DVD player signal

kyma's picture

Does anyone know how I can access the video signal from my mac's DVD player. I want to process the video channel using Quartz whilst retaining the surround-sound channels

cwright's picture
handbrake

You'll have to use handbrake to re-encode the DVD to something quicktime supports, and then use the Movie Loader patch in async mode to preserve audio while giving you access to video.

DVD's aren't supported by QT due to DRM, so there isn't a good direct way to do what you want, and for no good reason... :/

kyma's picture
surround

Thanks for your reply,

Can I still get all the surround channels using this method?

cwright's picture
I think so

mov supports more than 2 channels, so I would imagine so. You'll have to be sure to use the correct settings inside handbrake though to preserve it, otherwise you'll get a 2-chanel down-mix.

Specifically: You'll want to make sure the codec for audio is set to AC3 (not AAC), and then for your audio tracks you'll want 5.1 ch with AC3 Passthrough. This should preserve your surround data without transcoding it.

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toneburst's picture
Doesn't work in QC itself,

Doesn't work in QC itself, apparently. It might work if the QC is embedded in an application, though.

tobyspark's picture
drat...

...mmmwell. will need to investigate it in the next week or so for dome projection shenanigans.

toby

mrboni's picture
m4v file

I tried making an m4v file with your handbrake settings Chris but two things are up -

Quartz doesn't seem to accept the file (I assume Quartz supports m4v files)

And nothing seems to be able to decode the resulting ac3 audio. Neither Quicktime nor VLC.

Have you successfully used those settings before?

cwright's picture
not at all

I've not used them to be honest -- I haven't had a need to preserve surround sound before, so I just described how to do it. Shame that QC and VLC don't support decoding it -- maybe MPlayer does? (maybe I'll try that in the next few days when i get a moment).

QC supports m4v's -- you have to type the path into the MovieLoader patch, and attach it to a billboard or sprite or something. At least, it worked for me -- I'll try Handbrake-encoded video m4v's when I get a moment to verify that.

might want to start looking into alternatives at this point though -- supporting surround sounds is going to be pretty difficult with QC, it seems....

cwright's picture
6-channel

There's also an option for 6 separate audio channels (in AAC I think) -- you might want to try this instead of AC3, this might get you up and running too...