WMC alternative (Plays .mkv) & Remote?

ssmacc

ssmacc

ssmacc

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Hello,

I’ve built a HTPC for my Dad and I know he’s going to struggle opening .mkv and HD-DVD’s. can someone recommend a very user-friendly application similar to Windows Media Centre that can be used with a remote and will play 1080p .mkv’s also can you recommend a remote with a IR receiver? I’m basically looking for an application that can be fully controlled with a hand help remote (up, down, left, right and enter)

Will probably duel boot XP and Vista 64.

Cheers
 
I know this is counter productive in some ways, but for codec support and windows media centre I would say just get vista 32bit. All the 32bit codecs from xp will work fine in vista 32bit as far as I know - well they all work in 64bit except in the media centre its a 64bit build :mad:
I can play mkv fine in wmp (32bit version on vista 64bit) using k-lite codec pack, they just won't play in media center.
If you were to get 32bit vista they should work in there too as it supports the same codecs as wmp to the best of my knowledge.

I'll be 'downgrading' my rig from 64bit to 32bit (will dual boot) when it gets made into a media pc purely due to codec support and wanting media centre
 
I do all of this with an application called MediaPortal. Very similar to WMC but much more robust and can run from VLC in the background (or whatever you fancy). I use the WMC remote as its the best cheap remote around :) Works great and will play anything VLC can play, as well as having options from the remote todo automatic cropping or stretching :)
 
if you use vista codec package, and the 64bit components package, mkv's do play in vista 64, for some people (me :( ) it's jerky

it's a codec problem

reverting to 32bit home premium when i format
 
bledd. said:
if you use vista codec package, and the 64bit components package, mkv's do play in vista 64, for some people (me :( ) it's jerky
Click to expand...

Strange, even in the 32bit wmp - mine play fine, its just they're not liked in 64bit apps.
:rolleyes:
 
You can just use MS Media centre with Haali Media Splitter to parse the .mkv container. FFDshow is fine for x264 but CoreAVC is a lot more efficient.

And don't install any codec packs for christ's sake, FFDShow has codecs for everything you might want to play. Also check out the guides online for scaling xvid/dvd to near HD quality with ffdshow.
 
Last edited:
bledd. said:
if you use vista codec package, and the 64bit components package, mkv's do play in vista 64, for some people (me :( ) it's jerky

it's a codec problem

reverting to 32bit home premium when i format
Click to expand...

I had this I resolved it by putting on any post processing with ffdshow even putting the fps OSD on will return the normal speed of playback. The one I use for mkvs is the logo blocker however just make it 1 pixel big and in the far top left of the screen so you can't see it anyway with this method the playback is perfect. Although I am building another HTPC and I am just going to run 32bit Vista as it is easier and will put the other one to 32bit when/if it ever needs a format.
 
lsg1r said:
Strange, even in the 32bit wmp - mine play fine, its just they're not liked in 64bit apps.
:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Yes the codecs are separate in Vista 64bit as the default WMP is the 32bit version which uses the 32bit codecs, Media Centre however is 64bit and needs the 64bit codecs. You can however enable 64bit WMP and it will work exactly the same as 64bit MCE which is handy for testing settings etc.
 
I play .mkv files in x64 Vista with Media Player Classic with the Vista Codecs package and its x64 components download.
 
This question gets asked all the time and I always say the same thing.

MPC-HC 32-bit (even if you are on a 64-bit os), Haali Media Splitter and ffdshow. No codec pack. No jerkiness. No problems at all. :)
 
dbmzk1 said:
This question gets asked all the time and I always say the same thing.

MPC-HC 32-bit (even if you are on a 64-bit os), Haali Media Splitter and ffdshow. No codec pack. No jerkiness. No problems at all. :)
Click to expand...

Ditto :)

Its just a case of using the right codecs !
 
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