mkv? what the hell (and an iso question)

[daddyray]

I am dling something in .mkv format. I know I can play it in VLC but does anyone know if I can data disc burn that stuff to a dvd n then play it om much of anything.


and how about .iso files....burn to a data disc they only play on this weird blu-ray play I have that handles odd codex fine but freaks out on more common file types..
anyone mess with this stuff?
thanks for looking.

[bluzman]

For .iso I just Double Click and the folder appears. I drag the VIDEO_TS over the DVD Player in the dock or you could drag it into VLC.

[uni-fi]

I am dling something in .mkv format. I know I can play it in VLC but does anyone know if I can data disc burn that stuff to a dvd n then play it om much of anything.


and how about .iso files....burn to a data disc they only play on this weird blu-ray play I have that handles odd codex fine but freaks out on more common file types..
anyone mess with this stuff?
thanks for looking.


.mkv is simply a container for files, generally used when compressing a blu-ray. The compression algorithms are some of the best I have seen as a 46 gig blu-ray M2TS file will look untouched compressed down to 12 gigs. Bottom line...its a compressed Blu-ray.

As far as playing .iso files, you are better off burning them to disc as an image. That way you are not using a raw data file. It should play fine in your standard players after that. If it is a DVD9 and you do not have the capability of burning that, some simple .iso extraction software (I use Power ISO) will allow you to extract the raw files from the .iso image to do with as you please.

Hope that helps!!!

[daddyray]

bluzman you misunderstood. I am talking about playing those files types on stand alone players.
even I can play that crap on my 'puter....

I guess I hadn't thought on making an image of an iso file...I wonder if I can make an image of a mkv...I guess I can give it a try once this crap is done downloading..

[direwolf-pgh]

you can play them straight - but to burn you need to convert the file/format

http://www.moviesmac.com/tutorial/free-mkv-to-dvd-burner-mac.html


side note thought: newer samsung blu ray players can play .mkv from a usb stick/external hard drive

[daddyray]

Thanks Wolf..perfect (for a child like me)..I am grateful for the help. :clap:

[daddyray]

some day some day there will be a player that can handle all the codec or have the option to be updated to do so....and I hate that lil skip VLC sometimes has in play back..every 14 seconds a glitch. that ruins concerts pretty fast.
I know we all dream of a simple wireless computer send to giant ass TV type HD monitor too
I guess we are tres cutting edge

[uni-fi]

Or you could just do like me...Dedicated PC with HDMI > HT Receiver with HDMI > LCD monitor, and I use a NAS drive for storage. I get all the audio formats and HD video with switching right from the stereo. I also use XBMC to organize and play my music and movies. Took me a little while to get it set up the way I like it, but its worth it. Even has flac decoder built in. Plays .mkv, M2TS, AVCHD, all dvd formats, and divx...I have moth balled all discs in the bottom of a closet somewhere.

[daddyray]

I want to have each TV n stereo (I do not like 5.1 much) to play everything just through conjuring. oh and I am a Mac user (makes it even less likely I know)

[direwolf-pgh]

some day some day there will be a player that can handle all the codec or have the option to be updated to do so....and I hate that lil skip VLC sometimes has in play back..every 14 seconds a glitch. that ruins concerts pretty fast.a stand alone device that did everything would be sweet..but dont hold your breath.
until then your computer should be able to playback any format/file.
..dunno what to say about your skip every 14 seconds.. thats not VLC - its something on your computer interrupting or a RAM/processor issue.

for the big screen/main stereo I too dedicated an Intel Core2 wrkstn - any/all videos play direct or stream out of that to other locations - zero skip. ditto for music

[bluzman]

I just opened one of the .iso movies I have, dragged the VIDEO_TS folder to Toast and burned a DVD. Plays on my cheap player.

[daddyray]

Bluzman: there is no VIDEO_TS folder on these files sets that are .iso just a text file n the .iso

Wolf: that obnoxious skipping in VLC on a Mac appears maybe .5 percent of the time. When burnt those files always play fine...I have seen other mac users here moan about the same issue. ..some of jabulon's vids do this but again they are fine when burnt. I always thought of this as an authoring issue since the title pages for those dvds are always that old time blue "converted" menu but what do I know?
as with so much of this stuff we work through what we grab so we can have our fun.

[direwolf-pgh]

Wolf: that obnoxious skipping in VLC on a Mac appears maybe .5 percent of the time. When burnt those files always play fine...I have seen other mac users here moan about the same issue.
Here are two solutions dealing with 'the skip'.. let us know which/if either work out. thanks!

http://woikr.com/mac/fix-vlc-skipping-problem-on-your-mac

http://www.ehow.com/how_4838597_glitchy-hd-playback-vlc-mac.html

[harpsichord]

Bluzman: there is no VIDEO_TS folder on these files sets that are .iso just a text file n the .iso

See if this helps - http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20060619181010389

An iso file is just an image of a disc (either audio or video), and some burning software will show the option to burn image to disc (like the two I use). Seems it may be different for a Mac (no surprise there).

[Doggins]

a stand alone device that did everything would be sweet..but dont hold your breath.
until then your computer should be able to playback any format/file.
..dunno what to say about your skip every 14 seconds.. thats not VLC - its something on your computer interrupting or a RAM/processor issue.

for the big screen/main stereo I too dedicated an Intel Core2 wrkstn - any/all videos play direct or stream out of that to other locations - zero skip. ditto for music

I have the same glitch in VLC.. It's only since I've recently installed a new hard drive and reinstalled windows / newest copy of VLC...!!

Anyway if you're downloading a lot of blu-ray rips I highly recommend the Western Digital WDTV Live. Google it, it's the best media center around in it's price range. (or just WDTV first gen is fine if you don't need network support)

[daddyray]

I can play dvds of an .iso on some of my stand alones. just not on one of the ones I really would want to run it...same with simply burnt VIDEO_TS dvds...that player does not recognize it....


Wolf I will try that stuff n report back here...thanks

[daddyray]

okay I tried those two fixes....I even set that one value way way higher like 4000 from 350....When the audio glitches happen they still happen exactly at the same point on all of the file sets (every time one hits the :17 n :47 of each minute)..however the video lag that the audio glitch seemed to generate (or at least that happened concurrently) is gone....
I am glad to know it is a VLC thing anyway....
maybe I should go back to playing with action figures....where are my GI Joes? :)

[bluzman]

Bluzman: there is no VIDEO_TS folder on these files sets that are .iso just a text file n the .iso



Rob,
Select (single click the .iso file) then do a "get info" on the .iso file. Next when you get the "Info window" select it to OPEN WITH: DiskImageMounter, (CLICK CHANGE ALL). Then when you double click it, it will open as a folder with the AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS folders inside. The VIDEO_TS acts like any other one.

[daddyray]

Okay I will try that Mr. B.....

I must clear up something
Jabulon has not and does not post the videos that skip in VLC. I regret the error. The videos I have had issues with are a few of the one Grapost has put up.....

[saltman]

I know we all dream of a simple wireless computer send to giant ass TV type HD monitor too
I guess we are tres cutting edgeThis is really easy stuff. Seriously. I think any Home Theatre PC (Acer Revo, Wolf's dual core, etc.) would work on a mac sense it was networked but I don't know what I am talking about in mac world. The mac equivalent would be the mac mini (or another mac in wolfs situation if you needed something more powerful). Mac minis have HDMI out. I am not sure if the format they can play are limited on it or not (make sure they can play full 1080p with 24 bit audio). I can't imagine they would be but who knows. You just network the mac mini to your other mac and plug it into that new Sony TV (giant HD monitor). Then it pulls data off your network and plays it on the tv. It will do 5.1, 7.1, 2.1, etc. You could control the mac mini with a wireless mouse, iphone, or programmable remote. Assuming they are capable like the pc equivalent.

try google mac mini htpc. :)

[daddyray]

hmmmm...this thread has shifted a bit..that's cool

Interesting stuff Salt....A friend of a friend has his place set up like that all with macs n mac minis. Someday I will wire this place up right but for now I still have a few discreet set ups....Ye Olde cobbled together mess

[daddyray]

mac mini htpc......gosh n golly I didn't know this was to this point yet.


hmm, seems I need to get in a place to do some spending

[saltman]

I don't want to lead you in a bad direction. Check the specs on the mini. I am not familiar with them. I use an Acer Revo 3610. Pretty much the same thing. Make sure it can play 1080p without stutter. Audio is easy. They all can handle that. Video is going to be the determining factor. The mini/revo, etc can barely handle 1080p with 24 bit audio. However, if you get it all tweaked right it will be perfect. If you want to avoid the thin line find a more powerful machine like what Wolf is suggesting. or use a macbook. The nice thing about the mini/revo is they are quiet and use little power.

Get your HTPC setup and you will never buy another disc again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85CWPxCsKZ0&feature=related

[Thulani]

You can also try one of these: http://dune-hd.com/index.php?do=players

Though, they are a bit expensive.

[uni-fi]

I went the expensive route...kinda glad I did though. It has bumped me into the serious processor range so I don't have to worry about dropping frames, and hopefully *fingers crossed* it should last me longer than average.

Salt is right though, do yourself a favor and research it thoroughly...make sure your processor is going to be able to handle the frame rate without dropping frames and stuttering. Usually you can see them in action on youtube from someones demo vid.

[direwolf-pgh]

Dell has some cute little HTPC wrkstns too (http://www.dell.com/us/en/home/desktops/inspiron-zino-hd/pd.aspx?refid=inspiron-zino-hd&cs=19&s=dhs)

[uni-fi]

It seems like the solution to your problem is going to be to buy a shit ton of new computer equipment.

Congratulations!!! :D

[slewofboots]

For converting .mkv to DVD format I use ConvertXtoDVD, which is a sweet little program for $50.

And not only that...you can also drag and drop multiple video formats into this program and click one button to burn them all to a single- or dual-layer DVD. It will convert (multiple formats at once), compress (if necessary to fit the disc type you choose), create menu with video "thumbnails" (one for each video file), and burn - all with that one click.

The default menu color and style is fine with me, but you have myriad customization choices for all of this as well.

[jhm]

I'm late to the party on this one. If you don't have a stand alone Blu-Ray player yet and intend to get one at some point, make sure it supports .MKV files. I did and I'm very happy! I've archived a lot of .MKVs to disc and play them straight on the stand alone now!

[daddyray]

jhm.......alrighty....I can just burn this shit in Burn for mac n then play it on my blu-ray....did I ever tell you your my hero, your the wind....aw skip it.

thanks for all the considered replies folks.