Mkv freezing

I’m having similar problem with video files of many types - avi, vob, mkv.

I too am on version 1.07.15.

I’ve had the unit for less than a month so I don’t know if its the firmware.

The only files mine plays without problems are flac audio files…

Try what is written at a previous message:

http://community.wdc.com/t5/WD-TV-Live-Streaming-Discussions/Work-around-when-WD-index-files-are-messed-up-suggestion-update/td-p/380423

So streaming from pc is fine, what about from a nas? Might be my next route. Although I was chuffed when I could see USB drive on network, and so could my sonos!!

Having done more testing it seems as if it is an issue with encoding.

Rips work fine but encodes freeze after a short time. I use handbreak to encode the mkv, setting very high and ac3 passthru.

confirming this issue as well…

handbrake 0.9.6  - using normal profile, downscaling 1080p to 720p, audio passthru

any ideas what could be causing this? (the advanced tab has a lot of settings I don’t have a clue about ;))

btw: the files are playing fine on the PC…

tried rolling back the firmware to 1.04.12 but couldnt get it to work, not sure if it would of helped anyway! I really dont want to re encode using an older version of handbrake.

I am still in my 30 days return for this item, and am thinking about sending it back, would one of the other WDTV products be better? the hub maybe?

can also confirm the encodes play fine on pc, and it is at the change in chapter it freezes

update: remuxed a problematic file with mkvMerge and…it plays fine now!

(I deleted all chapter information)

strangely enough it only happens sometimes. Other files with chapters play fine…

Chapters probably weren’t the problem.  It was probably just a badly muxed file.

Most of the time, just muxing in->out without changing any options is all that’s needed.

possible, but I transcoded it several times - freezing on the same spot.

deleted chapters: it plays fine.

it’s worth a try - remuxing is done in 3 minutes.

edit:

new problem: mkvmerge produces playable but somehow corrupt files…sigh…

1 Like

user08152 wrote:

possible, but I transcoded it several times - freezing on the same spot.

 

deleted chapters: it plays fine.

 

it’s worth a try - remuxing is done in 3 minutes.

 

edit:

new problem: mkvmerge produces playable but somehow corrupt files…sigh…

 

 

corrupts the files nooooooooooooo, seems to work a treat?

the files are playing fine on the wdtv now, but in windows they’re corrupt (although playable): no preview thumbnail, cannot rename or delete them…unlocker does the job but it’s painful.

are there any other free tools available to remove the chapters and create a new mkv? (without transcoding)

best solution seems to be having a file without chapters to begin with :wink:

are there any other free tools available to remove the chapters and create a new mkv? (without transcoding)

MKVtoolnix

http://www.videohelp.com/tools/MKVtoolnix

Use MKVExtractGUI2.exe   to extract,  and then mmg.exe to merge.

that’s what I used actually…hm…

I created a new mkv straight from mkvMergeGUI…with aforementioned results…maybe I should try your 2-step-process?!

I am having the same freezing issues from my NAS, even movies that were ok in the past.

user08152 wrote:

that’s what I used actually…hm…

 

I created a new mkv straight from mkvMergeGUI…with aforementioned results…maybe I should try your 2-step-process?!

Im using mkvmerge as u suggested and so far so good, can rename and move files, and they work on wdtv (so far!)

its not a codec issue your having is it? as i had similar issues until i uninstalled the diivx codec pack - just a thought.

I’ve reported this issue a 3 weeks ago. The issue is with the SMP and encoded files using Handbrake 0.9.6 or Vidcoder. The encoded files play fine on the WDTV Live & WDTV Live Plus. I don’t have any problems if I encode using Handbrake version 0.9.5.

http://community.wdc.com/t5/WD-TV-Live-Streaming-Issue/MKV-files-Freeze-SMP/idi-p/370725

messo wrote:

Im using mkvmerge as u suggested and so far so good, can rename and move files, and they work on wdtv (so far!)

 

its not a codec issue your having is it? as i had similar issues until i uninstalled the diivx codec pack - just a thought.

hehe…advanced video voodoo :slight_smile:

uninstalled the divX codec pack and now I’m also able to rename and delete the files…thanks!

(thumbnails are still gone, also no more mkv playback in Windows media player…you just can’t have everything it seems… :-/

user08152 wrote:


messo wrote:

Im using mkvmerge as u suggested and so far so good, can rename and move files, and they work on wdtv (so far!)

 

its not a codec issue your having is it? as i had similar issues until i uninstalled the diivx codec pack - just a thought.


hehe…advanced video voodoo :slight_smile:

 

uninstalled the divX codec pack and now I’m also able to rename and delete the files…thanks!

 

(thumbnails are still gone, also no more mkv playback in Windows media player…you just can’t have everything it seems… :-/

vlc all the way!!

so going forward I am going to use the previous version of handbrake to encode my rips, that should mean I dont need to remux, and I’m not going to update firmware on wdtv until reading these forums, especially not for an MLB update…

This is an issue I’ve encountered a few times with different files as well - MKV’s freezing at the same spot in playback.  I’ve trawled through google looking for solutions (as none sem to have been presented by WD staff - consumers who’ve purchased the product have essentially turned int WD’s de facto R&D team it seems - posting results and workarounds on this site.  Where’s my paycheck!!??). 

Just this morning I thought I’d try yet again to see if I could identify and rectify the problem by re-encoding with different settings and testing - a tme consuming process!  I recalled reading somewhere that using the front port on the media player might be a solution (despite the fact theat the cord is visible making the setup less visually appealing).  Yesterday I reset the player to factory defaults (I assume this resets the firmware to default too).

Up until the time of writing I’ve tried 7 different encodes of exactly the same file using various settings.  With the external WD 1TB portable HDD plugged into the FRONT PORT there have been no playback issues at all.

I’ll attempt once I’ve completed this painful experiment, to let you know if the rear port has issues with playback of the same files. 

Hope this helps.

mooster wrote:

This is an issue I’ve encountered a few times with different files as well - MKV’s freezing at the same spot in playback.  I’ve trawled through google looking for solutions (as none sem to have been presented by WD staff - consumers who’ve purchased the product have essentially turned int WD’s de facto R&D team it seems - posting results and workarounds on this site.  Where’s my paycheck!!??). 

 

Just this morning I thought I’d try yet again to see if I could identify and rectify the problem by re-encoding with different settings and testing - a tme consuming process!  I recalled reading somewhere that using the front port on the media player might be a solution (despite the fact theat the cord is visible making the setup less visually appealing).  Yesterday I reset the player to factory defaults (I assume this resets the firmware to default too).

 

Up until the time of writing I’ve tried 7 different encodes of exactly the same file using various settings.  With the external WD 1TB portable HDD plugged into the FRONT PORT there have been no playback issues at all.

 

I’ll attempt once I’ve completed this painful experiment, to let you know if the rear port has issues with playback of the same files. 

 

Hope this helps.

Please describe: What model P/N is located at the bottom of your device?
I do suspect that may be a difference between models ending with “01” and “00”(revision “01” and “00”).
This issue described in details here:
http://community.wdc.com/t5/WD-TV-Live-Streaming-Discussions/Intention-to-finalize-a-rear-USB-port-issue-drives-USB-3-0/m-p/392589/highlight/true#M7913
This may help to accelerate it solution.