.MKV/HD playback

[thess]

Can anyone recommend a way to get .mkv playback in BTV?

I tried a method mentioned in the Beyond Media threads, basically installing the CCCP codec pack and renaming the file (tried .avi, mp4, mpg), but BTV errors out on them. Also, installing the CCCP codec pack causes playback of normally-recorded HD content to stutter. (I uninstalled all other filters/codecs first and rebooted.)

It seems like more and more video is getting released in this MKV wrapper and it's really frustrating.

Leaving aside the MKV question, is there any codec/filter pack that is currently recommended for BTV? I think I went through this about a month ago and just tried the latest FFDShow on a different mkv file. Ended up with stuttering playback and having to revert.

Worst-case scenario: anyone know of any way to get the standard video players (MPC, VLC, whatever) to work with my MCE remote? (actually a Harmony pretending to be an MCE).

[samundsen]

Stay away from codec packs. And I don't think you'll be successful trying to play .mkv files in BTV. What works for me is Zoom Player, Haali Media Splitter and FFDShow. I get perfect playback of .mkv with this, and FFDShow has been configured to ignore BTV, and does not interfer with it. I get perfect HD playback in BTV (using the standard Snapstream Video/SP Decoder).

I turn off MPEG2 support in FFDShow and keep the defaults for most other formats.

[thess]

Well, that gets me functional playback for .MKV (in zoomplayer and whatnot) and non-interference with BTV playback, but I still have no remote control functionality for 10ft interface (via MCE remote) outside of BTV.

[samundsen]

I use the LM Remote KeyMap software discussed in this thread

New Firefly Sofware (works also for Streamzap)

According to the web site it also supports the MCE remote. As long as the software supports the remote that you have, it will let you control almost anything with it. I use this software to control BTV, Zoom Player, MediaPortal, Windows Media Player, QuickTime Player and more.

[thess]

Thanks, I will check it out.

(I also realized belatedly I posted this in the wrong forum...sorry bout that.)

[please3mta3]

thess,
i've been messing around with this MKV ever since it started getting popular. I know BTV cannot play the file, but i've found a way around it. I've been using this free software called "GOTsent". it demuxes the MKV file and converts it to mp4. MKV is usually a container for H.264 (video) and any number of audio type files. GOTsent keeps the H.264 without re-encoding it, and encodes the audio that mp4's like (exp AAC).

or you can use TS Muxer to make a TS file which is way faster, but you lose some forward rewind smoothness compared to the mp4.

hope this helps. and if i wrote something wrong, please correct me. i'm new to this.

[Neurot]

Just wanted to say thanks for this thread! This is something I've been wondering about for a LONG time. This morning, I took a MKV file and converted it to MP4, then played it successfully in BeyondTV.

My next task is to figure out how to automate downloading the latest shows via NZB/RSS, do the decoding, and have them sit in my BeyondTV video folder!

[grandpaken]

Originally Posted by Neurot

Just wanted to say thanks for this thread! This is something I've been wondering about for a LONG time. This morning, I took a MKV file and converted it to MP4, then played it successfully in BeyondTV.

My next task is to figure out how to automate downloading the latest shows via NZB/RSS, do the decoding, and have them sit in my BeyondTV video folder!

Maybe you can modify this process for MCE. You should at least be able to use it to automatically download, convert and place the files in your recordings directory. The only problem might be converting the program guide info for BTV.
How to automatically download and import HD to Windows Media Center