Music Media Helper (Tools for Multichannel Audio & Music Videos)

[paligap]

Thanks to MMH, I have most of my music files tagged, etc. so they are in a state where I can use Kodi to play them. I'm starting to tackle some of my concert and video files, and I have a few questions.

1. Is there any reason to keep the original MKV file after I have split it into songs and created nfo files?
2. Is there any reason to keep the intro, end credits, etc. after I have split the original MKV file?
3. Do I treat music video collections the same as concert videos, and if so, can I put them in a different root folder to distinguish between the two (e.g., "Concerts" and "Videos")?
4. What about MKVs made from music DVDs and blu-rays that have some visual component, such as Abbey Road, etc.? Is there a benefit to splitting them up in a similar manner as concerts and videos?

 

[HomerJAU]

Nice to hear of your success.

Answers:
1. Probably not
2. I often keep the credits, not often the intro
3. Yes you can. I keep my music videos in my Concerts root folder under folder names like: Various Artists - DTS Music Videos or Various Artists - Demo Music Videos etc. Totally up to you.
4. I keep those in my Concert folder too, folder names like: Tom Petty - Music Videos or The Beatles - One+ etc

There‘s talk that one day Kodi will be able to support both Music Videos and Audio in same Root folder structure, but that’s not coming soon. But nice if all music for an Artist was stored together.

 

[HomerJAU]

Music Media Helper 4.0.4 released:

Changes:
Channel Layout Remix Tool: Rearranged Option checkboxes to allow more options
Channel Layout Remix Tool: Added new option to correct Penteo 4.1 channel layouts

Fixes:
Channel Layout Remix Tool: User Defined remixes failed to remix (fixed)

Users with 4.0 will get an Update Notification. Users still on version 3 should uninstall and install version 4 from link on first post here.

Here's the new Channel Remix option layout:

 

[HomerJAU]

Music Media Helper 4.0.6 Released:

Version 4.0.6 (September 9 2020)
-------------
New Feature:
Extract MKV to FLAC Tool renamed Extract MKV to Audio and now supports FLAC, M4A and WAV output
Extract MKV to Audio Tool now supports MKA input files (as well as MKV)

Fixes:
Channel Volume Tool: Gain controls would not display values greater than 9.5db - fixed
Rename/Tag Tool: Mode dropdown control overlayed another control - fixed

Changes:
3rd party tools updated (new ffmpeg, mkvmerge and UI controls)


I added M4A file conversion as its a lossless media container that can be tagged easily.

M4A files can contain an TrueHD/Atmos stream (or DTS-HDMA stream) that can be played back in Kodi, Foobar (with ffmpeg component) and other media players via HDMI for decoding onboard your AVR.

Previously I was using MKA files. Kodi could not read the tags requiring an extra CUE file be created. With M4A I can simply tag the files just like FLAC and Kodi reads these nicely. MMKH can tag M4A files.

EDIT:
Here's the changed UI in the Extract Audio from MKV tool (was called Extract FLAC from MKV):

The new Output dropdown allows users to select: FLAC, M4A or WAV. FLAC and WAV converts the selected stream to PCM. Selecting M4A copies the selected stream into the mpeg audio file container. No conversion, Atmos = Atmos in the output files, DTS-HDMA = DTS=HDMA in the output files. Ready for tagging and decoding by your AVR.

 

[DuncanS]

The new MMH updater works brilliantly, I opened MMH it told me there was an update, clicked on update and it did the rest perfectly. I like the download % view at the bottom left as well.

 

[HomerJAU]

I can confirm that m4a files do not play in Kodi 18.8 (latest official release). They do play in Kodi 19 alpha 1 (Kodi 19 will be officially released in coming months).

BTW: I’m running Kodi 19 alpha 1 on my Intel NUC8 running Win10 wth no issues. This also plays 4K videos with HDR which is the reason I moved to Kodi 19 Win10 (Kodi 19 for Linux is not yet in alpha release)

 

[HomerJAU]

Music Media Helper 4.0.7 Released:

Version 4.0.7 (September 11 2020)
-------------
Fixes:
Extract MKV to Audio Tool - M4A files created now have chapters removed
Extract MKV to Audio Tool - WAV files created were always 24bit (now same as input stream) - fixed

Changes:
Minor UI changes

 

[HomerJAU]

BTW: This new m4a file creation gives users the option to play DTS-HDMA (and any other MCH streams) directly via HDMI to AVRs for decoding without needing to convert to FLAC.

In Kodi the m4a file’s tags can be read so the files are scanned into its library just like FLAC.

EDIT: DTS should work on any media player. It’s only TrueHD/ Atmos that’s ‘new’ to m4a (mpeg) Audio files. Until programs like JRiver adds TrueHD support TrueHD can’t be played from m4a files currently.

 

[himey]

BTW: This new m4a file creation gives users the option to play DTS-HDMA (and any other MCH stream) directly via HDMI to AVRs for decoding without needing to convert to FLAC.

In Kodi the m4a file’s tags can be read so the files are scanned into its library just like FLAC.

Quick Plex server search and it looks like it supports m4a. Haven't tested yet...

 

[Stupy]

The latest version is working great at creating atmos m4a files without weird chapter behaviour! Cheers!

 

[himey]

BTW: This new m4a file creation gives users the option to play DTS-HDMA (and any other MCH streams) directly via HDMI to AVRs for decoding without needing to convert to FLAC.

In Kodi the m4a file’s tags can be read so the files are scanned into its library just like FLAC.

EDIT: DTS should work on any media player. It’s only TrueHD/ Atmos that’s ‘new’ to m4a (mpeg) Audio files. Until programs like JRiver adds TrueHD support TrueHD can’t be played from m4a files currently.

Any idea why only the first track plays in Kodi and none of the others? M4A output. Same thing with the Atmos 7.1 Dolby True HD on Abbey Road and 5.1 DTS MA Sea Change? All tracks play as expected with MPC-BE?

Tried both monthly and daily builds of Kodi 19 Alpha...

 

[HomerJAU]

More info please.

Track? Are you talking about first audio stream or first song in an album?

 

[himey]

More info please.

Track? Are you talking about first audio stream or first song in an album?

First song plays perfect. Tracks 2 and the rest, shutdown Kodi.

 

[HomerJAU]

Strange. Working ok for me. What happens if you play the 2nd track first, does that play ok?

Are you files tagged? What hardware are you using?

BTW: Kodi still can’t play Abbey Road Atmos. It’s a known bug that not yet been fixed.

 

[himey]

Strange. Working ok for me. What happens if you play the 2nd track first, does that play ok?

Are you files tagged? What hardware are you using?

BTW: Kodi still can’t play Abbey Road Atmos. It’s a known bug that not yet been fixed.

What

Only track 1 plays. The rest don't play in any order. Beck Sea Change does the same thing as AR. All tracks play fine in MPC-BE.

Yes I tagged them. Two windows 10 pc's. Same on both.

 

[HomerJAU]

I've tried your test m4a file with DTS-HDMA and its playing ok in my Kodi 19 alpha on Win10.

It plays as the first or 2nd file.

I'm wondering if its a Kodi setting. My system is set to use WASAPI HDMI (audio Passthrough).

My Kodi is 31 August nightly build (x64). I'll try latest build shortly.

 

[HomerJAU]

I just updated to latest Kodi 19 alpha nightly (11 Sept) and the file plays ok.

 

[himey]

I just updated to latest Kodi 19 alpha nightly (11 Sept) and the file plays ok.

Sadly only track 1 plays for me on that version of Kodi tested on two different Win 10 pc's.

I used ffmpeg command line to convert as one long file and it plays perfectly in Kodi. Strange...

 

[HomerJAU]

I’m wondering if it’s a Kodi setting. Do you want to screen grab your Kodi audio settings?

 

[himey]

I’m wondering if it’s a Kodi setting. Do you want to screen grab your Kodi audio settings?

Changed extension to mp4 and it plays perfect...