Post subject: What to use to playback MKV video with AC3 encoded audio?
Joined: 2/25/2006
Posts: 407
I've tried Windows Media Player, DivX Player, Media Player Classic and Winamp. WMP and DivX play the video fine but without audio and DivX states I need a Dolby AC3 codec. Media Player Classic plays the video faster then normal and with crackle for audio. Winamp just loops a billion times per second and requires Task Manager to close it. So, what would you use to play such a media file? I am avoiding VLC as that has been extremely crash prone ever since they did the GUI update eons ago. That and the interface for it is ugly as sin. Edit: I'll give MPlayer a go, I forgot all about that ever since I stopped tinkering with recording in Zsnes eons ago. Or I would, if there website wasn't an empty FTP directory listing. Edit 2: This worked http://ac3filter.net/wiki/Download_AC3Filter
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Joined: 3/10/2004
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I might be completely off here, but it sounds like you are simply missing the proper codec (rather than it being caused by the media player itself). Have you installed any codec pack? Last time I had to deal with them in Windows (although it was quite many years ago) the k-lite codec pack was quite comprehensive (and included media player classic as well).
Joined: 2/25/2006
Posts: 407
Yeah DivX was correct in that I was indeed missing just the audio codec required. After installing the ac3filter I link to in my 2nd edit, DivX and MPC now play the video files perfectly fine.
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Joined: 4/13/2009
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Codec packs are generally known to be bad. You should only need CCCP, which is a collection of the known components to play the world's different audio and video formats. Any DirectShow player should do, but I prefer Zoom Player.
Joined: 2/25/2006
Posts: 407
EEssentia wrote:
Codec packs are generally known to be bad. You should only need CCCP, which is a collection of the known components to play the world's different audio and video formats. Any DirectShow player should do, but I prefer Zoom Player.
So, codec packages are bad, yet you recommend a codec package... nice logic there.
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Joined: 9/12/2010
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All you need for Windows Media Player or the DivX Player is AC3Filter. Or, Media Player Classic - Home Cinema has an AC3 decoder built-in, as well as DXVA accelerated decoders for H.264, MPEG-2, and WMV, depending on what's supported by your video hardware.
Joined: 4/13/2009
Posts: 431
franpa wrote:
EEssentia wrote:
Codec packs are generally known to be bad. You should only need CCCP, which is a collection of the known components to play the world's different audio and video formats. Any DirectShow player should do, but I prefer Zoom Player.
So, codec packages are bad, yet you recommend a codec package... nice logic there.
Yes, and no. Codec packs contains lots and lots and lots of codecs, and they usually interfere with one another. CCCP is not just "another" codec pack. It contains much lesser components and up-to-date codecs to make everything work. It reduces the likelihood of upside down images. It contains just a few components! Here is a list if you're interested: http://www.cccp-project.net/wiki/index.php?title=Advanced_FAQ
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EEssentia wrote:
Codec packs contains lots and lots and lots of codecs, and they usually interfere with one another.
You don't just download a random codec pack (or two) from a random website and install it. You download a codec pack with a good reputation. AFAIK the k-lite codec pack is both comprehensive and trustworthy, so there shouldn't be much problem in using it. (Of course there are other similar codec packs.) The advantage of using a codec pack is that you don't have to hunt individual codecs every time you encounter a video file with some exotic formats.
Joined: 4/13/2009
Posts: 431
Warp wrote:
You don't just download a random codec pack (or two) from a random website and install it. You download a codec pack with a good reputation. AFAIK the k-lite codec pack is both comprehensive and trustworthy, so there shouldn't be much problem in using it. (Of course there are other similar codec packs.)
TBH, just look at all the stuff K-Lite contains. Lots and lots of codecs. Codecs tend to interfere with each other in a lot of players. That is why I can never recommend K-Lite. In fact, here is a quote from Dark_Shikare, head dev on x264: http://forum.doom9.org/showpost.php?p=1491258&postcount=16 Where he points out some problems with K-Lite.