Topic: .mkv and .avi file problems

[brickbatz]

Not sure but you may need Chaneru... http://www.chaneru.com/

[6pairsofshoes]

Thanks, brickbatz.  That looks promising!

[CADguru]

Hi 6pairs!
I don't really have suggestions on how you can solve the situation but I'll try to add a bit to the explanation about containers.
Imagine .mkv, .avi (etc) as boxes. Let's say mkv is a blue box and avi is a red box. From outside they look pretty much the same, just different colors. It's what's inside that matters. Both can support various types of video and audio codecs.
Why you see differences in sizes? It depends on what you download. For example, the norm for TV shows releases is:
a) for SD (Standard Definition) releases using the xvid video codec the preferred container is avi.
b) for SD releases using the h.264 video codec the preferred container is mp4. The specific codec leads to a smaller filesize for the same quality or a better quality for the same filesize, compared to xvid in avis.
c) for 720p (HD-High Definition) releases using the h.264 codec the preferred container is mkv. Such releases usually are about 3 times the filesize of SD mp4 releases but come with a very improved image (compared).

To complicate things, even a specific codec can have numerous adjustments. H.264 can be set in one of various profiles (baseline, main, high etc) or it can be set in one of various levels (3, 4, 4.1 etc). What problem might arise from that? You might download something the software/hardware you have cannot handle! It may have the mkv extension like the previous you downloaded and played just fine but that doesn't mean it has the same requirements for handling it. I don't say it's related to your problem but in general it's better to stick with specific sources from where you get stuff. The site/the uploader/the description of file. One very useful tool to look what's inside a container is MediaInfo. But to check a file you have to download it first. 

[smokester]

Thank you CADguru for such an informative reply.  I see your guruness does not stop at CAD.

[CADguru]

Thank you. You know knowledge is collective (or something). For example, a part of my post is things I learned from a user in Demonoid but I can't recall his name.

[xtopave]

a part of my post is things I learned from a user in Demonoid but I can't recall his name.

That user certainly wasn't xtopave. 

Welcome to Diasfora, CADguru!

[smokester]

Was is the Major? Wasn't he a bit of a guru too?

[6pairsofshoes]

Thanks, CADguru.  I have a general understanding of the principles of the compression/decompression variances in the different formats, but it's really arbitrary whether an mkv file will load and burn properly in Toast Titanium for the purposes of creating a dvd that will play in my standalone player.  Sometimes they work fine.  Sometimes the mkv files eat an entire dvd with little room for any other files, and sometimes they burn without audio.  I can't explain this, except to suggest that it may depend on the manner in which they were coded in the first place.

Clearly the problem would be solved if I could avoid that intermediate step, which is why I was wondering about the Roku player in my closet.  I haven't used it for a while, but when I did it was purely for streaming Netflix content.  It may be the case that the software running the thing is locked exclusively into performing only that service and that it cannot be adapted for streaming those avi or mkv files directly to the TV. 

[brickbatz]

6, did you look into Chaneru? http://www.chaneru.com/

[6pairsofshoes]

Yes.  It seems geared towards iTunes content.  Most of the files I have are not in that format. So I went to a Roku forum that I found in searching for Chaneru and it seems possible that the old Roku player I have, which was geared to streaming Netflix, may not be adaptable.  I wish I knew more about how to manipulate software.

[brickbatz]

I know money's tight and times are hard but if/when my WD TV Live Media Player breaks I'll do without something to replace it. We (mostly she) watch a lot of movies. I have ~400 movies on my hard drives and it is used almost daily. If I converted those movies to DVD, bought 400 blank discs and burned them it would have cost ~$400.00 and I'd have to store/index them.

Yeah, I'm trying to spend $100.00 of "disposable income" that may not be there. 

[CADguru]

Was is the Major? Wasn't he a bit of a guru too?

Bullseye!

[6pairsofshoes]

brickbatz, I don't know where you are, but it sounds like blank dvds cost 4x what they do here.  I can get a stack of 100 on sale for $25 U.S.

We have Netflix so we get a disc a week from them and the public library has an extensive dvd collection of tv shows and movies.  Between them, I only burn stuff I can't get here via normal channels, mostly British tv shows and documentaries. 

Still, it would be nice to not have to burn everything we want to watch from those categories.

[CADguru]

Does your TV have component or composite input(s)? If yes then maybe you should get something like this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815260038
and forget all the trouble with burning discs. You say 100 discs = $25. After 200 movies, the device will save you $50. That covers its price. And it seems to support most formats/containers/codecs/whatever.
What's the catch? The brand is KWorld ...

[brickbatz]

Yeah, I was way off on that. It's been a while since I bought any. The Verbatim 4.7GB 16X DVD+R 100 Packs Spindle Disc is $26.99 at Newegg. My ~400 movies wouldn't all fit on 4.7GB discs. Verbatim 25GB 6X BD-R 25 Packs cost $29.99. I think many of your .mkv files would be over 4.7GB. 

BTW, I'm in Florida.