WDTV (Gen 2) - MKV header compression issue.

[BLASTO]

Need some help.
I have this WDTV device (gen 2 - WDTV live equivalent but without firmware updates) and it does not play mkvs with compressed header (known issue).

I need to know if there is a best way out of this situation or to abandon this idea and get a better player.


1) How do I know what mkv files I have from a gazillion mkv files in a 2TB disk are header compressed? Is there an easy way to list them?? Figuring it out via the device is hard as random files hang the device.

2) Once I find out, what format should I convert them to? What tool to use? Is there a tool that will do this instantaneously? If not how long does it take for an average 8GB file?

Can anyone please help?

 

[baijuxavior]

I will answer the second question. You can use an older version of mkvtoolnix like V3.0 to convert your mkv files. The conversion will take only a minute or so on an i3 laptop.

Index of /videotools/mkvtoolnix/win32/

Edit: Found this useful thread for your first query- fixMKV v2 *updated* - MKV Header Compression fix - Doom9's Forum

 

[sam9s]

Need some help.
I have this WDTV device (gen 2 - WDTV live equivalent but without firmware updates) and it does not play mkvs with compressed header (known issue).

I need to know if there is a best way out of this situation or to abandon this idea and get a better player.


1) How do I know what mkv files I have from a gazillion mkv files in a 2TB disk are header compressed? Is there an easy way to list them?? Figuring it out via the device is hard as random files hang the device.

2) Once I find out, what format should I convert them to? What tool to use? Is there a tool that will do this instantaneously? If not how long does it take for an average 8GB file?

Can anyone please help?

You need to Check if an MKV file has Header Removal Enabled. For that, you can use mkvInfo tool, which comes with mkvMerge. If you have ....
Algorithm: 3(Header Removal) under content encoading=>content compression, you might face problem playing the file in WDTV

SOLUTION :::

1. Download MKVToolnix
2. Install MKVToolnix then go to where you install MKVToolnix (usually C:\Program Files\MKVtoolnix)
3. Double click on mmg.exe to run MKVMerge GUI
4. Find the MKV file you want to remux. Load it into MKVMerge GUI
5. Once loaded, click on the Video layer, click on the Extra Options tab and change the Compression to "NONE"
6. Click on the Audio Layer, click on the Extra Options tab and change the Compression to "NONE"
7. Set Output Filename accordingly
8. Start Muxing

This would remove the header compression. I am not sure how and where, I got this but it works. I did couple of removals to get the file working on my WDTV. But since I moved to HTPC havent faced any such issue.

 

[Santy]

What is meant by header compression? I do have some videos that won't play or play fast without audio. Same with FLAC, though very few files- it doesn't play. Is it because of header compression issue?

 

[BLASTO]

I customised the bat file slightly and all the files in 2tb disk are remuxed as required overnight!! :clapping:

Thanks.