How To: Play your MKV HD video files on your 360

flexy

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2001
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Here is a small FAQ, some might be interested in this.

The 360 by default doesnt play HD content in the common .MKV format.

So...how do you play MKV files on your HDTV with th Xbox connected?

1) Solution 1 would be you stream/transcode the files to your Xbox using a tool like tversity.

2) The Xbox support HD formats, but they must be MP4 or WMV-HD.

There is a pretty simple and quick way to "convert" .MKV files to MP4s, with all the right settings so they play on the XBOX. First, there is an older program called "GOTSENT", which basically does the job, but i found a better utlity called "XenonMKV" http://mkv.jakebillo.com/ which is less buggy and has more features

What it does: It demuxes the original MKV, converts the audio to 2 channel (Xbox only supports 2 channels!) and creates .MP4 which plays on the XBOX.

In addition, XenonMKV is also splitting files >4GB since the Xbox can only read files up to 4GB in size.

No quality is lost since the original MKV is not transcoded but rather newly "assembled"...the only thing is that you lose the 5.1 audio, but there is no solution since this is a hardware limit by the 360.

So...typical scenario:

You have a 4.5 GB HDTV MKV which you want to play in HD on your 360.

You use XenonMKV, this creates two 2.2GB .MP4 files.

You put those on a DVD.

On the XBOX, you select play video and select the DVD as source.


G.

Edit: XenonMKV is also VERY simple and straightforward. With those other video-transcoding/converion utlities you are usually plagued by plethora of settings.

In XenonMKV you only select source .MKV video and output folder....and then with the next mouseclick let 'er rip. The process is also way, way faster than eg. do a real format conversion of MKV into WMV-HD or - and any format conversion will also make you lose video quality.
 

mc866

Golden Member
Dec 15, 2005
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Nice guide! Actually the 360 supports 5.1 audio but only from certain sources, just not under the mp4 container. Right now I'm able to stream a DivX/AC3 5.1 .avi file to my 360. Is there a way to convert to avi or wmv to retain the 5.1?


 

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
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91
Sadly, you are not able to use the h.264 codec within the avi or wmv containers, for use with the 360.

Also note: your h.264 video stream will need to be of the appropriate complexity profile:
2. What exactly does the Xbox 360 support for H.264?
Xbox 360 supports the following for H.264:
· File Extensions: .mp4, .m4v, mp4v, .mov
· Containers: MPEG-4, QuickTime
· Video Profiles: Baseline, main, and high (up to Level 4.1) profiles.
· Video Bitrate: 10 Mbps with resolutions of 1920 x 1080 at 30fps. See question number 11 for more information.
· Audio Profiles: 2 channel AAC low complexity (LC)
· Audio Max Bitrate: No restrictions. See question number 11 for more information.

I wonder what, if any, changes we'll see this time around with the spring update (whenever that's released).
 

flexy

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2001
8,464
155
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i alternate between Xenon and Gotsent...sometimes one of em cant convert a file. Its a bummer XB doesnt have native MKV support. Other alternative is streaming, but streaming a HD MKV (and transcode it!) on the fly w/ tversity is a bitch. MP4 is the way to go. But then the stupid 4GB filesize limit.

Why Xbox cant read a NTFS external HD..but a HFS+ (mac!!) formatted one is beyond me...its their OWN filesystem. As i understand, there is also this 4gb limit ona file-size level, so all files need to be split once they're bigger than 4gb (roll eyes)

goober: Spring...uhm...is here :)

My wishlist: NTFS support on external HD
Stupid 4GB filesize limit lifted, MKV support

would solve A LOT of time and hassles!!
 

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
Originally posted by: flexy
goober: Spring...uhm...is here :)

Yes, I know. But it's not summer yet either (not until June 20). The fall update came out on almost the last day of fall last year...in December, when most people believe it's already winter.
 

Thraxen

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
4,683
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It's really too bad their isn't an easy way to transcode MKVs for the 360. I refuse to convert 5.1 files to 2 channel. If you transcode to WMV HD you can keep the 5.1 audio, but it's a 10-24+ hour process depending on the speed of your computer and size of the file. I was doing exactly that for a while. But, damn, it was very frustrating to find that the video stuttered or the audio was out of sync after a 12 hour transcode.

If any of you have a PS3 I highly recommend you use that instead. MKV2VOB will remux MKVs into an MPG and keep the 5.1 audio. Most files don't require any transcoding... only a 1-2 minute remux. The ones that do need a minor transcode take 2-4 hours instead of 10-24.
 

Mango1970

Member
Aug 26, 2006
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Although I don't have he Xbox, I do have the PS3 and I use and LOVE MKV2VOB, as Thraxen says. It's unbelievable!! I actually take my ultra huge MKV files and all it does within a few minutes is convert it to MP4 so I can then just place it on my shared folder and then use Tversity to stream it to my PS3. I tell Tversity NOT to do anything... let all the transcoding/etc be done by the PS3. I could never get it to work properly otherwise. The files are stupid good in quality and I always get 5.1 sound. Now... i wish that somehow the file splitting option would work setting it to FAT32(4GB). When I do that, it creates the files, but then my PS3 wont play them for some blasted reason. Sigh.

Otherwise great app.
 

Thraxen

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
4,683
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Originally posted by: Mango1970
Although I don't have he Xbox, I do have the PS3 and I use and LOVE MKV2VOB, as Thraxen says. It's unbelievable!! I actually take my ultra huge MKV files and all it does within a few minutes is convert it to MP4 so I can then just place it on my shared folder and then use Tversity to stream it to my PS3. I tell Tversity NOT to do anything... let all the transcoding/etc be done by the PS3. I could never get it to work properly otherwise. The files are stupid good in quality and I always get 5.1 sound. Now... i wish that somehow the file splitting option would work setting it to FAT32(4GB). When I do that, it creates the files, but then my PS3 wont play them for some blasted reason. Sigh.

Otherwise great app.

That's very similar to how I do it. I also set TVersity to never transcode. Have you considered simply switching to NTFS? I personally wouldn't want to have to put up with that 4 GB file size limitation. I stream from a PC with NTFS formatted drives and even 12+ GB files are no problem.
 

Mango1970

Member
Aug 26, 2006
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Ohh sorry I meant, I also have my system formatted with NTFS. I have no issues with 8 or even 13GB files over Tversity. Problem is that I am not connected to the router by cable but rather with wireless. I can usually get a pretty smooth playback but on some of the really large higher bitrate files there is some choppiness. The reason I wanted to break them down to conform to the FAT32 4 GIG limit is to place them on my external drive and then directly connect it to my PS3, preventing the whole Tversity/wireless thing in the first place. The issue as stated was that when that program does break them down, the PS3 for some reason wont play the 2,3.4 ones.. only the first. Maybe I need to try it again. Again I don't want to hijack this thread.. poor guy it was the Xbox we were talking about :)
 

Thraxen

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
4,683
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Does this XenonMKV automatically split files larger than 4 GB? I have a friend that is interested in this program, but he streams the videos from his PC so there is no need to split the files.

[edit] Nevermind, I found the option. And I see on the site that the 4 GB does still apply.
 

flexy

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2001
8,464
155
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do i need to split MP4s now when i stream then via tversity??? I am still unsure. I always split, just in case.
(applies for XB360)
 

Thraxen

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
4,683
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Originally posted by: flexy
do i need to split MP4s now when i stream then via tversity??? I am still unsure. I always split, just in case.
(applies for XB360)

I just tried. I had an 8 GB file and I set XenonMKV to not split. Then I put the resulting movie into TVersity and tried to play it on the 360. Didn't work... I just got an error. I really like this program though. It's very easy to use. It's just too bad MS implemented a completely arbitrary file size limit. Maybe they'll get rid of it one day.