Deleted TS file by mistake - need to remux MPV/AC3

[MrVideo]

Yes, the title is in caps. That is because I am pulling my hair out.

I thought I found a solution using tsMuxerGUI and mpeg2repair, until tonight. The meGUI PIDless TS file is playable in VLC and VLC reports that the audio is AC3, just like it is supposed to be. When M2R gets done with fixing it, the audio is now MPEG and I haven't a clue how it did that. VLC won't play the audio. VRD doesn't like it either.

So, I then tried ImagoMPEG-Muxer. It crashed with an internal error. It created a file that was 1:01.19 in length (VRD could play it).

Then I found mplex within DVDforger. Even though it is a command line program, I ran it in my cygwin xterm. But, it also stopped processing the files, complaining about too many frame drops. It got 1:07.29 into file creation.

All of this hair pulling could be stopped if only VRD would do the simple task of creating a new TS file from separate mpv and ac3 files.

Pretty Please!!! With sugar on top?

[zaphod7501]

As "Alan" might say, your file may have "gremlins". I just realized who you were when he mentioned having lunch/dinner with you.

Seriously, the file could be corrupted and nothing might be able to fully restore it, including VRD. If I was attacking this problem, I would start by cutting each file (mpv/ac3) exactly in half with something like hjsplit. (or into smaller pieces) Then attempt to remux each half/section with Imago or mplex. You can always recombine them and adjust lipsync within VRD later.

If the file is damaged, I would expect it to complete the first half and choke on the second at about the same point in the video that it is crashing upon now. If it is a cumulative error then it might be able to remux each half without crashing.

Selecting actual cut points, sizes, obviously may vary with the actual files in use.

[MrVideo]

As "Alan" might say, your file may have "gremlins". I just realized who you were when he mentioned having lunch/dinner with you.

You know Alan "betamax" M. as well?

Here is why I believe there is nothing wrong with the files.

1) VRD was used for the editing of the original TS file. Zero errors.
2) VRD was used to create the MPV and AC3 files. Zero errors.
3) tsMuxerGUI created the muxed file. No errors.
4) VLC will play the muxed file and reports that the audio is a52 (i.e. AC3).
5) mpeg2repair will create a new TS file and reports no errors, but after the "repair" is done, it reports the audio as being MPEG. Original audio is AC3 @ 48 kHz. VLC reports the audio as being @ 44.1 kHz.

Where is M2R getting the MPEG audio from? AFAIK, M2R doesn't have the capability to transcode from AC3 to MPEG. There certainly isn't an INI file setting for such a thing.

There is something in the TS file that is tripping up M2R. VRD thinks there is nothing wrong, but when M2R is done with it, it has relabeled the AC3 file as MPEG layer 1.

I have a couple of leader files that I use, 30 seconds of bars/tone and 30 seconds of black. M2R thinks it is MPEG audio. A different leader file comes out as AC3 5.1. Both files have the same PIDs, as reported by M2R.

Of the file that has the leader it doesn't like, I had VRD save the first two minutes. M2R considered it MPEG. I saved minutes 2->4. Same result. Before I had done either of those saves, I saved two minutes starting about 14 minutes in. M2R saw it as AC3.

I'm going to ftp over the two original files and the two files that M2R created and see if the guys can figure out why VRD doesn't have any issues with the AC3 audio, while M2R does have an issue.

I fully understand that the VRD guys can't troubleshoot M2R problems, but it might be something that VRD is doing that is making this hit-n-miss.

As another test, I had VRD split the file into MPV and AC3 files and then took the AC3 file and ran it through Belight, to rebuild the AC3. I do not like doing that. I then used tsMuxerGUI to rebuilt a TS file. Then used M2R to fix the missing PIDs. M2R was happy with the file, finding the audio to be AC3.

All of the files are in the MrVideo_AC3_issue directory. A separate e-mail will be sent shortly.

[zaphod7501]

You know Alan "betamax" M. as well?

I'm the guy who has to fix all those BetaMax machines as they self destruct from age and use. At least I have him bringing movies down on DVD-RW disks instead of tapes to watch when he comes to town.

I've often found a divide and conquer approach helped when dealing with troublesome transport streams. I had to put the movie "Cars" back together from a VOD multistream capture during a free Showtime weekend. The movie jumped between 4 subchannels for the duration of the broadcast.

But you've got more tools than I do for this type of thing. My MyHD card produces some pretty reliable captures and VRD now handles them well.