Audio / Video formats (en)

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The different Dreambox models can play several Video and Audio formats. This article tries to give an overview of which format can be played by which Dreambox.

General

You can't rely on the file extension only to know the content! The file extension is only an indication about the container! This container can cover different codecs.

So, always check the content when problems occur (see below).

HD Models

DM 8000 HD PVR, DM 500 HD (v2), DM800se HD (v2), DM7020HD (v2)

The HD boxes can play the widest range of codecs.

same as the DM 800 HD PVR, with additional:

Video codecs:

• MPEG-4 ASP (DivX / xVid)
  • often as .avi
  • only for DM8000: DivX HD since DivX 7
• DTS Passthrough
  • With Plugin also Downmix possible

Audio codecs:

• DDP aka AC3+ (not on DM 8000 HD PVR)

DM 800 HD PVR

Video codecs:

• MPEG 1/2
  • Oft .ts or .mpg
  • With the Plugin DVD-Player also complete DVD structures (as directory or .iso image) and single .vob files playable
• MPEG-4 AVC (H.264 / x264)
  • often as .mkv
• VC-1 (BluRay)
  • only unencrypted files playable!
  • only as .ts muxed, no fast forwarding/rewinding or skipping possible

Audio codecs:

• PCM (Stereo)
• AC-3 (Dolby Digital) and AAC
  • also Downmix, this means downscale on PCM (important, if no A/V Receiver is used)
• MP2
• MP3
• FLAC

SD Models

For those models the possibilities are limited:

Video codecs:

• MPEG 1/2
  • also as DVD (.vob or .iso)

Audio codecs:

• PCM (Stereo)
• AC-3 (Dolby Digital)
  • NO Downmix! A/V-Receiver required!
• MP2
• MP3

In case of problems

If problems occur, first of all check the content of the file with MediaInfo.

If the file has still problems, even with the correct codecs, you can try to mux the file to *.ts. With this process the container is changed, but the video part remains. This also explains why muxxing only takes a few minutes. A good program for this action is tsMuxer for HD content (e.g. H.264 coded content), as ProjectX for MPEG-2 content.

Alternatives

If the file is not playable, you have 2 options:

Convert

It's possible to convert the file on a PC with the correct software into a format which is playable by the Dreambox. Keep in mind this can cause quality loss. Good tools are for example Handbrake ([1], only into MPEG-4) or Avidemux ([2]).

The big disadvantage of this solution is the required time and processor resources.

Stream the file

The PC converts the file "on-the-fly" and sends the content to the Dreambox. Therefor you can use several software solutions on the PC and plugins on the Dreambox.

For enigma the Plugin VLCF can be used with VLC on the PC.

For Enigma2 there are two plugins. First of all a VLC solution and also the TVersity Stream-Client.

The advantage is: you can play the file immediately without time consuming conversion. But it requires a powerful PC, which runs and is able to convert the file on the fly.