"Static" Sound on some Players using Compressed audio

[mike_mgoblue]

#1) I recently converted one of my favorite movies, Event Horizon, from Blu-ray to MKV. Both the audio and the video are 100% fine. The only gripe I had is that I still don't know of any Players on my laptop that allow me to send the original 23.976fps from the Laptop HDMI out to the TV. If anyone knows of a Player that easily outputs true 23.976fps in the same way that a Blu-ray player does, please let me know. But, this actually isn't my primary concern.

#2) After converting Event Horizon to MKV, I decided to use Handbrake to create a version that is smaller than 4GB in size. I used the Average Bitrate feature to do this. I selected AC-3 at a rate of 448 in 5.1 format for the audio. The original format was Dolby TrueHD in 7.1. Unfortunately, there are multiple spots throughout the movie where there is an unusual "static" audio sound in the background now. This "static" form of "crackling" sound was not there in the original file. For example, from 3:11 to 3:30 in the movie, you hear several spots with this "static" and "crackling" sound. I was using MPC-BE as my "Player." Does anyone know why this problem is there now?

#3) I tried converting Event Horizon a second time. Again, the same problems described above occurred. I was using Medium speed on Handbrake. I then Googled to see what might cause the problem. I could not find what caused the problem, but one person on a website mentioned that there was one "Player" that did not play "compressed" audio files from Handbrake very well, but it played the "original" MKV audio files fine. That particular person then pointed out VLC could handle both "compressed" and "original" files fine, so their solution was to just use VLC. My computer did not have VLC, but I did have several different "Players."

My favorite "Player" is MPC-BE. Unfortunately, MPC-BE is the one I was hearing this "static" audio in Event Horizon. After reading that comment, I decided to use the Groove Player. Again, the "static" noise was heard in the exact same spots. I then decided to try the standard Windows Media Player. I could not believe it when Windows Media Player did NOT play the "static" and "crackling" sounds in those spots. This seems to confirm the type of "Player" is definitely a factor. Does anyone know why the "Player" matters like this when using "compressed" files from Handbrake? ... This is very disappointing, because I really liked MPC-BE and I didn't know "compressed" files from Handbrake were dependent on the "Player."

Thank you.

[mike_mgoblue]

THOUGHT: I am wondering if the recent Update for Windows is what may have caused this problem.

I definitely am experiencing the "text font error" with Google Chrome that is said to be caused by the recent Windows 10 update. ... Is it possible this Windows Update may cause a "white noise" type of "static" and "crackling" sound in some spots with the "compressed" files from Handbrake?

Here is a link to the Windows Update glitches I am referring to for March 13, 2019:

https://windowsreport.com/kb4489899-bugs/

[mike_mgoblue]

UNBELIEVABLE UPDATE: What I'm about to tell you is incredibly frustrating.

1) I decided to experiment with Chapter 1 of the movie Event Horizon. I first updated my audio driver.

2) I talked with Microsoft Technical Support on the phone for over an hour. Microsoft claims the movie Event Horizon may be unique, because I tried other movies that used DTS-MA, Dolby Digital, and Dolby TrueHD with Handbrake. For example, I tried Chapter 1 of the following movies: Stargate, Iron Man, The Day the Earth Stood Still. Each time, the movies turned out with audio that was converted to AC-3 running at 448kbs. Each time, the audio was fine.

3) I then decided to try Chapter 1 of the movie Event Horizon again. This time, I wanted to see if Dolby TrueHD was the only sound format causing the problems. So, I encoded the 7.1 Dolby TrueHD version to AC-3 at 448kbs, and I encoded the Dolby Digital 5.1 version to AC3 at 448kbs, and I encoded the 2.0 Dolby version to AC-3 at 448kbs - which was actually higher than the original 2.0 source. I also used "Passthrough" to include each of those sound formats in their original format - just so I could compare them easily. When Handbrake was done, the audio problems no longer occurred in any of the sound tracks. I thought the problem was solved. I thought the updated sound driver may have taken care of the problem because none of the sound formats in this "compressed" Handbrake file have any of the "static" noise the previous conversions did.

4. Just for the heck of it, I decided to see what would happen if I included only "one" sound track rather than six. So, as usual, I decided to make it so I was copying from the original Dolby TrueHD 7.1 file. I was converting to 5.1 AC-3 at 448kbs. Every other specification was exactly the same. When I started playing the movie, this time the Handbrake version of Event Horizon did have the problem of "static" noise in those exact same spots that can easily be heard from 3:00 to 3:30 in the movie. ... I was very frustrated.

QUESTION: Why is Handbrake encoding a version with the problem of "Static Noise" when only one sound track is being compressed, but this problem does NOT occur when multiple audio tracks are placed onto the file for Handbrake to encode? ... This is very unusual, because when you play this on "MPC-BE" you hear the "static" noise, and when you play this on "Movies & TV" that comes with Windows 10 you hear the "static" noise, but when you play this on "Windows Media Player" you do NOT hear the "static" noise.

REQUEST: If anyone else out there has the Blu-ray called "Event Horizon," please try encoding the MKV version to Handbrake using the following specifications:

Subtitles: No subtitles

Audio: Use Track 1 Dolby TrueHD, and convert it to "AC-3" at "448kbs" and "5.1"

Video: "Medium" speed, 4.1 Encoder Level, "High" Encoder Profile, "None" Encoder Tune, using an "Average Bitrate" of 5517kbs with a "Constant" framerate of "same as source" in the "H.264" codec ... Place a checkmark in "2-Pass Encoding" and place a checkmark in "Turbo first pass." I use "SuperHQ1080p" as the "format" and I change the original "ref=5bframes=5" into "ref=4brames=4", so please change the "5" to a "4" for both.

Filters: Turn all filters "Off"

Dimensions: Leave "Automatic" Cropping set to "On." It should register with the "Width" as "1916" and the "Height" as "820" with "Animorphic" to to "Automatic" and "Modulus set to "2." The "Top" should be "128" and the "Bottom" should be "132" with both "Sides" at "2"

Summary: Set to "MP4" and none of the boxes should have a checkmark in them. This means taking the checkmark out of the "Align A/V Start" box.

If anyone can help me out with this technical problem that definitely exists, please let me know. Handbrake may need to be notified of this problem.

[mike_mgoblue]

UDPATE: I just tried another Handbrake copy of Chapter 1 of the MKV Blu-ray movie called Event Horizon.

This time I did not try converting from the 7.1 Dolby TrueHD version into 448kbs AC-3 with 5.1 sound.

This time I tried using the 5.1 Dolby Digital track and converting that into 448kbs AC3 with 5.1 sound.

The "static" noise happens using this format, too.

For some reason, though, if I were to add multiple audio tracks the "static" would apparently not occur.

[mike_mgoblue]

UPDATE: I just updated to Handbrake version 1.2.2

The problem with the Blu-ray movie Event Horizon continues. ... The "static" noise continues to occur when one track is selected for audio.

[Grauhaar]

I think you should address this to the Handbreak Team. Looks like that this is reproducable and this is good for any problem determination. This kind of problem has nothing to do with MakeMKV, it is a conversion problem. Maybe some here has a tip, but this does never solve the main cause to fix this problem.

[mike_mgoblue]

Thank you, Grauhaar.

I will try to send this info to the Handbrake team you mentioned. ... I looked it up and see what you are referring to. It looks a bit more challenging because I have never done the "Activity Log" stuff their website requires.

I do have a couple updates, though:

UPDATE #1: I tried converting to the AAC sound format rather than converting to the AC-3 sound format. The problem with "static" noise occurred in AAC in the exact same spots as the problem with "static" noise occurred in AC-3.

UPDATE #2: I was previously under the presumption that using "more than one sound format" would allow the audio to avoid any problems. So, I tried using two sound tracks this time. The first Track was 7.1 Dolby TrueHD and the second track was 5.1 Dolby Digital. I converted both to AC-3 at 448kbs. I was disappointed when both tracks came back with "static noise" in those exact same spots ... Now I have no idea why the "static" did not occur that one time when I included six audio tracks.

[mike_mgoblue]

UPDATE: I tried placing six audio tracks again. The first three tracks were Track #1 (Dolby TrueHD), Track #2 (Dolby Digital), and Track #3 (Dolby Stereo) each at a compressed rate of 448kbs. And the final three tracks were Track #4 (Dolby TrueHD), Track #5 (Dolby Digital), and Track #6 (Dolby Stereo) each at their uncompressed rates via "autopassthrough." None of the six audio signals had any sort of "static noise." So, it seems as though using six audio tracks makes it so the "static" noise does not occur. This is bad, though, because it takes up far too much space. The entire reason I use Handbrake is to "compress" the size of the file.

[thetechjester]

I know this is an old post. I ran across it in a Google search. What you are describing, I have recently started seeing as well.
The the issue you are describing is EXACTLY what is happening to me.
Unfortunately, with every search I've done, NONE have yielded a solution.
Did you ever find a solution to this issue? Other than copying/encoding all of the tracks?

I hope you did and are willing to share what you found.

Thanks in advance!

[mozga628]

i realize this is an old message, but this is something i've come across as well, on a disk that dates back to when this subject was new.
i recently purchased a Pantera DVD "3 Vulgar Videos from Hell"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175620961151?n ... 7675.l2557
All the videos were processed normally, except the video i wanted most (Cemetary Gates). i believe this negates the possibility of DRM
This track has what i first descripted as a popping noise, but ONLY if i am listening to it in 2 channel (the surround sound track works fine).
Since I am encoding it for the car its the stereo 2channel mode that i need to work...
i am hearing the noise using VLC, media player will not play the audio at all. i have not tried in the car for fear it might damage the speakers.