playing dvr-ms: no sound for SOME stations

[njsharp]

I am trying to use vlc 1.0.2 on Windows XP MCE to play its dvr-ms recordings. So far I am working only on WXP(SP3) but my hope is to send the recordings to a MAC OS X (10.4) and allow VLC there to play the recordings. I'm hoping not to have to do any file conversions.

The problem is that nearly all my dvr-ms recordings are from Australian ABC1 (channel 2 or 21) and I get no sound playing those. I DO get sound from playing dvr-ms recordings from ABC2 (channel 22). I also get no sound from Australian TEN's HDTV (channel 11) and suspect there would be other similar cases.

I suspect that the issue relates to the fact that all the channels whose sound fails on VLC playback use a52 codec for the audio. I glean this by playing the channels directly (Hauppauge Nova-T 500 / dvb-t capture device / dvb directshow etc etc) and doing tools/codec information. Most channels however seem to use mpga codec for their audio streams.

I can supply more info and a small test dvr-ms file, but I'll stop there in case that problem is well known already (though my attempts to find it=0) and either has an easy solution or awaits new code. Obviously, if there is an existing solution, I would test it first on my WXP but then on the MAC and can report any MAC problems on the MAC forum.

By the way, DVRtoAVI converter does make an avi whose sound plays via VLC, but then I don't really want to do the conversions. Not only would it cost real money, but also it seems to turn everything into 720x400.

[njsharp]

PS: Just discovered that GOM media player on Windows (pretty much straight out of the box) plays dvr-ms files WITH sound that do NOT provide sound via VLC. Not much help to me though as there is no GOM for MAC OS X.

[VLC_help]

Could you share us short sample file that shows this issue?

[njsharp]

Thanks VLC_help. I have now sent ~11Mb file TWICE!!:
Testvlc21_ABC1_11_10_2009_07_09_47.dvr-ms
to your upload server. I was not thrilled to have to do it twice, because first time I wrote:
1.0.2 for W
in the VLC Version box, and AFTER the ENTIRE upload, got:
VLC version not set. Start again.

OK, my silliness, because I had already written WXPSP3 in the Operating system box.
Perhaps Operating system and VLC Version should be drop down boxes?

I then reduced VLC Version to just 1.0.2 but AGAIN got:
VLC version not set. Start again.
My ISP counts upload bytes towards my limit!!

Perhaps it lied, and you DO now have the file (twice?).
If not, I cannot see the point of trying again until you advise me!

I now see that issue (VLC version not set. Start again.) on a forum item dating back to 2009-05-17!!

[VLC_help]

Use rapidshare or megaupload or similar service.

[njsharp]

Thanks VLC_help. I was ignorant of those services!

Points:

1 Please find files as follows:

Test file 21a for VLC team
Test21.dvr-ms
11.69MB
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TUZ55G32


Test file 21a for VLC team
Test21a.dvr-ms
4.53MB
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=708LL95J

both from Australian ABC1.

Neither play sound (video seems OK) on VLC 1.0.2 on WXPSP3

2 Both play video and sound using WMP 10.00.00.4074, though interestingly, WMP accesses its codec service but experiences an error. But it also does entirely the same for a file from channel 22 (ABC2) that DOES play OK with VLC.

3 Any ideas why the VLC upload service fails on these files? It worked for a tiny dummy text file.

4 Are there any freeware tools that can display packets from filed video including dvr-ms? I'm thinking of something analogous to wireshark's ability to display Ethernet traffic.

Thanks again

[VLC_help]

Thanks. VLC doesn't identify the audio correctly. I will open trac ticket for this tomorrow.

[VLC_help]

trac.videolan.org/vlc/ticket/3106
ticket opened.

[njsharp]

Seems fixed in 1.0.6, or perhaps 1.0.5
Thanks and many regards

[njsharp]

Oops- spoke too soon. Still find various dvr-ms files from the past that will not play sound on 1.0.6.

One such movie shows codec info audio as mpga stereo sample rate 22050Hz