New mkv refuses to play

[potestus]

I had the same problem and now agian with the next episode.
I can play all other (many) new files OK

General
Unique ID : 185653823397673114965476849759772032698 (0x8BABA032EE82DE701441D3F566A53EBA)
Complete name : Q:\Doctor Who (2005)\Season 6\Doctor Who (2005) - S06E09 - Night Terrors.mkv
Format : Matroska
Format version : Version 2
File size : 1.13 GiB
Duration : 42mn 28s
Overall bit rate : 3 806 Kbps
Writing application : ofaw..bitch
Writing library : ofaw..bitch

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 5 frames
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 42mn 28s
Bit rate : 3 346 Kbps
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.145
Stream size : 1 017 MiB (88%)
Writing library : x264 core 116 r2074 2641b9e
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=umh / subme=8 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=18 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=50 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=18.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Language : English / English

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 42mn 28s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 384 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 117 MiB (10%)
Language : English

---

(08-31-2011 06:08 AM)Tilne Wrote:  Thanks for the tips.

I downloaded the latest MKVMerge, (v4.9.1) loaded the video, clicked 'Start Muxing' and a less than 5 minutes later I had a perfectly working video.

I did this and it worked OK on PCH -Wont play on WMP though

[1canuck2]

Same problem here with DW
Also had it with the latest Top Gear US ep. The group that encoded it is momentum.
And the latest Warehouse 13 (IMMERSE group)

So the issue is spreading... This makes me suspect its a recent update to the encoding software commonly used and might thus get worse...

[Specter]

It must be an update to the ripping software as all previous Doctor Who episodes were 1.09GB and the latest ones with the issues is a bit larger.

[chris57]

There's been a change in scene rules with MKV releases, it is bringing down the file sizes though not making them larger.

[AJCrowley]

For me (with this week's episode), after remuxing in MKVMerge 4.9.1, the audio will play, but my TV says, "Unsupported signal. Please check your device output".

This isn't the only video that this has been happening to me for lately, but all of the ones that it has have been from the UK.

Back to Handbrake for another re-encode...

[chris57]

Check they aren't 59.940 fps as I have had UK TS files with that they wouldn't play. Had to use TSMuxerGUI to remux to BDMV and then makeMKV to go to an MKV for the player to display video as well as audio.

[scumball]

Both episodes worked for me perfectly after running through MKVMergeGUI 4.9.1 - using a C200.

[popcornmix]

Here's another file C200 won't play. Same writing library.

Code:

General
Unique ID : 313570029905106951466894815618146423847 (0xEBE7641A420993182C9B77371D7ED427)
Complete name : C:\Users\Public\Videos\TV\TV\Outnumbered\outnumbered.4x01.720p_hdtv_x264-fov.mkv
Format : Matroska
File size : 722 MiB
Duration : 29mn 1s
Overall bit rate : 3 476 Kbps
Writing application : ofaw..bitch
Writing library : ofaw..bitch

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 5 frames
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 29mn 1s
Bit rate : 3 215 Kbps
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.140
Stream size : 667 MiB (92%)
Writing library : x264 core 116 r2074 2641b9e
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=umh / subme=8 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=18 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=50 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=18.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Language : English / English

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 29mn 1s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 39.9 MiB (6%)
Language : English

mkvalidator seems happy:

Code:

mkvalidator 0.3.6: the file appears to be valid
        file created with ofaw..bitch / ofaw..bitch

I found the file still would not play after remuxing, but required a reboot of Popcorn, then it played.

[xahmol]

OK, so THAT is why the last Doctor Who episodes were not playing on my A200. Glad to see it was not only me doing something wrong.

Solved it myself by playing it via XBMC on my jailbreaked Apple TV2 which played it flawlessly, but would prefer to play it over my PCH (more options).

So my question on top of the questions before is why PCH is so picky while every other mediaplayer seems to play the file? (players I tried next to my PCH: VLC on my PC: no problem. Plex on my Apple TV2: no problem. XBMC on my Apple TV2: no problem. aTV mediaplayer on my Apple TV2: no problem).
One of the biggest reasons people buy a PCH is because it plays everything. I do not want to convert first, even if it takes little effort, because the girlfriend acceptancy already dropped to below zero when it did not work in the first place....

Is any PCH firmware to be expected to solve this apparently spreading issue?

[halfelite]

Terrible example of everything playing it buy the pch all you're examples show is ffmpeg can play at as all them players use it as its core. And nothing is spreading just fov releases.

[Specter]

(09-08-2011 06:02 PM)halfelite Wrote:  Terrible example of everything playing it buy the pch all you're examples show is ffmpeg can play at as all them players use it as its core. And nothing is spreading just fov releases.

I think someone does not understand that a computer will play just about anything because it uses software codecs while a standalone hardware player will only play it when its properly made because it uses hardware chips for playback.

[xahmol]

(09-09-2011 04:36 AM)Specter Wrote:  

(09-08-2011 06:02 PM)halfelite Wrote:  Terrible example of everything playing it buy the pch all you're examples show is ffmpeg can play at as all them players use it as its core. And nothing is spreading just fov releases.

I think someone does not understand that a computer will play just about anything because it uses software codecs while a standalone hardware player will only play it when its properly made because it uses hardware chips for playback.

Sorry to say, but for me this is a rather arrogant reply.
Yes, I do understand the differences between a system on a chip based player and a software based player.

But for me as user I could not care less. Fact is that the PCH does not play these files while competing products that cost the same or even less (SFF HTPCs or a jailbreaked Apple TV) do. Which makes the relevance of the PCH product offering a lot less if this issue spreads.

As user I can not force release groups to change their codecs, but I can choose and recommend others to buy other solutions than a PCH. By the way, not spreading, just Fov? Fov happens to be a rather significant one, if only because it seems to be the only available source for Doctor Who HDTV releases.

So the only thing I wanted to know if this issue can be solved and, if yes, will be solved by a firmware upgrade.

[halfelite]

Who knows if it will be solved by a firmware. And it has nothing to do with codecs again you are not understanding. Every group fakes the header information what mediainfo shows is all written in after the fact and changed from what it originally was. Some how in there most recent releases they changed something that the pch does not like. Is it a fault of the pch that the header was forcefully changed? I could force change a header to break playback on any one of the devices you mentioned Should they in turn have to fix what I forcefully did.

There has to be a line a company draws were they saw we cant fix every bug caused be an improper release. And no one gets information on what will be fixed in the firmware.

Now my personal opinion on the matter should the pch choke on the file not really as it should not depend on the header for all the information it could default to any said value if it doesnt understand the header. But there is two sides to this.

[Netmask]

Quote:Fov happens to be a rather significant one, if only because it seems to be the only available source for Doctor Who HDTV releases.

It takes only a few minutes to fix these files without re-encoding. The Beyonwiz PVR media player won't play them either - it's easy for a computer with the software and processing power to sort out non standard files but it is silly in my opinion to expect all media players to handle every odd ball hacker who goes off standard. Maybe because I'm in my mid 70's I have more patience - when I was given the file I just set about finding a solution and as I said it took 3 minutes. Plays on both the C200 and the less powerful Beyonwiz.

[xahmol]

(09-09-2011 09:26 AM)Netmask Wrote:  It takes only a few minutes to fix these files without re-encoding.

True, but as said this is not an attractive option if you are all set to watch on the couch with your girlfriend. Believe me, waiting a couple of minutes before I figured out the recode IS an issue ;-)
Of course now I know this issue and the solution I will now try to remedy before I start watching with my girlfriend.

(09-09-2011 09:26 AM)Netmask Wrote:  it's easy for a computer with the software and processing power to sort out non standard files but it is silly in my opinion to expect all media players to handle every odd ball hacker who goes off standard.

Pure processing power can not be the issue. As said, a jailbreaked Apple TV also does play these files using every software player available for a jailbreaked ATV2 and I can't imagine the processor of the ATV2 to be THAT powerfull. Especially because it costs half of an PCH A200.
Besides that, people buy a PCH and put up with the higher than the competition price point and (according to many) also worse than competition GUI because of the fact that it plays everything, has many options and has an active developer and userbase to remedy the few glitches quickly. I think it than is understandable to be disappointed if you still have to convert some files before playing.

But will stick with this comment for now and watch this thread if there will be developments.