2014-09-24, 21:56
NOTE: I have learned a lot more abut exactly what I'm trying to deal with here so I have revised this post, both to make it more concise and to clarify what I am actually requesting.
Here is the problem I am facing. I am using XBMC's PVR addon for TVHeadEnd. I am using TVHeadEnd to receive satellite TV signals. If a channel sends 5.1 audio, it generally puts it all in a single stream with multiple channels, only the first six of which contain the 5.1 audio channels, which are in this order:
Left - Right - Center - LFE (low frequency emitter such as a subwoofer) - Left Surround - Right Surround
When recording or streaming such programs, TVHeadEnd saves these programs as .ts files, which XBMC generally has no problem playing. However there is one satellite service that sends its audio in four distinct audio streams, each of which has two channels, and only the first three of those are needed for 5.1 (the last pair is for things like described video or alternate languages). Please understand that those of us who try to view this channel have no control over the format it uses; we have to deal with "the way that it is", so no need saying it is the broadcaster's fault - we already know that, but that's how they choose to send their audio.
The way this service maps its audio is as follows:
Audio stream #1: Left - Right
Audio stream #2: Center - LFE
Audio stream #3: Left Surround - Right Surround
The problem is that XBMC can select any of the streams individually but AFAIK cannot combine them into a single 5.1 output. And since most of the background noise and music is in stream #1, while most of the dialogue is in stream #2, selecting just one of those tracks simply doesn't work well at all for most programs.
What I'd like to see, rather than the current dropdown that only lets you select a single stream, is an "advanced" option that would deal with this type of split audio in some way. Some users may want to mix these channels down to stereo or some other format rather than 5.1, but still I'd like to have some way to map these multiple streams correctly.
Due to copyright limitations I cannot post an example stream online (I live in the USA and we have draconian copyright laws here; there are copyright trolls that love nothing more than to catch an American posting copyrighted material in a public forum). However if any of the developers would be interested in seeing one of these streams you can PM me and I will make arrangements to make one of them accessible to you. Let me know how long a segment you'd need, since they tend to get large rather quickly, and again due to copyright issues I do not want to send any more than is necessary for you to see the problem.
Here is the problem I am facing. I am using XBMC's PVR addon for TVHeadEnd. I am using TVHeadEnd to receive satellite TV signals. If a channel sends 5.1 audio, it generally puts it all in a single stream with multiple channels, only the first six of which contain the 5.1 audio channels, which are in this order:
Left - Right - Center - LFE (low frequency emitter such as a subwoofer) - Left Surround - Right Surround
When recording or streaming such programs, TVHeadEnd saves these programs as .ts files, which XBMC generally has no problem playing. However there is one satellite service that sends its audio in four distinct audio streams, each of which has two channels, and only the first three of those are needed for 5.1 (the last pair is for things like described video or alternate languages). Please understand that those of us who try to view this channel have no control over the format it uses; we have to deal with "the way that it is", so no need saying it is the broadcaster's fault - we already know that, but that's how they choose to send their audio.
The way this service maps its audio is as follows:
Audio stream #1: Left - Right
Audio stream #2: Center - LFE
Audio stream #3: Left Surround - Right Surround
The problem is that XBMC can select any of the streams individually but AFAIK cannot combine them into a single 5.1 output. And since most of the background noise and music is in stream #1, while most of the dialogue is in stream #2, selecting just one of those tracks simply doesn't work well at all for most programs.
What I'd like to see, rather than the current dropdown that only lets you select a single stream, is an "advanced" option that would deal with this type of split audio in some way. Some users may want to mix these channels down to stereo or some other format rather than 5.1, but still I'd like to have some way to map these multiple streams correctly.
Due to copyright limitations I cannot post an example stream online (I live in the USA and we have draconian copyright laws here; there are copyright trolls that love nothing more than to catch an American posting copyrighted material in a public forum). However if any of the developers would be interested in seeing one of these streams you can PM me and I will make arrangements to make one of them accessible to you. Let me know how long a segment you'd need, since they tend to get large rather quickly, and again due to copyright issues I do not want to send any more than is necessary for you to see the problem.