MKV files and Media Center

[Unimatrix Xero]

right as some of you might know recently ive had a few problems with mkv files with media center in vista, now after a bit of tinkering and working various things out ive come to a brick wall.

Basicly this is whats happening ive got the CCCP codec pack installed and heres the problem, im media center only certain mkv files play without skipping these are the ones that media center can read the running time, ive got 2 mkv files that media center cant read the running time but they skip, but the same 2 mkv files run fine in media player.

Can anyone offer any assistance?

thanks

[matthewmarley]

Have you tries using MKV2VOB mate ? this is a great wee app and very fast. I have a PS3 and using tversity and this works great .

[Borbus]

Get mkvtoolnix and try remuxing them. Just open mkvmerge and drop the the mkv in and just mux it as it is.

[Unimatrix Xero]

how would i play vobs on the PC then as some of my mkv's are over 10gb

[matthewmarley]

Well i stream 720p HD content vobs over my network to my PS3 using TVersity Media Server, so its not the PC that plays them its the PS3.

[Unimatrix Xero]

im giving mkvtoolnix a shot now, will let you know how it goes

EDIT: i dont have a ps3 i have a x360 and im not streaming to my x360 im just using media center on my pc via a dualscreen setup

Well the results are in and there is no difference in the skipping at all

[morphen]

I think i have your solution for MKV containers with mediacenter (both XP and Vista's).

I used to have A LOT of trouble when i used CCCP, i switched to K-lite codec pack + coreAVC, and now it works like a charm,

had problems with both xp media center and vista media center when i used CCCP.

I suggest K-lite Codec pack. :) Just install it using standard settings,

The CCCP people says that k-lite codec pack is bloted, and that CCCP runs more smoothly. I believe this to be untrue,

and that it's just a way to promote their own codec pack.

So, K-lite + coreAVC (please buy it, don't download it of a pirate site, it's the fastes AVC codec out there, they should really be given some credit for that). It's only 9 bucks :)

if you download version 3.70, coreavc is still in it, so you can test it.

Download links:

h**p://www.codecguide.com/download_kl_old.htm

Edited February 28, 2008 by morphen

[matthewmarley]

Sorry my mistake i thought you where streaming.

To be honest i think it may be down to media centre, half the time i think it has a mind of its own..

I only use VLC played to play all my HD MKV files and i have never had a problem.

Matthew

[ahmz]

Use ffdshow and matroska splitter.

[Unimatrix Xero]

I think i have your solution for MKV containers with mediacenter (both XP and Vista's).

I used to have A LOT of trouble when i used CCCP, i switched to K-lite codec pack + coreAVC, and now it works like a charm,

had problems with both xp media center and vista media center when i used CCCP.

I suggest K-lite Codec pack. :) Just install it using standard settings,

The CCCP people says that k-lite codec pack is bloted, and that CCCP runs more smoothly. I believe this to be untrue,

and that it's just a way to promote their own codec pack.

So, K-lite + coreAVC (please buy it, don't download it of a pirate site, it's the fastes AVC codec out there, they should really be given some credit for that). It's only 9 bucks :)

if you download version 3.70, coreavc is still in it, so you can test it.

Download links:

h**p://www.codecguide.com/download_kl_old.htm

thankx man im working on this option now

[morphen]

Use ffdshow and matroska splitter.

That would do as well, gives you better quality than coreAVC, but it needs a faster cpu than coreAVC :)

[Unimatrix Xero]

well heres a twist, just tured morphens idea and it doing something rather interesting in media center, it skipping in full screen mode, but when i run it in a window it runs fine, no skipping at all

just ran the same file in media player 11 and it works perfectly in full screen and windowed mode

EDIT: looks like its a media center issue, ohh well at least i can still use my MCE remote with WMP11 ahah

thanks guys

Edited February 28, 2008 by Unimatrix Xero

[morphen]

well heres a twist, just tured morphens idea and it doing something rather interesting in media center, it skipping in full screen mode, but when i run it in a window it runs fine, no skipping at all

Huh,...now I'm all blank...

Well, now my thoughts are these;

- All updates for Vista (just saw that you are using vista sp1)

- Latest soundcard drivers

- Latest Video drivers

- Latest chipset drivers

Since my specs are close to yours, except for the CPU, a core2duo 2.1ghz, i would try driver updates:)

One last thing you might try; Disable Aero. See if that does the trick.

Edited February 28, 2008 by morphen

[null_]

Use ffdshow and matroska splitter.

+1. I do this and I have no problems with MKV's in Windows Media Center at all.

[Unimatrix Xero]

Huh,...now I'm all blank... are you using xp or vista?

see my sig :)

vista ultimate

[Unimatrix Xero]

+1. I do this and I have no problems with MKV's in Windows Media Center at all.

but your using a mac, im on vista... so different coding and systems

[morphen]

+1. I do this and I have no problems with MKV's in Windows Media Center at all.

Again, you will need a more powerful processor to decode MKV/AVC with FFDshow.

I would suggest using coreavc, specially if he want to decode 1080p files.

I been trying out both FFDshow and coreavc, but in the end, coreavc provides more a

more smooth picture, even if i have to compromise a little bit on the quality.

[Unimatrix Xero]

all my mkvs are 720's as i aint got the space for 1080's LOL

morphen, have u got any more ideas? there is one slight niggle is there 'any' way to get Media Player 11 to get to play the files stretched to fit the screen, as i hate having black boarders of empty space

[morphen]

hmm, i think you would be better of using Media player classic, that using media player 11.

Right click when the movie is running, and use the "video frame" and "pan&scan" menus to scale the movie to

your needs:) It also gives you more options to control the video and audio codecs.

Edit; select Zoom to fit 16:9 tv gives you and instant fullscreen, but the ratio might be off :p

Edited February 29, 2008 by bmaher

[Unimatrix Xero]

yea i would use that but my MCE remote doesnt work with it, you know the volume, play, and pause buttons

EDIT: just found something interesting out that files that play in MCE have got a authur in the tags called encode360, so im going to give that a shot, not sure if it will work but its worth a shot

[morphen]

ok..hum, i think i'm out of solutions ;) hehe

[Unimatrix Xero]

ok then looks like i'll have to convert to wmv to stop the skipping encode360 keeps crashing under vista, anyone know of any decent program for encoding to wmv?

[profets]

interesting topic... i've been using mce for few years (now vista mce), never thought about playing hd types of videos through media center. not to get off topic, but does media center recognize mkv container?

[Roger H. Veteran]

interesting topic... i've been using mce for few years (now vista mce), never thought about playing hd types of videos through media center. not to get off topic, but does media center recognize mkv container?

No it does not so that's why we're doing these backwards ways to get it to work :)

[Unimatrix Xero]

with my vista mce it picking them up without any trouble but im getting skipping, so there must be some kind of support there, back on topic, anyone know of a mkv to wmv converter?