Yet another MKV thread - I've read them all...

[Ishmael]

Need help.

The Problem: FRESH CLEAN install of 7 RC 7100 x64 on a formatted machine.

The ONLY things installed (aside from drivers) is Shark's Windows 7 codec pack v1.1.3 AND NOTHING ELSE (including NOT installed the x64 Vista pack).

I can get video to play fine in WMP12 with Dolby Diigtal output with no problem. The problem is MEDIA CENTER.

I have installed the REG patch (attached for your review). I get the "Windows Media Center cannot find the specified file" error message, with NO PLAYBACK.


What have I done in the past?:

Above, but I've also installed Sharks' x64 vista pack as well. IF I disable AC3 passthru, it will play in MCE, but once I ENABLE AC3 passthru (for Dolby Digital), I get the same error.


What am I looking for?: A replacement for the hair I pulled out of my head. I know I'm missing something simple here, but I've been working on this for a week. I almost pee'd myself when I got WMP12 to play Dolby Digital. Then I hit the roadblock with MCE7. I need guidance. I will reformat this machine again if I have to (although I don't want to...)


Machine specs:

ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe motherboard with AMD X2 processor and 4 gigs of ram, using built-in AC97 (ALC850) audio (Toslink out).


What other info do you need? Please help!!! I've read about 10 threads in 4 or 5 different forums....nobody seems to have the complete answer.

Like I said, I can get video w/o DD audio, or DD audio but no MCE love...

Anxiously awating your help, /b/rothers.

Ish.

 

[Shark007]

Install the Shark007 Win7x64 Components and your troubles will end.
On x64 systems, the 32bit and the x64 addon are both required.

The reg hack you posted is just that, a hack, and is not needed when using my software.
It installs registry keys you do not need and leaves you with no way of removing them.

I do not own S/PDIF hardware so it is difficult to assist further.

 

[baarod]

Need help.

The Problem: FRESH CLEAN install of 7 RC 7100 x64 on a formatted machine.

The ONLY things installed (aside from drivers) is Shark's Windows 7 codec pack v1.1.3 AND NOTHING ELSE (including NOT installed the x64 Vista pack).

I can get video to play fine in WMP12 with Dolby Diigtal output with no problem. The problem is MEDIA CENTER.

I have installed the REG patch (attached for your review). I get the "Windows Media Center cannot find the specified file" error message, with NO PLAYBACK.


What have I done in the past?:

Above, but I've also installed Sharks' x64 vista pack as well. IF I disable AC3 passthru, it will play in MCE, but once I ENABLE AC3 passthru (for Dolby Digital), I get the same error.


What am I looking for?: A replacement for the hair I pulled out of my head. I know I'm missing something simple here, but I've been working on this for a week. I almost pee'd myself when I got WMP12 to play Dolby Digital. Then I hit the roadblock with MCE7. I need guidance. I will reformat this machine again if I have to (although I don't want to...)


Machine specs:

ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe motherboard with AMD X2 processor and 4 gigs of ram, using built-in AC97 (ALC850) audio (Toslink out).


What other info do you need? Please help!!! I've read about 10 threads in 4 or 5 different forums....nobody seems to have the complete answer.

Like I said, I can get video w/o DD audio, or DD audio but no MCE love...

Anxiously awating your help, /b/rothers.

Ish.

First problem: FRESH CLEAN install of 7 RC 7100 x64 on a formatted machine.
Should read: FRESH CLEAN install of 7 RC 7100 x32 on a formatted machine. With 4GB RAM, the dubious benefits of x64 WILL NOT pay for the membership to Hair Club for Men. Again folks, 64-bit operating systems do not make you cool, they will not improve your love life and they will not provide a trouble-free Windows 7 experience. You are NOT missing out on ANYTHING.

Next problem: The ONLY things installed (aside from drivers) is Shark's Windows 7 codec pack v1.1.3 AND NOTHING ELSE (including NOT installed the x64 Vista pack).
Should read: The ONLY things installed (aside from drivers) is DivX Tech Preview: MKV on Windows 7 DivX Tech Preview: MKV on Windows 7 | DivX Labs - Everywhere Communication Occurs Community Happens AND NOTHING ELSE (includes NOT installing ANYBODY's codec pack).

Now, assuming you do the reformat you're willing to do because 1) I can't help you if you don't as there's no telling how these "codec packs" hack up the system and 2) it only takes 5 minutes: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/7943-install-windows-7-fast-without-dvd-usb-device.html You can then direct download the MKV module from DivX without signing up for anything here: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/561353/DivXTechPreviewMKVOnWin7.exe. Please note that, just because DivX created it does not mean it's a codec so I don't want to hear any burbling about it being some kind of codec pack. It's just a Microsoft Windows 7 Media Foundation NATIVE Matroska (.MKV) Demuxer module. All it does is support the .MKV file format and pass the streams off to the native Media Foundation decoders. You're not mucking around with the completely obsolete DirectShow JUNK that Microsoft had to leave in Windows 7 just to hush the clueless.

As such, it works fine with WMP12, WMC7, extenders, and anything that renders video using VMR9 like:

• WinDVD
• PowerDVD
• PowerCinema
• Media Player Classic Home Cinema
• MediaPortal
• The KMPlayer
• GOM Player (Quick View Mode)

Of course it works best with third party apps that implement the Enhanced Video Renderer (EVR) provided by Windows 7 Media Foundation.

In exchange for this help I ask only that you promise to help others break their codec pack habit and to evangelize Media Foundation over obsolete technology on Windows 7!

 

[Captain Zero]

Allow me to translate that translation for you..:

codec pack = bad idea

Reformat and try again.

 

[Ishmael]

"Them's fightin' words"

I will try Shark's solution first and report back. Should it fail, I will try baarod's suggestions TO THE LETTER.

I will keep you posted.

Thanks for the input, gang!

 

[Captain Zero]

Hey, can I call you Ishmael?

 

[Ishmael]

Hey, can I call you Ishmael?

Call me Ishmael. Some years ago - never mind how long precisely - having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.

---

Now, status update:

Shark's solution works, but I'm getting some stuttering problems during playback (MCE only, WMP12 works fine).

Shark - Any suggestions?

I will wipe the machine probably tomorrow or Friday night and try baarod's suggestion as well.

Any more feedback guys?

Thanks,

Ish

 

[baarod]

Hey, can I call you Ishmael?

Only if I can call you Queequeg

 

[baarod]

Call me Ishmael. Some years ago - never mind how long precisely - having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.

---

Now, status update:

Shark's solution works, but I'm getting some stuttering problems during playback.

Shark - Any suggestions?

I will wipe the machine probably tomorrow or Friday night and try baarod's suggestion as well.

Any more feedback guys?

Thanks,

Ish

Try with native MKV demuxer without the wipe and tell me how it goes. Of the codec packs Shark's is far and away the best one out there and I think I shouldn't have lumped his work in with some of the "others". The fact remains that regardless of the quality of Shark's work, he's still using DirectShow filters, and, while they might work in Windows 7, performance is likely to be sub-optimal:

There are several DirectShow enCODer/DECoder implementations but none take advantage of as wide an array of hardware video acceleration as the Microsoft Windows 7 implementation. In essence, Microsoft leveraged their mighty influence with graphics hardware manufacturers to ensure that the support for video playback acceleration is included in every Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) certified driver whose hardware supports such acceleration. Basically, if the hardware vendor supports acceleration and the vendor does not supply drivers that make Media Foundation playback as fast as possible on the hardware, Microsoft won't certify the drivers. For 64-bit that's even more important because by default, unsigned drivers won't even install!

ffdshow (used by Shark's pack) just can't match that.

 

[Shark007]

To the 1st poster, disable subtitles using the Settings Application - Config TAB
For MediaCenter, use the x64 Application

well with all your vast sharing of knowledge baarod, your suggestion will leave the user with a MediaCenter that can only play mpegs.

You are forgetting that the poster stated in the 1st post, he is using x64.
your solution has no x64 support.

Also, MKV's contain several different types of audio. Many of these formats are not supported by Windows 7, or your DivX solution.

Using my codecs packs, which arent crap like the days of old ( cause I lived there) the mkv video will be decoded by WMF while the audio will be deocded by my solutions.

nuff said, I have things to do

 

[baarod]

To the 1st poster, disable subtitles using the Settings Application - Config TAB

well with all your vast sharing of knowledge baarod, your suggestion will leave the user with a MediaCenter that can only play mpegs.

While that sounds bad, it really isn't. Media Foundation can play anything from mpeg2 through 4 including divx, xvid, h.264, modern quicktime etc. Saying "can only play mpegs" confuses most people and makes them think "Oh, gee, I'll only be able to play 'foo.mpeg'. I don't want that!" and that's just not the case as you well know.

You are forgetting that the poster stated in the 1st post, he is using x64.
your solution has no x64 support.

Precisely why Windows 7 makes it such a pain to find and run the 64-bit versions of WMP and WMC. So run the 32-bit versions. There is absolutely no difference besides all the headaches you get with 64-bit. None.

Also, MKV's contain several different types of audio. Many of these formats are not supported by Windows 7, or your DivX solution.

AAC? Done. AC3? Works for me. You're talking about weirdo "Open Sores" stuff like Vorbis and Theora? Recode the weirdos with avidemux and be done with it. And never download from that source again.

Using my codecs packs, which arent crap like the days of old ( cause I lived there) the mkv video will be decoded by WMF while the audio will be deocded by my solutions.

nuff said, I have things to do

Actually if you look at the post above, I said yours were the best. But I was unaware of the "new feature". Where'd you find a native MKV DMO? Last I looked GraphEdit and GSpot still showed MKV mpg4 streams rendering through DirectShow when your codec pack was installed. I didn't see anything on your website at Shark007.net - Windows 7 Codecs about it. Looked to me like you were still using Haali -- when did that change?

 

[Shark007]

man, i cant get no rest, eh. (i'm glad you placed my pack above the rest, even if you dislike the concept)

Graphedt is incapable of displaying WMF, its a directshow editor.
For WMF you need topoedit.

 

[Ishmael]

Didn't mean to stir a hornet's nest boys...

Shark,

Tried disabling subtitles in both the x32 and x64 configurators (and rebooted for good measure) and I still get the stuttering issue.

The issue may be a network issue though, as the media is stored on my server, and while I have a gigabit switch and both NIC's are gigabit as well, you never know, given the amount of data I'm pushing through the switch and router at any given time *COUGH*torrents*COUGH*

As I said, I'll try both solutions, and see which one works best. So far, I've been very happy with Shark's codecs, which I've been using for a while now.

I just want to make my W7 machine run as smooth as possible, as I plan on making this machine my dedicated theater machine.

Regards,

Ish

 

[baarod]

Didn't mean to stir a hornet's nest boys...

Shark,

Tried disabling subtitles in both the x32 and x64 configurators (and rebooted for good measure) and I still get the stuttering issue.

The issue may be a network issue though, as the media is stored on my server, and while I have a gigabit switch and both NIC's are gigabit as well, you never know, given the amount of data I'm pushing through the switch and router at any given time *COUGH*torrents*COUGH*

As I said, I'll try both solutions, and see which one works best. So far, I've been very happy with Shark's codecs, which I've been using for a while now.

I just want to make my W7 machine run as smooth as possible, as I plan on making this machine my dedicated theater machine.

Regards,

Ish

Can you give the DivX thing a try and let me know if that stutters too? Should only take a minute...

 

[Ishmael]

Try with native MKV demuxer without the wipe and tell me how it goes. Of the codec packs Shark's is far and away the best one out there and I think I shouldn't have lumped his work in with some of the "others". The fact remains that regardless of the quality of Shark's work, he's still using DirectShow filters, and, while they might work in Windows 7, performance is likely to be sub-optimal:

There are several DirectShow enCODer/DECoder implementations but none take advantage of as wide an array of hardware video acceleration as the Microsoft Windows 7 implementation. In essence, Microsoft leveraged their mighty influence with graphics hardware manufacturers to ensure that the support for video playback acceleration is included in every Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) certified driver whose hardware supports such acceleration. Basically, if the hardware vendor supports acceleration and the vendor does not supply drivers that make Media Foundation playback as fast as possible on the hardware, Microsoft won't certify the drivers. For 64-bit that's even more important because by default, unsigned drivers won't even install!

ffdshow (used by Shark's pack) just can't match that.

This one? or did I miss something?

 

[baarod]

This one? or did I miss something?

Install this and see if your whatever.mkv file stutters on playback: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/561353/DivXTechPreviewMKVOnWin7.exe

 

[Ishmael]

Install this and see if your whatever.mkv file stutters on playback: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/561353/DivXTechPreviewMKVOnWin7.exe

Do I need to uninstall Shark's codecs first?

 

[baarod]

Do I need to uninstall Shark's codecs first?

Shouldn't need to. Try without uninstalling first and if it still stutters uninstall both this one and Shark's and then reinstall this one.

 

[Ishmael]

Shouldn't need to. Try without uninstalling first and if it still stutters uninstall both this one and Shark's and then reinstall this one.

Did just that.

Does not play MKV at all in media center. I get the same error that began this thread. Is this because those codecs are x32 and not x64? Is there a config panel somewhere I need to play with?

 

[Ishmael]

Follow up:

WMP12 plays video, no audio at all though (from MKV files)