MKV video on Win7

[1001gear]

Anybody have issues with mkv files on Win 7? Evidently there are several common problems and no solutions anywhere. For instance, windows can lock up trying to move/copy/delete these files. This has something to do with thumbnails and can sometimes be circumvented by changing the folder view to instead of before attempting any of those previous operations. Working on more than one file at a time though is iffy at best.

 

Anyway, to avoid the issues, I've attempted switching containers to mp4 which display no such hangups. The problem now is that the convertors (VLC and ffmpeg by itself) change the containers but are unable to copy the contents. It seems to be something Googuh devised called VP90 compression. Whatever that is doesn't seem to belong in an MP4 container.

 

What to do?

[1001gear]

Hey thanks for all the help and kind words guys.

 

Update to this dilemma, I ran across a piece of video conversion software that was quick, easy, complete, and free. After using it a couple days, I noticed one of the youtubes I had grabbed was a WEBM file (MKV) and Win7 had no more problems dealing with the MKVs! Happy.

[Phil O'Keefe]

To be honest, I had never even heard of MKV video prior to your post.

 

I'm not sure if Windows 7 even supports it, but Windows 10 should.

 

 

On October 31, 2014, Microsoft confirmed that Windows 10 would support HEVC and Matroska out of the box, according to a statement from Gabriel Aul, the leader of Microsoft Operating Systems Group's Data and Fundamentals Team.^[6][7] Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 9860 added platform level support for HEVC and Matroska.^[8][9]

 

Source

 

 

 

 

[1001gear]

Win 7 Media player won't play them I don't think but stuff like VLC has all the codecs. The real problem is Explorer chokes on the files and Microsoft won't be specific about the causes. If you browse carefully they will show you how to grope through Windows until you find the problem. I had a Win 10 PC when I was looking for a fix for this computer and it handled all those WEBMs and MKVs no problem.

 

Anyway, the MKV container might be of interest here because other than it doesn't get along with Win7, it is apparently extremely versatile as far as video and audio content. IOW it'll hold any current video type as well as any audio compression scheme as well as other added junk. (subtitles and whatever else is peripheral to actual content I guess )

[Phil O'Keefe]

Anyway, the MKV container might be of interest here because other than it doesn't get along with Win7, it is apparently extremely versatile as far as video and audio content. IOW it'll hold any current video type as well as any audio compression scheme as well as other added junk. (subtitles and whatever else is peripheral to actual content I guess )

 

That certainly does sound useful - I hate having to hunt for codecs and install them in order to play something.

 

 

[1001gear]

You might try testing a small MKV file - couple MBs on your DAW. They worked on my fresh Win7 but subsequent updates and additional software put a stop to that.

 

If you do place any MKV files in WIn7, it's thumbnails that confuse Explorer so putting your folder view in or should allow you to move or delete the file. The software I just added ( Any Video Converter) seems to solve all that and it does rudimentary conversions very quickly. Short clips only take a few seconds to a couple minutes and that's with an i3. I wouldn't depend on the stability of this state though. If you want to do extensive video editing, use another OS.

[1001gear]

Latest update.

Installed a new thumbnailer/Swiss army knife called Icaros. Freeware, as is the previous thumbnailer, Media Preview which displayed no faults until MKV/VP9. So I simply disabled MKV in Media preview and enabled only MKV in Icaros and they seem to work without conflict. Explorer now handles MKV like any other media file. Instant thumbnails, copy, move, delete, all instantaneous give or take.