.mkv file?

jenn-b · Post by **jenn-b** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 9:13 am

I know that this has been posted before, but I could not find a link for it. What is a .mkv file and how can I get one to play? My dls are always avi, but this is new for me. Any input?

lys · Post by **lys** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 9:18 am

.mkv files are basically container files that hold the video/audio streams and the subtitles (similar to ogm files you see around)

I would recommend downloading the Combined Community Codec Pack:
http://cccp-project.net/

It seems to be the defacto codec link most subbing groups point you towards now a days.

zerospace · Post by **zerospace** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 9:20 am

Hopefully, this will help:

http://www.matroska.org/

Moop · Post by **Moop** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 9:26 am

^ Agreed. And by all means go to their packs page, but take only what you need. I always worry about overwriting codecs, so I'd recommend starting with the Lite version rather than the full.

Krafty · Post by **Krafty** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 10:30 am

If you're having problems with just the .mkv file type, I wouldn't necessarily suggest that you DL a FULL codec pack but just get the right one you need. Doing a quick web search will bring up the appropriate one.

The reason is that too many codecs installed over the ones you already have is detrimental to the smooth running of your media software and system. These little sods can easily conflict with each other making it a pain in the backside.

The alternative to getting new codecs is to use media software that already has the codecs in it's programming- VLC Media Player is one I use alongside the Windows Media Player for those stubborn asian videos that come bundled with various soundtracks/subtitles.

Moop · Post by **Moop** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 10:58 am

Krafty wrote:I wouldn't necessarily suggest that you DL a FULL codec pack but just get the right one you need.

Erm, that's exactly what the aforementioned Lite is.

But two biiig thumbs up for the VLC player, which solves just about any codec problem around.

Sugarflower · Post by **Sugarflower** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:16 am

I just use Media Player Classic. You have to check a setting in the options menu for it to play the file I think. Either that or there is a plugin to download for it.

Krafty · Post by **Krafty** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:27 am

^^ Sorry Moop, hope you didn't think I was contradicting you Lys and Zero or missing the points you made, I was merely adding to what you said

Media Player Classic seems to be a favourite player amongst many video fans too but I've not had experience with it. I belive it has more codecs already bundled with it as opposed to the default Microsoft you get with the Windows operating system.
Interesting that you have to monkey around with the settings, thanks for mentioning that, Sugar.

yeulih · Post by **yeulih** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:37 am

Yes, as lys said, mkv is a container for audio/video/subtitle, like avi . You need to install these below to play mkvs:

1. Matroska splitter - to parse Matroska streams

http://haali.cs.msu.ru/mkv/

2. VSFilter / DirectVobSub - most likely you will need this. It allows soft subtitles to be displayed.

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/DirectVobSub.htm

You can play mkvs with Windows Media Player (I know it works with 9, bc that's what I have). Windows will tell you that it's not the appropriate format, but click yes to have media player play it anyways, and you can watch it.

If the audio / video still doesn't play, then you need to download the appropriate codec. You can use Gspot to find out which codec you need.

Or you could install a player that plays everything, like VLC. However, I like to keep things as minimalist and clutter-free as possible - so no extra players for me.

Cloud · Post by **Cloud** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:38 am

Windows ist Muell. Linux ist die Macht!

yeulih · Post by **yeulih** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:47 am

Media Player Classic seems to be a favourite player amongst many video fans too but I've not had experience with it. I belive it has more codecs already bundled with it as opposed to the default Microsoft you get with the Windows operating system.

I'm pretty sure that Media Player Classic does NOT have any codecs. It is simply a Directshow player, based on Windows Media Player 6.4, which most people consider the most functional, bloatless, version. This player has been "upgraded" to support various file formats, such as mkv. *

It is different from BLSPlayer, or VLC in that you have to download the right codecs.

*I've read that the author of media player classic doesn't have time to update it anymore, so the internal mkv parser is outdated.

yeulih · Post by **yeulih** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 12:01 pm

One more post on this subject. ^^

Jenn, I think I know what post you're talking about.

http://www.anime-beta.com/phpBB/viewtop ... ght=codecs

Eoc has the right links, but he has containers and codecs confused. Containers just holds everything together - and a lot of them are not codec specific.

Containers: mkv, ogg/ogm, avi

Codecs: Divx, Xvid, ffdshow*

*Those are mpeg-4 based codecs, and thus if you have one, you should be able to play the others, although i've noticed recently that Divx has been having problems with the latest Xvid files.

Subtitles: DirectVobSub

Players that comes w/ codecs: VLC, BLS

transmet · Post by **transmet** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:15 pm

Krafty wrote:The alternative to getting new codecs is to use media software that already has the codecs in it's programming- VLC Media Player is one I use ..... for those stubborn asian videos that come bundled with various soundtracks/subtitles.

I whole-heartedly agree with Krafty in that the VLC Media Player will get around just about any codec and/or file format you're most likely to come up against. The only thing is the link Krafty provided seems to go to a YJ! page, so I added the one that goes to the download page.

Krafty's apparently searching his hentai pages while skimming Beta's forum at the same time.

Pomidor · Post by **Pomidor** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 3:47 am

I used to do some coding for a fansub group and I completly support what lys said: go with the CCCP pack! It installs the best of eveything you need and you dont need to install the components seperately and then tweek them... which can be rally confusing unlss you know what you are doing. Plus they have a great forum and spport where youc an always go for help.

I dont know which player you use but I woul dsuggets either the Media Player Classic (very simple interface, works superbly and is free) or the ZoomPlayer (the basic is free, more options more complicated but worth it). You can find links for both on the CCCP site.

Oh yeah, quite a few groups (like Kaizoku for example) are switching to X264 encode (is that a geeky name or what, like something out of star treck, lol) which is a new and better encode than any of the previous ones... so if you want to get a head start configure your CCCP to also be able to play those as well.

Hope that helps and hope you have fun watching ^_^

Pomidor

Krafty · Post by **Krafty** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 6:30 am

transmet wrote:The only thing is the link Krafty provided seems to go to a YJ! page, so I added the one that goes to the download page.

Krafty's apparently searching his hentai pages while skimming Beta's forum at the same time.

LOL!

My error, I usually browse the YJ listings and obviously pasted this link while I was working on my post here. I've altered it so people don't think I'm a complete pillock. Or is it too late for that?

*Whoops* there I go with another slip!