MKV Codec Help
 

I just recently torrent a MKV video (it was 1280 x 780?) file but my codec could process the video or display the video on any of my players. Just the other day, I got myself a new hard drive with morespace but even with that in mind, the mkv codecs cannot play the videos quicker. Maybe I need more memory or maybe a better codec but either way, playing MKV videos just isn't option for me. Is there any MKV codecs that can work on my PC? Or do I need any other sort of hardware to make my MKV experience better?

Edit: HP Vectra

80 GB Hard Drive

256 MB of RAM

Intel 4 Processor

It's not the fault of the codecs, and I don't think the amount of space on your HDD has anything to do with the video playback performance.

Your computer is simply behind the times. :)

If you can afford it, buy a new one ASAP. If you can't, then I think you should at least get yourself a few gigabytes of RAM. 256 MB is a very, very small amount by today's standards.

Thanks.

I guess I just need more memory, I'll have to wait another week before I can get money for memory. I need to wait awhile for a new PC.

I'd try and get hold of CoreAVC if i was you as well, and set all the options to speed. Using this and MPC-HC you might be able to play the video, but your hardware is extremely weak by today's standards; I use a machine similar as a torrent box and nothing else; it can't cope with anything more!

Do _not_ waste money on memory, it will have near-zero impact on the playback. Save the money for a better computer.

Instead, make sure that you get CoreAVC. That might indeed make the difference between "does play" and "does not play".

It all boils down to I need a new machine, it is going to be a long while though beforte I can actually get one but what I am going to do as far as .mkv files? I tried lots of conversion programs but it doesn't always come out perfect. I finally found a codec that will play some of the new files but the filter isn't perfect, the right side of the screen is choppy and it is not a clear perfect picture. Dang, I wish I knew the terminology but at least it plays even if it is slow. I guess I need a new PC but until then what can use to optimize my mkv expereince? or how can I get a clear picture? or what other filters are good for my PC right now?

The more you mess around with your box and the more codecs you install, the more unlikely does it become that you'll be able to play back most modern encodes. Just do what tyranuus and me suggested and install CoreAVC, which is probably the fastest h264 decoder for older CPUs like yours.

However, you'd have to clean up your box first and get rid of other codecs you will have installed since. So, if you want my opinion, download and install the latest CCCP (which help getting rid of most "old" codecs), and then download and install CoreAVC, preferably version 2. And then cross your fingers and pray. With a bit of luck, you should be able to play back some 720p releases afterwards.

If your computer is too old and slow to play mkv videos and you can't afford a new one, you can downscale them and convert them into avi. That way, your computer should be able to handle the videos.

First, get yourself Aegisub:
http://www.aegisub.org/

Open the mkv file in Aegisub and save the subtitles as an .ass subttle file.

Now get yourself Avidemux:
http://avidemux.sourceforge.net/

Open Avidemux and load your mkv video. On the left, make the following settings:
Video: Mpeg-4 Asp (Xvid)
Audio: mp3 (lame)
Format: avi

Then click on "Filters" in the Video section, select "Mplayer resize" in the middle and click on the green + at the bottom. For "Resize Dimensions", enter 704 and 396, for "Resize Method" select "Lanczos". Click on OK.
Now select "Subtitles" on the left, select "Ass" in the middle and click on the green + again. Here, open the .ass subtitle file you saved before, click on OK, then on "Close".

Finally, click on "Save Video" (the disk symbol in the toolbar), enter your-video-name-here.avi, and the conversion will start.
It will probably take a while on your old PC, but you should be able to watch the resulting avi without problems.

I'd be pretty surprised that any messing around with Codecs would let you play 720p H.264 with a Pentium 4; it's a 2000 - 2004 era processor (i.e. 7 to 11 years old). I'm guessing the hard drive will likely have an IDE connector as well, and most modern motherboards will be SATA only. So you're looking at changing the processor, motherboard, RAM, hard-drive, and probably the power supply unit as well.

If CoreAVC doesn't help, then there's nothing you can do other than playing xvid .avi's or upgrading your PC/buying a new one.

Avidemux cannot open the mkv files on my computers, are there any other programs that work just as good?

Try AllToAVI.

lol instead of doing THAT which could take more than 2.5 hours to encode 1 episode on his pc he could just get the avi releases? or better option would be to get mini-mkvs which are mostly just 400p. minitheatre is a good source for that. anyways I PMed him with instructions which should help him play 720p even on his old pc.

hey i have a problem with my mkv file also and i figured since theres a topic on this already i will use this thread instead.

for my Fate/Zero mkv file i cannot play it on window media player for some reason but i can play other mkv files w/ window media player.

I tried other players for Fate/Zero like Zoomplayer and it works perfectly fine but its just I cant use window media player anyone know why?