No audio coming from MKV files in WMC

[Informant X]

Greetings,

So I have some mkv files that i'm trying to play in Media Center (Win 7 64bit) and they play but I get no audio. I am able to play the mkv files fine in Media Player and they have sound just not Media Center. Only codecs I have installed are the Divx player (not the divx codec pack, unless that's included with the player download) and also AC3 codec. I've been looking online and have seen multiple different things to try like editing the registry, to downloading all sorts of crazy codec packs. (CCC's codec back, Fddshow, Shark007, etc.) Does anyone know a sure fire way to get it working properly?

 

[jtvang125]

As long as you have the right codecs install it should play just fine. Try installing ffdshow.

 

[Informant X]

But my question is then why does it work with Windows Media Player, and not in Media Center? To me it if it works in Media player, it should work in media center. Just media center just play the file using media player anyway?

 

[Modelworks]

You don't need to do anything complex.
Uninstall all codecs and packs you installed then
look here:
http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/02/mkvs-for-minimalists-on-windows-7.html

Step 1 is not required most of the time.

 

[Informant X]

Ahh okay cool thanks, i'll check that out. Have you tried this though or know anyone that has? Reason being because in my endevours I read that registry hacks to do this aren't the best route.

 

[Modelworks]

Ahh okay cool thanks, i'll check that out. Have you tried this though or know anyone that has? Reason being because in my endevours I read that registry hacks to do this aren't the best route.

I use it on all my win7 pc.
All the registry settings at that link do is tell windows that a MKV file is a video format. Otherwise it only recognizes AVI, WMV and will say there is no video in the folder.

 

[Informant X]

Edit

So it works! Noice! Now I seem to have lost subtitles tho, and they were supposed to be hardcoded. Do you know how to get them back? For instance I have Avatar and I want to turn on the Navi subtitles.

 

[slag]

You don't need to do anything complex.
Uninstall all codecs and packs you installed then
look here:
http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/02/mkvs-for-minimalists-on-windows-7.html

Step 1 is not required most of the time.

I don't see where the AC3 codec is installed with this. I could play the Avatar 1080p mkv just fine but had no audio until I installed the AC3 codec which added support for DTS audio playback.

It looks like step 1 which is the FFDSHOW tryouts installation has support for AC3, but by and large, ffdshow has added more crap to my system than I care to have, such as added subtitle support that is already there by default as extra menus and crap to my media center installation. I uninstalled FFDSHOW and lost no functionality but did simplify menus and onscreen stuff.

 

[Informant X]

Hmm yea after testing I don't like the FDDSHOW too for all the other garb it installed. I just have Divx Code, AC3, plus just followed steps 2 and 3 in the webpage to hack the registry and stuff. Only thing is I can't get the dam subtitles enabled in media player or in media center yet the show fine when in divx player. In media player i right clicked and turned them on, but they still aren't showing. Guess I'll have to tinker more. At least I have video and audio now tho.