Batch adding AAC audio track to MKV

[Binnus]

I have a lot of video files (mkv) in a folder. These files contains 5.1 DTS or AC3 tracks.
My Chromecast doesn't support DTS. I tested a video file with ACC 2.0 audio en it plays perfect.

So i'm looking for a tool where i can add a folder with video files, it scans and ignored files with AAC 2.0 audio, converts the DTS or AC3 track to AAC and add it to the same MKV.
Is there a tool that can do the job? Manual will take a lot of time and (for example Handbrake) wil created a new MKV, so it takes a lot of extra space.

[Drag]

For works with MKV, I used mkvtoolnix-gui -- tough, simple and powerful. Now I am testing FFMPEG. Dunno about DTS format yet.
About your problem: I think that you can;t find app that will do what you want.
2 operations are required here: Demux --> Convert --> (Re)Mux.
And it has to be done manually (imho).

[netmask56]

Popcorn MKV Audio Converter to change the DTS track to AAC found under FILE menu Simple AudioConversion This will do it in situ so no need to remux. Not sure if there is a batch mode for this If you want to add or remove tracks from a MKV file then use MKVToolNix only takes minutes.

[Drag]

*** use MKVToolNix only takes minutes.

With absolute, full control of everything you are doing! Convert DTS to AAC... must be easy with many programs...

[video.baba]

My god.... there are programs here on this site which will do what you want quite easily.

[Drag]

My god.... there are programs here on this site which will do what you want quite easily.

You think that you answered???
How about to call 2 or 3 of them?

[Ant_G]

since FFMPEG and mkvmerge is CLI program, this can be automated with batch script if all the structure of your MKV file is the same (like all file only have single audio, or like you only targeting the first audio only to convert, etc), but i dont know how to detect if the container actually already have AAC or not so you need to move out the MKV with AAC outside of your directory manually

note: learning to how to make script can be more time consuming than just do it manually, but at least when you need to do it again you already know how to do so

[Drag]

since FFMPEG and mkvmerge is CLI program, this can be automated with batch script if all the structure of your MKV file is the same (like all file only have single audio, or like you only targeting the first audio only to convert, etc), but i dont know how to detect if the container actually already have AAC or not so you need to move out the MKV with AAC outside of your directory manually

note: learning to how to make script can be more time consuming than just do it manually, but at least when you need to do it again you already know how to do so

It is not hard to do but you need to write batch file, read info from ffprobe. But, no program or gui can do this without your hands.

[Ant_G]

It is not hard to do but you need to write batch file, read info from ffprobe. But, no program or gui can do this without your hands.

except you have telekinesis power or something that capable to type correctly for you of course you need your hands to type, just use mediainfo CLI to make a list of what Audio format inside the MKV

set mediaInfoDir=C:\Portable\ExternalPortableApps\MediaInfo_CLI
for %%i in ("%~dp0*.mkv") do (
	%mediaInfoDir%\MediaInfo "--Inform=Audio;%%Format%%, " "%%i"
)

[video.baba]

So i'm looking for a tool where I can add a folder with video files, it scans and ignores files with AAC 2.0 audio, converts the DTS or AC3 track to AAC...

OK BOX4 (version 3) will come very close to what you want. It will not completely ignore files that already contain AAC audio, but it will process them (re-mux) them without re-encoding the audio and will be very quick.

It will take minimal set up and the settings will be remembered. Before you load any files do this:

PROFILES MENU:
Change output profile to MKV
Change MKV output codecs to AAC.

SETTINGS MENU:
Select "PASSTHROUGH (COPY) AUDIO IF INPUT CODEC MATCHES PROFILE CODEC" (very important you select this option)

And that is it.

You can now load a folder (or drag and drop) and each file will have its audio converted to AAC. If the audio track is already AAC, it will just be copied through.

[netmask56]

You can do batch conversion in Popcorn MKV Audio Converter just select on the first page Directory, rather than Single file. You can then add a prompt query if you wish, scan sub directories etc... Must admit as I've never had to do this, these facilities just blanked out for me.. Reading the author's page on the Popcorn forum site opened my eyes!!!!

[Binnus]

So i'm looking for a tool where I can add a folder with video files, it scans and ignores files with AAC 2.0 audio, converts the DTS or AC3 track to AAC...

OK BOX4 (version 3) will come very close to what you want. It will not completely ignore files that already contain AAC audio, but it will process them (re-mux) them without re-encoding the audio and will be very quick.

It will take minimal set up and the settings will be remembered. Before you load any files do this:

PROFILES MENU:
Change output profile to MKV
Change MKV output codecs to AAC.

SETTINGS MENU:
Select "PASSTHROUGH (COPY) AUDIO IF INPUT CODEC MATCHES PROFILE CODEC" (very important you select this option)

And that is it.

You can now load a folder (or drag and drop) and each file will have its audio converted to AAC. If the audio track is already AAC, it will just be copied through.

Thanks! I wil try BOX 4. I doesn't support DTS tracks? Because i think their will be some moviefiles with DTS track only.

[Binnus]

You can do batch conversion in Popcorn MKV Audio Converter just select on the first page Directory, rather than Single file. You can then add a prompt query if you wish, scan sub directories etc... Must admit as I've never had to do this, these facilities just blanked out for me.. Reading the author's page on the Popcorn forum site opened my eyes!!!!

Thanks,i will try this tool to.
I'm looking for an option to convert to AAC. The program can convert to Dolby Digital stereo, but i don't know if this is supported by my Chromecast: https://developers.google.com/cast/docs/media#video-codecs-chromecast-1st-and-2nd-gen (it supports MP3 and AAC, and i dont know if Dolby Digital (AC3 is supported)).

[sneaker]

I wil try BOX 4. I doesn't support DTS tracks? Because i think their will be some moviefiles with DTS track only.

BOX4 supports input files with DTS. It will convert them to AC3 or AAC (whichever you want).

[netmask56]

You can do batch conversion in Popcorn MKV Audio Converter just select on the first page Directory, rather than Single file. You can then add a prompt query if you wish, scan sub directories etc... Must admit as I've never had to do this, these facilities just blanked out for me.. Reading the author's page on the Popcorn forum site opened my eyes!!!!

Thanks,i will try this tool to.
I'm looking for an option to convert to AAC. The program can convert to Dolby Digital stereo, but i don't know if this is supported by my Chromecast: https://developers.google.com/cast/docs/media#video-codecs-chromecast-1st-and-2nd-gen (it supports MP3 and AAC, and i dont know if Dolby Digital (AC3 is supported)).

To convert to AAC Popcorn MKV Audio Converter go to menu FILE and select Simple Audio Converter page

[Binnus]

You can do batch conversion in Popcorn MKV Audio Converter just select on the first page Directory, rather than Single file. You can then add a prompt query if you wish, scan sub directories etc... Must admit as I've never had to do this, these facilities just blanked out for me.. Reading the author's page on the Popcorn forum site opened my eyes!!!!

Thanks,i will try this tool to.
I'm looking for an option to convert to AAC. The program can convert to Dolby Digital stereo, but i don't know if this is supported by my Chromecast: https://developers.google.com/cast/docs/media#video-codecs-chromecast-1st-and-2nd-gen (it supports MP3 and AAC, and i dont know if Dolby Digital (AC3 is supported)).

To convert to AAC Popcorn MKV Audio Converter go to menu FILE and select Simple Audio Converter page

I tried Popcorn MKV Audio Converter
I go the menu: FILE and select Simple Audio Converter.
In the new screen i selected my test folder with 3 mkv movies in it. Then i select 'scan for file to convert'.
In the 'files to convert' field the names of the MKV's are shows a short time (see, but then the field stays white and i can't select files:

[Attachment 46884 - Click to enlarge]
The 3 test files all have DTS audio.

Does anyone recognize this problem?

Then i tried BOX 4 version 3. This program converts the DTS stream to AAC, but i want to add a AAC stream, so i can watch the movie with DTS on my home cinema set and on my Chromecast in the bedroom (DTS with Chromecast is a no go).

[netmask56]

I would suggest your file doesn't have a DTS track in it, as the action you describe is what happens in the absence of a DTS track. Double check on your test file with MediaInfo. Attached is an example I just ran and as you can see it shows up.

PS: Also is there a folder within the folder called Test Audio Convert. If there is and that internal folder contains the MKV file then point to that folder or tick the box to the right Scan sub-directories etc..

[Binnus]

I would suggest your file doesn't have a DTS track in it, as the action you describe is what happens in the absence of a DTS track. Double check on your test file with MediaInfo. Attached is an example I just ran and as you can see it shows up.

PS: Also is there a folder within the folder called Test Audio Convert. If there is and that internal folder contains the MKV file then point to that folder or tick the box to the right Scan sub-directories etc..

There's no subfolder.
I'm at work and cannot use MediaInfo, but on my Synology NAS i can read some media info from one of the mkv's:

MKV 1
Audio #1
Audio codec: DTS
Audio channel: 6 channels
Sample rate: 48000
Language: ENG

MKV 2
Audio #1
Audio codec: AC3
Audio channel: 5.1(side)
Sample rate: 48000
Language: ENG

Audio #2
Audio codec: DTS
Audio channel: 6 channels
Sample rate: 48000
Language: ENG

I use the latest version from this website. For selecting a folder to scan i use a network location from my NAS (Drive X: ), networkpath is: adres of nas/volume 1/Video/Test audio convert.

[netmask56]

Well it works on my system ok - in the example the folder Movie is on a USB drive attached to my Popcorn C200 media player which in turn is connected to my network via Ethernet... Maybe permissions on your NAS are set at Read Only and as Popcorn Audio Converter is going to write to your file it's bombing out? Check in properties that permissions are set at Read/Write.

[Binnus]

I don't think it's a permission problem, because when i go to my X-drive i login with admin credentials. Then i start Popcorn MKV audio converter and select the testfolder. I think that Popcorn MKV audio converter uses these admin credentials to log in on the share.

[netmask56]

I had this problem with my Qnap when I was setting it up. Just right click on one of your mkv files and select properties and check what it is set to.

[Binnus]

I checked the permissions and user 'admin' has read/write permissions.
From my laptop i created the folder 'test audio converter' and i copied the test .mkv files to that folder.

Edit: I copied a few MKV files to my hard drive (locally on my laptop) and i have the same problem. The tool scans the folder and become white. I tried a previous version (1.88.02), still the same problem.

Edit 2: i manually selected the needed tools and now the files don't disappear!

[Attachment 46902 - Click to enlarge]
But i can't click on the OK button, anybody knows the solution? I have the same problem with the latest version 1.88.03

[netmask56]

The program depends on the tools being present - that should have happened when you first installed the program. Nothing comes to mind as to why the OK button is not active. Put on thinking cap for awhile.....

[Binnus]

I choose several times to re-install the programm (via File), the tools are download but the 'files to convert field become white after scanning).
I choose the tools from my MKVToolNix 27.0 installdir. Eac3to downloaded from this website en select manually, only the OK button doesn't work.

[netmask56]

I've posted a query to the author on this so hopefully will have an answer soon - I'm experiencing the same problem. It may be a bug in the latest version or it may have something to do with the Nero aac codec

[Binnus]

Thanks! I have the same problem with version 1.88.02 (from 2018-07-08). From version 1.88.0 the quick conversion tool is available. I can't try version 1.88.1 because DTS tracks don't work.

v1.88.01
Quick Conversion tool: Conversion of DTS audio tracks didn't work - fixed.
Quick Conversion tool: Several new conversion options (hold mouse over the various options to see popup tool tip with explanation of the option)

v1.88
Quick Conversion tool: There is now a quick conversion tool available for conversion of some specific audio formats (Dolby Digital Plus/E-AC3, TrueHD and DTS) to FLAC/AC3/AAC format. See this post for details. This function requires (has only been tested with) at least v3.34 of eac3to to work.

[netmask56]

I've uploaded my screen shots of my settings to the author and hopefully he can come up with a fix. For your reference and comparison to your settings these are mine shown below

[Binnus]

I understand.
In my screenshot almost all the locations are grayed out, a few i can change manually:

[Attachment 46915 - Click to enlarge]
I selected in the right screen to convert DTS, VORBIS, AAC, FLAC TrueHD, so more locations changes from grey to black.

Maybe can you share your setup? File - Save setup.

[netmask56]

It's a .reg file but looking inside it all mine has
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\HeartWare\AudioConverte r\TrueHD]
"Convert"="0"
"FLAC"="1"
"FLAC_5.1"="1"
"FLAC_Stereo"="0"
"DolbyDigital"="0"
"DolbyDigital_DTS"="1"
"DolbyDigital_SpecifiedBitRate"="0"
"DolbyDigital_BitRate"="448"

[Binnus]

Mine are the same:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\HeartWare\AudioConverte r (1)\TrueHD]
"Convert"="0"
"FLAC"="1"
"FLAC_5.1"="1"
"FLAC_Stereo"="0"
"DolbyDigital"="0"
"DolbyDigital_DTS"="1"
"DolbyDigital_SpecifiedBitRate"="0"
"DolbyDigital_BitRate"="448"