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ukbobboy
Legend

A Small Technical Question about MKV Files

Dear Technically Minded Forum Members

 

I have a white Now TV box and from time to time (well, daily) I stream my audio album (MP3) files, via my media server, to my TV's sound system, it's the only way I play my CDs/albums nowadays.

 

Anyway, I was wondering if  the box can handle MKV files as easily as it does MP3s?

 

Any answers or advice will be gratefully received.

 

 

UK Bob

 

PS. No skool like the Old skool Smiley WinkSmiley WinkSmiley WinkSmiley WinkSmiley Wink

 

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
SeeMoreDigital
Legend 5
Legend 5

When testing the capabilities of the 'black' box back in late August 2015, I was able to confirm playback of the following media formats via USB: -

 

MPEG-4 AVC video with 5.1Ch Dolby Digital audio placed within the .mp4 container

MPEG-4 AVC video with 2.0Ch AAC audio placed within the .mp4 container

 

MPEG-4 AVC video with 5.1Ch Dolby Digital audio placed within the .mkv container

MPEG-4 AVC video with 2.0Ch AAC audio placed within the .mkv container

 

MPEG-4 AVC video with 5.1Ch Dolby Digital audio and SRT (UTF-8) subtitles placed within the .mkv container

MPEG-4 AVC video with 2.0Ch AAC audio and SRT (UTF-8) subtitles placed within the .mkv container

 

Sufficed to say, it's very rare for MP3 (MPEG-1 Layer-3) audio streams to appear within .mp4 or .mkv contained files...

 

 

Cheers

View solution in original post

11 REPLIES 11
Anonymous User
Not applicable

The Roku boxes are built to be great at playing video, the earlier models (including the NOW TV white box) are only let down when GUIs need more omph.

Not sure what you are using to play the MP3, but if it can handle video to you should be fine.

commanda6
Legend 5
Legend 5

@Anonymous User wrote:

The Roku boxes are built to be great at playing video, the earlier models (including the NOW TV white box) are only let down when GUIs need more omph.

Not sure what you are using to play the MP3, but if it can handle video to you should be fine.


Hi @ukbobboy

That's a good point actually, what are you using to play the MP3 files on the white box? 

 

I should point out that I remember reading somewhere that the MKV container format will only be supported by Roku/Roku-based devices. If you're using the MKV container format with H264 video codec


I do not work for Now . I am simply a Now customer trying to help I am a Community Contributor This means that I know a lot about the service. But just like you I am still a customer. This means I cannot help you with issues that would involve looking into your account directly. A member of the now TV forum team or live chat will need to assist you with these issues.
ukbobboy
Legend

@commanda6

 

Hi, you can see in my reply to @Anonymous User that I'm using Plex, which is installed on my media server the ReadyNAS Duo v2.

 

It's not powerful enough to handle transcoding but it can "direct play" MP3 & MP4 files to the white smart box, I was just wondering if MKV files can be directly played as well?

 

 

UK Bob

commanda6
Legend 5
Legend 5

@ukbobboy I can't see any reason why MKV files couldn't be played


I do not work for Now . I am simply a Now customer trying to help I am a Community Contributor This means that I know a lot about the service. But just like you I am still a customer. This means I cannot help you with issues that would involve looking into your account directly. A member of the now TV forum team or live chat will need to assist you with these issues.
ukbobboy
Legend

@commanda6

 

I'm gonna give it a go, probably tomorrow.

 

(Listening to Earth, Wind & FireSmiley Wink)

 

 

UK Bob

Anonymous User
Not applicable

H264 on commericaly sold products only play files that obey H264 MPEG profiles...

MKV encoders programs commonly Ignore  the rules and do what they want for PC play back only...

When these programs break h264 rules they break support..

 

 

The roku boxes are still limited in decoder power... So Plex will likely have to transcode High quality BD rips to lower profiles...

 

Most H264 decoder chips are set to Level 4.1 or 4.2 for BD quality feature sets in there firmware...

Bad encoders enable level 5.1 - 6.1 features of h264 incorrectly disabling playback... 

If the level flag is incorrect expect plex to use up PC CPU engaging the transcoder... 

   

ukbobboy
Legend

Well Guys

 

I found out today that VLC, the all purpose media player, can convert MKV files to MP3s or MP4s, I am testing this out of the moment. 

 

 

UK Bob

SeeMoreDigital
Legend 5
Legend 5

When testing the capabilities of the 'black' box back in late August 2015, I was able to confirm playback of the following media formats via USB: -

 

MPEG-4 AVC video with 5.1Ch Dolby Digital audio placed within the .mp4 container

MPEG-4 AVC video with 2.0Ch AAC audio placed within the .mp4 container

 

MPEG-4 AVC video with 5.1Ch Dolby Digital audio placed within the .mkv container

MPEG-4 AVC video with 2.0Ch AAC audio placed within the .mkv container

 

MPEG-4 AVC video with 5.1Ch Dolby Digital audio and SRT (UTF-8) subtitles placed within the .mkv container

MPEG-4 AVC video with 2.0Ch AAC audio and SRT (UTF-8) subtitles placed within the .mkv container

 

Sufficed to say, it's very rare for MP3 (MPEG-1 Layer-3) audio streams to appear within .mp4 or .mkv contained files...

 

 

Cheers

Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hello Forum Watchers,

 

Is there a recommended MKV Application? I want to put my father's DVD Collection on a USB Device connected to his NowTV BlackBox (he can't handle "fiddly little disks" anymore).

 

Thanks in anticipation.