Re-encoding DTS-ES To HE-AAC Crashing

May 22, 2025 by ADMIN 38 views

Re-encoding DTS-ES to HE-AAC Crashing: A Troubleshooting Guide

Introduction

Re-encoding DTS-ES audio tracks to HE-AAC can be a challenging task, especially when using HandBrake. In this article, we will explore a specific issue where HandBrake crashes when re-encoding DTS-ES to HE-AAC. We will provide a step-by-step guide to troubleshoot and resolve this issue.

Problem Description

The issue has occurred with multiple files (about 10), all of which contain a DTS-ES 6.1ch audio track, among several other audio tracks. The encode preset takes the various tracks, and re-encodes them as HE-AAC with the same channel mixdown as the original track. The encodes fail when the DTS-ES track is included in the transcoding, and when the DTS-ES track is removed, the encodes are all successful.

Activity Log, Crash Log or any other details

The following is the activity log, crash log, and other details related to the issue:

HandBrake Activity Log for Session: 2025-05-22T09:04:43Z
Handbrake Version: 1.9.2 (2025022300)
Lord of War (2005).mkv
Preset: Compressed Encoding - CQ50
[02:04:42] macgui: fr.handbrake.HandBrakeXPCService work done
[02:04:43] macgui: fr.handbrake.HandBrakeXPCService scanning specifically for title: 6
[02:04:43] CPU: Apple M1 Max
[02:04:43]  - logical processor count: 10
[02:04:43] hb_scan: path=/Volumes/SD20/SD20_PlexMedia/Movies/Lord of War (2005).mkv, title_index=6
Input #0, matroska,webm, from '/Volumes/SD20/SD20_PlexMedia/Movies/Lord of War (2005).mkv':
  Metadata:
    encoder         : libmakemkv v1.10.4 (1.3.3/1.4.4) darwin(x86-release)
    creation_time   : 2017-03-10T04:06:06.000000Z
  Duration: 02:01:43.30, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 23461 kb/s
  Chapters:
    Chapter #0:0: start 0.000000, end 486.110625
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 01
    Chapter #0:1: start 486.110625, end 1045.919875
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 02
    Chapter #0:2: start 1045.919875, end 1478.852375
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 03
    Chapter #0:3: start 1478.852375, end 1967.090125
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 04
    Chapter #0:4: start 1967.090125, end 2531.153625
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 05
    Chapter #0:5: start 2531.153625, end 3129.876750
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 06
    Chapter #0:6: start 3129.876750, end 3629.751125
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 07
    Chapter #0:7: start 3629.751125, end 4131.252125
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 08
    Chapter #0:8: start 4131.252125, end 4659.655000
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 09
    Chapter #0:9: start 4659.655000, end 5096.341250
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 10
    Chapter #0:10: start 5096.341250, end 5555.424875
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 11
    Chapter #0:11: start 5555.424875, end 6382.125750
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 12
    Chapter #0:12: start 6382.125750, end 6855.974125
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 13
    Chapter #0:13: start 6855.974125, end 7303.296000
      Metadata:
        title           : Chapter 14
  Stream #0:0(eng): Video: mpeg2video (Main), yuv420p(tv, progressive), 1920x1080 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 1k tbn
      Metadata:
        BPS-eng         : 21229986
        DURATION-eng    : 02:01:43.296000000
        NUMBER_OF_FRAMES-eng: 175104
        NUMBER_OF_BYTES-eng: 19381109166
        SOURCE_ID-eng   : 001011
        _STATISTICS_WRITING_APP-eng: MakeMKV v1.10.4 darwin(x86-release)
        _STATISTICS_WRITING_DATE_UTC-eng: 2017-03-10 04:06:06
        _STATISTICS_TAGS-eng: BPS DURATION NUMBER_OF_FRAMES NUMBER_OF_BYTES SOURCE_ID
      Side data:
        cpb: bitrate max/min/avg: 36000000/0/0 buffer size: 9781248 vbv_delay: N/A
  Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: dts (dca) (DTS-ES), 48000 Hz, 6.1, fltp, 1536 kb/s (default)
      Metadata:
        title           : Surround 5.1
        BPS-eng         : 1509000
        DURATION-eng    : 02:01:43.296000000
        NUMBER_OF_FRAMES-eng: 684684
        NUMBER_OF_BYTES-eng: 1377584208
        SOURCE_ID-eng   : 001100
        _STATISTICS_WRITING_APP-eng: MakeMKV v1.10.4 darwin(x86-release)
        _STATISTICS_WRITING_DATE_UTC-eng: 2017-03-10 04:06:06
        _STATISTICS_TAGS-eng: BPS DURATION NUMBER_OF_FRAMES NUMBER_OF_BYTES SOURCE_ID
  Stream #0:2(eng): Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), fltp, 640 kb/s
      Metadata:
        title           : Surround 51
        BPS-eng         : 640000
        DURATION-eng    : 02:01:43.296000000
        NUMBER_OF_FRAMES-eng: 228228
        NUMBER_OF_BYTES-eng: 584263680
        SOURCE_ID-eng   : 001101
        _STATISTICS_WRITING_APP-eng: MakeMKV v1.10.4 darwin(x86-release)
        _STATISTICS_WRITING_DATE_UTC-eng: 2017-03-10 04:06:06
        _STATISTICS_TAGS-eng: BPS DURATION NUMBER_OF_FRAMES NUMBER_OF_BYTES SOURCE_ID
  Stream #0:3(eng): Subtitle: hdmv_pgs_subtitle (pgssub)
      Metadata:
        BPS-eng         : 40565
        DURATION-eng    : 01:54:16.537187500
        NUMBER_OF_FRAMES-eng: 2756
        NUMBER_OF_BYTES-eng: 34767343
        SOURCE_ID-eng   : 001200
        _STATISTICS_WRITING_APP-eng: MakeMKV v1.10.4 darwin(x86-release)
        _STATISTICS_WRITING_DATE_UTC-eng: 2017-03-10 04:06:06
        _STATISTICS_TAGS-eng: BPS DURATION NUMBER_OF_FRAMES NUMBER_OF_BYTES SOURCE_ID
  Stream #0:4(spa): Subtitle: hdmv_pgs_subtitle (pgssub)
      Metadata:
        BPS-eng         : 41433
        DURATION-eng    : 01:54:46.775729166
        NUMBER_OF_FRAMES-eng: 2886
        NUMBER_OF_BYTES-eng: 35668183
        SOURCE_ID-eng   : 001201
        _STATISTICS_WRITING_APP-eng: MakeMKV v1.10.4 darwin(x86-release)
        _STATISTICS_WRITING_DATE_UTC-eng: 2017-03-10 04:06:06
        _STATISTICS_TAGS-eng: BPS DURATION NUMBER_OF_FRAMES NUMBER_OF_BYTES SOURCE_ID
[02:04:43] scan: decoding previews for title 6
[02:04:43] scan: audio 0x1: dca, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=1536000 English (DTS-ES, 6.1 ch, 1536 kbps)
[02:04:43] scan: audio 0x2: ac3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=640000 English (AC3, 5.1 ch, Dolby Digital EX, 640 kbps)
[02:04:43]<br/>
**Re-encoding DTS-ES to HE-AAC Crashing: A Troubleshooting Guide**

**Q&A**

**Q: What is the issue with re-encoding DTS-ES to HE-AAC?**

A: The issue is that HandBrake crashes when re-encoding DTS-ES audio tracks to HE-AAC. This occurs when the DTS-ES track is included in the transcoding, and when the DTS-ES track is removed, the encodes are all successful.

**Q: What are the symptoms of this issue?**

A: The symptoms of this issue include:

* HandBrake crashing during the encoding process
* Error messages indicating a failure to initialise the HE-AAC encoder
* The encoding process failing to complete

**Q: What are the possible causes of this issue?**

A: The possible causes of this issue include:

* Incompatible audio codecs or settings
* Insufficient system resources or memory
* Conflicting software or drivers
* Corrupted or damaged audio files

**Q: How can I troubleshoot this issue?**

A: To troubleshoot this issue, you can try the following steps:

1. Check the audio codecs and settings to ensure they are compatible and correctly configured.
2. Ensure that your system has sufficient resources and memory to handle the encoding process.
3. Check for any conflicting software or drivers that may be causing the issue.
4. Try re-encoding the audio track using a different codec or settings.
5. Check the audio file for any corruption or damage.

**Q: What are the solutions to this issue?**

A: The solutions to this issue include:

1. Updating HandBrake to the latest version
2. Using a different audio codec or settings
3. Ensuring that the system has sufficient resources and memory
4. Disabling any conflicting software or drivers
5. Re-encoding the audio track using a different codec or settings

**Q: How can I prevent this issue from occurring in the future?**

A: To prevent this issue from occurring in the future, you can try the following steps:

1. Regularly update HandBrake to the latest version
2. Use a different audio codec or settings
3. Ensure that the system has sufficient resources and memory
4. Disable any conflicting software or drivers
5. Re-encode the audio track using a different codec or settings

**Q: What are the best practices for re-encoding DTS-ES to HE-AAC?**

A: The best practices for re-encoding DTS-ES to HE-AAC include:

1. Using a compatible audio codec and settings
2. Ensuring that the system has sufficient resources and memory
3. Disabling any conflicting software or drivers
4. Re-encoding the audio track using a different codec or settings
5. Regularly updating HandBrake to the latest version

**Conclusion**

Re-encoding DTS-ES to HE-AAC can be a challenging task, especially when using HandBrake. However, by following the troubleshooting guide and best practices outlined in this article, you can resolve the issue and successfully re-encode your audio tracks. Remember to regularly update HandBrake to the latest version and use a compatible audio codec and settings to ensure smooth and successful encoding.