MKV Playback problems

[BigbobOz]

I'm coming across more and more video files that don't play. Latest one plays 1 sec of audio and freezes with what was on live tv just before the file was played.

Any tips on how to get the below to play on the T4?

Thanks,
Rob

Details are:
General
UniqueID/String : 221950793422483004944013081566511070554 (0xA6FA2AFD053FFF7092DC1277BB3F7D5A)
CompleteName : xx.mkv
Format : Matroska
Format_Version : Version 4 / Version 2
FileSize/String : 307 MiB
Duration/String : 54mn 35s
OverallBitRate/String : 785 Kbps
Movie : xx.x265.HEVC-PSA
Encoded_Date : UTC 2017-09-01 10:33:18
Encoded_Application : mkvmerge v15.0.0 ('xx') 64-bit
Encoded_Library/String : libebml v1.3.5 + libmatroska v1.4.5
DURATION : 00:52:59.690000000
NUMBER_OF_FRAMES : 683
NUMBER_OF_BYTES : 24607
_STATISTICS_WRITING_APP : mkvmerge v15.0.0 ('xx') 64-bit
_STATISTICS_WRITING_DATE_UTC : 2017-09-01 10:33:18
_STATISTICS_TAGS : BPS DURATION NUMBER_OF_FRAMES NUMBER_OF_BYTES

Video
ID/String : 1
Format : HEVC
Format/Info : High Efficiency Video Coding
CodecID : V_MPEGH/ISO/HEVC
Duration/String : 54mn 35s
Width/String : 1 280 pixels
Height/String : 720 pixels
DisplayAspectRatio/String : 16:9
FrameRate_Mode/String : Constant
FrameRate/String : 23.976 fps
Default/String : Yes
Forced/String : No

Audio
ID/String : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format_Profile : HE-AAC / LC
CodecID : A_AAC
Duration/String : 54mn 35s
Channel(s)/String : 2 channels
ChannelPositions : Front: L R
SamplingRate/String : 48.0 KHz / 24.0 KHz
Compression_Mode/String : Lossy
Video_Delay/String : 23ms
Default/String : Yes
Forced/String : No

Text
ID/String : 3
Format : UTF-8
CodecID : S_TEXT/UTF8
CodecID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Default/String : Yes
Forced/String : No

[Grumpy_Geoff]

The Wiz can't play HEVC/H.265

[peteru]

Neither the DP-series nor the T-series Beyonwizes can play H.265 / HEVC encoded files. Neither could the WizOTT or the A-series.

If you want to play that file on a T-series, you will need to transcode it to H.264 / AVC. Alternatively, download a different version that is encoded using H.264 / AVC.

[netmask]

A conversion program for H265 to H264 https://sourceforge.net/projects/h-265- ... converter/ based on Handbrake

[BigbobOz]

Ok thanks guys.

Can a NAS transcode it for the BW? If it has enough grunt ie through DLNA etc

[MrQuade]

Can a NAS transcode it for the BW? If it has enough grunt ie through DLNA etc

Yes, though not many NAS boxes can transcode HEVC.
A NVIDIA Shield can, and a homebrew box may have the grunt to do so. I think there is a high end Netgear router than can do the job as well.

[BigbobOz]

Ok thanks

Anyone using a Android TV box? I have a XIaomi Mi box which seems to have the grunt but haven't found a video player I like yet. Kodi initially seemed good but have had indexation problems (worked great with the T4 briefly then went to crap), VLC gets the job done but it's not great for navigating your files and skipping through files is woeful if it works at all...

What are other people using?

[MrQuade]

I run Kodi on a small PC (Asrock Vision 3D).
The thing is quite old now, but can still play HEVC since it has an at least half decent CPU and an NVIDIA graphics card to help where it can (no hardware decoding).

If I was to replace it, then an Intel NUC would be my choice. I wouldn't have the Bluray drive like my current media player, but I find I have barely used that anyway (I play Blurays on an XBox One S). The NUCs come with an i3, i5, or i7 processor (mobile versions) with the built in Intel graphics, which as-of the 7th generation processors, now supports full HEVC encoding and decoding in hardware. Their size, and the fact that they can be controlled via IR with my Harmony means they are a winner in my eyes.

It's not a cheap option, but it is one that offers the most flexibility and power.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

... I have a XIaomi Mi box which seems to have the grunt but haven't found a video player I like yet. Kodi initially seemed good but have had indexation problems (worked great with the T4 briefly then went to crap), VLC gets the job done but it's not great for navigating your files and skipping through files is woeful if it works at all...

I use MX Player on my Android phone and tablet - have you tried that?

[raymondjpg]

I run Kodi on a small PC (Asrock Vision 3D).
The thing is quite old now, but can still play HEVC since it has an at least half decent CPU and an NVIDIA graphics card to help where it can (no hardware decoding).

If I was to replace it, then an Intel NUC would be my choice. I wouldn't have the Bluray drive like my current media player, but I find I have barely used that anyway (I play Blurays on an XBox One S). The NUCs come with an i3, i5, or i7 processor (mobile versions) with the built in Intel graphics, which as-of the 7th generation processors, now supports full HEVC encoding and decoding in hardware. Their size, and the fact that they can be controlled via IR with my Harmony means they are a winner in my eyes.

It's not a cheap option, but it is one that offers the most flexibility and power.

I run Skylake and Kaby Lake NUCs and have found them to be the best option for me as HTPCs in fanless heat dissipation cases. I would suggest the i5 options as best because of a low TDP, although i3s should work too. For an HTPC I would recommend avoiding the i7 options as they have more grunt but are liable to output more heat.

The Kaby Lake has full hardware decoding capability for HEVC Main10, but does run a tad hotter than the Skylake on idle. The Skylake i5 can cope with software decoding of HEVC with modest bitrates without raising the temperature to that of the Kaby Lake, cpu load of 10-20%.

On balance I would favour the Kaby Lake over the Skylake if I wanted to play HEVC. However, be warned that Intel and Microsoft have only undertaken to support Windows 10 on this platform. Linux will work if you want it to, but Windows 10 is a brute to work alongside in a dual boot UEFI setup.

[MrQuade]

On balance I would favour the Kaby Lake over the Skylake if I wanted to play HEVC. However, be warned that Intel and Microsoft have only undertaken to support Windows 10 on this platform. Linux will work if you want it to, but Windows 10 is a brute to work alongside in a dual boot UEFI setup.

I run Windows on my HTPC just for the range of media-based and game software options. I know that OpenElec et al. have decent support these days, but I had a look at some of the mucking about that may be required to get IR remotes working properly, and decided that Windows was just less heartache (plus at the time of purchase, I was also considering using the HTPC to run Microsoft Media Centre as well).

[raymondjpg]

I run Windows on my HTPC just for the range of media-based and game software options. I know that OpenElec et al. have decent support these days, but I had a look at some of the mucking about that may be required to get IR remotes working properly, and decided that Windows was just less heartache (plus at the time of purchase, I was also considering using the HTPC to run Microsoft Media Centre as well).

For me the graphics capability is probably paramount in an HTPC. I don't know what capability OpenElec has in this regard, and from what I have read Linux support of Iris 640 graphics is not nearly so well implemented as in Windows 10. Not that the Windows implementation of Iris 640 in the Kaby Lake NUC doesn't have its problems, particularly with 4K output. That doesn't bother me as the maximum resolution that I use for video playback is 1080p.

Microsoft Media Center is still working in Windows 10, having survived the Creators Update, but there is really no guarantee that it will keep working with future updates and releases.

[MrQuade]

For me the graphics capability is probably paramount in an HTPC.

Agreed, driver support really trumps everything in the latest Intel chipsets. I am glad that they finally took the framerate issue seriously, and now they have the best support for 23.976fps of just about any GPU out there by any brand.

Just another added bonus of a full-fat HTPC is that you could also run a Plex server on it and serve up media to your other networked devices. You could even use it to transcode those HEVC videos to a T series Beyonwiz!

[BigbobOz]

I like my Synology NAS but plex isn't supported on it's chip and probably couldn't manage the transcoding in any instance. It's 4 years old, so old but not that old. I wasn't a massive fan of the Plex client on the Beyonwiz's either.

Besides, when I have mucked around with Plex on a pc and it had the same issues with all playback options that rely on the server indexing, it's just not reliable enough or is it just me? Every indexing style software I have used mostly works but not consistently enough to not get frustrated with it. Either it just refuses to acknowledge a new file is there or some individual files it chooses to ignore no matter how many reindexes you do etc. Or they asign the wrong show/movie but then make it painful to make the change. Worse still, leave the wrong entry there and add the new one!
End rant...

The NUCs are more too big for what I'm after. I might look at the stick pc's. HVEC seems to be hardware acceleration supported. Perhaps Kodi on a pc will play nice with the Beyonwiz's as well...but I'm back relying on an indexer...

Thank you all for the feedback!
Rob

[netmask]

The Popcorn A-500 plays HEVC and everything else - it's all I use for my video files other than native BW. (it plays them as well being TS)

[BigbobOz]

Popcorn Hour! That's a flash back for me. I bought the original A100. Interface wasn't great or snappy but it got the job done!

Perhaps I need to go for something like this. Thanks!

[netmask]

Popcorn Hour! That's a flash back for me. I bought the original A100. Interface wasn't great or snappy but it got the job done!

Perhaps I need to go for something like this. Thanks!

https://www.cloudmedia.com/?product=a-500

[raymondjpg]

Popcorn Hour! That's a flash back for me. I bought the original A100. Interface wasn't great or snappy but it got the job done!

Perhaps I need to go for something like this. Thanks!

https://www.cloudmedia.com/?product=a-500

Are they still limiting navigation skip forward and back to a minimum of 30 seconds?

[netmask]

Skip on the A500, I never use it but it is about 30 seconds not configurable. However the numerical keys give you % jumps ie 2 is 20% etc. I add chapters to all my mkv files. I've been badgering them to add configurable jumps but as you are not dealing with a PVR so jumping commercials is not an issue. As I'm hard of hearing a facility I like is the ability to get it to go away and find the sub for you. Works really well. Takes seconds to download. Stop the playback start again and voila subs..handles HEVC files ok.

[raymondjpg]

Skip on the A500, I never use it but it is about 30 seconds not configurable. However the numerical keys give you % jumps ie 2 is 20% etc. I add chapters to all my mkv files. I've been badgering them to add configurable jumps but as you are not dealing with a PVR so jumping commercials is not an issue. As I'm hard of hearing a facility I like is the ability to get it to go away and find the sub for you. Works really well. Takes seconds to download. Stop the playback start again and voila subs..handles HEVC files ok.

Like you I prefer subs, not so much because I am hard of hearing, but because not everyone has diction like Ralph Richardson. I also value being able to skip back 10 seconds with one button push to revisit "what did they just say?".

I had an A-400 and it was one of the best built and finished pieces of hardware I had came across. Also, like you, I badgered them for configurable jumps but they claimed anything less than 30 seconds would infringe Tivo patents. Everyone else was able to find a way, so I saw their argument as a lame excuse for inertia and eventually I gave up on the nice piece of hardware, let down in my opinion by poor software engineering.