Dolby Vision now possible through MP4 Mux.

[PSUHammer]

I don't have The Last Jedi because it sucked! Might be worth grabbing it though if it's a good one to test with. Thanks

Yeah, it sucked. But I know it is supposedly a good test according to some sites.

This site says it is legit 4k filmed and mastered? https://4kmedia.org/real-or-fake-4k/5/

[Grencola]

Tried this with Last Jedi UHD. Tsmuxer was unable to parse the playlist (800) but I was able to find the stream file (MT2S) and demux them. I have the base file, an enhanced file and the AC3 audio file. I used the following command:

"mp4muxer.exe --dv-profile 7 -i dv.base.hevc -i dv.enhancement.hevc -i dv.audio.ac3 --media-lang eng -o DolbyVision.mp4"

The output creates the mp4 container successfully. I am using a Plex media server with a Windows 10 machine as the server. I am watching on a TCL R617 65" set via the Roku Plex app. The movie plays fine but is recogized as an HDR10 format, not Dolby Vision.

Anyone else have any luck? Could it just be this set or Plex?

try plugging a usb hdd (exfat) into your tv and see if it triggers dolby vision. if so then it's the plex app, if not then your tv can't decode dv-profile 7 (dual layer) and dv won't be possible without a uhd-bd player.

[PSUHammer]

Tried this with Last Jedi UHD. Tsmuxer was unable to parse the playlist (800) but I was able to find the stream file (MT2S) and demux them. I have the base file, an enhanced file and the AC3 audio file. I used the following command:

"mp4muxer.exe --dv-profile 7 -i dv.base.hevc -i dv.enhancement.hevc -i dv.audio.ac3 --media-lang eng -o DolbyVision.mp4"

The output creates the mp4 container successfully. I am using a Plex media server with a Windows 10 machine as the server. I am watching on a TCL R617 65" set via the Roku Plex app. The movie plays fine but is recogized as an HDR10 format, not Dolby Vision.

Anyone else have any luck? Could it just be this set or Plex?

I made a second attempt at getting this to work. This time, I used Black Panther UHD disk. I was able to demux the files successfully and run the same command as above. It created the mp4 successfully but Plex and/or the TCL r617 TV only recognizes the file as regular HDR10 content.

I am throwing up my hands for now.

[Mouth_of_Sauron]

I made a second attempt at getting this to work. This time, I used Black Panther UHD disk. I was able to demux the files successfully and run the same command as above. It created the mp4 successfully but Plex and/or the TCL r617 TV only recognizes the file as regular HDR10 content.

I am throwing up my hands for now.

You're using Plex on the Roku connected to TV via HDMI correct?

Can you put the MP4 on a USB HDD or flash drive and plug it into the TV directly? Does the TCL have a Plex app you could try with to rule out an issue with the Roku?

Using the described method is working for me, but I use Emby directly on my LG C8 TV (Emby is a media server like Plex).

Does the TCL have a dynamic tone mapping function? I've been doing some eyeball comparisons and I'm not convinced that DV looks noticeably better than regular HDR10 with LG Dynamic Tone Mapping. Admittedly comparisons are very difficult without identical TVs side by side (which I don't have). If your TV has a similar function then you may find you're not missing much if you can't get DV to work.

[Mouth_of_Sauron]

I accidentally put two different tracks from two different movies in makemkv and when I played the file in DV, I could see the second layer in the background with different picture. So I believe we get the metadata.

I just did this on purpose to see what would happen. I couldn't see a whole different picture in the background, but the colours of the main movie were all over the place so it is definitely doing something.

[rezneck]

Hi, did anyone manage Saving Private Ryan ? I keep getting an error on tsmuxer, here is my log:

Code: Select all

Error : Reading buffer overflow. Possible container streams are not syncronized. Please, verify stream fps. File name: E:\BDMV\STREAM\00005.m2ts 
Error code : -2
Log : Network Optix tsMuxeR.  Version 2.6.12. www.networkoptix.com
HEVC muxing fps is not set. Get fps from stream. Value: 23.976
HEVC muxing fps is not set. Get fps from stream. Value: 23.976
Decoding AC3 stream (track 3): Bitrate: 640Kbps Sample Rate: 48KHz Channels: 5.1
Decoding AC3 stream (track 4): Bitrate: 640Kbps Sample Rate: 48KHz Channels: 5.1
B-pyramid level 2 detected. Shift DTS to 3 frames
B-pyramid level 2 detected. Shift DTS to 3 frames
Decoding PGS stream (track 5):  Resolution: 1920:1080  Frame rate: 23.976

I managed despicable me 2 and star wars, it was a bit of a pain to find the correct tracks for despicable me 2 but using BDinfo I got it properly.
For SPR the whole movie is on a single m2ts (00005.m2ts) and there is a playlist that only have this m2ts (00800.mpls) but tsmuxer crashes regardless if I use m2ts directly or the mpls.

[Grencola]

Hi, did anyone manage Saving Private Ryan ? I keep getting an error on tsmuxer, here is my log:

Code: Select all

Error : Reading buffer overflow. Possible container streams are not syncronized. Please, verify stream fps. File name: E:\BDMV\STREAM\00005.m2ts 
Error code : -2
Log : Network Optix tsMuxeR.  Version 2.6.12. www.networkoptix.com
HEVC muxing fps is not set. Get fps from stream. Value: 23.976
HEVC muxing fps is not set. Get fps from stream. Value: 23.976
Decoding AC3 stream (track 3): Bitrate: 640Kbps Sample Rate: 48KHz Channels: 5.1
Decoding AC3 stream (track 4): Bitrate: 640Kbps Sample Rate: 48KHz Channels: 5.1
B-pyramid level 2 detected. Shift DTS to 3 frames
B-pyramid level 2 detected. Shift DTS to 3 frames
Decoding PGS stream (track 5):  Resolution: 1920:1080  Frame rate: 23.976

I managed despicable me 2 and star wars, it was a bit of a pain to find the correct tracks for despicable me 2 but using BDinfo I got it properly.
For SPR the whole movie is on a single m2ts (00005.m2ts) and there is a playlist that only have this m2ts (00800.mpls) but tsmuxer crashes regardless if I use m2ts directly or the mpls.

demux each track individually. tsmuxer is finicky. eac3to is way easier. put it in your m2ts folder and in cmd prompt just type:

eac3to.exe 00005.m2ts 1: baselayer.hevc 2: dvlayer.hevc 3: audio.ac3 -core -640

it will convert the audio and everything all for you. then just use mp4muxer without those output files.

alternatively you can use the program I made a few comments above and it should work flawlessly with just a single click

[rezneck]

Thanks, I got it working with your program, one note, when it is done, it will delete all files in the folder where is your program, I placed the program in the BDMV folder directly so it wiped all my files ! (except the mp4 output ofc)

[Mouth_of_Sauron]

demux each track individually. tsmuxer is finicky. eac3to is way easier. put it in your m2ts folder and in cmd prompt just type:

eac3to.exe 00005.m2ts 1: baselayer.hevc 2: dvlayer.hevc 3: audio.ac3 -core -640

it will convert the audio and everything all for you. then just use mp4muxer without those output files.

alternatively you can use the program I made a few comments above and it should work flawlessly with just a single click

What do you mean it will convert the audio?

What is the appropriate command to run this demux with it just pulling out the AC3 core from the TrueHD with no conversion or re-encoding?

Won't the above command extract the core (which is usually 448 Kbps) and re-encode it into 640Kbps? Wouldn't it be better to just pull out the original 448Kbps core untouched?

[Grencola]

demux each track individually. tsmuxer is finicky. eac3to is way easier. put it in your m2ts folder and in cmd prompt just type:

eac3to.exe 00005.m2ts 1: baselayer.hevc 2: dvlayer.hevc 3: audio.ac3 -core -640

it will convert the audio and everything all for you. then just use mp4muxer without those output files.

alternatively you can use the program I made a few comments above and it should work flawlessly with just a single click

What do you mean it will convert the audio?

What is the appropriate command to run this demux with it just pulling out the AC3 cored from the TrueHD with no conversion or re-encoding?

Won't the above command extract the core (which is usually 448 Kbps) and re-encode it into 640Kbps? Wouldn't it be better to just pull out the original 448Kbps core untouched?

fyi if you type eac3to.exe file_name.m2ts it will list all the tracks. hd-audio is always track 3 if there's dv, otherwise it's track 2..

you would just type:
eac3to.exe 00005.m2ts 1: base.hevc 2: dv.hevc 3: audio.ac3 -core
-core extracts the core audio, yes.. but naming it a .ac3 file means it will convert say the dts core to ac3. if you want the core dts track you need to name it *.dts but mp4 wants ac3 so just name it audio.ac3 and you're good. truehd has an ac3 core already so no converting there. and -640 takes the high bitrate and makes it 640kbps instead of the default 448kbps, so slightly better sound as ac3 maxes out at 640 so may as well get the most you can out of the hd-audio. eac3 can go to 1536kbps but you need XMedia Recode for that.

[Mouth_of_Sauron]

fyi if you type eac3to.exe file_name.m2ts it will list all the tracks. hd-audio is always track 3 if there's dv, otherwise it's track 2..

you would just type:
eac3to.exe 00005.m2ts 1: base.hevc 2: dv.hevc 3: audio.ac3 -core
-core extracts the core audio, yes.. but naming it a .ac3 file means it will convert say the dts core to ac3. if you want the core dts track you need to name it *.dts but mp4 wants ac3 so just name it audio.ac3 and you're good. truehd has an ac3 core already so no converting there. and -640 takes the high bitrate and makes it 640kbps instead of the default 448kbps, so slightly better sound as ac3 maxes out at 640 so may as well get the most you can out of the hd-audio. eac3 can go to 1536kbps but you need XMedia Recode for that.

Thanks, the -640 switch makes sense when converting a DTS core to highest quality AC3.

One thing I'm still not clear on though. What's the point of re-encoding an 448kbps AC3 core to 640kbps? You can't add quality by upsampling. If anything wouldn't the process of decoding and re-encoding degrade the quality? Wouldn't you end up with an AC3 track with a higher bitrate, but potentially worse sound than the original lower bitrate core?

Maybe I'm missing something? Am I correct that "... 3: audio.ac3 - core" literally just pulls the core AC3 untouched (i.e. it doesn't decode the original 448kbps and then re-encode back to 448kbps)? Does that make sense?

I've also had a play with XMedia Recode to convert the TrueHD 7.1 to EAC3 5.1, but I'm not sure I like that solution as (unless I'm doing it wrong) you have to completely remove the two back channels rather than fold them into the 5.1 track. Surely this will result in an EAC3 track with better quality sound than the AC3 core, but it will have an inaccurate 5.1 mix.

Thanks again

[cyperous]

People recommending the Sony X700 as a Dolby Vision media player should be a little careful.

It does correctly play back dual-layer DV if it is muxed into MP4 format, as described in this thread (meaning no HD audio). However, it doesn't play back dual-layer DV in M2TS format.

If you try and play a file like that via DLNA, it plays as HDR10. If you copy the file onto an external drive and connect directly via USB, then you'll get Dolby Vision output, but it still isn't actually reading the DV metadata from the file - instead it is simply reading the HDR10 stream and then converting that to DV on the fly.

The results still look quite good doing that (and if the M2TS file is only HDR10 in the first place then it will convert it to DV, and that can look very good); but it's not the same as actually using the dual-layer DV information in the file.

so forget mp4 for a second and just talk m2ts.
Even when both the player and the tv are showing dolby vision, it's still faking it? because that's what happens I play both a uhd disc and an m2ts from usb hdd. there's no difference I can find in any setting or menu or info display that is different between disc and m2ts usb. how is one to tell? I can see it being fake over dlna though, where only one of the two devices is showing dolby vision - as I said it seemed iffy, but I honestly can't see the dif with disc vs usb...

From that screenshot you posted a couple days back with playback of the .m2ts over USB it only shows the DoVi coming from the TV. It doesn't show it is getting DoVi from the x700. Can you please double check? Every .m2ts I tried (I tried a couple for sure!) only showed hdr10 from the .m2ts on the x700, but DoVi on the TV cause it was being converted as described by @shasarak

That may have been true of older firmware of the X700 however I just tried playing a direct HDR10 presentation file on the X700 and both my TV and the X700 reported HDR10. However if I take the same file with the DV layer I get the TV and the X700 to report dolby vision. I can't recall what firmware I'm running but I'm convinced that it's working.

[cyperous]

I accidentally put two different tracks from two different movies in makemkv and when I played the file in DV, I could see the second layer in the background with different picture. So I believe we get the metadata.

That's very interesting.

I didn't think the metadata would have visually appeared like that, I thought it just told the TV what adjustments to make to the base layer.

Can you actually make out the image of the different movie?

Thanks

You're partially correct however since dolby vision is a 12-bit video and the hdr10 track is only 10-bit I believe that dolby is merging both tracks to turn the 4K track from 10-bit to 12-bit using the dv layer track. The metadata is also there in that track. As for others finding that the dv track is very small I think there is still dv metadata in the track however it's missing any video data to translate the 10-bit video into 12-bit video. Which means for example The Last Jedi is only getting 10-bit dolby vision, it's still possible that the HDR data is still dynamic.

[Mouth_of_Sauron]

You're partially correct however since dolby vision is a 12-bit video and the hdr10 track is only 10-bit I believe that dolby is merging both tracks to turn the 4K track from 10-bit to 12-bit using the dv layer track. The metadata is also there in that track. As for others finding that the dv track is very small I think there is still dv metadata in the track however it's missing any video data to translate the 10-bit video into 12-bit video. Which means for example The Last Jedi is only getting 10-bit dolby vision, it's still possible that the HDR data is still dynamic.

That makes sense, and would certainly explain why people anecdotally report that The Last Jedi looks better in DV despite it's small DV track (compared to others).

But if the track usually carries additional video data, and not just metadata, then why is the DV track only 1920x1080?

[cyperous]

You're partially correct however since dolby vision is a 12-bit video and the hdr10 track is only 10-bit I believe that dolby is merging both tracks to turn the 4K track from 10-bit to 12-bit using the dv layer track. The metadata is also there in that track. As for others finding that the dv track is very small I think there is still dv metadata in the track however it's missing any video data to translate the 10-bit video into 12-bit video. Which means for example The Last Jedi is only getting 10-bit dolby vision, it's still possible that the HDR data is still dynamic.

That makes sense, and would certainly explain why people anecdotally report that The Last Jedi looks better in DV despite it's small DV track (compared to others).

But if the track usually carries additional video data, and not just metadata, then why is the DV track only 1920x1080?

That I'm not sure about unless it has to do with only needing 1 pixel DV per 4 pixels HDR track. If that's true It's possible that it only need a partial construction. Also since the HDR track has all 10-bits it only need an additional 2-bits of information to complete the transition. If the dv track had all 12 bits of information then it would be larger than even the 4k track. It's possibly they only need a 1080p frame to hold all the pertinent 2-bits of info. This is all conjecture so I don't know for sure, only dolby really knows for sure what is really going on. But it kind of makes sense.