MKV files in Vista Media Centre x64 ....AGAIN

sWiZzLe · 18 Dec 2008 at 17:39

I've just got MKV files to run perfectly in Vista Media Centre 64 and i thought i should share how i did it in case any of you are still struggling to do this.

Unfortunately i have yet to figure out how to get subtitles to work in VMC64

I hear that there is a 64bit version of Vobsub, but i cannot find it.

First remove all codecs, i ran a registry cleaner and rebooted just to make sure everything was gone.

Download and install this: Vista Codec x64 Components 1.5.8

If when you cannot see in mkv files in VMC then copy the following into notepad, save as .reg and run it.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.mkv]
@="mkvfile"
"PerceivedType"="video"

At this point when i try to play mkv videos the picture plays a lot slower than the audio and stutters a lot!

Go to: Start - All Programs - VistaCodecs - 64bit Tools and run Video decoder configuration

Under Codecs disable the top decoder H.264/AVC and OK it.

Now when you play mkv files in Vista Media Centre it uses MPC Video Decoder instead and pretty much all media runs perfectly, providing you dont have many programs running in the background.

I have tried to get M2TS files to work in VMC but i read somewhere that the only codec which can decode it is CoreAVC, but after installing this, MKV files encounter syncing problems.

I am currently using an AMD Athlon 5600+ Not the Phenom i have in my sig.

I hope this works as well for you as it has for me

no_1_dave · 19 Dec 2008 at 00:02

Yes you need the 64bit codecs however when you load Media Centre you are actually loading the 32bit version. You need to go into program files to run the 64bit version, the shortcut is to the 32bit version.

Install the 32bit Vobsub to get subtitles.

I installed:
Vista codec pack x64
Vista Components x64
Haali Media Splitter
FFD Show

Everything works great, no probs with anything running in media centre.
ok, only annoying thing is in Vobsub, subs come on as default so if the x264 file has subs you need to manually turn them off...

Mine looks like this:

benjo · 19 Dec 2008 at 00:05

A slight hijack. But I'm yet to find a decent media player to playback HD MKV files(4GB+). I've tried the latest VLC and WMPC. Both freeze when trying to skip to different sections. Is this the same with most players and is just down to the hardware(hdd?)?.

sWiZzLe · 19 Dec 2008 at 01:48

no_1_dave said:
when you load Media Centre you are actually loading the 32bit version.

I don't have a 32bit version on mine, when i run the shortcut it opens the 64bit version :/

benjo said:
A slight hijack. But I'm yet to find a decent media player to playback HD MKV files(4GB+). I've tried the latest VLC and WMPC. Both freeze when trying to skip to different sections. Is this the same with most players and is just down to the hardware(hdd?)?.

The 'freezing' problem is due to (in my experience), cpu usage of the media player getting too high. Below is a screeny of a 1080p film i was watching with the above setup, note the cpu usage is around 3%. If i skip forward with this, cpu usage can rise to between 25 and 60%, but drops back to around 3-5 once its synced back up. The freezing happens when the starting cpu usage is reasonably high, so when you try to skip forward/backwards the cpu usage gets to 100% or close and freezes. If the starting cpu usage is low then the media should sync back up almost instantly.

dbmzk1 · 19 Dec 2008 at 02:02

Just use 32bit. It's so much more simple!

Get this along with this and this, all in 32bit. All your problems will be solved!

sWiZzLe · 19 Dec 2008 at 04:33

dbmzk1 said:
Just use 32bit. It's so much more simple!

Get this along with this and this, all in 32bit. All your problems will be solved!

To use Media Player Classic? I do use that, but the point is, that i want to use Media Centre.

no_1_dave said:
I installed:
Vista codec pack x64
Vista Components x64
Haali Media Splitter
FFD Show

What versions? And er...aren't Vista codec pack x64 & Vista Components x64 the same thing?

Ive installed the 32bit version earlier, but it looks like Vobsub only works with ffdshow, but if i enable ffdshow to decode video, nothing plays well.

I tried a film with subs and with ffdshow disabled, cpu usage was at no more than 5%, but no subs. With ffdshow enabled, subs appeared but cpu was at 60% and the film was unwatchable

Stonedofmoo · 19 Dec 2008 at 08:23

no_1_dave said:
Yes you need the 64bit codecs however when you load Media Centre you are actually loading the 32bit version.

No, you're not. Vista x64 does not have a 32bit version of Media Center.
This is why you need x64 codecs to play back mkv's on Vista x64's Media Center.

End of. The only way to make Media Center run in 32bit mode on Vista x64 is a long winded hack involving copying files.

Cob · 19 Dec 2008 at 09:26

CoreAVC is the best codec for MKV's.

Snakedoctor · 19 Dec 2008 at 09:30

Edit: Sorry was a little harsh! I have been able to run MKV's without issue in 64 bit WMC for a very long time now and was suprised anyone had any issues. Personally I find Media Centre a little slow to use and navigate through, I find it easier to browse for the file in explorer and double click it. I do very rarely use it for Freeview, but have VM and use an STB mainly. I prefer VLC these days also as it is a nice lite video player that plays everything out of the box pretty much. I use s/pdif over coax output.

sWiZzLe · 19 Dec 2008 at 12:45

Cob said:
CoreAVC is the best codec for MKV's.

But doesnt work in media centre :/

MPC Video Decoder is one of the few codecs which uses DirectX Video Acceleration to offload the decoding to the GPU, which is why it runs so well in VMC because if you scan forward, it doesnt freeze and takes no time to sync up!

CoreAVC and FFdshow cannot use DXVA.

Memphis · 19 Dec 2008 at 13:28

Snakedoctor said:
Welcome to jan 2007.

Wow. What a ****.

helmutcheese · 19 Dec 2008 at 13:37

Wrong thread Soz.

Stonedofmoo · 19 Dec 2008 at 13:56

helmutcheese said:
With what I posted above it plays no problem Vista 64 Ult (skipping forward/backwards does not stutter).

You'd best post something above then

Spider · 19 Dec 2008 at 18:49

Thanks. Wish I'd seen this 6 weeks ago!
Spent the best part of a month trying to get the 64bit version of VMC to play MKV files. tried single codec's, codec packs, registry hacks, EVERYTHING I could find on google, and nothing worked. In the end I went back to 32bit.....

thepharcyde · 20 Dec 2008 at 09:06

I love all these codecs flying about. I have VMC and a wireless keyboard and found that codec after codec (mainly packs) just screws everything up i.e. lipsync.

Op not a solution to playing in VMC but KM Player is a fantastic bit of kit. I then user PowerDVD 8 for my Bluray Disc (yes only have one

) roll on xmas.......

sWiZzLe · 22 Dec 2008 at 13:02

no_1_dave said:
only annoying thing is in Vobsub, subs come on as default so if the x264 file has subs you need to manually turn them off..

If you don't need the subs then why not download MKVToolnix and use MKVmerge to remove the subtitles and remux it. Only takes about 10 minutes or so

sWiZzLe · 20 Jan 2009 at 11:15

Just tried this in Windows 7 and it works perfectly.

The new Media Centre is so much better than the Vista one

bledd · 20 Jan 2009 at 11:19

yup, i can confirm this

, works perfectly in W7

nice one microsoft