Playing *.mkv (Matroska) files

[Greenlizard0]

In a nutshell, this is doing my er nuts in. :mad:

I have some files of the aforementioned format that refuse to play properly, irrespective of what codec/program setup I use to run them.

I started off with the trusty VLC Media Player, which stuttered sound and video every few seconds with them, suggesting that the codecs running were too intensive. However, my CPU wasn't running close to full capacity at any point during load up and initial play of the file.

I install Media Player Classic - Home Cinema, which appears to run the first few movies fine, but then one appeared over the hill which played the audio and video fine, but lost synchronicity. Maybe the one I had was just a dud. I got another file today, that has exactly the same problems suggesting something more software based is up.

Perhaps the codecs used were now out of date compared to the software that originally formed the files. So I updated the codecs using the Combined Community Codec Pack (with new version of MPCHC), but to no avail. Edit - I also tried the Zoom player that the CCCP (!) comes with.

Uninstalling that, I tried using ffdshow and VLC, and then WMP, but the same thing again.

The last thing that I did was to then try running the x86 version of MPCHC instead of x64 just incase an incompatibility was present. Same problem again.

Can anybody suggest what to do? This is quite annoying now, and I'm still googling away as we speak.

My system is based on :

AMD AM2 6000+
Asus M2N-E SLI
4GB DDR2 PC6400 ram
Sata II 1Tb hard drive where file is stored

Thanks in advanced.

[Zirax]

Hmmm. Are you trying to play 1080p files and what is your system setup? CCCP comes with zoom player, have you tried playing with this? All I ever use is CCCP and that does all codecs without issue.

[Greenlizard0]

Oops forgot to mention that, yes I did try with the zoom player.

My system is based on :

AMD AM2 6000+
Asus M2N-E SLI
4GB DDR2 PC6400 ram
Sata II 1Tb hard drive where file is stored

[divine]

What CPU do you have? Losing sync is usually an issue with the CPU not being able to keep up in one department. In MPCHD, turn on the statistics panel and see what the video frame rate is, the sync offsets and drawn/dropped frames etc.

Also, what GPU do you have? I only discovered relatively recently that MPCHC allows you to decode with your GPU assuming it supports normal h264 decoding (ie. nVidia cards with PureVideo2 which is most 8800 cards and newer, excluding the GTX and GT I think, no idea about ATi)

I've started doing this and I can fly through massive 1080p films without the PC even breaking a sweat, beforehand my CPU couldn't even manage a 720p file without spluttering to death.

[Greenlizard0]

That was my first thought too, that the CPU couldn't cope, but it's a dual core at 3Ghz (temps are fine).

I have an older model 8800GTS 640MB, but with the latest drives.

[divine]

8800GTS only has PureVideo1 (unless in 512MB guise) so you can't use it in MPCHC afaik :(

[Greenlizard0]

Ah bummer. :(

I'm running the file now and after 3:00 minutes of play I'm getting these readings :

Frame Rate 22.24 (1x)
Sync Offset : avg 938ms dev : 216ms
Frames drawn : 3168 dropped :0
Jitter 13ms

Is that more helpful?

[divine]

Framerate seems a tiny bit slow, the ideal value is 24 (well 23.96), the offsets are odd though, mine are avg: 5ms dev: 20ms after about a minute of Wall-E 720p (23.98fps, jitter 4ms, dropped 0 frames)

It seems odd the offsets would be that high but i'm not entirely sure what would cause that.

[Greenlizard0]

Aye, the offsets are huge, I'm trying to run 1080p files as well, not 720p ones. Hmm...

[divine]

I can give you a link to a 100MB South Park MKV if you want, it's not even full 720p so it might help ascertain whether your PC just can't handle the scale of 1080p or if its a problem with MKVs themselves.

[Greenlizard0]

I don't think it's a problem with the PC's oompf, It's successfully played 1080p files before hand. It's just that a second file with similar issues to a first one has cropped up grrr..

Edit- just finished downloading an Apple 1080p trailer - that works fine.

[divine]

Apple trailers are MOV though, they are easier to decode, the thing that causes problems is the fact x264 (and h264) can take serious horsepower to decode, especially with high bit rates.

My 3500+ can play 1080p Apple trailers.

[Greenlizard0]

Wtf? Now, all of a sudden out of the blue it works? MPC (not the HC version) with ffdshow appears to have cracked it?

I'll just test it on the other dud file. :confused:

Edit - yeap, it's fine :D