thedalaillamaknows
Level 1 (4 points)
Quicktime

Q: Perian Problems - MKV

I'm using Perian 1.2.3 on an early 2000's macbook running os x 10.5.8. As of today for some reason my .MKVs are playing as a white screen with subtitles and audio only. Help pls!

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on May 9, 2016 3:14 AM

by John Lockwood,Apple recommended
John Lockwood John Lockwood
Level 6 (9,411 points)
Servers Enterprise
A:

Is this happening with new files or ones that previously worked? If they previously worked then in theory they should continue to work, you could try the usual tricks of rebooting, trying it in a fresh empty user account, etc.

 

It would probably be helpful to run a tool like Media Info which will examine the file and report that format it is in and what video and audio codecs have been used. This may help picking a player that can successfully play it. It may also help diagnosing an incorrect file extension, Windows users are notorious for using the wrong file extension on video files.

 

See https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo/Download/Mac_OS

 

On a related topic, there is some opinion that of the three main video container formats - .mov, .avi, and .mkv that MKV is by far the most technically advanced. I personally feel QuickTime (which is a broader term than just file formats) has become less and less of a superior solution. I therefore would see some argument for Apple to completely switch over to using MKV as a container format but I do not see this ever happening.

Posted on May 12, 2016 4:00 AM

Close
thedalaillamaknows

Q: Perian Problems - MKV

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by QuickTimeKirk,

    QuickTimeKirk QuickTimeKirk May 9, 2016 4:23 AM in response to thedalaillamaknows
    Level 9 (53,313 points)
    May 9, 2016 4:23 AM in response to thedalaillamaknows

    The people at Perian have ended development of the app.

    Find an old copy of VLC player to view your files.

  • by thedalaillamaknows,

    thedalaillamaknows thedalaillamaknows May 9, 2016 8:13 PM in response to QuickTimeKirk
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Quicktime
    May 9, 2016 8:13 PM in response to QuickTimeKirk

    I have VLC, it lists the files as UNDFD as it doesn't have the correct Codec.

  • by Klaus1,

    Klaus1 Klaus1 May 10, 2016 2:15 AM in response to thedalaillamaknows
    Level 8 (48,918 points)
    May 10, 2016 2:15 AM in response to thedalaillamaknows

    It could be a 'difficult' form of Matroska file. FYI Matroska is just a container like MOV or AVI, and some mkv have the video encoded with Real Video Codec (RV9 RV10). Perian+QT can't decode this, but VLC will play .mkv files just fine on OS X, as long as they don't use H.264!

     

    It's a bit of a lottery until Matroska decide to support the Apple platform. I have found this:

     

    http://mkv4mac.free.fr/index.php?lang=en&p=lec

     

    which may help.

     

    But there may be another workaround: 1. Get Info the mkv file

    2. Change to extension to wmv. Save as wmv and that could work better.

     

    Recently, a poster (ZachP14) suggested this:

     

    "There's a program called Plex that runs .mkv files awesome on my 2.0 ghz macbook."

     

    http://www.plexapp.com/

     

    Maybe worth a try?

     

    More information here:

     

    ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matroska

  • by John Lockwood,Apple recommended

    John Lockwood John Lockwood May 12, 2016 4:00 AM in response to thedalaillamaknows
    Level 6 (9,411 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    May 12, 2016 4:00 AM in response to thedalaillamaknows

    Is this happening with new files or ones that previously worked? If they previously worked then in theory they should continue to work, you could try the usual tricks of rebooting, trying it in a fresh empty user account, etc.

     

    It would probably be helpful to run a tool like Media Info which will examine the file and report that format it is in and what video and audio codecs have been used. This may help picking a player that can successfully play it. It may also help diagnosing an incorrect file extension, Windows users are notorious for using the wrong file extension on video files.

     

    See https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo/Download/Mac_OS

     

    On a related topic, there is some opinion that of the three main video container formats - .mov, .avi, and .mkv that MKV is by far the most technically advanced. I personally feel QuickTime (which is a broader term than just file formats) has become less and less of a superior solution. I therefore would see some argument for Apple to completely switch over to using MKV as a container format but I do not see this ever happening.