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Request to have separate AC3 and AAC Audio Renderers


ter9999

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Now DVBViewer only has one "Audio Renderer", I set to "Speakers". But in Windows Vista/Windows 7, in order to bitstream AC3 and AAC to external amplifie, the "Audio Renderer" needs to be set to "Digital Output".

 

This is annoying that I set up 2 DVBViewers to watch MP2 (ffdshow to Speakers) and AC3 (AC3Filter to Digital Output) channels separately. Could you add separate "Audio Renderer" for MP2, AC3 and AAC audio formats?

 

ProgDVB has such configurations and is convenient to use in together with external amplifier.

 

 

Thanks much!

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Audio A/B can't be remembered for each channel and there is no "Auto B Conditions" for AC3?

 

 

Hi, is there any Audio "Auto B Conditions" I can use for AC3 format? It's really painstaking to switch between A and B for different channels.

 

Good way is to implement what I proposed in my 1st post to have separate renders for different audio formats, but may need many code changes.

Also remember audio and video A/B selections for each channel is a method, may need many code changes.

To implement "Auto B Conditions" for AC3 is less effort-taking compared to others if there is no such phrase now.

 

 

Thanks much!

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Hi, is there any Audio "Auto B Conditions" I can use for AC3 format?

No, because auto A/B switching only takes effect if the complete filter graph is rebuilt (e.g. on TV / radio or MPEG2 / H.264 change). Usually DVBViewer switches between different channels / audio tracks without rebuilding the filter graph, in order to execute this task as fast as possible. It stops the graph, replaces the audio decoder (only if different audio decoders are selected / required e.g. for a MPEG / AC3 audio change), and starts playback again.

 

Try to switch Options -> TV + Radio -> Fast Channel Switching off. It will force a "Rebuild Graph" on each channel / audio track change (not on file playback). Experience how it slows channel switching down. However, there is no "AC3" condition that can be applied in this case. It has not been considered in DVBViewer yet.

 

There might be a possibility to introduce an "AC3" condition and, if Auto A/B is activated for audio, automatically force a "Rebuild Graph" in case of an audio type change. I will have a closer look at it, as soon as I find some time...

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No, because auto A/B switching only takes effect if the complete filter graph is rebuilt (e.g. on TV / radio or MPEG2 / H.264 change). Usually DVBViewer switches between different channels / audio tracks without rebuilding the filter graph, in order to execute this task as fast as possible. It stops the graph, replaces the audio decoder (only if different audio decoders are selected / required e.g. for a MPEG / AC3 audio change), and starts playback again.

 

Try to switch Options -> TV + Radio -> Fast Channel Switching off. It will force a "Rebuild Graph" on each channel / audio track change (not on file playback). Experience how it slows channel switching down. However, there is no "AC3" condition that can be applied in this case. It has not been considered in DVBViewer yet.

 

There might be a possibility to introduce an "AC3" condition and, if Auto A/B is activated for audio, automatically force a "Rebuild Graph" in case of an audio type change. I will have a closer look at it, as soon as I find some time...

 

 

Thank you so much for the consideration to add "AC3" auto B condition. This will greatly improve user experience when using Vista/Win7 in together with external amplifier to watch HDTV channels.

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In return a request from my side: I would really cherish if people would stop quoting uselessly the whole post they are replying to, thus making threads unnecessary long and overcharged. Usually it's far better to quote one relevant sentence to which the reply refers. This Quote Button should be disabled. ;)

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I will have a closer look at it, as soon as I find some time...

Results:

 

Adding the "AC3" condition for auto A/B switching is easy. Only few lines of code are required to make it work, provided fast channel switching is unticked or playback of a (new) file starts.

 

However, it's pretty difficult to let it take effect only when necessary, if fast channel switching is ticked. In this case DVBViewer would have to determine beforehand if a channel change entailing an audio type change will trigger an A/B change, in order to find out whether "Rebuild Graph" must be performed or not - as it is now, the A/B conditions are checked *while* the filter graph is (re-)built. Maybe this can be managed somehow, but it gets even more difficult if the user changes the audio track while file or DVD playback is going on, because in this case DVBViewer will have to deal with the oddities of components like MS DVD Navigator, Haali Media Splitter etc., which either way hinder restarting playback with a new filter graph at the previous position and a specific audio track.

 

ATM I don't see how it can be done in a way that works under all conditions, which means, it will not be implemented - at least not as official feature - since things that are only working partially usually result in a lot of bug reports and complaints.

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Thanks for the detailed information. Then is that possible to remeber A/B audio/video conditions for each channel? The other possible solution is to add separate audio renderers for MP2/AC3/AAC. Don't know whether these implementations are difficult in coding level.

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Then is that possible to remeber A/B audio/video conditions for each channel?

For each channel? It has to be configured per audio track - there are channels that are broadcasting both MPEG and AC3 audio. But even that would be no solution, because it doesn't cover file playback. And do you really want to configure it separately for some thousand entries in a satellite channel list? Forget it. If you really think about it you'll see that it is not practicable at all.

 

The other possible solution is to add separate audio renderers for MP2/AC3/AAC.

Comes down to what I've written above.

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Comes down to what I've written above.

 

Sorry, I don't quite understand you. ProgDVB has such configuration to allow users to select different audio renderers for AC3 and MP2 respectively, and it works perfectly during my daily usage...

 

0910102338b834aedf73511e19.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

The next DVBViewer GE release will provide an "AC3" Auto A/B option, but for technical reasons DVD playback will always be regarded as AC3, regardless of the actual audio type, and it may not work with certain kinds of file playback. No perfect thing. Dunno if there are plans to implement in in DVBViewer Pro...

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The next DVBViewer GE release will provide an "AC3" Auto A/B option, but for technical reasons DVD playback will always be regarded as AC3, regardless of the actual audio type, and it may not work with certain kinds of file playback. No perfect thing. Dunno if there are plans to implement in in DVBViewer Pro...

 

 

As users are moving to Windows Vista and Windows 7, this issue gets more and more attentions among HTPC users in one of our forum: a) users with external amplifier. :) X-Fi will do hardware AC3 decoding in Vista/7 if output AC3 through "Digital output device".

 

On Windows XP, AC3 can bitstream out through "Speaker device", but modern operating systems will only allow passing AC3 bitstream through "Digit output device". As operating systems evolves, DVBViwer Pro is better to evolve too. 2 audio renderers for PCM (after software decoding of mp2) and AC3 separately may be a good method for this. Since there is already audio A/B function in DVBViewer, it's natural to use this function. Seems implementing A/B auto switch based on AC3 may incur other issues, just don't know if 2 audio renderers is better.

 

Anyway, hope DVBViewer Pro can also get similar function beside DVBViewer GE. Can this get in the DVBViewer Pro 4.3 beta test circle?

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  • 1 month later...

First, I used ReClock as a workaround for this. But finally I found ReClock can't support AC3 bitstream out well. So still rely on the DVBViewer Audio A/B auto switch function to be realized...

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i have in a bit similar problem too with using audio a/b. I'm going to use TV's speakers (ati hdmi audio output) for MPEG audio and amplifier for AC3 streams. I must manually changing audio a/b (audio renderer).

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  • 4 weeks later...

This auto A/B switch feature was added in DVBViewer GE 2.9.0, in the changelog, there are limitations as stated.

 

If there was no much negative feedback, why not also integrate this into DVBViewer 4.3 beta? Windows Vista/7 need this!

Edited by ter9999
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  • 3 months later...

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