MKV format

[srevwetv]

I am absolutely getting fed up with MKV files. I can never get them to play well for me. Playing them on VLC makes their subs really suck and they skip/freeze all the time. I recently downloaded some filter/player pack but the player it came with, Zoom Player, still allows the files to skip and freeze. I also remember using one called BSPlayer, but I don't recall that one working well enough for me to care to remember.

It really annoys me when I search for an anime, and the ONLY subs that are out there of it are in MKV. I actually really like MKV because they come with both English and Japanese audio sometimes, which is good for some anime that I like in E. But they play really horribly for me.

Can anyone give me some advice or point me to really good downloads that will help me play MKV? Or, what are your personal preferences when playing MKV?

Also, I have Vista, if that helps (or hurts. -_-)

[acev]

I use Vista as well, and for MKV files I just downloaded CCCP. It comes with a couple of players (I prefer Windows Classic) and can play both MKV files and AVI. Although I do prefer Winamp when watching AVI.

I never liked Zoom and VLC, it just never appealed to me. So if you haven't, you should try out CCCP located here (www.cccp-project.net/)

[Hana]

ionoif this works, but you can try dling windows media classic and the codecs for it. Maybe K-Lite codecs will work on this.

[Eldin]

Well, I use Media Player Classic (on XP) and I can play .mkv files alright. I still prefer .avi 'cos I'm lame though.

However, there has never been a gg .mkv file that I could play without major desync issues. I assume there are other groups like that out there, so you could try to see if there's one group that's better than the other for the anime you would like to watch.

[srevwetv]

I use Vista as well, and for MKV files I just downloaded CCCP. It comes with a couple of players (I prefer Windows Classic) and can play both MKV files and AVI. Although I do prefer Winamp when watching AVI.

I never liked Zoom and VLC, it just never appealed to me. So if you haven't, you should try out CCCP located here (www.cccp-project.net/)

Yea that's what I downloaded. I've been using the Zoom Player that it came with. Is the "Windows Classic" that you're talking about the "Media Player Classic" player that I'm seeing?

Either way, I'll try the other ones out to see it they work better.

Also, it might just be the files that I have are corrupted or something, but I don't know. I dont see why they would be corrupted though. >.<

[acev]

Yea that's what I downloaded. I've been using the Zoom Player that it came with. Is the "Windows Classic" that you're talking about the "Media Player Classic" player that I'm seeing?

Either way, I'll try the other ones out to see it they work better.

Also, it might just be the files that I have are corrupted or something, but I don't know. I dont see why they would be corrupted though. >.<
Yeah, it's Media Player Classic. IMO it runs better than other players, which is why I use it with CCCP.

[Zaotsu]

ionoif this works, but you can try dling windows media classic and the codecs for it. Maybe K-Lite codecs will work on this.


K-Lite is absolutely horrible for most codecs.

I recommend CCCP and Media Player Classic (Combined Community Codec Pack), but it seems as if you already have it (since you have Zoom player). Desync issues usually stem from hardware issues. When you play a MKV, open up your Task Manager and see if the CPU usage goes up to 100%. Often times some computers have trouble running 720p or 1080p if too much crap is running in the background.

[srevwetv]

K-Lite is absolutely horrible for most codecs.

I recommend CCCP and Media Player Classic (Combined Community Codec Pack), but it seems as if you already have it (since you have Zoom player). Desync issues usually stem from hardware issues. When you play a MKV, open up your Task Manager and see if the CPU usage goes up to 100%. Often times some computers have trouble running 720p or 1080p if too much crap is running in the background.

Well there it is right there. My laptop sucks and I desperately need to get a new one. If MPC doesn't run any better than I'm just going to have to deal with what I've got until I get a new laptop. =(

[Zaotsu]

Well there it is right there. My laptop sucks and I desperately need to get a new one. If MPC doesn't run any better than I'm just going to have to deal with what I've got until I get a new laptop. =(


Yeah. Generally it's not the MKV format itself, that's merely the container people use for the higher quality (HD if you will) anime. Usually you'll find most DVD rips in MKV, and most subbing groups will release in both .avi and .mkv for the fact that some computers cannot handle it.

[Truly]

I use GOM player to watch my videos. It can usually find the codecs for almost all the videos. I don't think I've had a problem with it at all. I like the way the videos look with it too. If it doesn't have the codec when you try to play the video it does a kind of search for it. Always found it for me.

Just look at it! :O!
http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/470/gomin8.png

[JoeTang]

Maybe your computer is too slow to run them properly. That's usually the issue (not because the file is .mkv, but most .mkv are in h264).

[Yoorah]

Yeah, h264 is a very advanced format, which compresses video well, at the cost of the processing power required to decode it. ;x I don't think there's any software solution to your problem, unless your system is bogged down as a result of poor maintenance.

Luckily for you, most anime series are subbed/encoded by more than one group, and they don't all use the same formats. You should be able to find one that your computer can handle. :)

[Lyssa]

I think Yuri and the others who mentioned this likely being a hardware issue are correct.

On my older computer, I can play some .mkv files just fine, while others exhibit what you mentioned--frames being skipped, overall choppy playback--yet the same file on a newer machine (main difference: faster processor) played far more smoothly.


Shut down unnecessary programs while watching your .mkv files--rebooting your computer is probably a good idea too as that may help. Depending on how much RAM you currently have, adding more might help a bit, as well.

~Lyssa

[Zaotsu]

If you're unwilling to upgrade RAM or your computer overall, another option is to get Core AVC (http://www.coreavc.com/). I remember the people from CCCP recommending it. It's fairly inexpensive for the personal version. I can't remember how to get it to work with MPC at the moment though, it was on CCCP's forum, but that's not functioning atm due to an attack.