DTS capture issues (converting from WAV to DTS)

[spaceboy710]

Hey everyone! I'm having a simply frustrating time trying to capture DTS from my LDs.

I followed Bronan's bit-perfect Test and was able to capture the DTS CD to WAV which then was successfully converted to DTS in DTS Parser. I've done this in BOTH of my LD players that have a digital out. I should be "bit-perfect" then.

The problem is that I have not been able to successfully convert any DTS LDs I've captured in WAV to DTS files. I capture the disc and the WAV is able to be played back in Foobar (with a plug-in that pulls the 5.1 DTS sound out of the 2-channel WAV). The problem comes when trying to convert that WAV into a DTS file.

DTS Parser converts the WAV but seems to speed up the file in some way. The resulting DTS file plays at about 2x speed. Even though it was fed a 44.1/16 bit WAV, in the info, it claims the bitrate is TWICE what it should be and that the DTS file is 32 bits. I've had this issue with multiple players and multiple discs.

I'm currently using Reaper to record my audio. Has anyone had success capturing DTS using this and outputting perfect DTS files? Otherwise, I'm definitely open to suggestions on why my players and capture device are "bit-perfect", can capture a DTS CD but CAN'T seem to accurately capture a DTS LD.

If this should be in a different forum, please move it. While it IS about capturing, I think that the converting may be the issue.

[zoidberg]

Have you edited the frame header

[spoRv]

Have you tried to capture audio using VirtualDub? It worked for me - sadly it was few years ago and I can't remember which settings I used

[ac3]

Wouldn't it be easier to import it as a 5.1 flac since it's gonna get spliced up anyways and it's compatible with some editing programs

[spoRv]

Wouldn't it be easier to import it as a 5.1 flac since it's gonna get spliced up anyways and it's compatible with some editing programs

Don't know if it "destroys" DTS encapsulated inside WAV file - I guess so - but recording DTS using VirtualDub and saving it as WAV file, you can then edit it and finally get the original untouched DTS out of it (at least using VirtualDub or AviSynth); sidenote, it worked even with AC-3 captured from LD.

[spaceboy710]

Have you edited the frame header

I've tried a few different options. In one version, I edited out all silence before, between (side breaks), and after. In another, I used Reaper's "delete all silence" edit option. All attempts gave me the same issue.

If I edited the frame header, I was unaware I was doing it and it wasn't an intentional thought. heh

I guess I was under the impression DTS Parser did something like that. I always tried BeSweet and BeSplit and got similar results. Is there another way to edit the header?

Have you tried to capture audio using VirtualDub? It worked for me - sadly it was few years ago and I can't remember which settings I used

I haven't actually. I've used VirtualDub to capture video but never audio. I will do that in my attempt at capturing DTS.

[zoidberg]

The frame header has to be edited with a hex editor. You're talking about the dead silence at the open/close of the sides which is a different thing.

[pipefan413]

Did you eventually solve this? If not, here's me rambling at length (as I do) about not just exactly what needs changed, but also why: https://fanrestore.com/thread-2742-post-...l#pid67773

I stuck a visual breakdown of the header in Google Docs, which is at the bottom of that post. Maybe that'll help.

[spaceboy710]

I've had some success by splitting the single DTS WAV (both sides recorded including the auto-change) into two separate DTS WAVs. I'm not sure if the "fix" will always work but it worked for Mortal Kombat when I did it recently. I'm definitely going to look into that ramble of yours though.

[pipefan413]

I've had some success by splitting the single DTS WAV (both sides recorded including the auto-change) into two separate DTS WAVs. I'm not sure if the "fix" will always work but it worked for Mortal Kombat when I did it recently. I'm definitely going to look into that ramble of yours though.

Yeah, you definintely need to split them, that's a given. But you also need to fix the headers because DTS Parser writes them incorrectly (the frame size and bitrate are written incorrectly, in particular, which is why they play back all garbled and sped up).

There's also this other thing about them hitting a decoding error on the last frame, which is what prompted my gigantic analysis post there. The TL;DR best solution to that imo is deleting the last frame of the capture because it's been only partially captured and DTS Parser incorrectly lumps in part of the zero data (after the DTS bitstream has stopped coming from the player), assuming it's supposed to be part of the last frame, when in fact that frame hasn't played back fully... resulting in an invalid DTS frame at the end of the file. Deleting it means the decoder won't crap its pants.