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

[impetigo]

From memory the join tool sorts by file name but it would be fairly straight forward to add manual sorting as you suggest.

I envisioned this would be used to join album tracks into a single FLAC and therefore the files would already be numbered (in track running order).

Yep, my files always just have the title without track number in the title so it would be helpful to have a "#" column to sort by using the tags. The workaround I've used is to add the files one by one which is a bit cumbersome for albums with lots of tracks. One other thing I noticed once is when I joined a lot of tracks at one time there was an error with the resulting file and so I ended up joining the tracks in smaller groups which was fine. I didn't look into it further so not sure if it really was because of the number of tracks joined together.

 

[HomerJAU]

Latest beta allows you to drag and drop the grid rows (tracks) to change the file order.

If you have issues joining many please let me know and I’ll take a look.

 

[himey]

Yep, my files always just have the title without track number in the title so it would be helpful to have a "#" column to sort by using the tags. The workaround I've used is to add the files one by one which is a bit cumbersome for albums with lots of tracks. One other thing I noticed once is when I joined a lot of tracks at one time there was an error with the resulting file and so I ended up joining the tracks in smaller groups which was fine. I didn't look into it further so not sure if it really was because of the number of tracks joined together.

Always? That sounds like a mess.

 

[HomerJAU]

Music Media Helper 6.3.9 Released:

Version 6.3.9 (December 11 2022)
-------------
Changes:
Added new WXI Office skins (Windows 11 style rounded corners). Removed non-vector skins: Office 2016 Black, Office 2016 Dark, Windows Dark & Light
Added additional checks and warnings for long folder/file names exceeding Windows Max_Path length
Join or Split Audio tool: Now supports adding files by drag & drop from Windows explorer - new
Join or Split Audio tool: When merging multiple files users can now drag and drop rows (files) to re-order - new
Updated 3rd party UI controls to latest

Fixes:
Chapter Editor: Changing Default Audio Stream failed - fixed (6.3.3 regression)
Extract Audio from MKV tool: Fix for Quad .m4a to FLAC conversions
Extract Audio from MKV tool: Users cannot drag multiple .mp4 files from Windows Explorer - fixed
Atmos Helper tool: Fix for copying tags between source and output files

 

[impetigo]

Always? That sounds like a mess.

Really, why? I use the tags for columns in my windows explorer folder (my Plex drive is attached to my PC) and the "#" column sorts the tracks, so everything is organized fine. It literally makes no difference in organizing files, and I think it looks a little cleaner but it's just personal preference.

Music Media Helper 6.3.9 Released:

Version 6.3.9 (December 11 2022)
-------------
Changes:
Added new WXI Office skins (Windows 11 style rounded corners). Removed non-vector skins: Office 2016 Black, Office 2016 Dark, Windows Dark & Light
Added additional checks and warnings for long folder/file names exceeding Windows Max_Path length
Join or Split Audio tool: Now supports adding files by drag & drop from Windows explorer - new
Join or Split Audio tool: When merging multiple files users can now drag and drop rows (files) to re-order - new
Updated 3rd party UI controls to latest

Fixes:
Chapter Editor: Changing Default Audio Stream failed - fixed (6.3.3 regression)
Extract Audio from MKV tool: Fix for Quad .m4a to FLAC conversions
Extract Audio from MKV tool: Users cannot drag multiple .mp4 files from Windows Explorer - fixed
Atmos Helper tool: Fix for copying tags between source and output files

Awesome thank you for adding the file moving function! In using it, I did find that sometimes the track doesn't go to the right spot (even when trying to be careful) because there is no indicator to show where the track will move to when you hover the pointer to the spot you want to move it to. Still want to recommend adding a track number (#) column header to make it easy to auto sort files (since usually those files will be sequential tracks), but appreciate all your efforts in updating your app so regularly.

One question I've been meaning to ask: is there a reason why some functions allow dragging/dropping of files and others require using an "add" button?

 

[marpow]

I just updated to current. Have some Blu Rays to rip coming up.

 

[HomerJAU]

One question I've been meaning to ask: is there a reason why some functions allow dragging/dropping of files and others require using an "add" button?

The tools started with buttons to add files and folders. I added support for drag and dropping files later. Not all the tools support drag and drop. But the main ones I use do I’ll eventually get to them all.

 

[himey]

Really, why? I use the tags for columns in my windows explorer folder (my Plex drive is attached to my PC) and the "#" column sorts the tracks, so everything is organized fine. It literally makes no difference in organizing files, and I think it looks a little cleaner but it's just personal preference.



Awesome thank you for adding the file moving function! In using it, I did find that sometimes the track doesn't go to the right spot (even when trying to be careful) because there is no indicator to show where the track will move to when you hover the pointer to the spot you want to move it to. Still want to recommend adding a track number (#) column header to make it easy to auto sort files (since usually those files will be sequential tracks), but appreciate all your efforts in updating your app so regularly.

One question I've been meaning to ask: is there a reason why some functions allow dragging/dropping of files and others require using an "add" button?

It seems like you would have to go out of your way to prevent most ripping applications from simply adding a track number to the file name, and there is no advantage to leaving it off.

I use Plex too for all my (music) files, so we do have that in common.

 

[impetigo]

The tools started with buttons to add files and folders. I added support for drag and dropping files later. Not all the tools support drag and drop. But the main ones I use do I’ll eventually get to them all.

Makes sense, appreciate all your efforts to make such a great tool for everyone to use, for free no less!

 

[HomerJAU]

Music Media Helper 6.3.10 Released:

Version 6.3.10 (December 16 2022)
-------------
Fixes:
Split & Rename Concerts: Changing Default Audio Stream in mkv output failed failed - fixed (6.3.3 regression)
Chapter Editor: Changing Default Audio Stream in mkv output failed - fixed (6.3.3 regression)


Direct link to latest installer:
https://reva.blob.core.windows.net/mmh/MMHInstaller.msi

Apologies: ffmpeg uses 0 based stream numbering and mkvtoolnix uses 1 based. A recent change I made in MMH mucked up mkvtoolnix conversions. Now finally sorted.

 

[ted_b]

Is there a capability (in MMH or otherwise) to add a couple seconds to each Atmos music MKV? I've extracted some music MKVs into chapter sized MKVs, but even on whole album MKVs the Z9X starts them a couple seconds late, likley due to re-handshake with HDMI. When they are chpater MKV's each song starts late. And I'm not asking for gapless, mind you, just that the I don't miss the first couple of seconds of each song!

You may say "Ted why not use MP4 or M4A or some other Atmos-capable codec/wrapper? My Zidoo Z9X, as explained in other posts, doesn't seem to like to play Atmos from anything other than BDMVs or MKVs. Could be user error, but so far I don't think so.

Oh, and I am open to another media device. I am even going to try some of my unplayable M4A and MP4 files via hanging my Zidoo local USB drive off of, instead, my Sony 800M2 bluray player.

Thx

 

[himey]

Is there a capability (in MMH or otherwise) to add a couple seconds to each Atmos music MKV? I've extracted some music MKVs into chapter sized MKVs, but even on whole album MKVs the Z9X starts them a couple seconds late, likley due to re-handshake with HDMI. When they are chpater MKV's each song starts late. And I'm not asking for gapless, mind you, just that the I don't miss the first couple of seconds of each song!

You may say "Ted why not use MP4 or M4A or some other Atmos-capable codec/wrapper? My Zidoo Z9X, as explained in other posts, doesn't seem to like to play Atmos from anything other than BDMVs or MKVs. Could be user error, but so far I don't think so.

Oh, and I am open to another media device. I am even going to try some of my unplayable M4A and MP4 files via hanging my Zidoo local USB drive off of, instead, my Sony 800M2 bluray player.

Thx

What player? Have you tried Kodi?

 

[ted_b]

Note: I don't want to take this too far OT from MMH.

But no, I have Kodi on my desktop home office pc, but do not have it installed on the Zidoo Z9X. I use its own native video and/or audio player. For movies it's great. For Atmos and Auro-3D music (I have quite a bit, what working for NativeDSD and all) it is not so much; it treats music MKVs like movies, and doesn't deal well with chapter names (song tracks), etc. I'd love to be able to use something like JRIver to play all my Lyngdorf-based stuff. My multichannel 5.1 music (100x what I have in immersive) is handled separately by my exaSound S88, which is a LAN-based dac, so I use a UpNP client of choice. Easy peasy.

Anyway, maybe we take this offline or to a player thread.

 

[AYanguas]

Is there a capability (in MMH or otherwise) to add a couple seconds to each Atmos music MKV? I've extracted some music MKVs into chapter sized MKVs, but even on whole album MKVs the Z9X starts them a couple seconds late, likley due to re-handshake with HDMI. When they are chpater MKV's each song starts late. And I'm not asking for gapless, mind you, just that the I don't miss the first couple of seconds of each song!

You may say "Ted why not use MP4 or M4A or some other Atmos-capable codec/wrapper? My Zidoo Z9X, as explained in other posts, doesn't seem to like to play Atmos from anything other than BDMVs or MKVs. Could be user error, but so far I don't think so.

Oh, and I am open to another media device. I am even going to try some of my unplayable M4A and MP4 files via hanging my Zidoo local USB drive off of, instead, my Sony 800M2 bluray player.

Thx

It happens to me also. Oppo/Dune to AVR/Display. I think it is not the player but the time it takes the hdmi handshake for the target hdmi sink (audio+video). With TV, it is acceptable but with Projector the handshake is horribly long.

Related to this, today I have played some mkv samples of this album, good Atmos 9.1.6 samples, available to download in this page:
Pure Audio SONIC LEAKS von Silent Work in Dolby Atmos und Auro-3D

and I was surprised that the mkv files have an initial time of 10s, with frozen static video, no audio, and a countdown message above indicating "waiting for handshaking..." Then the video unfreezes and the sound starts properly without any initial loss.

I think it is a very good way to build mkv/mp4 files to be played without losing the start or have to 'rewind' to the beginning afterwards.

 

[himey]

Note: I don't want to take this too far OT from MMH.

But no, I have Kodi on my desktop home office pc, but do not have it installed on the Zidoo Z9X. I use its own native video and/or audio player. For movies it's great. For Atmos and Auro-3D music (I have quite a bit, what working for NativeDSD and all) it is not so much; it treats music MKVs like movies, and doesn't deal well with chapter names (song tracks), etc. I'd love to be able to use something like JRIver to play all my Lyngdorf-based stuff. My multichannel 5.1 music (100x what I have in immersive) is handled separately by my exaSound S88, which is a LAN-based dac, so I use a UpNP client of choice. Easy peasy.

Anyway, maybe we take this offline or to a player thread.

Don't use MKV for music. MKA is MKV for music. Garry is a mod so he can delete or move any of this if he wants which I doubt he would do.

 

[AYanguas]

Don't use MKV for music. MKA is MKV for music. Garry is a mod so he can delete or move any of this if he wants which I doubt he would do.

Agree about the MKA.

But sometimes, depending on what player, MKV could be preferred to play only music. I use both Oppo and Dune, and I remember coming to that conclusion because of some shortages (I dont remember exactly) using MKA.

 

[HomerJAU]

Is there a capability (in MMH or otherwise) to add a couple seconds to each Atmos music MKV?

I think it would be possible to add silent Atmos frames to files with Atmos streams (MKV, mka, m4a and mp4) but I assume it would need to be encoded identically to the Atmos that follows. I’d need to experiment to see what’s required.

I’ll take a look in the new year.

 

[himey]

Agree about the MKA.

But sometimes, depending on what player, MKV could be preferred to play only music. I use both Oppo and Dune, and I remember coming to that conclusion because of some shortages (I dont remember exactly) using MKA.

Tagging MKA's isn't as good as M4A. I stream locally from my Plex server to Kodi using PlexKodiConnect and the tags on MKA files are fine as long as you delete any dashes in the file name. Other configs don't handle the tags as well.

 

[ted_b]

My Zidoo Z9X doesn't play MKA's (unless its a limitation of the software player on it)!! Argh. It's too bad; it's great for movies. Argh. And my Lyngdorf pre/pro has only 3 HDMi inputs so unless I hang an HDMi switcher off it (for a pc, for example) I need to find a good software player to download onto the Z9X.

 

[AudiophileStyle]

I'm trying to extract the Atmos mlp from an MKV using MMH. This would save me the step of extraxcting tracks to MKA, then using MKVCleaver to get the mlp. However, MMH has the thd and mlp file extensions mixed up and can't tag and rename because it's looking for thd files (even though they are the same as mlp but with the different extension).

I usually have to rename the thd that I extract using MKVCleaver to mlp.

Here's a screenshot. I extracted to MLP, but the app thinks the files are still thd.