Hmmmm, okay thanks for that idea with .mp4, I may try that instead then. But in terms of the .wtv converted .mkv I may have to try it.

Currently I use the .mkv to dvrms profile and it works perfectly... I cannot tell the difference between a native recording and the converted .mkv during playback on the extender, it really is nice, smooth and playable. And these have been .mkv's from all sorts of different sources, no real consistency in terms of anything. 

 Why not just keep doing this you ask? Well although it doesn't take long, It's not speedy either. It sounds like the .mkv to .wtv profile is quite fast (although that is a relative term). Also there is more possiblility for meta data in the .wtv format than the dvr-ms. 

If you doing the encode yourself then I understand why you would just go straight to .mp4, but if you are re-encoding .mkv's to .mp4 then I suggest you try the .mkv to dvrms instead. Thats just my two cents, and you have probably considered this already and did not go that route for some reason I'm not aware of.

Hmmm intersting I am going to have to try this tonight because installing codec packs breaks my live tv and Divx plays video but no audio from MKVs.

I sent a few emails out this morning regarding the WTV file format asking for documentation, apparently this is not the site to do it.

I didn't see an update here, but have been interested in this.  I did notice though that there is a version of DVRMS Toolbox that was made available publicly on January 19th.  I presume this one works and supports what this thread has been discussing for some time now.  However, as I have always had with this tool, I seem to be having trouble getting it to work.  I have downloaded Ben's profile and have tried a number of different profiles, but I always get an error.  There seem to be mencoder options in there, but I want to remux as described in this thread.  I seem to keep getting an error that says it is usually related to memor corruption or something like that.

Anyway, anyone else that wasn't an early adopter try this yet?

Here is the link to the download page (you'll want DVRMSToolbox - 1.2.2.0):

http://babgvant.com/files/folders/dvrmstoolbox/default.aspx

Has anyone had issues playing back converted videos with H264+AC3? I have converted three over using the following DVRMS toolbox and the following command line:

todvrms.exe %SOURCE% %DEST% "-m" "-v" "-wtv"

output:

Using Haali MKV source filter
The preferred source filter for this file type could not be loaded, the default will be used instead
Source filter GUID: e436ebb5-524f-11ce-9f53-0020af0ba770
Error getting length: An invalid media type was specified.
Find Video pin
Get stream pin
Add AttributeEnable Filter
Connect source to AE pin
Add AVC1toH264 Filter
Connect first pin
Add VA Filter
Connect stream/video pin to mpg analyzer
Get input on SBE
Input pin obtained, connect it
Connected Analyzer pin
Grab the connected pin
Grab the connected pin
Grab the connected pin
Got audio pin
Write MetaDataItem WM/ToolName = todvrms
Write MetaDataItem WM/MediaIsMovie = True
Write Attributes
Start Recording
Run the graph

0 - 100% and file is completed

I open the WTV file and in Windows Media Player it plays fine, but in Media Center and on my extender it says a codec isn't supported.

When I open the file in graphedit, I see all streams and it plays fine using the Microsoft DVD-TV Audio and Video Decoders.

I confirmed the firmware on my extenders is the latest rev (All are Linksys 2100/2200s).

I've even gone as far to strip out only a signle Audio and Video stream (AC3 and H264 AVC1) using ffmpeg and remuxing them into an new mkv file before running todvrms, thinking the subtitles could be causing me fits.

The Video plays (with skips and jumps) if it I mux it into a TS container on my extender and plays fine in both MKV and TS in WMC (on my actual PC)

So I'm assuming the video is good, it must be an issue with the remux process into WTV. Am I missing something obvious here?

Just as an FYI, this is a 720P MKV with three streams (H264 AVC, AC3 5.1, and Subtitle) at 8mb/s

I must have missed a few of the postings in this thread. Apparently the issue is that the audio must be AAC not AC3 in order for the Linksys DMA players to play the files. Does this only apply to MP4 files? I've read elsewhere that WTV is supposed to support AAC but haven't found anyone that has succesfully remuxed H264+AAC into WTV. Moreover would it play on the Extenders even if I could mux it?

It's perplexing to think that WTV with MPEG2+AC3 works fine on media center but H264+AC3 doesn't.

I've also thought it may be an issue with haali not reporting the correct information to the avc1toh264 filter preventing needed info from getting muxed into the stream so WMC/Extenders have trouble determining what codec should be used to playback the video....uhhh.. hmmm.

After half typing this, I think I may have solved my issue. I'll check when I get a sec tonight. It appears that HAALI isn't actually installed. :/ This leaves me even more perplexed. How I'm getting MKV conversion, I have no clue.

Ok. so it turns out that installing HAALI didn't resolve the issue. So... I'm not sure. Has anyone gotten H264+AC3 to work in WTV on extenders or in 7MC?

Hi xk2600.  First things first, the Linksys extenders do not support H.264.  No matter what you do with your audio, the file will not play on them.  Second, .WTV files work with MPEG2/H.264 video and AAC/AC3 audio.  You really can't go wrong.  todvrms.exe is a finicky program.  I suggest you try out VideoReDo TVSuite.  http://www.videoredo.com   I've been using it for many years.  You can demux your MKV with TSMUXER to a .ts file.   VideoReDo will remux the file in the .wtv container and it will play in media center on your computer.  your Linksys extenders will not play this though, as they will never support H.264.  (unless they add support later, but they have said they will not)

xk2600

Ok. so it turns out that installing HAALI didn't resolve the issue. So... I'm not sure. Has anyone gotten H264+AC3 to work in WTV on extenders or in 7MC?

 

 

Yes, they work just fine in any computer that can handle the bitrate of your video file.  The XBOX 360 is the only extender that can play H.264 video in .wtv containers.  The bitrate must fall into the H.264 specifications of the 360.

Thanks for your replies. I feel like a total noob. I happened to find two additional threads this morning saying just what you've suggested. It's so frustrating that Cisco has dropped support for the Extenders. I have a pretty big investment in them. Has anyone heard of any communities online looking at hacking at the firmware for these devices? I successfully got a mp4 muxed last night that played h264+aac great.(only 30 second skips, no true ff/rw)

I'm assuming since the device can playback h.264 there would be minimal effort in recompiling a kitchen that would allow this. I have a lot of experience in Windows Embedded, and am somewhat assuming this is the platform that extenders are built on. Anyways, anyone that is interested. Email me: xer0_kelvin@yahoo.com