Choice of decoder for X.264 files (MKV)

[Barsk]

It would be very nice if it was possible to choose which H.264 decoder to use for X.264 encoded MKV files. These kind of files are becoming more and more a standard for HD movies. The config app lets you choose a H.264 decoder, but this then applies only to TS files produces by GB-PVR and Live TV. Extending that choice to also include H.264 stuff from MKV files etc would be most welcome.

One can always play around with the filters and change the priority in which they are loaded, but it is messy.

Zoom player has a very nice interface for this with their Smart Play functionality. I am not looking for the complete functionality of that (even if it would be very nice), simply getting the preferred H.264 decoder for MKV files with X.264-encoded film would be enough.

[adspence]

I concur, because even if you manage to get your DShow filter merits "just right" to get what you want - i.e. CoreAVC for x264/h264 MKVs and Cyberlink PowerDVD for MPEG2/TS or DVDs or Blurays - you always run the risk that the next time you upgrade PDVD (and its by far the biggest culprit of putting itself at the highest merit it can) PVRX2 breaks. Its happened to me loads of times so far, which is why I have a list of all my filters and their merits now I've got it working....just so I can go back and fix them up. Given I know which codecs work properly (i.e. PDVD is hopeless on some x264s for me) I just want to be able to specify and lock them in for the app I use most - PVRX2.

[sub]

All I can give you is a "maybe in a future release". For now GB-PVR only attempts to managed the filters used in the playback of types of files it produces during a recording (.mpg/.ts/.dvr-ms) and anything else (.avi/.mkv etc) will get the system default decoders.

[Barsk]

All I can give you is a "maybe in a future release". For now GB-PVR only attempts to managed the filters used in the playback of types of files it produces during a recording (.mpg/.ts/.dvr-ms) and anything else (.avi/.mkv etc) will get the system default decoders.

Thanks Sub,

but keep in mind that MKV files with H.264 is growing hugely in popularity so this issue is likely to pop up more and more in the future. Especially as the config option does not make clear it only concerns GB-PVR managed recordings. That confuses people (like me ).

Regards
Barsk

[Terrormaster]

I'm curious about this as well. My wife has a ton of anime and various Asian drama's. A good handful of them are in MKV format. I have the Combined Community Codec Pack installed and the videos play fine in GBPVR (and I would assume its due to the default decoders). The issue for us really is that the embedded subtitles don't get processed by GBPVR and don't show.

-TM

[Deusxmachina]

I'm curious about this as well. My wife has a ton of anime and various Asian drama's. A good handful of them are in MKV format. I have the Combined Community Codec Pack installed and the videos play fine in GBPVR (and I would assume its due to the default decoders). The issue for us really is that the embedded subtitles don't get processed by GBPVR and don't show.

I have yet to have any anime MKV (or any other MKV with subs) not show its subtitles through GBPVR. Just sometimes VSfilter needs to be hand-changed to turn them on, which is still rare. The main problem I have with it is I can't find a way to permanently set my preference of Japanese audio or English audio. It apparently just plays audio track 1 unless I manually change it. It hasn't been a big enough annoyance for me to mess with GBPVR's new audio track changing, but I suppose I should do that.

If you don't have VSfilter set to automatically turn on subs, make sure it's set for that.

One thing about various h.264 files growing in popularity in the future is in the future people will have faster and faster CPUs. So as the popularity of those files increases, so will the percentage of people who have CPUs that can play anything. This applies for people wanting to change decoders for video card accelerated playback. It of course wouldn't help people who want to use a specific decoder on a specific file due to some other reason.