MKV compatable codec pack or player?

[The_Eric]

I'm posting this for my better half's boy...

His laptop specs:

P4 @ 1.8 or 1.9 ghz
512 mb ram
Windows Vista

It's a bit glitchy, but running well enough to play some games without issue.

His problem is that he's downloaded some video (in a foreign language) in this MKV format. Evidently it's "multi leveled" in that it supports subtitles of various languages.

He's tried a number of codec packs and players and none will play it smoothly on his laptop.

So far he's tried VLC, [censored] and DVIX. Of those, DVIX will play it, but not smoothly. Sometimes the audio isn't timed right with the video and sometimes it glitches.

He also tried changing the file format to CCP and AVI, but those won't support the subtitle function properly.

So, it appears he's running out of options. Do any of you guys know of a codec pack or media player that will run this file format without issue?

 

[dparm]

VLC plays MKV files natively. I've used it to play 1080p MKVs. What was the issue?

Depending on the video resolution and audio quality, the machine might not have enough oomph to decode the MKV in real-time.

 

[Colt45ws]

Media player Classic Home Cinema.
Dependent on resolution and what it was encoded with (MKV is just a container) that may not have enough power.
I know Ive played 720p, 1080p subtitled mkvs on a 3.2 P4, but only with it offloaded to the video card, a nVidia 9800GT. It wont do it on CPU only smoothly.

 

[dparm]

^ Good point. GPU offloading will help decode that for you.

 

[OVERKILL]

What video card is in the system?

The CCC package (Combined Community Codec package) will allow you to play that stuff in Media Player.

 

[Deltona_Dave]

System needs a bit more RAM. 512 running Vista is the bare minimum. 2GB is optimum. Most laptops "share" system memory, unless the GPU has dedicated memory.
The choppy playback is due to the system having to cache memory to the hard disk.
VLC should play MKV, but if it does not have enough system resources to decode, it won't go or will be really choppy.

My .02

Dave

 

[punisher]

Ditto. Trying to play video, with insufficient RAM, no GPU decode help,and a slower CPU, is a battle that you can't win. Double true on a laptop that has to share system memory with the onboard video.

 

[uc50ic4more]

MKV is a Matroska file. Like MOV and AVI, it is just a container in which the audio and video files reside. The files themselves can still be encoded using any number of codecs, some of which may or may not play nicely with the codecs or players you have installed.

My first suggestion, assuming you are on Windows, is VLC. Next is mplayer (although I am not sure if you can even get that on Windows) and then installing the CCCP codec pack for Windows Media Player. On both Linux and Mac boxen, I 've found that mplayer both supports more file formats and codecs than VLC, and plays them more efficiently.

Seeing that none of these things are working, I would say, too, that playback hardware may not be able to handle the streams being thrown at it, but you seem to have a fairly capable system (although only 512MB running Vista may be pushing it).

May try an Ubuntu live CD? I am pretty sure that Matroska is supported out of the box; although that does not account for some potentially non-free codecs used in the files. Worth a try, though, in my opinion.

 

[The_Eric]

Thanks for the replies guys!

SO, it sounds like his lap top just isn't up to snuff. After reading this, he's considering trying Ubuntu but wants to know if it can be ran from an external hard drive? I already know it can be ran from a CD or flash drive, so I assume it can be done??? Also could you explain to me if he can load it on his laptop's HD and run it from there too?

 

[Not the Autorx Frank]

+1 for cccp. With VLC player......

 

[Colt45ws]

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Thanks for the replies guys!

SO, it sounds like his lap top just isn't up to snuff. After reading this, he's considering trying Ubuntu but wants to know if it can be ran from an external hard drive? I already know it can be ran from a CD or flash drive, so I assume it can be done??? Also could you explain to me if he can load it on his laptop's HD and run it from there too?

Yup, it can be installed to an external drive, or directly to the laptop HD.. It will install just like a regular computer.

 

[CivicFan]

mplayer is available on Windows.

 

[SrDriver]

More memory would be a great + no matter the operating system. If possible I would go to between 2 or 3 GB of memory.

That will be a + for Ubuntu too.

 

[Colt45ws]

Being a old P4 latop it probably caps out at 1GB MAYBE 2GB. He hasnt posted model so really cant say for sure.

 

[greenaccord02]

The RAM cap is probably two gig, which should be a perfectly fine amount for the system. Any more would be a waste with the P4-M. 512 is a little skimpy to say the least, but I don't think this is a caching problem.

Check that the drivers are right for the video card. Hardware acceleration will not occur if the drivers aren't right.

Install CCCP using the default settings.

Get into the laptop's BIOS and set the shared video memory as high as you can (probably 8MB).

Run "dxdiag" to make sure the Display stuff in there is set to 'enabled.'

Get into the advanced display properties and see to it that any fancy stuff (if the video card allows it) like anti-aliasing and all that kind of stuff is set to disabled or application preference. That's all post-processing stuff that can eat up a pile of GPU cycles, which is what seems to be at a premium here.

Once you get all that done, try to play it again. If it doesn't work, it probably isn't going to.

 

[The_Eric]

Yeah, I'm not really sure of the model, but I think he's giving serious thought to moving to Ubuntu. He is going to try tweaking the settings and trying what's been suggested as well.

Thanks to all who have responded, I think with what you've given him, he'll find a solution.

I do have a few final questions to ask on his behalf...

1)Is Linux (ubuntu) less resource intensive than a Windows OS?

2)How compatible is it with various internet sites and functions?

3)How compatible is it with games?

4)Lastly, will he be able to save his files to use with Ubuntu? He has the usual pics and vids, but also lots of drawings (think graphic novels) and writings to accompany the drawings. He's worried he won't be able to access them if he makes the switch...

 

[SrDriver]

I would recommend that he download either Ubuntu or the DVD version of Linux Mint - the version based on Ubuntu. Being a new user he may be better off with Linux Mint. He wants the Gnome desktop version of either Ubuntu or Linux Mint.

Yes is is less resource intensive than a Windows OS. He needs to add the maximum amount of memory to the computer in any case be it One or Two Gigs.

It comes with Firefox for browsing the web + you can use Google Chrome which I use. It supports the web browser Opera and others too.

For Email I use Thunderbird which is part of the Linux Mint Version.

I spend about 99% of my time on my computers running Linux.

With the computer & amount of memory it has, he can't be playing much in the way of intense games.

There are games for Linux but I am not a gamer.

As far as files go, he should back them up to an external hard drive in any case.

After he downloads Linux Mint or Ubuntu he can burn the DVD and then boot the computer off of the DVD in the "Live Mode" and play with Linux without installing it on his hard drive.

I have been running Linux now for about 3 years and like it.

On 3 of our computers I have Linux setup in a dual boot mode with Windows. On the other computer that the wife uses she has Windows on it. All she does is web browsing and email.

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
1)Is Linux (ubuntu) less resource intensive than a Windows OS?


Usually; there are a lot of variations of most Linux-based distributions, some of which are meant to be light on resources and others that are meant to have lots of eye candy and features. Even the most bloated setups, though, are less demanding of any given hardware configuration than Windows.

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
2)How compatible is it with various internet sites and functions?


Given that most internet servers run Linux, yes. :^)

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
3)How compatible is it with games?


I'm not a gamer, but the most polite thing I have ever heard about Linux and gaming is "terrible".

Originally Posted By: The_Eric
4)Lastly, will he be able to save his files to use with Ubuntu? He has the usual pics and vids, but also lots of drawings (think graphic novels) and writings to accompany the drawings. He's worried he won't be able to access them if he makes the switch...


That depends entirely on what file format the files are in, and the software that was used to create them. It might be noted that open source operating systems seek to free everyone from ever having to worry about what format such-and-such a file is in and whether it will work on a different OS. Not being able to ever switch from an OS or a piece of proprietary software because all of your work is "locked in" to a specific program is what makes these software makers do their evil laughs and wring their hands together a la Montgomery Burns.

I'd have him sign up and start asking questions at ubuntuforums.org. It is a remarkably friendly place with thousands of members.

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted By: SrDriver
I would recommend that he download either Ubuntu or the DVD version of Linux Mint - the version based on Ubuntu. Being a new user he may be better off with Linux Mint. He wants the Gnome desktop version of either Ubuntu or Linux Mint.



Gnome, KDE or any of the other versions of Ubuntu or Mint will work just fine. KDE is prettier and has a more popular photo manager (digikam) and music manager (amarok) although you can mix-and-match Gnome and KDE programs all you want.

I'd suggest Mint over Ubuntu because it comes with not-entirely-legal-to-redistribute codecs installed by default, which saves the user a bit of trouble tracking them down and installing them like they'd have to do with Ubuntu, Windows or Mac.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more
Originally Posted By: SrDriver
I would recommend that he download either Ubuntu or the DVD version of Linux Mint - the version based on Ubuntu. Being a new user he may be better off with Linux Mint. He wants the Gnome desktop version of either Ubuntu or Linux Mint.



Gnome, KDE or any of the other versions of Ubuntu or Mint will work just fine. KDE is prettier and has a more popular photo manager (digikam) and music manager (amarok) although you can mix-and-match Gnome and KDE programs all you want.

I'd suggest Mint over Ubuntu because it comes with not-entirely-legal-to-redistribute codecs installed by default, which saves the user a bit of trouble tracking them down and installing them like they'd have to do with Ubuntu, Windows or Mac.


Not a stage1 Gentoo build or LFS?