blanker wrote:
Does anyone know of a free (and easy) program that converts .m2ts to MKV?
MKVToolnix obviously remuxes m2ts to MKV without compression. So rip the main movie to HDD with DVDfab and then remux to MKV.
Sorry after digging a bit deeper it appears that you can buy makemkv. However it also appears that it is free while the program is in beta. Its been in beta since at least march 2010! You just have to update the beta key every few months.
I read something on their site that it is free for dvd ripping but for blu Ray, there is a trial period. After the trial, you need to input a code. The code is free for now but I would imagine they will start charging in the future. Also from the makemkv website forums:
As stated on a main page all features of MakeMKV are free while program is in beta. You may purchase the full activation key if you like the program and want to show your support, but you also may use the temporary beta key.
The current beta key is (on their website) and is valid until end of November 2013. Please check back for updated key on this page.
***IDK how he makes $. There isnt even advertizing on his website. Unless he is selling the source code to other “for-profit” companies.
just got the smp. As i was opening the box i realized, this thing wont play dtsma from blu ray rips? This is kind of a deal breaker since almost every br out there is dtsma.
all of my dvd rips are in video ts folder. Straight rips. I use serviio media server. There is no way to get these dvd menus to work is there? Every search result mentioned ripping to iso. I dont want to alter my dvd rips, there are too many.
aaaaahhhhhhh.
on a positive note, i was able to stream m2ts br rips over my wireless connection. Pretty **bleep** impressive. Might have something to do with my new router. I got that new nighthawk one.
im SOL arent i?
first off dvd’s
if they are folder structure
press the play button on the folder (not the ok button)
and it will start DVD navigation, just like an original disk
then on to blu-ray
the smp will pass through the DTS core from DTSMA without you needing to remux or do anything else
the inability to directly decode the full DTSMA unfortunately will be the case and has been the case for a long time,
it has to do with DTS licensing
additionally some forum members suggest using makemkv to convert dtsma to flac, which will play on the WD
although, I think this is ok, if you’re already using makemkv as your primary ripping program,
but too much work, if it’s not your primary, considering that the WD will already play the dts core
and that one day, I might actually want the original DTSMA
blanker wrote:
all of my dvd rips are in video ts folder. Straight rips. I use serviio media server. There is no way to get these dvd menus to work is there?
If not, then it’s a problem of your media server. I’m streaming my straight rip ISOs via network shares.
blanker wrote:
all of my dvd rips are in video ts folder. Straight rips. I use serviio media server. There is no way to get these dvd menus to work is there?
No. AFAIK, NO DLNA media / client combo supports DVD menu navigation. The only ones that do rely on proprietary extensions on both the client and server, thus aren’t applicable to the WDTV. Ripping to ISO won’t work, either, as (for the same reasons) ISO isn’t supported via DLNA.
As Techflaws mention, your best bet is just to use ordinary network shares. DVD menu navigation works fine in that way, in either VIDEO_TS form or ISO form.
Hitting play doesnt work on any file.
So it’s not the VIDEO_TS folder structure, it’s the media server? Ok let me try the network shares. Is there a particular method to setting up network shares with the SMP?
Man, the dtsma issue is a real bummer. What does it convert the sound to? (if your watching a BR rip)
It plays the DTS-core-stream within the DTS-MA, IIRC. Not a lot to worry about.
“It plays the DTS-core-stream within the DTS-MA, IIRC. Not a lot to worry about.”
what does this mean, the core stream?
DTS is lossy. DTS-HD is an “addon” that restores the lost portion of the audio.
So, playing DTS Core means you’re hearing the typical soundtrack without the losses components restored.
I don’t mean this as a poke, but if you don’t know what the difference is, then why are you so bummed that you’re missing something you don’t understand anyway? 
lol. I understand that DTS-MA is loseless and is a pretty much the best surround sound we can get on a blu ray disc. And I can gather that DTS core “sounds like” some stripped version of DTS-MA, which is why I was bummed. Tony, I wan’t the best and don’t want to settle! I did some research and a post over at AVS stated that the core is a lower bitrate than DTS-MA, which sort of confirms your recent post.
It is a bummer. One of the huge advantages of BR is the lossless audio. Some folks say that you can’t hear the difference. But I can hear the difference between a dvd recorded with DTS and a BR recorded with DTS-MA. Perhaps that’s not a good comparison though.
WD isn’t hiding the fact that the SMP “only” supports normal DTS:
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=330#tab3
I’m not sure if there’s a single standalone mediaplayer which decodes DTSMA/TrueHD-audio.
there is no conversion going on when the WD sees DTS-MA
it plays the DTS part, and just ignores the MA portion of the file
and in my opinion the DTS part is plenty good enough
yeah, I missed the part about media server, most media servers like already said will not support menu navigation
but standard smb or nfs shares or as local media do support dvd menu’s
menu’s are also supported for iso files
As for the DTS license issue, here’s my outsider understanding of it
WD asks for license for DTS-MA & is told no license is available
then WD asks if a license is needed, the answer is yes
so I want to buy a license, which is required, but no license is available to buy
because they only issue license to players that have an optical drive i.e. blu-ray players
ok, I’ll try the network shares tonight.
How do you guys configure the network shares? Is there a common way to do this?
how to set up shares, it depends on what type of share and what operating system you’re on
the most basic way is in windows, right click the folder you want to share, click properties, then sharing, share this folder
blanker wrote:
ok, I’ll try the network shares tonight.
How do you guys configure the network shares? Is there a common way to do this?
A little searching of this site and you likely would have found this:
How to resolve Network shares access problems
Of course, you need to share things via Windows first before setting up the WD unit for network shares.
blanker wrote:
Some folks say that you can’t hear the difference. But I can hear the difference between a dvd recorded with DTS and a BR recorded with DTS-MA.
You get similar statements all the time on hydrogenaudio.org… until the user has performed an ABX-test. Have you tried one on DTS vs DTS-MA ripped from the same BD?
I was in the quality hi-fi/stereo biz years ago – you’d be amazed about how passionate people can get about minute “differences” they hear, when there really aren’t any to speak of. But, there are some stark differences. Example: early CDs from analog recordings vs. recent and excellent remasters of same recording.
Yes, I searched. And I found that. I was wondering if there were any other tips or tweaks. If you don’t want to help that’s fine, but I can do without comments like “A little searching of this site and you likely would have found this”.
Yes techflaws, there is a difference when it’s a blind test though. Not knowing is one thing. But when you know your listening to a stripped down version of an audio track, to me, I begin to wonder if I can hear the difference. there is simplicity in knowing I am listening to the best audio reproduction available. Simplicity is easy and thats what im really going for. I don’t want to remix, transcode, alter, anything. I want to rip and play.
