HD Playback - mkv files

[methodMAN]

hey all,

downloaded a MS HD 720p sample and a .mkv file to try out my monitors capabilities. Looks like the rest of my hardware may be not allowing it to play.

My comp specs are:

-------------------------
CPU-Z version 1.39
-------------------------

Processors Information
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 1 (ID = 0)
Number of cores 1
Number of threads 1 (max 1)
Name AMD Athlon XP
Codename Barton
Specification AMD Athlon(tm) XP 2600+
Package Socket A (462)
CPUID 6.A.0
Extended CPUID 7.A
Core Stepping
Technology 0.13 um
Core Speed 1916.2 MHz (11.5 x 166.6 MHz)
Rated Bus speed 333.2 MHz
Instructions sets MMX (+), 3DNow! (+), SSE
L1 Data cache 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache 512 KBytes, 16-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control no
K7 Thermal sensor yes

Chipset
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northbridge VIA KM400 rev. 80
Southbridge VIA VT8235 rev. 00
Graphic Interface AGP
AGP Revision 2.0
AGP Transfer Rate 4x
AGP SBA supported, enabled
Memory Type DDR
Memory Size 1024 MBytes
Memory Frequency 166.6 MHz (1:1)
DRAM Interleave 4-way
CAS# 2.5
RAS# to CAS# 3
RAS# Precharge 3
Cycle Time (tRAS) 7


Memory SPD
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIMM #1

General
Memory type DDR
Manufacturer (ID) Kingmax Semiconductor (7F7F7F2500000000)
Size 512 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC3200 (200 MHz)
Part number MPXC22D-38MT4R-MNA

DIMM #2

General
Memory type DDR
Manufacturer (ID) Kingmax Semiconductor (7F7F7F2500000000)
Size 512 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC3200 (200 MHz)
Part number MPXC22D-38MT4R-MNA

With a leadtek winfast Ti4400 128mb graphics card.

During playback its all jumpy and just does not play correctly.

These specs are from Microsoft's Windows Media HD page (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...osingPC.aspx):

Minimum Configuration
(to play 720p video)

Windows XP
Windows Media Player 9 Series
2.4 GHz processor or equivalent
384 MB of RAM
64 MB video card
DVD drive
1024 x 768 screen resolution
16-bit sound card
Speakers

Optimum Configuration
(to play 1080p video with 5.1 surround sound)

Windows XP
Windows Media Player 9 Series
DirectX 9.0
3.0 GHz processor or equivalent
512 MB of RAM
128 MB video card
DVD drive
1920 x 1440 screen resolution
24-bit 96 kHz multichannel sound card
5.1 surround sound speaker system

I'm pretty sure I have the min system requirements, its a fresh install and all background programs disabled.

Any tips? or is the system just too slow!!!!

laters

mM

[Modafroman]

What program did you use to play it in? Try VLC or media player classic.

[nexx]

Definately give VLC a go. Or try MPlayer if you want to deal with a command line program. Both use their own internal decoders and are geared towards playback speed.

I used to have a very similar system (2500+, ti4400) and it could play 720p H264 files, but only just, and only with the right software.

[methodMAN]

I tried VLC media player, downloaded the latest version yesterday.

WMP11 would not play the mkv file at all, and stutters while playing back the HD wmv from the MS download site.

What do I need for the Windows Media Player Classic to get it to work???

mM

[dead_man]

Originally Posted by methodMAN

What do I need for the Windows Media Player Classic to get it to work???

mM

you need this

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Matroska_Pack.htm

Matroska is the codec for .mkv files

[methodMAN]

Downloaded the codec, WMP Classic had the best results, but it fast action scenes it could not keep up with the audio.

I think my computer does not have enough balls, my beast died and money is tight so I got this hand me down rig that I have put my best parts into, well that fit anyways.

For the record this is the monitor that I use: Viewsonic VX2235wm

Have to start saving to get a faster rig, my bro reckons it may be my Video Card letting me down, I have a better PCI-E card, but the mobo at present only takes a AGP, so I got the Leadtek Winfast 128Mb Ti4400 DVI connected to the monitor.

Any other tips/tricks?

mM

[Dynamite Dave]

For mkv files on an older pc u need CoreAVC decoder. Runs mkv x264 files alot better than any other decoder.
I used to have trouble with 1080p files but since i put on CoreAVC they run perfectly.

http://www.coreavc.com/

[joecool55]

I use combined community codec & it works fine with mkv files.

[checkers]

Originally Posted by nexx

Definately give VLC a go. Or try MPlayer if you want to deal with a command line program. Both use their own internal decoders and are geared towards playback speed.

umno. Neither of them is geared towards decoding speed, using ffdshow in a standard directshow environment will give you decoding speed that is functionally identical.

To the OP, WMV and h264 video files have wildly different playback requirements. With WMV they should play back best in WMP, or anything else that uses the standard MS decoders.
h264 will play back best in a directshow player using coreavc for decoding. The new hardware decoders for new GPUs are also a possibility but that are rather flaky and fail on a large number of files.

[DiGiTaL MoNkEY]

I don't think the computer has enough balls to play such content. My Pentium 4 3.0ghz had issues playing anything above 720p so yours should stuggle considering the cpu and video card.

Try some of the 720p trailers from the apple/quicktime web site.

[WooKiE_MaN]

K-Lite Codec Pack

thats the best program for all video files..

[DiGiTaL MoNkEY]

Originally Posted by WooKiE_MaN

K-Lite Codec Pack

thats the best program for all video files..

+1 great pack, comes with everything you'd need

[Nizmox]

Originally Posted by WooKiE_MaN

K-Lite Codec Pack

thats the best program for all video files..

+1 for K-Lite.

I actually found that Media Player Classic with CoreAVC runs better than VLC.

[methodMAN]

Originally Posted by Dynamite Dave

For mkv files on an older pc u need CoreAVC decoder. Runs mkv x264 files alot better than any other decoder.
I used to have trouble with 1080p files but since i put on CoreAVC they run perfectly.

http://www.coreavc.com/

Downloaded and installed, video playback is smooth but the audio is out of sync with mkv files, HD wmv files are still the same video and sound jerky, tried different players and still no go.

Originally Posted by joecool55

I use combined community codec & it works fine with mkv files.

That is the one that I downloaded initially.

Originally Posted by DiGiTaL_MoNkEY

I don't think the computer has enough balls to play such content. My Pentium 4 3.0ghz had issues playing anything above 720p so yours should stuggle considering the cpu and video card.

Try some of the 720p trailers from the apple/quicktime web site.

I think its time for a new one too. It is a hand me down that I am on currently. Does everything I want for now, I was only experimenting with this HD playback in the first place.

Originally Posted by DiGiTaL_MoNkEY

+1 great pack, comes with everything you'd need

I have that codec pack installed already, makes rebuilds nice and simple.

Hopefully from all this, it will help someone else with there HD playback issues in the future. Do I hear sticky???

laters

mM

[pH@tTm@N]

apparently the latest ffdshow is as good or nearly as good as coreAVC.

-1 to Klite anything :P