How do I add AC3 File Support?

[dpastern]

Re: How do I add AC3 File Support?

I do apologise for not replying to this thread earlier - I had problems with my laptop that I use for ripping music.

Just a heads up for anyone else reading this thread.

1) be VERY careful downloading ANY software from sourceforge - most of it links to software that has a wrapper installer that has all sorts of nasties. I sadly didn't realise this and in installing FileZilla FTP client, I ended up infecting my laptop, necessitating a complete wipe and rebuild. It's despicable what they are doing, and it's even more despicable that FileZilla is maintaining that there's nothing wrong. If you don't believe me, Google it and you'll see I'm not the only one to get burnt, and I'm not the only one very unhappy with their actions.

edit: I scanned all files with the AV that I was using after downloading the files and before executing them, and nothing malicious was returned. It was ONLY during the installation process did alarm bells ring and by then it was too late. It's cost me several hours troubleshooting the issue, and then several more to back up a lot of data off the laptop, and then several more to do a factory reset/reinstall after I decided that there was still issues and it was not safe to continue to use the laptop as it was post infection. Note: the AV I was using was "bitdefender free" and to be honest, after all of that, I simply CANNOT recommend it. I have now went out and bought my preferred AV (Kaspersky).

Caveat Emptor.

2) ac3filter (recommended by N7X) also employs a wrapper installer that installs PUPs. I do not recommend using it either. ac3file seems fine.

%AppData% does indeed work as you indicated spoon, my apologies.

Now, after installing the directshow plugin, this is what my codecs tab in config dbpoweramp shows:



you can see that DirectShow has no file linked to it.

This is the directshow.txt entries:



This is all of the codecs installed:

Codecs Installed


Encoders (write)

[Arrange Audio] Release 4
[Audio Info] Release 2
[ID Tag Update] Release 4
[Multi Encoder] Release 15.1
[ReplayGain] Release 4
[Tag From Filename] Release 2
Aiff Release 15.1
.aif
Apple Lossless Release 15.1 Apple Open Source ALAC v1.0
.m4a
FLAC Release 15.1 (FLAC 1.3.0)
.flac
m4a FDK (AAC) Release 2.1 (FDK v0.1.3)
.m4a
m4b (Audio Book)
.m4b
Monkeys Audio Release 12 (Monkeys Audio v4.12)
.ape
mp3 (Lame) Release 15.1 Lame 3.99.5
.mp3
ogg vorbis (aoTuV SSE) R23 aoTuV b6.03
.ogg
ogg vorbis (aoTuV SSE3)
.ogg
ogg vorbis Release 23 (Ogg v1.3.1 Vorbis V1.3.3)
.ogg
Test Conversion
Wave Release 15.1
.wav
Windows Media Audio 10 Release 8 (WMA Pro 10)
.wma


Decoders (read)

Aiff Decoder Release 15.1
.aif, .aifc, .aiff
CD Decoder Release 15.1
.cda
DirectShow Decoder
DSD SACD Decoder
.dff, .dsf
FLAC Decoder Release 15.1
.flac
m4a / mp4 Decoder
.aac, .m4a, .m4b, .mp4
Monkeys Audio Decoder
.ape
mp3 Decoder Release 15.1
.m2a, .mp1, .mp2, .mp3, .mpa, .mpeg, .mpg, .mpga, .mpx
Ogg Vorbis Decoder
.oga, .ogg
Wave Decoder Release 15.1
.bwf, .wav
WavPack Decoder
.wv
Windows Media Audio Decoder
.asf, .asx, .wma, .wmv, .wvx


Install on Demand

Musepack (read only) .mpc

Anyway, I've just restored my laptop and reinstalled all my software. About to re-configure dbpoweramp. I don't really need the ac3 conversion anymore as I did it another way, not using dbpoweramp, but I still would like to get it to work.

I can enable logging if you want spoon, let me know.

Dave

[Spoon]

Re: How do I add AC3 File Support?

You have right click >> Convert To on the .ac3 file?

[dpastern]

Re: How do I add AC3 File Support?

You have right click >> Convert To on the .ac3 file?

No.

I installed the directshow plugin. I then installed ac3file (as per the instructions, using the link).

config dbpoweramp shows as per my screenshot in my previous post - no associated file type with the directshow plugin. music convertor does not see .ac3 files.

I then manually edited the %AppData%/dbpoweramp/directshow.txt file and added .ac3 as a file type on the next line as per the instructions. Music Convertor now sees .ac3 files.

Either way, there's no option to right click ==> convert to at all for .ac3 files (before or after editing the directshow.txt config file). I can see the option for flac file types though. It's just not present for .ac3 file types.

Using Musicconvertor to try and convert the .ac3 file to any other file type works and does not show any errors, but it's a 0 byte file and unusable (I tested it on flac, wav and mp3, all result in 0 byte files).

Perhaps the .ac3 file I have is odd - I did use mkvtoolnix to extract it from a .mkv file that I had. I have no other options of getting this - the performance (Taylor Swift VH1) is very hard to come by in HD for the full performance, it's commonly findable with 2 songs missing, and in low quality and in mpeg format. And it was only ever streamed, it's not available on CD, DVD or any other typical format (or I'd buy it in a heartbeat).

Do you have a small ac3 file that you can send me to test with, just to see if it's all ac3 files or just this one that the problem is persistent with?

Cheers,

Dave

edit: well, well, well - I re-ran config dbpoweramp after editing directshow.txt and now it shows the .ac3 file type associated with directshow and I can see the convert to option when right clicking on a .ac3 file. It NEVER did this before...

I shall re-test conversion anon.

2nd edit: nope, conversion works without error, but still provides a 0 byte file. I used the very same file and uploaded it to media.io and it worked and let me convert it to wav format the other night, so as far as I understand, the .ac3 file in question isn't corrupt, or it wouldn't have worked with media.io.

[dpastern]

Re: How do I add AC3 File Support?

I'll just add that WMP can play the .ac3 file in question.

When I visit http://www.ac3filter.net/, it says that ac3file is a "DirectShow source filter". ac3filter is a encoder/decoder. Perhaps ac3filter should be installed, and the dbpoweramp directshow help page is wrong and links to the wrong ac3 file? 2 others in this thread have not been able to get ac3 decoding to work with the ac3file, so I'm not the only one. I'm not keen on installing ac3filter, since the installer installs PUPs (malware). I just noticed this page on the ac3filter site:

http://www.ac3filter.net/wiki/Antivirus_notes

this is what my malware/AV software are reporting.

here's there notes on "opencandy"

http://www.ac3filter.net/wiki/OpenCandy

I still don't trust it - with this sort of thing, you're at the mercy of the software developer and hoping that they're being truthful about no other 3rd party malicious software being installed on your system...

I shall try installing it with the /NOCANDY option and see what happens...

I'd rather they not include this sort of crap and ask for me to pay for the software (I'd happily pay for clean software).

[Spoon]

Re: How do I add AC3 File Support?

I am not sure what is happening, the .ext problem should not be an issue once the Convert To is applied to right click. Perhaps enable debug log for one conversion (do this on the Music Converter tab in dBpoweramp Configuration).

[dpastern]

Re: How do I add AC3 File Support?

OK, Success! After installing ac3filter (NOT ac3file as per the help page), I can now convert from ac3 to any format without issue (tested on flac and mp3).

Weird that I could not get directshow to add .ac3 file as an associated file type before, despite doing exactly the same things this time as before.

Weird that I could not get the convert function to work, despite installing ac3filter before too. I suspect that that might have been to do with no ac3 file associate for the directshow plugin though.

Could you fix the help page for the directshow plugin to show that you should install ac3filter and NOT ac3file as it currently and incorrecty (I believe) shows? Could you also add a warning about potential malware when installing ac3filter and to perhaps to install the file from DOS using the /NOCANDY option? I think your users would appreciate any warning about 3rd party software using malware!!!

I'm really not sure why it worked this time and not before, I did everything identically before...

Thanks again.

Dave

edit:

This is the help page:

http://www.dbpoweramp.com/codec-central-ac3.htm

it currently links to ac3filter (I'm sure it was just ac3file the other night) on sourceforge. I REALLY do not recommend using sourceforge at all, it's not a safe place anymore. I note that the developer's website now links to this for the ac3filter download:

https://googledrive.com/host/0B792BWceKW4xSFd2VTZyUEJVMU0/ac3filter_2_6_0b.exe

as per:

http://www.ac3filter.net/wiki/Download_AC3Filter

and note the AV notes:

http://www.ac3filter.net/wiki/Antivirus_notes

[kyfsmith]

Re: How do I add AC3 File Support?

I clicked on the link at Illustrate Codec Central to download the file AC3Filter 2.6.0b and my antivirus software blocked it as a malware attack. I Googled the file name and also tried to download it from the MajorGeeks site with the same result. Is there malware in this software, or is it fooling my antivirus software? I wouldn't think that Illustrate would be passing along malware.

[Dat Ei]

Re: How do I add AC3 File Support?

Security Software Mishaps


Dat Ei

[sumeragi]

Re: How do I add AC3 File Support?

I once suffered from similar symptoms.
I did not follow the "dB poweramp Codec Central" and solved the problem in the following ways:
1. 1. Install "dB poweramp DirectShow Codec"
1. 1. Install "LAVFilters" (similar to AC3filter, it is a filter that works with Directshow).
2. 2. Open the file "% AppData% / dbpoweramp / directshow.txt" and add ".ac3" to the last line.

[sumeragi]

Re: How do I add AC3 File Support?

PS

If you are still using Windows XP, please download version 0.70.2 (no XP supported).

https://github.com/Nevcairiel/LAVFilters/releases/tag/0.70.2