Monday, December 21, 2009

SageTV HD200 – DTS Shortfall and How To Overcome It

Do you have lots of MKV files?  Do those MKV files have DTS only audio tracks?  Don't have a DTS capable receiver/TV? Then SAGEAudioConvert is for you. 

NOTE:  This is a guest post by DavidBasic guidelines for writing and submitting your own guest post at GeekTonic can be found here.

Developer mikep has create this very handy tool.  It uses a few freeware tools (eac3to and mkvtoolnix) to automatically scan an input folder, create an AC-3 track then remux the new track into the file.  The tool is in beta, but it helps to overcome one of the few shortfalls of the HD200 extender.  As most know, the HD200 will not decode DTS tracks.  By adding the AC-3 track to the file the user is able to switch to the AC-3 track by hitting the audio button on the remote.
SAGEAudioConvert is currently a command line tool and the author (mikep) even posted his SJQ code to run the tool when sage finds the new file in it's automated scans.
There are several options to use and more can be found at the sage forums.
Current SAGEAudioConvert post
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45902

About the author:  Dave who goes by the screen-name "hugenbdd" on the SageTV forums is a reader of GeekTonic and SageTV user.  He also wrote the how-to on “placeshifting with the SageTV HD Theater