Echo Video Formats Playback

[mldenison]

Folks,

I've always used my two Echos for Recorded/Live TV.

Lately, I've been trying to get ripped DVDs and other video files to play on the Echo.

Here's my results:

MKV - DVDs and videos converted play fine

MPG - Do not work. A message 'Video Error' is displayed stating that the file type is unrecognized or the codec is unsupported.

WMV - The audio is fine. There is no video.

All play fine in WMC on my HTPC.

I have installed the Shark007 codec packages (x32 and x64) on my Windows x64 system.

Are MPGs and WMVs playable on the Echo? If so, do I have a Shark007 issue?

It appears that WMVs aren't referenced in the Shark007 configuration.

I also have a problem in the Shark007 32 bit configuration in the SWAP tab. I'm unable to change the Microsoft codec setting to the ffdShow codec setting as Shark007 is unable to disable the Microsoft codec, according to the message displayed.

Any help/advice is appreciated.

[kingwr]

I had approx 200 ripped DVDs stored in MPG files on my system that were copied MPEG-2 video (no conversion) and converted MPEG-1 Layer I audio (originally done for V1 extender support). These played on my Echo with both video and audio, although there was a lot of stutter in the video. My WMV files (both DVD rips and produced via MovieMaker) played the same way you described - audio but no video. This was obviously never fixed, although WMV 9 format was listed in compatibility of the Echo at one time.

[lithium630]

The key to Echo happiness seems to be very specific formats. I keep my movies all in WTV (h264 or mpeg2) and they all play fine. I had a bunch of old kid shows in AVI and the echo choked. I'm in the process of converting them to MP4 and they play fine.

[mldenison]

I guess that's what I'm going to have to do. MKVs play fine. All the MPGs that wouldn't play, played fine when converted to MKVs.

The vagueness of the Echo....

[Sammy2]

mkv's that are blu-ray rips are hit and miss.. mostly miss due to the bit rate being too high.

[mldenison]

I've got two blu-ray rips. They both play fine. Lucky?

[Sammy2]

I've got two blu-ray rips. They both play fine. Lucky?

Are these mkv files?

Care to share your codec settings?

What titles are they?

[mldenison]

They're both mkv files. The movies are Taken and Taken 2. Both were ripped on my PC using DVDFab. The PC has no codecs installed other than what came with Windows 7 or perhaps installed by DVDFab. They're being played back on my HTPC which has the Shark007 codec packages installed. I'm pretty ignorant about codecs. Are they something that is embedded in the mkv file when ripped or used during playback?

I set up the Shark007 settings from here: http://shark007.net/forum/Thread-Advanc ... e-possible

I was unable to set 'Disable Windows Media Foundation' under Swap for 64 bit settings. I get an error message about videos open on the desktop, which there aren't if I'm interpreting the message correctly.

I can't tell if the Shark007 codecs do anything or are even working. I was meaning to uninstall them to see if there would be any change but didn't want to mess anything up.

[christoph86]

I haven't had much luck with MKV on my echo. I have shark codec installed on my htpc. I can play mkv on my htpc no problem. I get audio only on my echo most of the time. I say most of the time because a couple times I have tried playing an mkv on the echo it worked, but then I tried to play it again at a later time and it was back to audio only. Recorded shows and wtv files play fine. MP4 seems to play fine. I think I'll just convert to MP4 from here on out on non DRM material.

[Shark007]

I haven't had much luck with MKV on my echo. I have shark codec installed on my HTPC.

Before connecting your echo to Media Center, on the MKV TAB of my Settings Application,
there is a checkbox for [x] Alternate Extender support - Echo users seem to have better luck using that option.
I cannot confirm because I am not an echo owner.

[christoph86]

I haven't had much luck with MKV on my echo. I have shark codec installed on my HTPC.

Before connecting your echo to Media Center, on the MKV TAB of my Settings Application,
there is a checkbox for [x] Alternate Extender support - Echo users seem to have better luck using that option.
I cannot confirm because I am not an echo owner.

I will give this a try tomorrow. I will set up shark codec and then reconnect my extender. My echo was connected prior to having installed shark.

[christoph86]

Well I still have the sound only on playing back the mkv on the echo after reconnecting my echo to my htpc.

[Limpice]

What'z up guys? I just got my Ceton Echo extender in just a couple weeks ago. I got it set up just fine but had one hell of a time playing around with the video formatting. I did get the MP4 format working but it has to be converted to an Apple Tv format (i-pod - i-phone - ipad - apple tv) that will give you the H.264 format your looking for. But the one big thing about that is my Xbox 360 don't really like playing that format. I'm still looking for a good format that will work for both the Xbox 360 & the Echo. I just started playing around with the other formats but still have not worked out all the kinks just yet. I'll try playing around with the MKV format a little if I'm not mistaking the Xbox 360 should play it.

[lithium630]

WTV was by far the most reliable format for me. The only problem is its not compatible with a lot of stuff outside of Media Center.

[mldenison]

I purchased VideoReDo and recoded a number of MKV's that would not play on my Echo using their 264.MKV codec. They all play fine now. I've also used it to recode WTV's to 264.MKV for shows I want to keep - smaller file size. Their built-in ad remover works great for WTV's. I use DVDFab to remove copy protection form DVD's, then VideoReDo to make 264.MKV's.

It's expensive ($95) but I have not had much success with other recoding software.

[Limpice]

Yeah it looks like MKV format will work on both the Xbox 360 & Echo. But yeah like you said out side of WMC you may run into some complications. Why is it that Centon don't have it listed as one of the supported formats?


Mldenison:

There are a lot of good free video converters out there like (Any Video Convert or Freemake Video Converter). I mostly use Divx convert that comes with Divx10.

[ajhieb]

Yeah it looks like MKV format will work on both the Xbox 360 & Echo. But yeah like you said out side of WMC you may run into some complications. Why is it that Centon don't have it listed as one of the supported formats?

The Echo (and other extenders) are pretty much container-agnostic, which is why they didn't list MKV as a supported format. The container doesn't really matter as long as the WMC PC is able to properly split the video and deliver it to the extender. What does matter is the codec supported, and how well that codec is supported.

The Echo and the 360 both seem to support H.264 video and AAC or AC3 audio contianed in MKV, MP4 M2TS and even AVI containers, but the problems you run into are things like bitrates, Ref frames, B frames, subtitles, framerates, and probably other things as well. All of those can affect how well a given video will playback on an extender.

[Limpice]

Yeah it looks like MKV format will work on both the Xbox 360 & Echo. But yeah like you said out side of WMC you may run into some complications. Why is it that Centon don't have it listed as one of the supported formats?

The Echo (and other extenders) are pretty much container-agnostic, which is why they didn't list MKV as a supported format. The container doesn't really matter as long as the WMC PC is able to properly split the video and deliver it to the extender. What does matter is the codec supported, and how well that codec is supported.

The Echo and the 360 both seem to support H.264 video and AAC or AC3 audio contianed in MKV, MP4 M2TS and even AVI containers, but the problems you run into are things like bitrates, Ref frames, B frames, subtitles, framerates, and probably other things as well. All of those can affect how well a given video will playback on an extender.

yeah I know ty guys for all the help and the fast response

[lithium630]

The container makes a difference if you want to use fast forward and rewind.

[christoph86]

Yeah it looks like MKV format will work on both the Xbox 360 & Echo. But yeah like you said out side of WMC you may run into some complications. Why is it that Centon don't have it listed as one of the supported formats?

The Echo (and other extenders) are pretty much container-agnostic, which is why they didn't list MKV as a supported format. The container doesn't really matter as long as the WMC PC is able to properly split the video and deliver it to the extender. What does matter is the codec supported, and how well that codec is supported.

The Echo and the 360 both seem to support H.264 video and AAC or AC3 audio contianed in MKV, MP4 M2TS and even AVI containers, but the problems you run into are things like bitrates, Ref frames, B frames, subtitles, framerates, and probably other things as well. All of those can affect how well a given video will playback on an extender.

yeah I know ty guys for all the help and the fast response

Theoretically this may be true, but in reality my xbox can handle many videos that my echo can't. I like the echo for live tv, but I've given up on it as far as movie playback goes. I just use the xbox for that. I use TS and M2TS for bluray and plays great on XBOX.