$25 Raspberry Pi running XBMC

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254 posts

Ultimate Geek

#713869 7-Nov-2012 22:41

To Play my MKV files do I need to buy this MPEG-2 license key?

http://www.raspberrypi.com/mpeg-2-license-key/

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reven

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#713884 7-Nov-2012 23:28

mkv is a container, so mpeg2 could be in a mkv file, but chances are it isnt.

so no for most files.

i do recommend you spend the 2pounds or so and buy the license though

hellonearthisman

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#713885 7-Nov-2012 23:29

Blanch: To Play my MKV files do I need to buy this MPEG-2 license key?

http://www.raspberrypi.com/mpeg-2-license-key/

No, the MPEG-2 is for DVD viewing and the like. MKV doesn't normally use MPEG encoding.

Blanch

254 posts

Ultimate Geek

#713893 8-Nov-2012 00:15

Thanks for the help guys, I've used MakeMKV to try and watch my DVDs on the raspberry Pi, I’m getting audio but no video.

timmmay

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#713911 8-Nov-2012 07:23

Try creating your MKVs using handbrake.

srob

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Master Geek

#713922 8-Nov-2012 07:55

Blanch: Thanks for the help guys, I've used MakeMKV to try and watch my DVDs on the raspberry Pi, I’m getting audio but no video.

I had the same problem. I purchased the licence and then video worked.

reven

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#713927 8-Nov-2012 08:26

if you're using makemkv to rip dvds, then yes that would take the mpeg2 video stream and store it in a mkv, so then you would need the mpeg2 license. this isnt common, most people dont do this.

most people would rip the dvds with something like handbrake which would also convert the video (makemkv just does a direct rip), which allows for nearly exact same quality (its reencoding so there will be some loss, you probably couldnt tell though, i never have been able to) at a much smaller file size.

for dvds i usually rip to mp4 using handbrake.

Blanch

254 posts

Ultimate Geek

#714397 8-Nov-2012 21:26

Thanks, The Handbrake files looked grainy compared to Makemkv’s on my 32 720p TV and I thought they would look worse when I get to upgrade. I’ll have a look at my Handbrake settings.

smbunn

107 posts

Master Geek

#714430 8-Nov-2012 22:49

I converted all 260 DVDs and Blu Rays on my Media Centre to MP4 files using Handbrake. The settings are important, using the defaults will not do the best job for a big screen, even using "high profile".

I set "Regular High Profile" to start and then change settings as follows;
picture tab : anamorphic - loose, cropping automatic
Video filters tab: everything set to off
Video tab : H.264 (x264), Frame rate same as source, constant quality 16
Audio : first track set to AC3, 5.1 ch, and the I add tracks for DTS or DTS-HD as the next available tracks. I remove directors comments etc otherwise you tend to end up with those as the default track. I suspect players go for the easiest track first, so stereo AC3 directors beats 5.2 ch AC3.
Subtitles : you choice but do not choose burned in unless you want them as part of the video file.
Chapters : works fine on its own from a DVD
Advanced tab: 8x8 transform on, this seems to be the biggest improvement in image, and I heard some players do not support it, but the Raspberry Pi handles it just fine. Everything else I leave defaults. Files come out at about 1.8GB from a DVD of 4.7GB and I have tried side by side comparison on identical 1080p monitors and cannot see the difference.

I save to MP4 format, you need to change the file extension, it defaults to M4V for the apple devices, but is exactly the same file.

Now all my movies fit in under 1 TB and play perfectly on the XBIAN version of XBMC on my Raspberry Pi.

timmmay

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#714481 9-Nov-2012 07:24

Speaking of Handbrake presets, I tried to put my partners LotR DVD onto the computer so she could watch it through the big screen (we have no DVD player). It worked fine but I couldn't get 5.1 sound to work, though PS3 media centre, a PS3, and a Onkyo 5xx receiver. I tried AC3 passthrough, AC3 5.1, DTS, DTS master, all sorts of things, but it only ever came through as 2 channel or faulty 5 channel, sometimes it was just static. Are there any tricks?

reven

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#714484 9-Nov-2012 08:10

using High Profiler, it makes 2 tracks 1 2 channel aac and 1 pass through track i believe (or maybe ac3), if you delete the first track sometimes the 2 track becomes 2 channel as well. ive had issues with this myself, sometimes ive needed to make them as a mkv then just reorder the track using mkvmerge so 5.1/dts/whatever is the first track (or remove the 2aac one completely)

timmmay

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#714485 9-Nov-2012 08:14

I did about 20 tests, each with only one sound type in them. Starting to wonder if it's a PS3/PS3 media server issue. I didn't try the Pi, the updates have broken it I think, I have to re-image it when I get around to it.

reven

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#714505 9-Nov-2012 09:07

just the videos in vlc player, and then just check media information (or codec info, something like that).

it might very well be the upnp server.

smbunn

107 posts

Master Geek

#714522 9-Nov-2012 09:29

I have endless problems with the audio tracks. Often I encode with handbrake using "preview" set for about 20 seconds, but starting with one of the middle chapters so I definitely have the movie rather than the often silent opening credits. I then open the created file in VLC and look at "media information" which tells me all of the audio tracks created and their formats. You can select each audio track while playing in VLC and see if they are all working.

I then sometime use YAMB if the audio track I want is not working, to strip out all audio and then merge directly with the original DVD audio. This is quite easy to do, you just select the DVD as one of the source files in YAMB and I have had good results.

I thought I would have an issue with synchronization doing this but so far so good. My "Star Trek" copy has AC3 5.1, DTS and DTS-HD all working just fine in the MP4 file. If sync does become an issue you can fix this within VLC or use programs like MKVmerge or YAMB to fix it.

Most common problem seems to be where audio streams are confused by my Onkyo so instead of getting pass-through decoded into 7.1 I get loud popping and clicking, which I assume means its trying to play the stream as audio, rather than realizing it has to decode it first. I am not knowledgeable enough to figure out why.

good luck.

reven

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#714540 9-Nov-2012 10:01

one could always use makemkv to get the raw audio and video in a mkv container, then just encode the video with handbrake, open both files say

mymovie_makemkv.mkv
mymovie_handbrake.mkv

into mkvmerge and then select the audio + subtitle tracks from mymovie_makemkv.mkv and the video track from the mymovie_handbrake.mkv.

this would be a pretty tedious task however.

i just wrote a little app that ripped the dvds with dvd decrypter to a folder, then it would add that folder to a queue, then process that queue with handbrake on highprofile. ripping the dvd took about 10 mins, handbrake encoding took about 30 mins to an hour. i did this for about 300 dvds... no way was I going to do those all manually (so i just had to wait for the dvd to eject, take it out insert new one, close dvd tray).

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