Problem with sound via TV USB playback

[stormcab]

I have mentioned my issue with this several months ago and I couldn't get it resolved, so I am just asking again to see if anyone is having the same trouble. Basically I have a Samsung LED TV with USB input, and have been using to play video files saved onto via my laptop. When I play standard definition video with Dolby Digital audio, it plays perfectly, but when I play Hi Def footage, with Dolby Digital, I get great quality video - but no sound! The files are rendered in Pro X3, here are the formats -

Standard Definition Video

MPEG-2 Video, Upper Field First
24 bits, 720x576, 16:9
25.000 frames/sec
Variable bit rate (Max. 8000 kbps)

Audio

Dolby Digital Audio
48000 Hz
384 kbps


High Definition Video

MPEG-2 Video, Upper Field First
24 bits, 1920x1080, 16:9
25.000 frames/sec
Variable bit rate (Max. 25000 kbps)

Audio

Dolby Digital Audio
48000 Hz
384 kbps

I would like to try different audio formats, but the Blu Ray default render setting is Dolby Digital, and when you try custom MPEG-2 it doesn't allow you to specify 1920x1080. Is there anyway to change this? or does anyone know what the reason is the TV simply won't play the HD files with sound?

Thanks

[Ken Berry]

Have you looked at the Samsung menu to see if there are any audio options linked to the USB input to ensure it can play Dolby 5:1 audio (which I am assuming it is...)?

[stormcab]

Yes of course I checked the sound the sound menu, but there are limited options in USB mode, only to adjust L and R volume. Like I said with the standard DVD quality video, I tested rendering with several audio formats (including Dolby Digital) and they all work, but when convert to Blu Ray HD, the only option is Dolby Digital anyway as a default, and there is no sound when it is played through the TV. The annoying thing is I have been sending and receiving emails via Samsung too, because I don't know if it's something dodgy happening with Pro X3 or the TV, and they have told me to take it too a repair centre under warranty. I am sure it doesn't need repair, but I have no idea how to go about finding out what's happening with the sound.

[erdna]

Did you try to render as H264 instead of MPEG-2 ?, or to create an AVCHD file ?

[stormcab]

The TV only recognises Mpeg and DIVX.

[Ken Berry]

AVCHD may work if you change the extension to .mpg...

Assume your laptop does not have HDMI Out? (I play all my home edited video on my Samsung via a PS3 connected via HDMI. The multimedia is on an external hard drive connected to the PS3 by USB...)

[stormcab]

It does have HDMI out, and I have plugged used it several times, but what I have noticed is that playing files from my USB are superior in quality to using the HDMI from the laptop. As I am a stickler for quality, I want to see my videos at their best. I paid a lot of money for my Panasonic originally, and now my Canon 5D MkII, and I want to see where that money went. When these HD files do play, even without sound, it's as goohttp://forum.corel.com/EN/posting.php?mode=reply&f=1&t=39302d as broadcast quality, but i'm furious there is no sound. Strangely as I have been doing some tests, there is an occasional burst of sound, although it sounds like interference - so maybe something is wrong with the TV?? I do notice that playing the files on my HD laptop isn't as good as my TV, and this is the same low quality that is transferred along the HDMI cable when I play it that way. Maybe playing through Windows Media Player isn't the best for quality, is there a media player that is superior for HD out there?

[Ken Berry]

Strange about the HDMI since that is supposed to transmit better quality than USB...

Personally, I almost never use WMP for HD video playback. I use the freeware version of a program called Splash Lite, which is a specialised HD play (though it will play other media...) You would need to do a Google search for it. Or else I use ArcSoft Total Media Theater 3 Platinum, which I bought... I have also used Corel's WinDVD 9 in the past, though with mixed results, as a result of which I have not bothered upgrading it to version 10.

But of course, when I play my own video via the PS3, the PS3 itself is the player, and a very good one with HD... As it is also a computer, it can be networked to my main multimedia computer and play all the media on the latter via a server. Ironically, WMP is a decent enough server for this purpose, though I prefer the free PS3 Server which was designed specifically for the PS 3. Or as I said above, I simply connect an external hard drive to the PS3 via one of the latter's USB connections.

Pewrhaps you might want to think about buying one of the cheap multimedia players that now abound on the market. Some even have their own hard drives to which you can transfer your multimedia files, or else use an external HDD as I do... I head good things about the Western Digital device in this category.

[stormcab]

I have played around with the different media players on my laptop and found that Windows Media Centre plays the files much better, and I would say as good as the USB. I compared to WMP and this is too contrasty, so I think issue over, although I will have a go at the 2 players you recommended. I have a 1TB external hard drive which I use through my laptop, so same set up as you. I am already on 1.5TB now and growing because of the size of HD files and the 20MB RAW files my camera produces. Thanks for your persistance.

[rwernyei]

These links might have your answer, its worth a try. Hope this helps.

http://capitalideas.blogspot.com/2009/0 ... s-and.html
http://forums.cnet.com/7723-6035_102-396150.html
http://ars.samsung.com/customer/usa/jsp ... PROD_ID=41

[stormcab]

Looked at links, only the middle one worked, but thanks. Someone there specified going into the sound settings, but you don't have that option when in USB modes. But I am just going to use a HDMI via my laptop. I need to do this anyway because when I try to play standard definition 16/9 footage via the USB it is squashed vertically, but if I play via my laptops media player it corrects this automatically. I have just purchased a 5m HDMI cable, so it will reach all the over to me on the sofa. Happy days.

I have downloaded Splash Lite and it looks good. I downloaded the trial version of the pro too because they said there was a noticeable difference in quality - NO THERE ISN'T, ha ha. I'll stick with free version.

Cheers all.