.matroska.org/news/compressed-headers.html

[WDUser]

@pjerkanN: Can't understand exactly what you said there, but thanks for the link!

mkclean now comes with a tool called mkWDclean that removes the compressed header and zlib compressed from tracks in Matroska. That's a workaround to play in hardware players like the WD TV.

So as mentioned above, besides using MKVMerge GUI to manually remove header removal compression from affected MKVs, you can also download the mkclean package and use the included command-line mkWDclean utility to do the same.

[drfahrenheit]

Some MKV-files don't have sound when played on my WDTV Live. They have AC3 sound and play fine on my computer. I'm aware of the DTS-issues, but as far as I can see these files have AC3 sound. Changing audio output (stereo/digital) makes no difference. WDTV is connected to my TV through HDMI.

Below is all the MediaInfo on the file that doesnt have sound on WDTV. Under that info, is the MediaInfo on another file with what seems to me, identical format/codec, but this one works fine! Any ideas?

THIS FILE HAS NO SOUND:

CODE

General
Format : Matroska
File size : 1.09 GiB
Duration : 48mn 43s
Overall bit rate : 3 214 Kbps
Writing application : x264.exe
Writing library : mkv2rls x264-tv version built on 2010 jul 11

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L3.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 3 frames
Muxing mode : Container profile=Unknown@3.1
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 48mn 43s
Bit rate : 2 824 Kbps
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 23.976 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.128
Stream size : 964 MiB (86%)
Writing library : x264 core 88 r1471 1144615
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=6 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=20 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=1 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / wpredb=1 / wpredp=0 / keyint=240 / keyint_min=24 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=2pass / mbtree=1 / bitrate=2824 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 48mn 43s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 384 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Stream size : 134 MiB (12%)
Title : English
Language : English

THIS FILE WORKS FINE, HAS SOUND:

CODE

General
Blood\true.blood.s03e03.720p.hdtv.x264-immerse.mkv
Format : Matroska
File size : 1.46 GiB
Duration : 58mn 52s
Overall bit rate : 3 546 Kbps
Writing application : x264.exe
Writing library : mkv2rls x264-tv version built on 2010 jun 25

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L3.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 3 frames
Muxing mode : Container profile=Unknown@3.1
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 58mn 51s
Bit rate : 3 158 Kbps
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 23.976 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.143
Stream size : 1.27 GiB (87%)
Writing library : x264 core 88 r1471 1144615
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=6 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=20 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=1 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / wpredb=1 / wpredp=0 / keyint=240 / keyint_min=24 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=2pass / mbtree=1 / bitrate=3158 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 58mn 52s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 384 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Stream size : 162 MiB (11%)
Title : English
Language : English

[WDUser]

@drfahrenheit: Your post has been merged with this one (do browse and search the forum first next time). Try either of the fixes mentioned above and report back.

[Jolst]

I don't know how to compile and use the mkWDclean utility they provide under OS X (UNIX) and I can't get much from the ReadMe.
Any help?