Music Media Helper (Tools for Multichannel Audio & Music Videos)

[LuvMyQuad]

Are you shure, that you can ATMOS convert into FLAC and play them back?
I think, it doesn't work, you'll get a normal Multi-Channel-Sound (5.1 or 7.1).

Am I right? I didn't check it yet ...

To preserve the Atmos you have to keep the track as an MKV file and play it that way. A conversion to FLAC will discard the metadata. I don't believe Homer ever said a FLAC copy would provide Atmos playback.

 

[himey]

Create an MKV from your disc including all the audio streams. When using MMH Extract Audio Tool select the DD 5.1 stream and convert to FLAC. If the original DD stream is 640kbps then it’s a lossy and converted to FLAC after the decode, and appear to be lossless (but it’s a still a lossy decode).

You might need to tag it as a different album e,g GST (DD 5,1)

Thanks. This worked very nicely.

Normally I use Audiomuxer to wrap the dts/dd in a flac and I save that, and use your tool to convert those to standard flac files, for Plex server, and keep both. I guess that Audiomuxer doesn't work with full bitrate 640kps DD files? Thanks again.

Funny that unlike the Stones Goat Soup, Lennon's Truth gave us lossless 5.1 option but screwed it up! Otherwise I wouldn't have had to go through this Dolby Digital process...

 

[HomerJAU]

Are you shure, that you can ATMOS convert into FLAC and play them back?

You are correct in that you can’t get > 8 channels. I think you misunderstood my post:

MMH can Remix 7.1 FLAC to 5.1 (Remix tool option). It can’t do Atmos to 5.1. You’d need to Extract the 7.1 TrueHD/Atmos stream to 7.1 FLAC, then use the remix tool to go from 7.1 to 5.1.

Extracting 7.1 is only reading to core 7.1 mix, it is not reading the Atmos metadata.

The best way to listen to the Atmos stream is to extract the Audio stream untouched into an MKV/MKA container or MP4/M4A container. During playback an official Dolby Decoder will ensure height channels are distributed back into the mix if you have an Atmos decoder (regardless of your speaker configuration in your AVR). There’s a thread here on QQ that proves that.

Additionally, you will hear the true Atmos mix if you have an Atmos decoder and Atmos speaker configuration now, or in the future (You may only have 5.1 now but you may go to 5.1.2, 5.1.4 etc in future)

I would not recommend decoding Atmos to FLAC. Keep the Atmos stream untouched.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

You are correct in that you can’t get > 8 channels. I think Yiu misunderstood my post:



Extracting 7.1 is only reading to core 7.1 mix, it is not reading the Atmos metadata.

The best way to listen to the Atmos stream is to extract the Audio stream untouched into an MKV/MKA container or MP4/M4A container. During playback an official Dolby Decoder will ensure height channels are distributed back into the mix if you have an Atmos decoder (regardless of your speaker configuration in your AVR). There’s a thread here on QQ that proves that.

Additionally, you will hear the true Atmos mix if you have an Atmos decoder and Atmos speaker configuration now, or in the future (You may only have 5.1 now but you may go to 5.1.2, 5.1.4 etc in future)

I would not recommend decoding Atmos to FLAC. Keep the Atmos stream untouched.

OK Garry, now you're freakin' me out (not even Halloween yet ); so if I rip from this MakeMKV screenshot, what's the best way to rip & process through MMH, to make sure I get everything in the highest order, but down mixed to 5.1? *I'm assuming it's not Atmos, but the 7.1 base channels (but you're saying what was mixed in the Atmos heights aren't there?)
I just need to be crystal clear on this!

 

[HomerJAU]

There’s currently no Atmos decoding software (unless you spend $1000’s on the official Atmos mixing software).

The best option is to playback the Atmos stream is untouched from an MKV or MKA file, then your hardware Atmos decoder does its magic and will do the 5.1 downmix for you, if your system is configured to 5.1.

Next best option is to Extract the 7.1 TrueHD core to FLAC. My experiments show when 7.1 FLAC is played back on a 5.1 system the output is downmixed (I.e. you don’t lose the rear or side channels). BUT: The 7.1 core will Not contain the Atmos metadata for heights and objects, unless it’s a pretty crappy mix and the mixing engineer has not mixed anything discrete into the heights (not likely). So this is not the best option, it’s the next best option.

Mixing 7.1 to 5.1 is probably not needed (as above - 7.1 to 5.1 downmixing FLAC seems to be done anyway). Maybe you should try this. Playback a FLAC channel test file for 7.1 on your system. You will hear all 8 channels for the 7.1 file on your 5.1 system I bet.

 

[HomerJAU]

what's the best way to rip & process through MMH, to make sure I get everything in the highest order

In MMH either use Extract Audio from MKV to M4A or 7.1 FLAC or use Split MKV to MKV or MKA.

The best option will depend on whether your system can play MKV, MKA or M4A (it can play FLAC)

EDIT: You can also create a CUE file and play the original MKV file you ripped in MMH, if your system can play CUE files and MKV. Edit: MMH can create a CUE file (Rename and Tagging tool)

Foobar and Kodi can play all the above. JRiver can’t play m4A files with TrueHD/Atmos streams currently. EDIT: You need Kodi 19 to play m4a.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

In MMH either use Extract Audio from MKV to M4A or 7.1 FLAC or use Split MKV to MKV or MKA.

The best option will depend on whether your system can play MKV, MKA or M4A (it can play FLAC)

EDIT: You can also create a CUE file and play the original MKV file you ripped in MMH, if your system can play CUE files and MKV. Edit: MMH can create a CUE file (Rename and Tagging tool)

Foobar and Kodi can play all the above. JRiver can’t play m4A files with TrueHD/Atmos streams currently. EDIT: You need Kodi 19 to play m4a.

Well, I believe I've got it; and some decisions need to be made here for me.
1- Since I'll always be playing through my oppo 205 (which can decode the MKV Atmos files and down mix), I'll rip to that, but also use MMH to split the MKV files into seperate tracks.

but
2- For things that I want to also play on my computer for various reasons (i.e. to do some manual adjustments etc.) I'll also need to rip to the basic 7.1 and down mix to 5.1.

I have to be selective then; depending on how much I like the music and will play it often, and, to save space on the SSDs, which are an expensive storage.

At least we have numerous ways to "Skin the Cat" and rip/play & store this stuff off the primary physical disc. I just need to listen to some things and see if I can hear any difference in all this.

 

[HomerJAU]

but
2- For things that I want to also play on my computer for various reasons (i.e. to do some manual adjustments etc.) I'll also need to rip to the basic 7.1 and down mix to 5.1.

What program do you use to place back on your PC? Do you also use your PC to play via your Oppo? I.e. HDMI input from PC. Ideally you want to only have one file that plays on both systems.

 

[himey]

Well, I believe I've got it; and some decisions need to be made here for me.
1- Since I'll always be playing through my oppo 205 (which can decode the MKV Atmos files and down mix), I'll rip to that, but also use MMH to split the MKV files into seperate tracks.

but
2- For things that I want to also play on my computer for various reasons (i.e. to do some manual adjustments etc.) I'll also need to rip to the basic 7.1 and down mix to 5.1.

I have to be selective then; depending on how much I like the music and will play it often, and, to save space on the SSDs, which are an expensive storage.

At least we have numerous ways to "Skin the Cat" and rip/play & store this stuff off the primary physical disc. I just need to listen to some things and see if I can hear any difference in all this.

Do split mkv's play back gapless? For Atmos I am leaving the MakeMKV, 7.1 Atmos track, untouched. If there are other 5.1 options on the same disc, like Abbey Road, I am in addition, ripping to FLAC., and keeping both, locked and loaded.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

What program do you use to place back on your PC? Do you also use your PC to play via your Oppo? I.e. HDMI input from PC. Ideally you want to only have one file that plays on both systems.

I mainly use Foobar2K for the computer. I can send some files to my oppo via network on Windows I believe if they are set up properly for access.

 

[himey]

What program do you use to place back on your PC? Do you also use your PC to play via your Oppo? I.e. HDMI input from PC. Ideally you want to only have one file that plays on both systems.

Speaking for myself I use the HDMI input with Kodi to Oppo. Stream from Plex server or direct play depending on the device (PC's, Firestick 4K). I keep both 5.1 as audio file FLAC, and full Atmos MKV, as a video file in Kodi, when it comes to Atmos.

 

[HomerJAU]

I mainly use Foobar2K for the computer.

Does Foobar play MKV? It does play M4A and MKA as I use Foobar on my PC (5,1). Two Kodi NUCs for my 5.1 and 7.1.4 systems. Maybe MKA or M4A is a better Atmos stream solution. M4A can be tagged just like FLAC so better than MKV.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Does Foobar play MKV? It does play M4A and MKA as I use Foobar on my PC (5,1). Two Kodi NUCs for my 5.1 and 7.1.4 systems. Maybe MKA or M4A is a better Atmos stream solution. M4A can be tagged just like FLAC so better than MKV.

I don't recall, but I didn't think so unless there's a plugin for it somewhere?
I'll try some M4A and see how that works, the tagging bit sounds good! Is M4A lossless?

 

[himey]

Does Foobar play MKV? It does play M4A and MKA as I use Foobar on my PC (5,1). Two Kodi NUCs for my 5.1 and 7.1.4 systems. Maybe MKA or M4A is a better Atmos stream solution. M4A can be tagged just like FLAC so better than MKV.

I would agree but without gapless it is a deal breaker for Abbey Road and Kick.

 

[HomerJAU]

Is M4A lossless?

M4A is just an MPEG container. It can hold any lossless codec including TrueHD/Atmos and DTS-HDMA, DTS etc.

Foobar may need the ffmpeg plugin. You can point it to the ffmpeg.exe in the MMH program files folder in Foobar config

 

[HomerJAU]

Music Media Helper 4.0.13 Released:

Version 4.0.13 (November 10 2020)
-------------
New Feature:
Media File Manager: Now supports ISO; Blu-ray and DVD folder structures when scanning source folders

Fixes:
Rename and Tag Tool: Fixed CUE file start times > 1 hr. Now supports up to 5hrs total

Changes:
3rd party tools updated (UI library)

 

[mandrix]

Homer I have found a "feature" again. I'm sorry.
Background: I use a Directory List program to catalog my large ripped surround collection. I need something to tell the program to search for, so I use: iso, cue, bdmv, etc as well as other parameters.
So anyways I'm going through my FLAC directory archive and using MMH to create cue files, when it stumbles on a few.
At first I'm guessing it hit a path limit, as for example these double album Vocalion SACD's have some long titles. But some longer ones than this example returned a cue file as this one did not.
typical: Q:\FLAC Archive\Helen Reddy -(2020)- I Am Woman - Long Hard Climb (SACD) [FLAC]\"individual files".
Perhaps an extra space somewhere might throw it off?
Also, sticking with the example above, I'm getting cue files named e.g. "- I Am Woman". Not a deal breaker by any means, but there it is.
Keep up the good work, Sir!

 

[Ninecats]

Ripped the entire Doobies Box saved as MKVs, then all splits and conversions to FLAC in no time. What a great tool this is, much faster than other tools I’ve tried.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Ripped the entire Doobies Box saved as MKVs, then all splits and converskons to FLAC in no time. What a great tool this is, much faster than other tools I’ve tried.

Yeah it’s spooky how quick it works.

Last thing I used it on; I looked away a second and thought it hadn’t worked, but when I checked the output folder all the files were there!

 

[HomerJAU]

At first I'm guessing it hit a path limit, as for example these double album Vocalion SACD's have some long titles. But some longer ones than this example returned a cue file as this one did not.
typical: Q:\FLAC Archive\Helen Reddy -(2020)- I Am Woman - Long Hard Climb (SACD) [FLAC]\"individual files".
Perhaps an extra space somewhere might throw it off?

I‘ll need to check this out today to see what’s going on. Is it possible to give me an example of the FLAC file names too? I’ll simulate your folder and files. Maybe a screen grab of the Helen Ready folder’s files in explorer?