After countless hours of searches and encoding/testing, I'm hoping that you knowledgeable users can give me some good advice and cut down on my considerable frustration on a 2 part problem.
1). I am seeking a VLC (0.9.3) or, cough QT(perian), cough, compatible high quality video compression with DA passthrough (DTS/DD).
2.) I need to know proper setting for said format to passthrough digital audio.
Backstory: I have successfully set up a HTMac for a friend and he now wishes to rip and compress his DVD library onto his firewire drive. He has a very good projector and wishes to eek the best video quality to compression ratio. We would rather have the files a little bigger and reduce artifacts as much as possible.
We have done some tests using Handbrake and 2 pass h264 @ 2048 seems quite acceptable to him. Unfortunately, using Handbrake set to compress @ h264 with audio set on passthrough (AVC/H.264 Video/AC3.m4v) produces Stereo, NO PASSTHROUGH, when played back via VLC or QT. I have gone through the audio setting trying to make sure no filters are enabled, but still no love...
So advice on VLC setting for passthrough &the best Software/settings would be very much appreciated.
Thanks in advance... Steen
FYI, the equiptmant as folows:
Macbook Pro C2D, 2.16GHz, OS X 5.5 > Hitachi Plasma (daily use) or Sony VPH-1292Q (movies). Audio via Toslink to a Denon DD/DTS 5.1 receiver.
I assume you meant "Audio Device not Video Device. I will give it a shot next time I am over at my friends.