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Which is the original audio codec: ec-3 or AAC (mp4a) ?

Jason90405

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I have tried download of an identical Netflix show using AnyStream and another similar stream download program.

Using VLC, I noticed one has ec-3 and the other rip is MPEG AAC (mp4a) audio.

Which one is the original audio, which one is re-sampled?

As a purist, I always want the original.
 
I have tried download of an identical Netflix show using AnyStream and another similar stream download program.

Using VLC, I noticed one has ec-3 and the other rip is MPEG AAC (mp4a) audio.

Which one is the original audio, which one is re-sampled?

As a purist, I always want the original.
Every movie or episode is different. I mean all episodes of a show should be the same, let me know what show?
 
"Show Must Go On" about the band Queen on Netflix.

I guess my real question is if Anystream absolutely does NOT remux anything, either video or audio?
 
AS is a downloader, but that doesn't neccessarily imply that the other one is a recorder. It might just take the audio and put it into another container, so the data is the same, only the format or container isn't. It also could've used another stream.

You can see it for yourself by looking into the Task Manager while the other program downloads something, It should not use GPU, only bandwith and disk write speed.

I guess my real question is if Anystream absolutely does NOT remux anything, either video or audio?
I think you mix up remux with re-encode/convert. I could remux 100 Videos into one file and the data would still be the same, only that you now have 100 videostreams in one container (and that would change the extension from .mp4 to .mkv).
But when I re-encode it, I change the format, like converting ec-3 to aac in order to play it on a TV that is capable for 4k but for some reason cannot play that audio. Then I also change the data and maybe the quality.
 
So the original audio can be either ec-3 OR AAC

AAC does not mean it's been converted from ec-3 by whatever downloader/recorder?

Also, I noticed the program I specified above.. one version is 3.6GB in file size.. and the other one is 2.6GB in size. How's that possible?
 
If you view the logs (File - Show log messages) you will notice something like this:
Code:
00:00:54.050 - [Debug] [playlist:netflix] Adding video track (1442596358): 480x270, bitrate 93000
00:00:54.050 - [Debug] [playlist:netflix] Adding video track (1441519536): 608x342, bitrate 114000
00:00:54.051 - [Debug] [playlist:netflix] Adding video track (1442595007): 608x342, bitrate 167000
00:00:54.051 - [Debug] [playlist:netflix] Adding video track (1442595198): 768x432, bitrate 286000
00:00:54.051 - [Debug] [playlist:netflix] Adding video track (1442595328): 768x432, bitrate 494000
00:00:54.051 - [Debug] [playlist:netflix] Adding video track (1442595652): 960x540, bitrate 909000
00:00:54.051 - [Debug] [playlist:netflix] Adding video track (1441518942): 1280x720, bitrate 1475000
00:00:54.051 - [Debug] [playlist:netflix] Adding video track (1441519109): 1280x720, bitrate 2532000
00:00:54.051 - [Debug] [playlist:netflix] Adding video track (1442595872): 1920x1080, bitrate 4439000
00:00:54.051 - [Debug] [playlist:netflix] Adding video track (1442596239): 1920x1080, bitrate 5652000
00:00:54.051 - [Debug] [playlist:netflix] Audio track content profile: ddplus-2.0-dash; codec description: DD+ 2.0
00:00:54.051 - [Debug] [playlist:netflix] Audio track content profile: ddplus-2.0-dash; codec description: DD+ 2.0

That is, what's available to AnyStream

ddplus or DD+ is the same as ec3 (eac3)

You also notice that the video is avaliable in different bitrates for the same resolution. (AnyStream grabs the highest available bitrate for each resolution)
So either the "other program" gets a different bitrate or just does not download but record the video.
 
Lol, Cartman posted the exact same thing I want to say while I was still writing and you even had the same idea with the log. Same for the comment before with the remux/encode thing. What is going on?

one version is 3.6GB in file size.. and the other one is 2.6GB in size. How's that possible?
If the other program is no recorder, it still can use another video stream. There can be different bitrates for the same resolution and there is also the CBR/VBR thing, which also affects the bitrate.
So if you checked the task manager and you think the other program is no recorder, I imagine this being the case.

So the original audio can be either ec-3 OR AAC
Exactly, just like there are different resolutions and bitrates for video, there can be one stream with ec-3 and one stream with aac.
You also have different bitrates for audio and there can be streams with different channels (stereo/surround).
And one provider (like Amz) can encode the video differently than another (like NF). Or two seasons have been encoded by different persons/teams and they used different settings. So you can have season 1 in 4 GB per file, and when you switch to season 2 you are suddleny at 3 GB per file.

AAC does not mean it's been converted from ec-3 by whatever downloader/recorder?
Not neccessarily, if there is also aac available aside from ec-3.
I don't have NF anymore, so I checked a random thing on Amz. There I can see in the log:
Code:
[Debug] [download config prime] Adding item '20 kbps AAC-PS stereo'
[Debug] [download config prime] Adding item '32 kbps AAC-PS stereo'
[Debug] [download config prime] Adding item '64 kbps AAC-SBR stereo'
[Debug] [download config prime] Adding item '128 kbps AAC-LC stereo'
So you can use this log to check if there is another codec available for your video, and if not it is most likely a re-encode.
 
Wow.. this forum is super fast in your responses. I'm truly impressed.

Needless to say, Anystream is probably the best program among the 2-3 other competing products out there (I don't want to name them) ?
 
Wow.. this forum is super fast in your responses. I'm truly impressed.
Thank you, although it also can be that I am at work so I will not even see your post in the next few minutes.
But there are always many other members that can help you (y)

(I don't want to name them) ?
Yes, it is not "allowed" (not wished) that competitors are named in the AS subforum. But for that we have General Chat and the Third Party subforum. So if you accidentally do it, your post might get moved there (or you just edit your post if someone tells you that it is not allowed).
 
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