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anonx · Apr 8, 2004, 12:59 AM

I downloaded a .MVK file off the web and I cannot locate any software to get the video to play. VLC gives me the following error:

mkv: unknow codec id=`V_REAL/RV40'
main: no suitable decoder module for fourcc `undf'.

I get audio, but no video. From this message, I'm assuming that the .MKV file has video encoded in the Real Media 9 format (RV40). I have heard that it is possible to play these files with MPlayer, but no luck there either. I found a binary for the Real Media 9 codecs, but wasn't sure what to do with them.

Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks - Branden.

The DJ · Apr 9, 2004, 08:48 AM

Originally posted by anonx:
I downloaded a .MVK file off the web and I cannot locate any software to get the video to play. VLC gives me the following error:

mkv: unknow codec id=`V_REAL/RV40'
main: no suitable decoder module for fourcc `undf'.

I get audio, but no video. From this message, I'm assuming that the .MKV file has video encoded in the Real Media 9 format (RV40). I have heard that it is possible to play these files with MPlayer, but no luck there either. I found a binary for the Real Media 9 codecs, but wasn't sure what to do with them.

Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks - Branden.

You can only view these movies under Windows, or under a Intel machine running linux Mplayer.

That's why the RV40 format shouldn't be used. People should encode in MPEG4. At least that runs on anything.

pmg4lktan · Jun 12, 2004, 10:24 AM

Originally posted by The DJ:
You can only view these movies under Windows, or under a Intel machine running linux Mplayer.

That's why the RV40 format shouldn't be used. People should encode in MPEG4. At least that runs on anything.

is there any way to convert it in Virtual PC so that in can play on Mac?

Thanks ...

philzilla · Jun 12, 2004, 10:40 AM

Originally posted by The DJ:
You can only view these movies under Windows, or under a Intel machine running linux Mplayer.

*BZZ* incorrect. VLC plays them fine on my system.

pmg4lktan · Jun 12, 2004, 11:51 AM

Originally posted by philzilla:
*BZZ* incorrect. VLC plays them fine on my system.

ermm, i think mkv encoded in certain format can't be view with VLC, the movie i get only has its audio playable with VLC but not video ...

anyone know if i can use VirtualDub to convert it in VirtualPC then play it with VLC? Thanks ...

The DJ · Jun 12, 2004, 03:21 PM

Originally posted by pmg4lktan:
ermm, i think mkv encoded in certain format can't be view with VLC, the movie i get only has its audio playable with VLC but not video ...

anyone know if i can use VirtualDub to convert it in VirtualPC then play it with VLC? Thanks ...

There is a difference between a fileformat and its contents.
mkv is a file format.
Real video is a video format.

(comparison a box (fileformat) and the fruit you store in your box (the video). i.e. Not every red box has apples in it.)

mkv (matroska) often contains Real Video, which can only be watched by using an IBM compatible PC with Real codec installed. This is a proprietary codec with no Free and Open Source alternative available. Therefore VLC does not support it.

DJ

leethomson · Jun 13, 2004, 08:32 AM

I also have a problem with a mkv file, but of a different nature. The file I am trying to play contains a 5.1 AAC audio stream, which VLC cannot downmix to stereo - it will only play the left and right channels, so I can hear lots of birdsong and footsteps, but no dialogue. MPlayer OSX 2 won't open it at all, and ffmpegx cannot convert the audio to another format.

Does anyone know of anyway to play the stream, or do I need to wait for a new version of VLC (which may be some time?)

The DJ · Jun 14, 2004, 06:13 PM

Originally posted by leethomson:
I also have a problem with a mkv file, but of a different nature. The file I am trying to play contains a 5.1 AAC audio stream, which VLC cannot downmix to stereo - it will only play the left and right channels, so I can hear lots of birdsong and footsteps, but no dialogue. MPlayer OSX 2 won't open it at all, and ffmpegx cannot convert the audio to another format.

Does anyone know of anyway to play the stream, or do I need to wait for a new version of VLC (which may be some time?)

The latter. probably.
I don't think there is anything else out there that does play matroska and has proper downmixing.

milhouse · Jun 15, 2004, 06:57 AM

Originally posted by The DJ:
There is a difference between a fileformat and its contents.
mkv is a file format.
Real video is a video format.

(comparison a box (fileformat) and the fruit you store in your box (the video). i.e. Not every red box has apples in it.)

DJ

Nice analogy.

chezpaul · Oct 10, 2004, 02:24 PM

With the help of this site I was able to extract a vid and an audio file from my mkv movie.

The video portion is a real video format and the audio is ogg format.
I was then able to convert the real video format to avi using ffmpegX (link given in link above).

I was also able to convert the ogg audio to a aif audio using Amadeus II.

Now I have my movie and my audio in known Mac formats.
But for whatever reaosn, ffmepgX won't mux them together...

I can watch the movie if I open up Logic and sync up the audio with the video but that ain't too fun...

But i'm getting closer.... ;-)

thoughton · Nov 1, 2005, 01:09 PM

The site linked to by chezpaul above is mine

, but the domain has changed recently. The new link for the post on converting mkv is here. I'm posting this because I noticed a few clickthroughs to the old site.

For what it's worth, ffmpegX support for mkv has improved drastically since 2004, and it can now (sometimes) convert mkv containers without fiddling around mkvextract first. Not always though

Sarc · 11:06 AM

I could swear I saw a link a few days ago for the Real codec for use with MPLayer OS X 2 ... dammit I can't remember where.

EDIT: this is what some guy name "chosenlink" had to say on the VT page for MPlayer OS X 2. Haven't tried it myself though.

Considering that Mplayer can play windows media format AND RealMedia format, it has become much better than VLC. In this new version, the video plays in the same window as the controls (similar to Quicktime).

To Install the RealMedia codec:
1. Go to this link http://www4.mplayerhq.hu/homepage/design7/codecs.html
2. Click "RealPlayer 9 Mac OS X"
3. Double Click the installer package that has downloaded to your desktop. (should be named something like "rp9codecs-macosx-20041107.pkg" )

EDIT2: Tried the codec myself and works as advertised. The latest version of mplayer also plays ASF files, so that means, WMP and RealPlayer go to the trash.

still prefer VLC though, as it lets me choose the output monitor, but seing that the Real codec actually works, couldn't it be possible to have it in VLC as well ?

cheers