Cannot play AVI's with AC3 audio in them

[cw-kid]

Hello

This is my first post on the Shark 007 forums, I'd like to say thank you for a great codec pack!

I've used Shark 007 on Vista and now I am using it on Windows 7 32bit RTM.

However I've noticed a problem that I don't recall having in Vista. In Windows Media Center 7, I am unable to play any AVI files that have AC3 audio in them. I can play AVI files that have MPEG (MP3) audio. I used MediaInfo to work out the pattern of which AVI's played and which did not.

When I try to play an AVI file with AC3 audio, Media Center chokes and says it cannot play the video.

I am able to play MKV's with AC3 / DTS and DVD rips and I get 5.1 Dolby Digital / DTS no problem.

Below is how I have configured Shark 007. I have this same problem on two totally different PC's both running Windows 7. One is an ASRock 330 ION NetTop (Nvidia) the other is based on a Gigabyte mobo with an onboard ATI HD 4200 both are using HDMI for video and audio via the PC to the AVR that is then connected to the HDTV.

Here I have checked "Set AC3Filter to use S/PDIF" & selected use Passthrough. This makes the DTS and Dolby Digtal show up on the front of my AVR for HD (MKV) and DVD / Blu-ray rips.



As a result use S/PDIF is ticked in the AC3Filter settings on the two tabs.





FFDShow Audio Config



This is the same way I use to configure Shark 007 in Vista and as I said I don't remember not being able to play AVI files that had AC3 audio then.

If I un-check use SPDIF in the AC3Filter options I can then play the AVI's that have AC3 in them and it shows as Dolby Digital on the AVR. However as a result I then lose 5.1 audio on the HD MKV files and they just show as PCM.

At first I thought it was graphics card / driver related? But as it happens on both the Nettop (Nvidia) and a HTPC (ATI) I guess maybe its not.

I have the latest versions of the graphics / audio drivers installed from Realtek / ATI and Nvidia etc.

Can anyone tell me why I am seeing this problem with AC3 in the AVI container and how I might be able to fix it?

Many thanks in advance.

Stuart.

aka CW-KID

[cw-kid]

I've just hooked up my last remaining Vista Media Center PC to the AVR and I don't have this issue. However on this particular VMC I haven't got the Shark 007 Codec Pack / AC3Filter installed.

I only have installed the FFDShow Tryouts / Haali Media Splitter on this machine, it plays AVI's with AC3 audio and I get surround sound, it also plays HD MKV's with AC3/DTS OK as well. I think this could be an issue with the AC3 Filter?

[cw-kid]

OK I've got this working, kinda! Not sure if this is a permanent solution for me but it's a work around for now.I've not had a great deal of time to test this either.

I can now play the following files:

AVI's with AC3 (Dolby Digital)

AVI''s with MPEG (MP3) (PCM)

MKV's with AC3 / DTS

DVD rips VIDEO_TS (VOB's) with AC3 / DTS

Blu-ray ISO's with AC3 / DTS (PowerDVD9)

To do this I uninstalled the Shark007 codec pack, installed the Haali Splitter Alpha and then installed FFDShow Tryouts beta 6.

You need to un-check some options when installing the Haali Alpha see the screen shot below:



During the installation of FFDShow I un-checked all video types apart from H.264, on the audio I un-checked everything about from DTS, AC3 and a couple of others, I then ticked Passthrough on both AC3 and DTS.

Everything now plays and I get 5.1 surround sound passthrough to the AVR where I should.

However I do have other issues with the Haali Media Splitter Alpha. In that when playing some MKV's they are blocky pixelated and look bad.

This is a similar setup to my original preferred configuration in Vista Media Center.

[cw-kid]

I think I've sorted this out now, I've gone back to using the Shark 007 codec pack after a clean install and disabling AC3Filter and tweaking FFDShow for pass through and a few of the codec settings I am now able to play AVI's with AC3 in Media Center again and I can also play MKV's with AC3/DTS.

[Shark007]

(11-16-2009 10:10 AM)cw-kid Wrote:  I think I've sorted this out now, I've gone back to using the Shark 007 codec pack after a clean install

When messing with codecs, a clean install usually can set you back onto the right track.
If you're only messing with my releases, then Reset All is your best friend.
That button will revert all changes back to installation defaults.

I suggest you take avantage of the Save Settings feature of the Misc TAB.
It saves absoluting every possible configuration my interface offers.

These settings can be Restored at any time, even after a new installation of the codec package.

[cw-kid]

Excellent thanks for the tip I was wondering about how to save the configuration.

[Shark007]

(11-16-2009 10:10 AM)cw-kid Wrote:  I think I've sorted this out now, I've gone back to using the Shark 007 codec pack after a clean install and disabling AC3Filter and tweaking FFDShow for pass through and a few of the codec settings I am now able to play AVI's with AC3 in Media Center again and I can also play MKV's with AC3/DTS.

just a FYI: After much testing, AC3Filter will be disabled by default in future releases.

[cw-kid]

Some one emailed me today asking for a conclusion to this thread, you can see my final Shark 007 configuration here.

Read the comments as well and note some of Sharks default settings have changed seemingly to suit my config, since I wrote the blog post.

(11-17-2009 12:28 PM)Shark007 Wrote:  

(11-16-2009 10:10 AM)cw-kid Wrote:  I think I've sorted this out now, I've gone back to using the Shark 007 codec pack after a clean install and disabling AC3Filter and tweaking FFDShow for pass through and a few of the codec settings I am now able to play AVI's with AC3 in Media Center again and I can also play MKV's with AC3/DTS.

just a FYI: After much testing, AC3Filter will be disabled by default in future releases.

[Shark007]

(12-21-2009 07:59 AM)cw-kid Wrote:  . . . note some of Sharks default settings have changed seemingly to suit my config, since I wrote the blog post.

I listen to my users and attribute the excellence of my releases to them.

[cw-kid]

Your most welcome most of us would be lost in Codec hell without the Shark007 codec pack!

(12-21-2009 11:27 AM)Shark007 Wrote:  

(12-21-2009 07:59 AM)cw-kid Wrote:  . . . note some of Sharks default settings have changed seemingly to suit my config, since I wrote the blog post.

I listen to my users and attribute the excellence of my releases to them.