DiVX Codec issue with Iomega Screenplay DX?

.ak

Hi all,

Just a quick one. I have an .MKV file that when I try to open with DiVX player it says 'UNSUPPORTED VIDEO FILE FORMAT' etc. etc. However when I try to open it with VLC it works fine.

Now this may be an issue with my Mac and not having the codecs up to date.

However, I wish to use the file on my external media HDD (Iomega Screenplay DX) which plays MKVs fine usually. But when I try and open it using the Media Browser on the HDD it won't open either.

So, does this sound like a Codec issue? IF so, am I screwed in regards to the HDD as there is no way of updating it's codecs?

Appreciate any help in advance!
-A

yoyo

I hate MKV, not because most codecs people use with this container are fine, but I've come accross MKVs with many weird codec combinations (MPEG4 video and Real Audio!! from memory). Some MKVs may be badly encoded so if you have one that wont play and others that do thats the likely problem.
I know of tools on Windows to check container codecs but I am not sure about Mac, or how to re-encode on Mac either, Handbrake does it I think?

Nick

PogMoThoin

An .mkv is just a container, you need to be more picky of the codec used to encode them. I take it as you've no codec information it's something you downloaded, next time look for the h264 codec (or named x264, a free tool for encoding h264), being in an .mkv means nothing.

Doubtful you'll be able to update the codecs on the Iomega, but you could try updating it to the latest firmware just to be sure. Good luck, My own experience with Iomega has not been good.

yoyo

PogMoThoin wrote: »

An .mkv is just a container, you need to be more picky of the codec used to encode them. I take it as you've no codec information it's something you downloaded, next time look for the h264 codec (or named x264, a free tool for encoding h264), being in an .mkv means nothing.

Doubtful you'll be able to update the codecs on the Iomega, but you could try updating it to the latest firmware just to be sure. Good luck, My own experience with Iomega has not been good.

From expierience I've noticed MKVs have much stranger combinations, the AVI container just generally seems to have better standards backing it. Having said that MKV is the only container supporting the popular HD codecs, well thats how it seems!

Nick

Khannie

yoyo wrote: »

From expierience I've noticed MKVs have much stranger combinations, the AVI container just generally seems to have better standards backing it. Having said that MKV is the only container supporting the popular HD codecs, well thats how it seems!

Nick

AVI does support x264 and the usual audio codecs alright, it's just ancient, limited and not well suited to storing multiple audio streams (commentary, different languages, etc.) and subtitles. MKV is actually a general purpose container. It's primary use has just been to store video + audio + subtitles. Of course people assume that mkv = x264 and that is generally the case alright.

yoyo

Khannie wrote: »

AVI does support x264 and the usual audio codecs alright, it's just ancient, limited and not well suited to storing multiple audio streams (commentary, different languages, etc.) and subtitles. MKV is actually a general purpose container. It's primary use has just been to store video + audio + subtitles. Of course people assume that mkv = x264 and that is generally the case alright.

Its interesting that people never seem to use AVIs for x.254 though, I always thought that AVI was fairly standardised whereas with MKVs some will be ok, others can be a right pain. I would avoid MKV if a AVI version is available, HD doesn't bother me :P . AVIs are just less stressful, although you can get the odd dodgy AVI encode too

Nick

Voodu Child

Post the mediainfo (http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en/Download) of the video that won't play.

It's probably something simple like MKV header compression. It's a muxing feature that most older hardware players don't support. A quick remux with it turned off fixes it.

Not related to the OPs question but while ye're mentioning it, AVI isn't supposed to be used for H.264. It doesnt officially support some H.264 features (certain types of ref-frames etc), and the fact that it works with some players is only because of some encoding and decoding hacks/bodges.

Khannie

Sorry OP, this is slightly off topic...If it's bothering you just say so and I'll shift it to its own thread.

yoyo wrote: »

HD doesn't bother me :P

:eek:

Voodu Child wrote: »

Not related to the OPs question but while ye're mentioning it, AVI isn't supposed to be used for H.264. It doesnt officially support some H.264 features (certain types of ref-frames etc), and the fact that it works with some players is only because of some encoding and decoding hacks/bodges.

AVI is the default output format from mencoder (my encoder of choice). I've never had any trouble with x264 video in an avi container, though it doesn't surprise me that it's not properly supported. I had heard of the hacks / bodges you mention alright. I just can't bring myself to watch xvid any more when the same quality can be had for nearly half the file size with x264.

yoyo

Khannie wrote: »

Sorry OP, this is slightly off topic...If it's bothering you just say so and I'll shift it to its own thread.



:eek:





AVI is the default output format from mencoder (my encoder of choice). I've never had any trouble with x264 video in an avi container, though it doesn't surprise me that it's not properly supported. I had heard of the hacks / bodges you mention alright. I just can't bring myself to watch xvid any more when the same quality can be had for nearly half the file size with x264.

Yep, Happy enough with SD movies. Having said that I only have a 32" telly and a small flat so SD do the job fine, less of a download aswell. Anyways this is going way off topic :P

Nick

.ak

Thanks lads. Yeah yoyo I think you're right, that's what I figured but wasn't sure if anyone else had come across it. It is named x264 by the way, but the Iomega drive has played several of these files before.. I think yoyo's right and it's how the file was compiled. It's just odd that VLC plays it but DiVX player won't...

stephen97

.ak wrote: »

Hi all,

Just a quick one. I have an .MKV file that when I try to open with DiVX player it says 'UNSUPPORTED VIDEO FILE FORMAT' etc. etc. However when I try to open it with VLC it works fine.

Now this may be an issue with my Mac and not having the codecs up to date.

However, I wish to use the file on my external media HDD (Iomega Screenplay DX) which plays MKVs fine usually. But when I try and open it using the Media Browser on the HDD it won't open either.

So, does this sound like a Codec issue? IF so, am I screwed in regards to the HDD as there is no way of updating it's codecs?

Appreciate any help in advance!
-A

first you must convert files to div x to play on div x player download link http://www.divx.com/ use the div x converter to convert files and it will then play on both devices. <snip - no warez or whatever please>

madmoe

Hi all,
When I plug in my Iomega Screenplay Director to the PC I can see all my files there in Windows Explorer but from the Iomega user interface when I go to Music, Photos etc. all I get is a My Files folder and then 'config' appears?? I done a full reset on the unit but still the same thing? Any ideas?

Cheers,
M

yoyo

madmoe wrote: »

Hi all,
When I plug in my Iomega Screenplay Director to the PC I can see all my files there in Windows Explorer but from the Iomega user interface when I go to Music, Photos etc. all I get is a My Files folder and then 'config' appears?? I done a full reset on the unit but still the same thing? Any ideas?

Cheers,
M

Try creating a Music, Photos etc folder on the device, add a song/photo and see if it picks it up? Otherwise in the config folder there may be a configuration file where you can set the folder names,

Nick

madmoe

yoyo wrote: »

Try creating a Music, Photos etc folder on the device, add a song/photo and see if it picks it up? Otherwise in the config folder there may be a configuration file where you can set the folder names,

Nick

Cheers, I got onto Iomega support and they advised to do a full format of the drive after backing up all my files and then copying them back and trying again. You reckon it will work? Maybe I should put them into folders like you suggest. Have you got one of these mate?

Cheers,
M

yoyo

madmoe wrote: »

Cheers, I got onto Iomega support and they advised to do a full format of the drive after backing up all my files and then copying them back and trying again. You reckon it will work? Maybe I should put them into folders like you suggest. Have you got one of these mate?

Cheers,
M

I dont have one, I'm just thinking "logically" of what might work, I'd try creating the folders manually before going to the effort of formatting it

Nick

madmoe

yoyo wrote: »

I dont have one, I'm just thinking "logically" of what might work, I'd try creating the folders manually before going to the effort of formatting it

Nick

Well just done the format, was not much to backup so have now created new folders and put some files in each.

If anyone who does have one would be kind enough to do a print screen of their folder structure in Windows Explorer that would be sweet. And also are there any special config files present on the drive??

Cheers,
M