Hey all,

I am having difficulty getting MKV files to playback with sound. Without installing any codecs I am able to play the mkv files in Windows Media Center but they do not have any sound. I have installed Haali Media Splitter, suggested over at Windows7HTPC.com, but that does not seem to do the trick.

Relevant hardware I have:
Gigabyte EP45-UD3P Motherboard
PNY GTX 275 2688MB Video Card (HDMI output to AV Receiver)

Any advice?

P.S. These are MKV files that I made using MakeMKV, when I created the files I did select both the HD sound and DD or DTS tracks.

My guess is the audio track is DTS, so it will not play in Media Center with out a decoder. I would down load AC3 filter that way if it is DTS it will play fine in Media Center.

As a clarification to Alton987's comments, note that a lot depends on how the audio is connected to whatever device is playing the sound.

 For example, with no audio codecs or anything other than Haali installed, my Win7 system plays DTS and AC3 (DD) content just fine. But only because I'm connected via SPDIF to a receiver that can decode them. If I were outputting to a receiver that only decoded DD then I would hear nothing when playing DTS tracks, unless I had AC3Filter or something like it installed so it could convert the DTS to AC3 in realtime during playback.

If you're connected to something that can't do either of those, again without AC3Filter installed and configured to decode, you'll get no sound.

Or, maybe you've got everything hooked up fine but the sound output device isn't selected properly in one of a couple places such as the Sound Playback Device selection screen.

Or, perhaps the HD audio track is seen as the first audio track but your playback device can't handle it?

Marc

I have an OnkyoTX-SR505 AV receiver that does decode DD and DTS.

When I play the files in Media Player outside of Media Center they play just fine, but not in Media Center... I have tried many codec's and the only combination that works for me is haali + fddshow 64

I just have the feeling that something is not working correctly somewhere if your system plays them but mine wont?

Maybe its because my Windows 7 Home P x64 is an upgrade from Windows Vista Home P x64?

When I try Shark007 i get studdering, when I try ACfilter i get fastforward playback...

Or, perhaps the HD audio track is seen as the first audio track but your playback device can't handle it?

Perhaps, I dont believe my Video Card can bitstream HD audio, maybe this is the problem?

David.knowlton:

When I try Shark007 i get studdering, when I try ACfilter i get fastforward playback...

I recently (with the current releases, version 237 for 32bit and 241 of the x64 addon) fixed several audio issues releated to S/PDIF output. I suggest you try the current versions (from MajorGeeks) and make these few changes from default..

At the bottom of both settings applications, choose to use the suggested settings
and again, in both apps, On the Audio TAB, choose to use FFDshow passthrough

 

Shark007:

David.knowlton:

When I try Shark007 i get studdering, when I try ACfilter i get fastforward playback...

I recently (with the current releases, version 237 for 32bit and 241 of the x64 addon) fixed several audio issues releated to S/PDIF output. I suggest you try the current versions (from MajorGeeks) and make these few changes from default..

At the bottom of both settings applications, choose to use the suggested settings
and again, in both apps, On the Audio TAB, choose to use FFDshow passthrough

I just followed these instructions and now have perfect audio no matter what formats I play!

Thanks Shark007!

I recently (with the current releases, version 237 for 32bit and 241 of the x64 addon) fixed several audio issues releated to S/PDIF output. I suggest you try the current versions (from MajorGeeks) and make these few changes from default.. At the bottom of both settings applications, choose to use the suggested settings and again, in both apps, On the Audio TAB, choose to use FFDshow passthrough

Can you explain why this would be better than just using Haali and FFDShow?

David.knowlton:

Can you explain why this would be better than just using Haali and FFDShow?

I have no experience what-so-ever with using only haali and ffdshow.

In your earlier post you mentioned trying to use the Shark007 releases,
so I stepped in and did share the knowledge i do have experience with.

Thanks Shark, I appreciate your input.

I am just trying to get an understanding about codec and how it all works. Do you have any advice on resources I can look into to gain a better understanding?

David.knowlton:

Thanks Shark, I appreciate your input.

I am just trying to get an understanding about codec and how it all works. Do you have any advice on resources I can look into to gain a better understanding?

To the best of my knowledge, there isnt any. My knowledge comes from personal experience. I am not young. i wrote mt 1st program in DOS BASIC in 1976. I was hooked then, and still am today.

My codec History: I got so fed up with codecpacks destroying the systems I was maintaing that I began to build a pack for personal use. 5 years ago, I began to share this pack of codecs with a few friends on a techy forum I used to frequent. These friends eventually convinced me to share with the world. I made my 1st release February 4th 2006, and continue to improve these releases today.

To answer the question about Haali + FFDShow only, Shark007's "Win7codecs" also has Flac support, and M2TS support... and sub-titles... and a central "configurator" (sorry to borrow that term from Media Browser).

? what CPU are you running?

David.knowlton:

I am just trying to get an understanding about codec and how it all works. Do you have any advice on resources I can look into to gain a better understanding?

The best place to look is the Media SDK (part of the Platform SDK). it is geared towards developers though. But like Shark mentioned, personal experience is what most people go by. Get to know Graph Studio as well if you haven't already used it.

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