Comments on: Internet Television Test, Week 3: Rerun Season http://replacetelevision.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/internet-television-test-week-3-rerun-season/ I'm ready to Cut The Cable! Is the internet ready? Fri, 07 Aug 2009 05:59:30 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Neurotic Nomad http://replacetelevision.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/internet-television-test-week-3-rerun-season/#comment-51 Neurotic Nomad Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:22:36 +0000 http://replacetelevision.wordpress.com/?p=87#comment-51 I too had trouble finding non-MKV HD files at first, and ended up re-encoding many things just to be able to watch them. Not exactly "impulse" viewing. The complicated thing about MKV is that the container doesn't have "default" audio/video codecs. Many MKV files use h.264 for their video portion, but just as many use Divx or VC-1 (aka "windows media"). Then, you never know what audio codec they'll use: MP3, AAC, AC3, DTS, TrueHD, ... MP4/MOV files can also mix-and-match audio and video codecs, but the "default" is usually AAC for audio (or in the case of iTunes rentals AC3) and h.264 for video. ...but as soon as I discovered TVrss.net, it stopped being a problem. I too had trouble finding non-MKV HD files at first, and ended up re-encoding many things just to be able to watch them.

Not exactly “impulse” viewing.

The complicated thing about MKV is that the container doesn’t have “default” audio/video codecs.

Many MKV files use h.264 for their video portion, but just as many use Divx or VC-1 (aka “windows media”).

Then, you never know what audio codec they’ll use: MP3, AAC, AC3, DTS, TrueHD, …

MP4/MOV files can also mix-and-match audio and video codecs, but the “default” is usually AAC for audio (or in the case of iTunes rentals AC3) and h.264 for video.

…but as soon as I discovered TVrss.net, it stopped being a problem.

]]> By: Bob http://replacetelevision.wordpress.com/2008/07/20/internet-television-test-week-3-rerun-season/#comment-50 Bob Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:38:28 +0000 http://replacetelevision.wordpress.com/?p=87#comment-50 The biggest problem I have are finding HD torrents in that stupid container, Matroska. It requires ungodly amounts of CPU to play it and the developers don't seem to care and tell you off if you dare to question their 'perfect' container. The answer to MKV is usually "re-encode it." What folks need to do is ditch Matroska entirely. Wipe it off the internet, and stick to vanilla h.264 and other published standards that actually work. I don't have room for 10 boxes attached to my TV and network just to deal with these fringe formats that exist solely because they're Open Source goodyness. The biggest problem I have are finding HD torrents in that stupid container, Matroska. It requires ungodly amounts of CPU to play it and the developers don’t seem to care and tell you off if you dare to question their ‘perfect’ container. The answer to MKV is usually “re-encode it.”
What folks need to do is ditch Matroska entirely. Wipe it off the internet, and stick to vanilla h.264 and other published standards that actually work. I don’t have room for 10 boxes attached to my TV and network just to deal with these fringe formats that exist solely because they’re Open Source goodyness.

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