Batch adding AAC audio track to MKV

[Drag]

I simple can't follow any more... where you are and what is the task.
Can you do next: cut 3 of your MKV files (problematical) and post here? Without encoding etc. - just cut. 16 or 32 seconds will be fine.
Then describe main problem again (is it batch processing? or DTS reencoding? or something third...)
I extracted DTS from Sting Live in Berlin concert with ffmpeg. 5+1 I think... then DTS to WAV...

[netmask56]

I simple can't follow any more... where you are and what is the task.
Can you do next: cut 3 of your MKV files (problematical) and post here? Without encoding etc. - just cut. 16 or 32 seconds will be fine.
Then describe main problem again (is it batch processing? or DTS reencoding? or something third...)
I extracted DTS from Sting Live in Berlin concert with ffmpeg. 5+1 I think... then DTS to WAV...

No none of that at this stage, what the OP and I have been discussing is since we both have PopcornMKV Audio Converter, the OP would like to replace his DTS audio within a collection of files with AAC. PopcornMKV Audio Converter is supposed to do this but there appears to be a problem with the program.. I have been writing to the author of the program and now are awaiting a possible solution.

Of course there are probably other solutions but Popcorn would be a neat solution as it does it in one hit including leaving the original sound track as an option.

For me I have no need for AAC but I do use the program for other purposes ie Convert DTS tracks to bog standard AC3 for a friend whose Media Player can't handle DTS. This part of the program works and works well. My media Player a Popcorn A-500 plays everything as far as audio tracks go and also handles H265 video.

So going to the OP first post - batch processing of MKV files that have DTS audio that needs to be AAC. If you know of some other one button approach please post details.

[Drag]

* * * So going to the OP first post - batch processing of MKV files that have DTS audio that needs to be AAC. If you know of some other one button approach please post details.

Well, thanks. I am not 'one button approach' guy ) I think that audio and video editing is not for lazy people )

[netmask56]

It's actually about personal time management - some folk do have other things to do with their life than sit in front of a computer going through multi stages of editing especially if one has more than say 10 items to work through. If you have say 50 or 60 you are going to want to automate the process in a timely manner. Now Popcorn MKV Audio Converter does the job, basically it's a complex script using Aften, BeSweet, DelayCut, EAC3to, FAAD, MediaInfo, MKVToolnix, NeroAAC, Normalize, OGG, SSSRC etec etc. However the present last two versions are having a problem with it's conversion to AAC. For me if I had 10 or less I would simply convert manually the DTS files to AAC using a suitable program and then remuxing them into their respective MKV files making the AAC the default track and leaving the original in place. More than 10 then I would wait for an update or find another solution.... So to each his own.... some people enjoy going through a sometimes complex ritual at the computer others just want to fix the problem quickly to go out and do other things in life.... I turned 80 this year so I manage my time rather well... theatre, cinemas, dinner with friends and a bit of bush walking etc....

[Binnus]

Thumbs up for Netmask56! My English isn't very good but i share youre opinion.
15 years back, i manually convert DVD9 to DVD5. Not with a one button tool like DVDShrink. I want the highest quality possible with re-encoding. On my slow computer it takes about 6-8 hours to complete. Now am older and with a huge amount of files i'm looking for a solution that automatically convert and add the AAC track to the movilefile, just because a the time management

[Drag]

It's actually about personal time management * * *

Absolutely agree. That's my story too: everything what I am doing, is based on batch processing. Years 20 ago I wrote 10 batch files (it took about month or so) for audio processing (flac, ape, wv, aucdtect, dvdazf...) From that time I didn't touch any single file and each of them can decode / encode (.> wav -> any) a hundred of files in background without errors (if files are OK). And I am using them (and only them! [sometimes DVD-Audio Explorer, Audio Audition and foobar2000 converter]) for my huge HD Music collection (HD tracks, DVD-Audio, CD albums etc...)

Now I am creating the same with ffmpeg package and I can process nearly all video formats (containers) at once (reading file headers and do proper action). Operations are streams extract, cut, resize, encode, frames out, crop, grab metadata, volume increase / decrease, fade in / out ...). Each batch file has 2 versions: process each file in dir files one-by-one (in one run) or all of them with the same setting which you enter only once at the begining (useful for your camera(s) for example). Al off that I did, to spare my time in the future, not because I have nothing else to do...

DTS were always very specific but ffmpeg can deal with it. I;d never try to play with files inside the container (https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/412877/convert-audio-inside-mkv-to-ac3-or-dts...g-6-1-channels) especially for my own collection which I want to keep forever in that format. I'd extract all audio files first, then process all of them into I need (with the best programs) and merge chosen back. Means, 3 simple batch files which will do all of that in background (Win CMD).

For movies, you need to check out video/audio sync per each movie and it has to be done visually. Each of us has his own style, ideas, brain, experience of course...

i manually convert DVD9 to DVD5

I did make probably more then 100 DVD-Video and DVD-Audio DVDs (5 and 9) from scratch. Used DVD Lab Pro, DvdFab, HexEditor, MLP Surcode, DTS Encode, Minnetonka DiscWelder, GEAR Pro, imgburn... and few additional utilities. DVD-Shrink last time I used about 10-12 years ago... Time is not important when you are creating your digital collection.

[netmask56]

Binnus a solution! So obvious, so "of course" The OK button will not appear until the desired bit rate is set. So bloody obvious!!! I guess an 80 year old is allowed a few errors of observation!!! For me it was one of those "Oh no how dumb" moment.... attached image of success..

[Binnus]

YESSSSSSSS, you're the hero of 2018 and 2019! I thought i selected a desired bitrate, but i didn't. It was very strange because AAC was grayed out, after a restart of the program and set the path to the tools again it was possible to select AAC.
The first batch of 5 movies is running...

The Media info of the first testmovie:

General
Unique ID : 216323402583675270561497720401722478609 (0xA2BE5F32EC1FB848F889F6AE78061011)
Complete name : X:\Test audio convert\An Unfinished Life (2005).mkv
Format : Matroska
Format version : Version 4 / Version 2
File size : 4.89 GiB
Duration : 1 h 47 min
Overall bit rate : 6 486 kb/s
Encoded date : UTC 2018-10-16 19:39:24
Writing application : mkvmerge v27.0.0 ('Metropolis') 32-bit
Writing library : libebml v1.3.6 + libmatroska v1.4.9

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L3.1
Format settings : CABAC / 5 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, RefFrames : 5 frames
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 1 h 47 min
Bit rate : 4 288 kb/s
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 536 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 2.40:1
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.261
Stream size : 3.23 GiB (66%)
Writing library : x264 core 119 r2106 07efeb4
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=umh / subme=7 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=0 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=12 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=23 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=2pass / mbtree=1 / bitrate=4288 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Language : English
Default : Yes
Forced : No

Audio #1
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : A_AAC-2
Duration : 1 h 47 min
Bit rate : 687 kb/s
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 530 MiB (11%)
Title : AAC 5.1
Language : English
Default : Yes
Forced : No

Audio #2
ID : 3
Format : DTS
Format/Info : Digital Theater Systems
Codec ID : A_DTS
Duration : 1 h 47 min
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 509 kb/s
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 93.750 FPS (512 SPF)
Bit depth : 24 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 1.14 GiB (23%)
Language : English
Default : No
Forced : No

Text
ID : 4
Format : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Duration : 1 h 42 min
Bit rate : 39 b/s
Count of elements : 717
Stream size : 29.4 KiB (0%)
Language : Dutch
Default : Yes
Forced : No

The movie has only a DTS track, after the converting it has a AAC track within the new movie file!

[netmask56]

Good that it is resolved! I feel like a goose for not picking it up myself as I am more of an attention to detail than big picture guy....

[pumpysworld]

Also, Xmedia Recode.

Add all of the files and highlight them.

Go to the video tab and choose to copy instead of convert.

Go to the audio tab and click on the arrow to make another copy of the audio track. Convert one track and let the other copy.

You can also copy or import any subtitles.

Add all of the files to queue and convert.