My AC3 Codec is not working. Help!

Hi,

movies play well in QuickTime X, VLC, etc, so the movie is not corrupted.

All movie files with AC3 audio show size/bitrate=0 for the AC3 Track.

I assume that size/bitrate = 0 because the component does not work and is not able to provide the correct info.

I tried checkt the settings in the Audio-MIDI-Setup.

I added a 10s sample to dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/iempchyxsoafjff/10s-Sample.m4v

If you please could check how it behaves in your QuickTime 7/OSX 10.9.x Mavericks environment?

And if you are able to cut out parts of it?

Thanks

I found an inofficial update version of Perian here: https://github.com/MaddTheSane/perian/releases/tag/1.3.2

But it seems, that it does not install the A52Codec and AC3MovieImport components, so I do not know what I should think about it.

Hi, you are right. The clip doesn't play on my mac too. The size and bitrate also shows zero. I just realised that my files are encoded with "Unknown ATSC A/52 and AC-3 Decoder, 5.1 (L R C LFE Ls Rs), 48.000 kHz" and needed those files I mentioned to play. Your file is just AC3, and does not play. Guess we have to search elsewhere for answers. Sorry, I cannot be of help.

movies play well in QuickTime X, VLC, etc, so the movie is not corrupted.

All movie files with AC3 audio show size/bitrate=0 for the AC3 Track.

I assume that size/bitrate = 0 because the component does not work and is not able to provide the correct info.

The "zero" data rate/data size is normal for the latest versions of OS X and normally does not affect proper playback on players and devices that can handle the AC3 audio content.

If you please could check how it behaves in your QuickTime 7/OSX 10.9.x Mavericks environment?

And if you are able to cut out parts of it?

Same results on my Mavericks system. Frankly, based on system audio changes started under Lion, completed under Mountain Lion, and further revamped for Mavericks, I have given up trying to update the various workarounds and simply use a universal M4V (H.264/AAC/AC3 compression) file format with or with or without a text chapter track. Such files play on all recent Apple OS X systems, as well as, mobile devices (including TV) automatically using the audio track the player or device can handle and is set to use. (See your file as modified below.)

http://downloads.walker4.me/Temporary_files/10s-Sample2.m4v

Well my movies usually also contain an AAC track and I am doing it exactly as you do to feed the appleTV.

But the existing, unplayable AC3 tracks make these files un-editable in QuicktTime 7 Pro since Mavericks.

So AC3 playable == Movie editable and AC3 not playable == Movie not editable.

Therefore I was courious about tmkee's information that he was able to play the AC3 by the use of an older A52Codec.component. Unfortunately the AC3 example also does not work for him.

I was asking in the videohelp form if there is an alternative video editing software for mac that is frame-accurate, lossless and which keeps all audio-files (see http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/365081-Lossless-Editing-in-OS-X-10-9-Maverick s-with-AC3-Audio) but unfortunately no one responded with an existing software.

I was asking in the videohelp form if there is an alternative video editing software for mac that is frame-accurate, lossless and which keeps all audio-files (see http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/365081-Lossless-Editing-in-OS-X-10-9-Maverick s-with-AC3-Audio) but unfortunately no one responded with an existing software.

Your secondary post better explains you problem.

What kind of data is contained in your source satellite TS file? I have no trouble editing MPEG-2/AC3 TS files using MPEG Streamclip under Mavericks.

Can you provide a 1 minute clip with ad, preview, or similar short content satisfactory for frame accurate trimming tests and examination of the original data streams themselves?

OK, thanks for helping.

Here are two samples:

1. 720p/50: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3189jz3ffr23hwj/Sample1-74s-720p50.ts
2. 1080i/24: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8vq5whcpxxr1wbx/Sample2-81s-1080i25.ts

Both contain a Dolby Digital 5.1 track.

I tried to open both files in MPEG Stream Clip, but it shows no picture.

Sometimes the stream switches from 2.0 to 5.1 at the beginning right after the commercial (not in the two samples), so a software that edits the transport stream should somehow be aware of this.

Here are two samples:

1. 720p/50: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3189jz3ffr23hwj/Sample1-74s-720p50.ts
2. 1080i/24: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8vq5whcpxxr1wbx/Sample2-81s-1080i25.ts

Both contain a Dolby Digital 5.1 track.

I tried to open both files in MPEG Stream Clip, but it shows no picture.

Thanks. Files downloaded.

Files, as receiverd, do not open in any QT based media app. This is normal for QT 7 Pro since the classic QT app only supports program stream (PS) file containers and compression formats. QT X v10.3 seem to think the file in this particular container version to be audio only and MPEG Streamclip treats it the same way but does not support MPEG-4 AVC video in the TS container even when the container is corrected since it also accesses the classic 32-bit structure embedded in the Mavericks OS.

I am trying to lossless edit my M4V files in OS X 10.9 Mavericks , that contain two audio tracks (AAC + AC3).

The files are created by Handbrake from an Transport Stream that my SAT receiver provided. The AC3 audio stream is just a pass through of the existing audio track. AppleTV will use the AC3 stream if available, so the 5.1 will survive.

Until today I am using QuicktTime 7 Pro using OS X 10.8 Moutain Lion, and I am able to edit the file frame-accurate, even if the frame is not a key-frame. In that case, quicktime keeps all frames starting form the keyframe to the actual frame, but marks them to be skipped. This is quite cool.

Unfortunately, QuickTime 7 Pro is not able to edit M4V files in OS X 10.9 Mavericks, simply because the OS does not support AC3.

Installing Perian and latest A52Codec.component does not have a positive result.

Editing with MPEGStreamClip also does not work with such files in Mavericks. I assume for the same reasons.

I tried SimpleMovieX, but this software remove the AC3 audio stream out of the edited file.

Avidemux is also no alternative, because editing only at the keyframes is no option.

I went through the Internet and your software archive but I did not find anything useful.

Most of the editing software for MAC will have an export feature at the end that 1. Re-encodes the movie and 2. will only keep one audio track.

I need a software that 1. does not re-encode, 2. keep all audio tracks, 3. is frame accurate.

I would pay money for software if available. So can anyone help me and suggest me software that runs in OS X Mavericks.

Based on your specified requirements and my tests with your files, I'm afraid you are out of luck. Since QT X under Mavericks can edit "selected" versions of MPEG-4 AVC/AC3 files directly, many of the previous HD converter apps have been discontiued and/will no longer run under Mavericks and its latest version of the 64-bit embedded QT structures. While there are some work flows that can preserve the original AC3 data and allow editing under Mavericks, you would have to transcode the video to make editing possible, copy data to different file containers and even then there is no such thing as frame accurate edits for GOP formats in the third-party apps. (I.e., QT X v10.3 can make a frame accurate "playback" edits you described above, but the resulting MPEG-4 AVC/AC3 edited saved to an MOV file container cannot then be opened/processed by HandBrake and if the data is placed in a HandBrake acceptable container, then inaccuracy of the edits is revealed in the final distribution file. Other alternatives either downconvert the DD5.1 AC3 to stereo or only process the primary 2-channel 256 kbps MPEG-1 audio layer. If it is mandatory to keep the 6-channel sound and you were satisfied with your previous workflow, then you should probably downgrade your Mac OS. If you want to play around with some other options, you can use Smart Converter Pro to "try" and copy the original MPEG-4 AVC video and just the AC3 file to an MKV file container and then try to locate an MKV editor. (Note that this may not always work as data dropouts in your "Sample2-81s" file repeatedly caused a premature termination of data copy to the target MKV container.) In any event, both your original TS and my MKV files could be opened and re-copied to a new TS (TS) or MPG (PS) file containers that could then be opened by QT X v10.3 but video quality seem worse than when transcoding the data to MPEG-4/AC3 MKV files using HandBrake and then sending them to VLC for re-encapsulation. The other main difference here was that the TS files then open and edit in both QT X and MPEG Streamclip.

Sorry, but it looks like Apple is increasing pressure on the shift of media capabilities from QT 7 Pro to QT X. Ability to save AC3 to MOV file container is new to QT X v10.3 as is the ability to directly open VOB files without having to manually change the extensions. Also ran some tests on a Sony MTS MPEG-4 AVC/AC3 file that opens, plays, and edits directly in the latest version of QT X.

In any event, both your original TS and my MKV files could be opened and re-copied to a new TS (TS) or MPG (PS) file containers that could then be opened by QT X v10.3 but video quality seem worse than when transcoding the data to MPEG-4/AC3 MKV files using HandBrake and then sending them to VLC for re-encapsulation.

Sorry. This should have read:

"In any event, both your original TS and my MKV files could be opened and re-copied to a new TS (TS) or MPG (PS) file containers that could then be opened by QT X v10.3 but video quality seems worse than when transcoding the data to MPEG-2/AC3 MKV files using HandBrake and then sending them to VLC for re-encapsulation."

Here is a copy of such a file in case you want to play around with it as it has a number of editing possibilities:

Sample2-81s MPEG2.ts

Thank you very much for trying to help me and spending your time to try things out.

Inspired by your comment, I think I finally found a solution:

Instead of Handbrake creating m4v-files, I let it create mkv-files. Alternatively I can create the mkv-files out of m4v-files using Avidemux.

And now the funny part:

I can open such a mkv-file in Quicktime 7 Pro in Mavericks and instead of "AC3" it shows "ATSC A/52 and AC-3 Decoder" as the track format. And this track is not zero size/data rate.

And I am able to edit this file and save it as mov.

When I later use Subler to create a m4v version out of the mov, Quicktime 7 Pro again shows AC3 with zero size/data rate, not alloing me to edit the file. But this would be ok after the final edit.

What I finally have to check is whether the AC3 audio stream plays well in AppleTV.

But if this works, I would have a workflow for Mavericks. I keep you informed.

😁

Instead of Handbrake creating m4v-files, I let it create mkv-files. Alternatively I can create the mkv-files out of m4v-files using Avidemux.

Thank you for posting this information! Of all the apps I downloaded and tested your files in over the weekend, Avidemux was not one. It does, however, appear to be much more functional (at least in terms of my workflow) than any of the ones I did try. Basically you are using a post-conversion edit workflow while I tend to prefer a post-edit conversion workflow. I.e., I store my raw footage as archived content on an older, slower, but high capacity RAID for editing and re-editing as may be needed before merging and converting the content to a distribution format. Normally, this limits me to the use of formats which are QT X and/or QT 7 edit compatible. However, Avidemux gives me the ability to make basic edits (trim and append) both compression formats and file containers which are not QT X and/or QT 7 compatible and then use HandBrake to convert the edited data to the final compression format.

And now the funny part:

I can open such a mkv-file in Quicktime 7 Pro in Mavericks and instead of "AC3" it shows "ATSC A/52 and AC-3 Decoder" as the track format. And this track is not zero size/data rate.

And I am able to edit this file and save it as mov.

This was especially interesting to me as it seems to imply the "zero" data rate/data size results are probably associated with the software used to mux the data to the M4V file container and a file with a track thus defined as being empty may, as you suspected, be what is causing QT 7 to refuse to save the edited file data.

When I later use Subler to create a m4v version out of the mov, Quicktime 7 Pro again shows AC3 with zero size/data rate, not alloing me to edit the file. But this would be ok after the final edit.

This is normal.

What I finally have to check is whether the AC3 audio stream plays well in AppleTV.

On my system both the QT 7 edited MOV file (with "non-zero" data reate/data size) and the Subler re-muxed (with "zero" data rate/data size) file play correctly.

But if this works, I would have a workflow for Mavericks. I keep you informed.

Please do. Am also wondering what new surprises may be in store for us in the next upgrade.