How to use FFDShow for some formats, LAV for others?

[Phat J]

First off, thanks, and much appreciation to the community here for helping me with my ongoing HTPC problems. I believe it's the same few people again and again that have provided the solutions I've needed.

So in relation to my previous thread about DTS-MA not bitsreaming properly, I have discovered another problem.

I have a lot of videos with 5.1 AAC, and before I would use FFDShow's encode mode so the AVR picks it up as DD 5.1, all was well.

Now that I have switched to LAV Filters to fix the DTS-MA thing, it appears LAV does not have an encode mode like FFDShow for my AAC tracks.

I was experimenting with MPC-HC and how it prefers or blocks certain filters from being used.

Is there a way to only use FFDShow for a video with an AAC track that needs the "encode mode" feature, AND keep LAV filters active for everything else? Like so it just autoloads what it needs?

I have a feeling it has something to do with merits in the External Filters feature of MPC-HC, but I have no idea what I'm doing with that.
To get AC3 encoding it to work, I need to block LAV filter, and prefer FFDShow. To get DTS-MA working, I need to prefer LAV filter, and block FFDShow. I'd like to not have to do that every time I watch a video.



Any insight on this? Thanks again.

[themaster1]

To change the merit use directshow file manager (google it)

prefered = 00800000
normal= 00600000
unlikely (low merit)= 00400000
never use= 00200000

So let's say you set all your codecs/filters with a "normal" merit and one only as a "prefered" merit, windows will look for this codec/filter first

Then in the ffdshow audio panel in Profiles/Preset you can create conditions (click on "preset autoload conditions") you'll see many options

[Phat J]

Thanks!
I've played around with the FFDshow autoload thing. As far as I can tell, it doesn't work worth a hot damn.
I'll play around with the merit stuff more.

[Phat J]

Well I've finally found a solution.
I just created another MPC HC folder, and configured that player for AAC AC3 encoding with FFDShow. Then configured my other MPC-HC for DTS-MA with LAV.
Problem solved!