Playing MKV files of PS3

Oxide™ · 20 Oct 2008 at 11:24

spent all day yesterday trying to get the wifes desperate housewives episodes to stream from my pc via the PS3 using the tversity media centre software, but whenever I play them the PS3 says 'corrupt data'

the format is x264.mkv HD clips in 720p.

Read that the PS3 does not natively support this format and to convert them to .vob or .mp4 format using mkv2vob software.....this doesnt work

Faffed around with installing codecs from k-lite codec pack and configured haali splitter and ffdshow codecs as advised - still doesnt work.

Annoying thing is reading other forums is that other users say that the .vob files play fine but whatever I try I get 'corrupt data' errors when trying to play the files from the PS3

Anyone here experience and resolve this issue?

Im sure Ive tried everything but may have missed something if anyone can offer suggestions - all other media streams and plays fine on the PS just not these .mkv files

hyper_piper45 · 20 Oct 2008 at 11:50

You should be able to convert the file using mkv2vob. I export it as an .mpg and it works fine for me. What is the problem with mkv2vob exactly?

Oxide™ · 20 Oct 2008 at 12:38

there is no problem, it successfully converts the files to .vob or .mp4 but I get the same error playing these files. Ive followed settings that other people have advised.

I must be missing something though as people like yourself dont have any issues. I wonder if firmware update 2.50 messed things up perhaps

-Ad- · 20 Oct 2008 at 12:43

Maybe it is corrupt.

Played around with a 720p version of heroes (legal of course) and got the right format and just copied it straight to the PS3 without Tversity (don't use it).

Memphis · 20 Oct 2008 at 12:47

Try GOTSent.

Oxide™ · 20 Oct 2008 at 12:54

Memphis said:
Try GOTSent.

mmm this may be the one program I didnt use but isnt it essentialy the same as mkv2vob software? (you can use it to convert mkv files to mp4 aswell, which I have tried) I will give it a go, if it works then im sorted

will report later with my findings when Im at home

probedb · 20 Oct 2008 at 12:58

There's a program called TSRemux I think or TSRemuxer that can convert mkv to m2ts files without the need to reencode.

Trick · 20 Oct 2008 at 18:07

GOTSent is the one to use - has worked perfectly with every MKV i've sent to it to play on an Xbox360.

Oxide™ · 20 Oct 2008 at 19:07

Memphis said:
Try GOTSent.

Trick said:
GOTSent is the one to use - has worked perfectly with every MKV i've sent to it to play on an Xbox360.

Right I used GOTsent to re encode the files to .mp4 and it now plays perfect through the PS3. Thanks for the tip, im really stoked.

Gotsent does take a while to re encode though lol....using the H264 with PS3 5.1 options

Tombo · 20 Oct 2008 at 19:14

Because you're re-encoding to mpeg.

probedb · 21 Oct 2008 at 11:02

Yup, programs like tsremux just remux the file without reencoding.

Oxide™ · 21 Oct 2008 at 12:09

ye I figured it out now

used GOTsent to convert the 1gig .mkv file to .mp4 (takes 5 minutes). Run TVersity service in debug mode and ensure AC3filter it outputting sound in 2.0 format and not 5.1. Dont ask how I figured that all out but it works so happy.

Wish the PS3 would just natively support .mkv files.

However streaming these converted files via wireless g to the PS3 causes video to stutter - reckon wireless lacks the bandwidth to stream 720p content? Im going to copy the converted .mp4 files to dvd tonight and try play them through the PS3 that way. Hopefully this works and wont stutter.

hyper_piper45 · 21 Oct 2008 at 12:33

Oxlde said:
However streaming these converted files via wireless g to the PS3 causes video to stutter - reckon wireless lacks the bandwidth to stream 720p content? Im going to copy the converted .mp4 files to dvd tonight and try play them through the PS3 that way. Hopefully this works and wont stutter.

If you are going to watch a lot of 720p stuff its probably easiest to buy a large usb key and just watch the files off that.

entireweb · 21 Oct 2008 at 13:25

Oxlde said:
However streaming these converted files via wireless g to the PS3 causes video to stutter - reckon wireless lacks the bandwidth to stream 720p content?

Wireless lan 802.11g is half duplex, so its 54mbps bandwidth is divided into 2 for uplink and downlink. So thats 27mbps each way. However thats under ideal conditions. The best you are likely to get is 5-25mpbs, due to loses in interference, local noise, reflections etc etc.

The bitrate of a 720p file H264 varies greatly, depending on the encode. But most are in the 5-10mbs range.

Also the use of encryption, eg WPA has an influence on performance.

From my experience I had no problem streaming sd over 802.11g, 720p stuttered and 1080p was unwatchable.

Over 100mbps ethernet 720p worked fine, but 1080p occasionally stuttered.

I switched over to gigabit ethernet and now everything streams perfectly.

Attu90 · 21 Oct 2008 at 20:17

I gave up trying to run HD stuff over wireless to the PS3 and ended up using a wired ethernet which works perfectly.

probedb · 21 Oct 2008 at 20:20

Found the program I used.... http://www.videohelp.com/tools/tsMuxeR

Absolutely no need to reencode anything normally!

1080p should not stutter over 100mbps unless you have something wrong with your network. 1080p doesn't reach half the throughput of that. Blu-Ray has a max bitrate of 48Mbps for audio and video and the stuff you download won't be as high as that that.

If you're streaming hi-def you need to use wired really...it's the safest solution

Jez · 21 Oct 2008 at 20:40

Re the wireless issues, i had no end of issues with G. Upgraded to N a while back which now puts the bottleneck at the AP's 100mbit uplink to my Gbit network. Miles better.