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Troubleshooting Common tsMuxeR Errors and Workflow Tips

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Troubleshooting Common tsMuxeR Errors and Workflow TipstsMuxeR (Transport Stream Muxer) is a lightweight, widely used tool for multiplexing elementary audio/video streams into MPEG-TS, M2TS, and Blu-ray-compliant formats. It’s popular among video enthusiasts and professionals for tasks such as creating Blu-ray folders, converting MP4/MKV to .ts/.m2ts for hardware players, and preparing streams for HLS. Despite its simplicity, users can encounter errors or workflow hiccups. This article covers the most common problems, step-by-step troubleshooting, and practical workflow tips to make tsMuxeR more reliable in daily use.

Table of Contents

  1. Common use cases and supported formats
  2. Preparing source files: codecs, containers, and compatibility
  3. Typical tsMuxeR error messages and fixes
  4. Handling audio/video sync and PTS/DTS issues
  5. Working with subtitles and chapters
  6. Blu-ray and HLS packaging tips
  7. Automation and batch processing recommendations
  8. Final checklist before burning or streaming

1. Common use cases and supported formats

tsMuxeR is used mainly to:

  • Remux H.264/H.265 video and various audio codecs (AAC, AC3, DTS, TrueHD, LPCM) into TS/M2TS.
  • Create Blu-ray folder structure (BDMV/STREAM) from compatible streams.
  • Produce MPEG-TS segments for streaming (HLS/DVB).
  • Extract or inspect elementary streams.

tsMuxeR supports input from container formats such as MP4, MKV, TS, M2TS, and raw elementary streams (.264, .265, .aac, .ac3, etc.). However, compatibility depends on codec profiles, container timestamps, and stream metadata.

2. Preparing source files: codecs, containers, and compatibility

Before muxing, validate your source files:

  • Codec compatibility: Ensure video is H.264/AVC or H.265/HEVC (for many hardware players, profiles/levels matter). Audio should be in supported codec (AAC, AC3, DTS, TrueHD, LPCM).
  • Container quirks: MKV and MP4 usually contain all necessary stream info; raw streams or poorly muxed files may lack timestamps (PTS/DTS) or codec extradata (SPS/PPS for H.264).
  • Frame rates and variable frame rate (VFR): tsMuxeR prefers constant frame rate (CFR). VFR can cause A/V sync drift after remuxing.
  • HDR/metadata: For HDR10, ensure correct SEI and VUI metadata is present; otherwise color and HDR signaling may be lost when remuxed for specific playback targets.

Tip: Use tools like MediaInfo or ffprobe to inspect streams before muxing—check codec, profile, level, frame rate, bit depth, and presence of codec extradata.

3. Typical tsMuxeR error messages and fixes

Below are frequent error scenarios and how to resolve them.

“No suitable track found” / “No video track found”

Cause: Input file lacks a supported video track or tsMuxeR failed to detect the codec (e.g., unusual codec id in container). Fixes:

  • Verify with MediaInfo/ffprobe that the file contains H.264/H.265 video. If it’s another codec (e.g., VP9), remuxing with tsMuxeR won’t work.
  • If codec is supported but not detected, remux via ffmpeg into MP4/MKV with correct codec IDs: 
    
ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c copy -map 0 -f matroska fixed.mkv

    Then try tsMuxeR on fixed.mkv.

Cause: Corrupted or missing timestamps, or extremely long streams that exceed timestamp ranges. Fixes:

  • Remux with ffmpeg to regenerate timestamps: 
    
ffmpeg -i broken.ext -c copy -fflags +genpts repaired.ext
  • For long streams, split them into smaller segments before muxing.

“Unsupported audio codec” / audio not included

Cause: tsMuxeR doesn’t support some codecs inside the container (e.g., Opus) or the audio track is in an unusual format. Fixes:

  • Re-encode audio to AC3 or AAC if compatible with your target device: 
    
ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c:v copy -c:a ac3 -b:a 640k out.mkv
  • If you need lossless audio for Blu-ray (LPCM/TrueHD), ensure the source contains the correct audio format or transcode appropriately.

“Subtitle track not muxed” / subtitle errors

Cause: Unsupported subtitle codec (e.g., ASS/SSA in some workflows) or wrong track type (soft vs. PGS). Fixes:

  • For Blu-ray, use PGS/SUP or convert text subtitles to PGS using tools like SubtitleEdit or BDSup2Sub:
    • Convert ASS/SSA to SRT, then SRT to SUP/PGS for Blu-ray.
  • For HLS or TS, burn subtitles into video with ffmpeg (if soft subs are unsupported): 
    
ffmpeg -i input.mkv -vf subtitles=input.mkv -c:a copy -c:v libx264 out.mp4

“Muxing completed but file won’t play on device”

Cause: Player compatibility (container options, audio codec, codec profiles/levels). Fixes:

  • Check device specifications for supported containers and codecs.
  • For Blu-ray players, ensure H.264 is within supported profile/level, and audio is AC3 or LPCM where required.
  • Use ffmpeg to repackage/re-encode to a more compatible set of parameters.

4. Handling audio/video sync and PTS/DTS issues

A/V sync problems are among the most common complaints after remuxing.

  • Root causes: Missing/incorrect PTS/DTS in the source, variable frame rate, or edits that changed timestamps.
  • Quick fixes:
    • Regenerate PTS with ffmpeg: ffmpeg -i input -c copy -fflags +genpts -avoid_negative_ts make_zero out.mkv
    • Convert VFR to CFR: re-encode or use -r in ffmpeg to force a constant frame rate (choose the nearest correct fps).
    • Use tsMuxeR’s “delay” option (if available in your build) to shift audio or use player-side audio delay settings to compensate small offsets.
  • For repeated workflows, prefer sources with correct timestamps (encode/export from source tool with CFR).

5. Working with subtitles and chapters

Subtitles:

  • tsMuxeR supports PGS (for Blu-ray), VobSub, and some text formats depending on inputs. For reliable Blu-ray authoring, convert subtitles to PGS.
  • If you need selectable text subtitles (not PGS), consider creating an MKV/MP4 with text subtitles or use authoring tools that support text subtitles for your target.

Chapters:

  • tsMuxeR can include chapter files (e.g., .txt with timecodes). Ensure chapter files use proper timecode formats and correct character encoding (UTF-8).
  • Use tools like mkvmerge or ChapterEdit to create and validate chapter files, then import into tsMuxeR if supported.

6. Blu-ray and HLS packaging tips

Blu-ray:

  • Folder structure: tsMuxeR can generate BDMV/STREAM structures. After creating streams, verify PLAYLIST and CLIPINF if you intend to burn or test on players.
  • Authoring caveats: tsMuxeR does minimal authoring—advanced menus, Java-based BD-J content, and complex playlists require dedicated Blu-ray authoring tools (e.g., tsMuxeR + multiAVCHD, or commercial tools).
  • File sizes and limits: Keep clip durations and bitrate within player tolerances. Some older players struggle with very high bitrates or certain codec levels.

HLS:

  • tsMuxeR can create TS segments; for full HLS workflows, consider ffmpeg or dedicated packagers that produce correct .m3u8 manifests and segment durations.
  • Segment alignment: ensure keyframe intervals align with segment boundaries to allow clean segment switching and smaller manifests.

7. Automation and batch processing recommendations

  • Use a short script (batch, shell, or Python) to standardize input inspection (MediaInfo/ffprobe), conditional remuxing, and fallback re-encoding.
  • Sample shell pseudocode: 
    
for f in *.mkv; do if ffprobe shows supported codecs; then   tsMuxeR f else   ffmpeg transcode to supported codecs   tsMuxeR newfile fi done
  • Keep a log of failures and use checksums for output verification. Automate timestamp regeneration when file reports missing PTS.

8. Final checklist before burning or streaming

  • Verify codecs and profiles: video = H.264/H.265 within player limits; audio = supported codec.
  • Check timestamps (CFR preferred) and regenerate PTS if necessary.
  • Confirm subtitles and chapter formats match target device expectations.
  • Test final output on at least one target device or player (VLC is a good software testbed but not a substitute for hardware testing).
  • For Blu-ray: verify BDMV structure and playlist compatibility.
  • For streaming: validate HLS manifests, segment durations, and keyframe alignment.

Troubleshooting tsMuxeR often combines basic stream validation, occasional lightweight re-muxing with ffmpeg, and understanding target-device constraints. When errors occur, start by inspecting codecs and timestamps, then either repair metadata or re-encode minimally to meet compatibility.

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