Does the mvp support .mkv files?

[smousie]

Hallo guys
Does the mvp support .mkv files and if so what do I have to do to play them. It seems that they dont even show up in my movies folder.

Thank you

[marneb17]

Please use the search.

Example on how to do it:
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...18&postcount=5

[valnar]

Originally Posted by marneb17

Please use the search.

Example on how to do it:
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...18&postcount=5

The latest version of Sage doesn't even need this.

Robert

[Taddeusz]

The latest version of SageTV supports mkv files but to play on the MVP it will be transcoded in real-time to something it can play. So your server will need to be hefty enough to handle the extra load.

[valnar]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

The latest version of SageTV supports mkv files but to play on the MVP it will be transcoded in real-time to something it can play. So your server will need to be hefty enough to handle the extra load.

Is this true of the HD Extender too? Or does it support .MKV natively without server help?

-Robert

[smousie]

Thanx guys, got it working

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by valnar

Is this true of the HD Extender too? Or does it support .MKV natively without server help?

I'd be able to answer my own question if I could just buy one!

-Robert

Keep in mind that MKV is just a wrapper. As long as the data within the wrapper is something that the HD Extender can understand it will play. I've been converting some of my DVD's to MKV's with H.264 video and pass-thru AC3 audio. They play just fine on the HD Extender and look excellent!

Also keep in mind that the HD Extender converts AAC 5.1 to PCM stereo when you're using the digital out. That's one of the reasons I chose to stick with AC3 rather than transcoding the audio to AAC.

[valnar]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

Keep in mind that MKV is just a wrapper. As long as the data within the wrapper is something that the HD Extender can understand it will play. I've been converting some of my DVD's to MKV's with H.264 video and pass-thru AC3 audio. They play just fine on the HD Extender and look excellent!

Also keep in mind that the HD Extender converts AAC 5.1 to PCM stereo when you're using the digital out. That's one of the reasons I chose to stick with AC3 rather than transcoding the audio to AAC.

Thanks. Yes, my default will be MKV with the original 5.1 AC3. In fact, AC3 is the main reason we have to use .MKV!

Robert

[jm9843]

What tools are you guys using to create your dvd ripped mkv w/ h264 and untouched ac3 audio?

Do you find the video to be near transparent to the original DVD?

Thanks.

[valnar]

Originally Posted by jm9843

What tools are you guys using to create your dvd ripped mkv w/ h264 and untouched ac3 audio?

Do you find the video to be near transparent to the original DVD?

Thanks.

I use AutoMKV. Two major threads on Doom9. Best GUI around.

Robert

[Taddeusz]

I use Handbrake on both Mac and PC. I've tried AutoMKV but I found the interface overly complicated and confusing. I like having a one-stop-shop application but at least try to make it simple or include two interface modes.

Handbrake's strength is that it is powerful and easy to use. I still have no clue where the AC3 pass-thru option on AutoMKV is or if it even exists. Didn't want to transcode the audio from AC3 to AC3. That seemed kind of pointless to me.

[valnar]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

I use Handbrake on both Mac and PC. I've tried AutoMKV but I found the interface overly complicated and confusing. I like having a one-stop-shop application but at least try to make it simple or include two interface modes.

Handbrake's strength is that it is powerful and easy to use. I still have no clue where the AC3 pass-thru option on AutoMKV is or if it even exists. Didn't want to transcode the audio from AC3 to AC3. That seemed kind of pointless to me.

The AC3 passthrough option is "copy original" for audio. It's called "copy original" because the orginal audio may or may not be AC3. It could be DTS or MP3 or whatever. AutoMKV can do more because it supports more (better) options of x264. Handbrake is pretty rudimentary, so in almost all cases the file sizes will be bigger with Handbrake for the same quality.

AutoMKV is more complicated because it is more powerful, but it is still light years easier then megui. It's about the same as Gordian Knot was for DivX. However, the betas are currently in a state of change, and with the recent discovery of what makes DXVA & hardware decoders work, there will be some profile changes for both AutoMKV and Megui soon. Ripbot264 already adjusted for it. 'Not sure about handbrake.

Basically the PS3 profile minus b-pyramids, ref=3, bframes=3 and level 4.1 is safe. If I had a HD extender to test, I'd be able to tell y'all exactly the limits of the HD extender in regards to 720p or 1080p x264 encoding.

-Robert

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by valnar

The AC3 passthrough option is "copy original" for audio. It's called "copy original" because the orginal audio may or may not be AC3. It could be DTS or MP3 or whatever. AutoMKV can do more because it supports more (better) options of x264. Handbrake is pretty rudimentary, so in almost all cases the file sizes will be bigger with Handbrake for the same quality.

AutoMKV is more complicated because it is more powerful, but it is still light years easier then megui. It's about the same as Gordian Knot was for DivX. However, the betas are currently in a state of change, and with the recent discovery of what makes DXVA & hardware decoders work, there will be some profile changes for both AutoMKV and Megui soon. Ripbot264 already adjusted for it. 'Not sure about handbrake.

Basically the PS3 profile minus b-pyramids, ref=3, bframes=3 and level 4.1 is safe. If I had a HD extender to test, I'd be able to tell y'all exactly the limits of the HD extender in regards to 720p or 1080p x264 encoding.

-Robert

I'm willing to give it another go but one of the major things that turns me off is that it is Windows only software. I know I can run Windows on my Mac but that really isn't an optimal solution. Of course, the Mac version of Handbrake currently won't create chapters in MKV files for some reason. That's been giving me a little bit of a headache lately. Not that SageTV currently supports chapters in video imports but I'd like them there for when it does.

I'm not doing HD stuff. I don't see the point in converting an SD DVD to HD like some people I've read are doing. The only quality issue I have with Handbrake is that dark areas are macro blocked. Reading around the internet libx264 currently has issues with dark areas but there are workarounds to clear some of them up.

The other question I have about AutoMKV is if it will do anamorphic conversions like Handbrake will? I don't want my 16:9 DVD's converted to square pixels because I'll lose vertical detail doing that.

[Taddeusz]

Ok, I guess I just figured out that last question on my own. I'm at work so I can't play around with figuring out which profile I want to use and stuff but I did see the anamorphic option. I'll give it a try when I go home tonight and compare with what I already have encoded.

This may spur another round of re-encoding. At least I don't have that large of a collection yet.

edit: hrm... it doesn't look like AutoMKV supports chapters. Not very difficult to do with mkvmerge but an extra step nonetheless.

[Taddeusz]

Well, I've been playing around with AutoMKV and honestly I can't really tell the difference between output from Handbrake or AutoMKV at approximately the same bitrate (2000kbps).

I will say that AutoMKV will probably do encodes with DTS audio much easier than what I've been doing along with Handbrake... but because the only size determinant is a final file size and not a straight bitrate it makes calculating for a bitrate difficult. It would be nice if they gave you an option to enter an average bitrate or final file size. Having only the option for final file size is very limiting.

I could probably easily start using it once I figure out an easy way to calculate final file size based on the bitrate I want. That and figure out how to integrate chapters. I noticed it does indeed have the option.

We'll see. I'm getting tired of having to run my MKV's through mkvmerge so that a proper cue table is created since Handbrake won't do it.

[Taddeusz]

Ok, I keep on replying to myself. I feel stupid. I found the bitrate setting. It would be nice if they put it in a more logical location. Bitrate isn't exactly an advanced setting. It should be right next to the setting for final file size... but oh well.

Nitpicking aside the only problem I currently have with AutoMKV is that SageTV isn't picking up the correct aspect ratio and displaying it as square pixels. I've started encoding the same movie again with "16:9 NTSC" selected for "PAR in XviD/X264" and 16:9 selected in "Force Muxing AR". Hopefully one of those will correct the problem. I didn't have time last night to make short tests. I just started up a movie before going to bed. Aside from needing to burn the subtitles the aspect ratio thing was the only thing that didn't come up right in SageTV. I'm crossing my fingers.

[valnar]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

Ok, I keep on replying to myself. I feel stupid. I found the bitrate setting. It would be nice if they put it in a more logical location. Bitrate isn't exactly an advanced setting. It should be right next to the setting for final file size... but oh well.

Nitpicking aside the only problem I currently have with AutoMKV is that SageTV isn't picking up the correct aspect ratio and displaying it as square pixels. I've started encoding the same movie again with "16:9 NTSC" selected for "PAR in XviD/X264" and 16:9 selected in "Force Muxing AR". Hopefully one of those will correct the problem. I didn't have time last night to make short tests. I just started up a movie before going to bed. Aside from needing to burn the subtitles the aspect ratio thing was the only thing that didn't come up right in SageTV. I'm crossing my fingers.

I don't think you need to use Force muxing AR if you want square pixels. However, there have been some changes with the 0.95 beta to make 1:1 square pixels work better. Make sure you copy that over your 0.93a installation.

Robert

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by valnar

I don't think you need to use Force muxing AR if you want square pixels. However, there have been some changes with the 0.95 beta to make 1:1 square pixels work better. Make sure you copy that over your 0.93a installation.

Robert

The problem is that I don't want square pixels. I'm encoding using an anamorphic AR. SageTV isn't reading the AR properly and displaying it with square pixels rather than 16:9. I look in the detailed view and it doesn't show any AR next to H.264.

I suspect that the root of the problem is that SageTV doesn't read or translate the MKV DAR properly and only looks for the MP4 stream PAR. So if the MP4 stream PAR doesn't exist than it assumes square pixels.

I think I'm going to submit a bug report about this. It's rather irritating.

[valnar]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

The problem is that I don't want square pixels. I'm encoding using an anamorphic AR. SageTV isn't reading the AR properly and displaying it with square pixels rather than 16:9. I look in the detailed view and it doesn't show any AR next to H.264.

I suspect that the root of the problem is that SageTV doesn't read or translate the MKV DAR properly and only looks for the MP4 stream PAR. So if the MP4 stream PAR doesn't exist than it assumes square pixels.

I think I'm going to submit a bug report about this. It's rather irritating.

I believe that AutoMKV will mux AR and anamorphic properly in .MKV files (given the right combination of pressing radio buttons in the application, as you say), but you hit the nail on the head regarding the bigger problem. Some software applications, or hardware devices, simply ignore the AR parameters (unless it's a DVD since that's a standard). It's just safer to use 1:1 PAR. I realize that original anamorphic DVD's will have to be marginally upscaled to accomodate 1:1 PAR or suffer a net loss in resolution, but the end result is something more "portable" for the future in case these kinds of limitations crop up again.

I'm still totally on the fence about whether I want to go the 720x480 anamorphic route on my DVD-->MKV conversions, or simply cut them down (or up) to achieve a 1:1 PAR. There's a vocal user on Doom9 that takes the middle road and upscales his PAL DVD's to about 800 resolution with a 1:1 PAR, so it's a fair tradeoff between keeping most of the original resolution without going overboard on file size (since in any case, the resulting MKV file is still much smaller than the DVD).

You are correct though, it is a bug that Sage should fix. However, unless Sage also programs in the ability to dynamically adjust the AR based on input or file, we'll be manually changing it on the remote or in the Sage menus. (I might be talking out of my a$$ on this since I don't really know how the HD extender works... yet)

I understand the benefit of anamorphic and preserving resolution in widescreen movies, but I don't know if it's worth the hassle. It still kinda pisses me off about the way the powers-that-be created the DVD standard. It makes HD/Blu-ray.....rips....that more enticing.

Robert

[Taddeusz]

I guess there are advantages to converting to square pixels but I just don't like the idea of adding or losing data. If you convert it to 720x405 you have to scale it down and you lose vertical detail. If you convert it up to 854x480 so you don't lose vertical detail you have to scale it up. Either way you're going to end up with a slight quality loss. Both due to the scaling process.

I'm kind of hoping that AutoMKV's deinterlace options will help an issue I have with a few DVD's of mine. The movies Mallrats and Boys and Girls just to name a couple. They both have sections which are either poorly telecined in the case of Boys and Girls or have sections that are straight non-telecined interlaced video as in (I think) Mallrats. Or maybe it's also poorly telecined. I know Serendipity also has a section like that.

Basically the output video has sections that look like they didn't get deinterlaced properly or the reverse telecine didn't work properly. Just makes it look terrible. But I noticed that AutoMKV has some advanced deinterlace options that look like they may get those videos converted without the comb look. At least I hope so.