Converting video with DTS to AC3 using FFMpeg & PowerShell

I have a number of video files with DTS audio, I need to convert to AC3 Audio, without reprocessing the video. I have been given 2 scripts, the first one A-worked perfectly yesterday but today is throwing up errors, cant see why. the second script allows the source and target directories to be different, but that hasn't worked at all.

Have the video in 7 folders, each have 8 files. it would be good to convert the audio and duplicate the folders in the `converted` folder the same as in the convert folder, but is not essential.

i have attached the two scripts, I hope someone can help me resolve these, thanks

$source = Get-ChildItem -path "D:\convert*" -Recurse -Include *.mkv
$ffpath = "C:\Windows\System32\ffmpeg.exe"$DirOut = "D:\converted"
$output = Join-Path $DirOut -ChildPath ((Get-Item $source).basename + "_out.mkv")& $ffpath -i $source -map 0 -vcodec copy -scodec copy -acodec ac3 -b:a 640k $output -loglevel 8 -stats

:: convert all mkv files in a source Folder to mkv with AC3 using ffmpeg
:: eg. source T:\Old mkvs and eg.destination D:\New mkvs

:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:: first edit the two Directory values for the Source and Destination "and" the path of ffmpeg
:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SET Source_Files_Dir=D:\convert
SET Converted_Files_Dir=R:\Sons.of.Anarchy
SET ffmpeg=C:\Windows\System32\ffmpeg.exe

cd /d %Converted_Files_Dir%
for /F "delims=" %%a in ('dir /b /s "%Source_Files_Dir%"\*.mkv') do (
"%ffmpeg%" -i "%%a" -map 0 -an -vcodec copy -scodec copy -acodec ac3 -b:a 640k "%%~na_out.mkv" -loglevel 8 -stats
)
pause
exit

powershell

windows

Harm_Veenstra
MVP
Mar 14, 2022
Could you share the errors you're receiving? It would help a lot in seeing what's going wrong
- Reddwarf4ever
  Copper Contributor
  Mar 14, 2022
  Harm_Veenstra
  Script A with Errors
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> $source = Get-ChildItem -path "D:\convert*" -Recurse -Include *.mkv
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> $ffpath = "C:\Windows\System32\ffmpeg.exe"
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> $DirOut = "D:\converted"
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> $output = Join-Path $DirOut -ChildPath ((Get-Item $source).basename + "_out.mkv")
  Join-Path : Cannot convert 'System.Object[]' to the type 'System.String' required by parameter 'ChildPath'. Specified
  method is not supported.
  At line:1 char:40
  + ... in-Path $DirOut -ChildPath ((Get-Item $source).basename + "_out.mkv")
  + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  + CategoryInfo : InvalidArgument: (:) [Join-Path], ParameterBindingException
  + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CannotConvertArgument,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.JoinPathCommand
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> & $ffpath -i $source -map 0 -vcodec copy -scodec copy -acodec ac3 -b:a 640k $output -loglevel 8 -stats
  
  Script B with errors
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> :: convert all mkv files in a source Folder to mkv with AC3 using ffmpeg
  >> :: eg. source T:\Old mkvs and eg.destination D:\New mkvs
  >>
  >> :-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  >> :: first edit the two Directory values for the Source and Destination "and" the path of ffmpeg
  >> :-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  >>
  >> SET Source_Files_Dir=D:\convert
  >> SET Converted_Files_Dir=R:\Sons.of.Anarchy
  >> SET ffmpeg=C:\Windows\System32\ffmpeg.exe
  >>
  >> cd /d %Converted_Files_Dir%
  >> for /F "delims=" %%a in ('dir /b /s "%Source_Files_Dir%"\*.mkv') do (
  >> "%ffmpeg%" -i "%%a" -map 0 -an -vcodec copy -scodec copy -acodec ac3 -b:a 640k "%%~na_out.mkv" -loglevel 8 -stats
  >> )
  >> pause
  >> exit
  At line:13 char:4
  + for /F "delims=" %%a in ('dir /b /s "%Source_Files_Dir%"\*.mkv') do (
  + ~
  Missing opening '(' after keyword 'for'.
  At line:14 char:12
  + "%ffmpeg%" -i "%%a" -map 0 -an -vcodec copy -scodec copy -acodec ac3 ...
  + ~~
  Unexpected token '-i' in expression or statement.
  At line:14 char:15
  + "%ffmpeg%" -i "%%a" -map 0 -an -vcodec copy -scodec copy -acodec ac3 ...
  + ~~~~~
  Unexpected token '"%%a"' in expression or statement.
  At line:14 char:14
  + "%ffmpeg%" -i "%%a" -map 0 -an -vcodec copy -scodec copy -acodec ac3 ...
  + ~
  Missing closing ')' in expression.
  At line:15 char:1
  + )
  + ~
  Unexpected token ')' in expression or statement.
  + CategoryInfo : ParserError: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
  + FullyQualifiedErrorId : MissingOpenParenthesisAfterKeyword
  PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>
  - Harm_Veenstra
    MVP
    Mar 14, 2022
    $output = Join-Path $DirOut -ChildPath ((Get-Item $source).basename + "_out.mkv") fails when there are multiple files found ($source variable) Perhaps you should try this:
    
    $ffpath = "C:\Windows\System32\ffmpeg.exe"
    $DirOut = "D:\converted"
    foreach ($sourcefile in $source) {
    $output = Join-Path $DirOut -ChildPath ((Get-Item $sourcefile).basename + "_out.mkv")
    & $ffpath -i $sourcefile -map 0 -vcodec copy -scodec copy -acodec ac3 -b:a 640k $output -loglevel 8 -stats
    }
    
    The second script is not PowerShell but batch/cmd, you should save the script in a .cmd file and try to run that...

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Converting video with DTS to AC3 using FFMpeg & PowerShell

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