I'm looking for a mkv converter

[Evil5245]

I need an mkv converter that will convert video's to 1920x800 WITH DTS-HD sound or DTS sound, BUT it needs to only be 2 channels NOT 5.1. See The player I'm using will read DTS , but it has to be only 2 channels :P. If it helps it I'm using WDTV Live which allows you to play mkv video's of any size with DTS (or DTS-HD I think) sound. My normal converter (Xilisoft Video Converter Ultimate) will convert mkv DTS video's fine, BUT the problem IS it will say the video size and zoom is 1920x800, but ever time you try and watch the output size for 2.35 with the two black borders on top and buttom it will always end up in a full screen type look and not what it says it is so I'm looking for a new converter .

[netmask56]

I'm a bit confused by your post. The WDTV Live has a setting for stereo ie left and right only. http://www.maximumpc.com/article/web_exclusive/handson_wd_tv_live_media_player?page=0,2 So regardless of the source material, 5.1 etc it will mix down to stereo if that's what your playback system needs. It seems you are converting the whole file video and audio unnecessarily. Or you could always use Popcorn Audio convertor to change the audio to your needs...

[_Al_]

WDTV Live will not play True-HD or DTS-MA (not sure about last one at the moment),
using with receiver it is ok,

ClownBD + mkvmerge is good for these sort of things, to create one audio track to AC3 stereo just in case if players have trouble, and re-mux it all into MKV again.

[netmask56]

It's a lot simpler to use PopCorn MKV AudioConverter
https://www.videohelp.com/tools/PopCorn-MKV-AudioConverter

Does the whole thing in one go demuxes - converts and remuxes and leave the video alone.

[hello_hello]

The way I read the original post, Evil5245 wants to convert multichannel DTS to stereo DTS, so if that's correct I don't know of any free programs which can encode DTS. While I've no idea what the WD player will or won't play, maybe converting to AC3 would be a better idea?

[Evil5245]

I'm a bit confused by your post. The WDTV Live has a setting for stereo ie left and right only. http://www.maximumpc.com/article/web_exclusive/handson_wd_tv_live_media_player?page=0,2 So regardless of the source material, 5.1 etc it will mix down to stereo if that's what your playback system needs. It seems you are converting the whole file video and audio unnecessarily. Or you could always use Popcorn Audio convertor to change the audio to your needs...

I have tryed 5.1 out put on my T.V. but it will not play with sound, it only reads 2 channel movies with DTS...

[Evil5245]

WDTV Live will not play True-HD or DTS-MA (not sure about last one at the moment),
using with receiver it is ok,

ClownBD + mkvmerge is good for these sort of things, to create one audio track to AC3 stereo just in case if players have trouble, and re-mux it all into MKV again.

The WDTV one I own (this one... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KOZNBW/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_M3T1_ST1_dp_i1 ) will play DTS but only 2 channel nothing more with any converter I have. the sound is good, but the converter pulls video's in full screen no matter what you set the zoom too... that's the reason for looking into a new converter.

[netmask56]

You don't need a full on converter - all that is needed is to convert the audio to 2 channel and Popcorn will do that including DTS. There is an option to mix down to stereo. Suggest you get the program (it's free and on this site and try it)

[hello_hello]

I've never used Popcorn myself but are you certain it encodes DTS? The settings in your screenshot look like decoder options to me, or an option to "cleanup" the DTS stream, whatever that does. The only encoder option appears to be "convert to Dolby Digital" (AC3).

[netmask56]

No it converts to AC3 which is generally more compatible with a wider range of equipment.

[Evil5245]

No it converts to AC3 which is generally more compatible with a wider range of equipment.

I have a converter to put video's into mkv .h264 dolby digital 5.1 already it sounds like your converter only puts the OUTPUT video into that audio format... I'm looking for something to have an OUTPUT of DTS OR DTS-HD if possible .

[netmask56]

If your gear can only handle stereo it really doesn't matter if the encoding is to DTS or AC3 or PCM for that matter, you won't be able to hear any audible difference. As long as you convert to an audio format that your amp can handle that is all that is important. I suspect you have "locked" yourself into a mindset for DTS, for whatever reason and made the whole process overcomplicated. Converting the MKV file, video and audio is going to degrade the video for no increase in audio quality.

Look up wikipedia to explain the difference between highly compressed formats like DTS and AC3 compared to relatively lossless PCM or FLAC. But at the end of the day you can't "improve" the quality of any sound by changing to a particular format, you can fiddle with it with equalisers etc but it is always a loss making exercise the more you process.

[_Al_]

I think the same, just make one extra audio track AC3 640kbps stereo but leave original audio in MKV also. This is handy not only for your WDTV player but other devices too. You will try to stream it to some tablet only to find out that software player would not support DTS. I use MXplayer for example and that player automatically chooses other audio that can handle, like that extra AC3 I put in.

Use that ClownBD+mkvmerge (set network media tank box that allows to make that extra AC3 track) or recommended Popcorn mkv audio converter , that one looks like more straightforward software, I did not try it, though.