No audio on VOB files

I recently got the WD TV SMP. When I play back a VOB file, there is only video, no audio. It seems to recognize the audio codec as PCM but I don’t hear any audio.

The file played fine without problems on my old WD TV Live unit.

Check if you have the latest firmware. 

http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5749/session/L3RpbWUvMTM1MTQ0OTk0OS9zaWQvdk9rby1TOWw%3D

Yes I have the latest firmware. As I said, the exact same file played just fine on my old 1st gen WD TV Live player, so it’s odd if it’s not supported by the third gen SMP and audio seems to be missing from all my VOB files.

By the way, factory reset didn’t help.

Here’s the media info:

General
Complete name                            : video.vob
Format                                   : MPEG-PS
File size                                : 197 MiB
Duration                                 : 4mn 14s
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 6 502 Kbps

Video
ID                                       : 224 (0xE0)
Format                                   : MPEG Video
Format version                           : Version 2
Format profile                           : Main@Main
Format settings, BVOP                    : Yes
Format settings, Matrix                  : Default
Format settings, GOP                     : M=3, N=13
Duration                                 : 4mn 14s
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 4 836 Kbps
Maximum bit rate                         : 7 800 Kbps
Width                                    : 720 pixels
Height                                   : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 4:3
Frame rate                               : 29.970 fps
Standard                                 : NTSC
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Interlaced
Scan order                               : Top Field First
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.467
Stream size                              : 147 MiB (74%)
Color primaries                          : BT.601 NTSC
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.601
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.601

Audio
ID                                       : 189 (0xBD)-160 (0xA0)
Format                                   : PCM
Format settings, Endianness              : Big
Format settings, Sign                    : Signed
Muxing mode                              : DVD-Video
Duration                                 : 4mn 14s
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 1 536 Kbps
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Delay relative to video                  : -75ms
Stream size                              : 46.6 MiB (24%)

the bitrate indicates that this is a DTS stream. Does the SMP support DTS hmdi/spidif output? or even downmix?

My guess is that the audio is directed through the wrong output.

Are you using audio through the HDMI cable to TV or the spidif output to a audio receiver?

I’m outputting the audio via HDMI to a Denon surround receiver. Under the Audio Output setting I have Digital Pass-Through via HDMI only (auto detect). I tried changing it to stereo but still no audio on the vob.

I get fine audio on all other files. My receiver recognizes DTS, Dolby Digital, Stereo etc.

Just for fun, I tried to connect the SMP directly to my tv via HDMI and with Stereo output, but still no audio on my vob files, so it doesn’t seem to be an issue with the surround receiver. And probably not with the file either since I’ve tried 5-6 random vob files.

hmm, stage. The only dvd i have is inside a iso file and it contains ac3 only.

Try to make the iso from the dvd/vob files and start the movie from the iso file, probably this is more compatible.

Just use a ISO maker tool like ISO Creator or Magic ISO, and put the dvd files in a “video_ts” folder of the root of the iso, just like the original dvd was.

Ill try a dts dvd tomorow…

Looks like the beta firmware 1.12.14 may fix this issue!

1 Like

ok, I just tried the beta firmware (1.12.14) and it did indeed fix the issue. Thanks!