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Playing MKV files on Windows

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:38 am
by scottv67
Hi:

I have not had any luck playing MKV files on my fit-PC2 running Windows XP. I have been trying to play an episode of a certain HD television program with Media Player Classic as well as VLC. Neither works. VLC tells me that this MKV file is using the "a52" audio codec and the "avc1" video codec. This MKV file plays just fine on my 2+year old desktop PC with nVidia video card so I know the MKV file is fine.

I have downloaded new versions of Media Player Classic as well as trying different codec packages. Nothing works. During my "testing", I uninstall the Cyberlink software that came with my fit-PC2 so I can't even put the device back to "factory conditon".

I have downloaded and installed the updated Intel GMA500 driver from the fit-pc2.com website. That did not help.

I have been doing my testing with a Samsung 205BW monitor connected to the fit-PC2. I am running at 1650 x 1050. There have been times during my testing that just dragging open windows around on the Windows desktop has produced odd behavior. The windows seem to leave "trails" behind and it takes the system a few seconds to catch up. If I saw this on a desktop system, I'd say "Video driver needs to be updated."

I am stuck. The only thing I haven't tried is to completely reload the fit-PC2 from the DVD that came with the device.

Q1) Can anyone tell me how I can get the Cyberlink codecs re-installed on my fit-PC2? Are they included with the Windows DVD that shipped with my fit-PC2?

Q2) Does anyone have any advice specific to playing MKV files for me?

Q3) I saw one forum message related to running Windows 7 on the fit-PC2. Will I have better luck playing MKV files if I install Windows 7 on my fit-PC2?

Thanks in advance for any helpful tips and comments.

-Scott

Re: Playing MKV files on Windows

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 10:09 am
by irads
- Uninstall the codec package you installed.
- Reinstall the CyberLink package.
- Install only Haali Matroska splitter.

Your MKV should play fine with hardware acceleration.

Re: Playing MKV files on Windows

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:11 pm
by scottv67
Irad, thank you for the quick response to my question.

-Scott

Re: Playing MKV files on Windows

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:19 pm
by ender
I had very mixed success with H264 videos - with Media Player Classic Homecinema some files work with DXVA, and some don't (and use software decoding instead), and certain outputs will cause a blue screen and reboot. I was only able to use PowerDVD in XP (where again only some files would work) - in Windows 7 it causes immediate reboot when I try opening files.

Re: Playing MKV files on Windows

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:08 pm
by TweeB
I'm having some difficulties as well. I'm trying to play some mkv h264 files.
I ordered a diskless 1.6ghz model, installed a harddrive and installed windows xp 32bit, sp3.
All updates have been performed on the xp install.
Cyberlink packaged was purchased from the internet and installed.
k-lite codec package 5.0.0 installed (default install, and it only hinted that the cyberlink codecs where already installed)
I'm experiencing 80 to 100% processor load, though the files actually play, but skipping scenes a lot.

Any adieas to lower the cpu usage and getting smooth video performance?

Re: Playing MKV files on Windows

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 8:29 pm
by irads
You do not have GMA500 accelerated codecs. The standard Cyberlink PowerDVD does not include them. The GMA500 codecs are included in fit-PC2 XP HD, but we cannot provide them separately.

Using the accelerated codecs and k-lite 5.0.0 you would experience a dramatic improvement in MKV playback.

Re: Playing MKV files on Windows

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 7:55 am
by TweeB
irads wrote:You do not have GMA500 accelerated codecs. The standard Cyberlink PowerDVD does not include them. The GMA500 codecs are included in fit-PC2 XP HD, but we cannot provide them separately.

Using the accelerated codecs and k-lite 5.0.0 you would experience a dramatic improvement in MKV playback.
So in order to get mkv playing smoothly on a windows based install, you would have to obtain the factory default install and there is no way to recover from a hd crash, or clean install afterwards?

Re: Playing MKV files on Windows

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 10:30 am
by irads
Buyers of fit-PC2 XP HD are advised to back-up the codecs.
If you need to reinstall after a disk failure please contact your reseller to obtain the codecs.

Re: Playing MKV files on Windows

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:41 am
by tubstr
It it really a pitty.

For us that bought a FIT-PC2 without HDD to fit an SDD instead we cannot benify from GMA 500 DXVA in a Windows XP environment outside of PowerDVD 9 GUI :/

I really hope that MPC-HC soon comes out with a version that support GMA 500 HW acceleration.
A lot of fit-pc2 and other netbook users will be very happy indeed.

Some glad news, DXVA semse to work well with MPC-HC under Vista/Win7. When using "IntelĀ® Media Codecs for IntelĀ® System Controller Hub".

Re: Playing MKV files on Windows

Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 11:51 am
by irads
Agreed. The Vista/Win7 GMA500 drivers include DXVA 2.0 support.
Still, the CyberLink codecs provide better performance.