WD Medial Player gen @ won't play any files ? it just stop working

Community Archives WD TV HD
1

Any ideas ? what is going on i did a factiry default still no luck. WD medial player gen 2 wont play any files jus keep thinking.

It has been 5 weeks i purchased it brand new from Amazon.com

Thanks

2

I’d bet dollars to doughnuts that you tried to play a .mkv file that has header compression enabled.

The WDTV will not play files that have header compression enabled.

This never used to be a problem.

But mkvmerge 4.1.x started compressing the headers on the audio track(s) by default.

Mkvmerge 4.2.x and newer used compression on both the audio and the video tracks, by default.

You will have to re-multiplex the file (and any others with compressed headers) with compression turned off for all tracks to get it (them) to play.

And what’s worse, once you try playing a “bad” file, the WDTV tends to not play _ any _ files, even ones it had been able to play in the past.

So, here’s what you need to do:

  • re-mux all.mkv files that have compression (or remove them from the USB drive)
  • reset the WDTV to factory defaults
  • press the reset button on the side
  • leave the WDTV unplugged for 10 minutes, or longer
  • delete the .wd-tv folder on your USB drive (if it exists)

Then you’ll be back in business until you try to play another file with header compression.

There’s 2 ways to go about re-muxing the files to “fix” them…

Either use a version of mkvmerge that pre-dates the compression being enabled by default (4.0.x or earlier), or use the newest versions (4.1.x or newer) and for _ each _ audio and video track in the .mkv click on “Extra Options” and select “Compression → None”.

I believe there are some programs and scripts running around that will scan your files for you and fix any that need fixing, instead of having to check each one manually, but I’ve never used any of them so I can’t vouch for any of them.

3

I am totally confuse and lost. i use to play allt he mkv files before the same one which played earlier.

ok so i have removed all my files back to my pc reformatt my HDD again and reset my WD HD2 per your instruction

Now here were i am lost what software/apps i need to compress and from now on i have to do this all the time this is rediculous.

Why can’t WD come up with a software upgrade which will play all MKV files …

Thanks for the reply but will need help compress setting please and tutorial on that.

4

ok i downloaded MKV merge 4.0 gui

what do i do here please ? i load files but do not know were to select any options and what options i need to select

under extra options it is all greyed out ??

Thanks

5

Yes, it depends on what version of MKVMerge you have.

Since the version you appear to have downloaded is before header compression was added as the default setting, you should just be able to just click on the “add” button and select a .mkv file.

Then go down to “Output filename” and either change the file name, or select a different folder (because you will wreck the file if you try to over-write it – but you can always delete the “bad” file when you’re done and rename the fixed one).

Then click “Start muxing”.

Depending on the size of the file and the speed of your computer and hard drives (and what esle you’re doing at the same time) it would take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes to write out a new file that won’t have header compression enabled.

If you had downloaded a newer version of MKVmerge, then you would have to select each track in the “Track” box and then for that track, choose “Extra Options – Compression → None”.  They are greyed out for you because your version will not use compressed headers.

6

Thanks that did it worked out great.

Is there a way to find out if the MKV file has compression or not ?

I hate to convert every MKV file i have. I just want to know if i need to conver tthese MKV files or not ?

Thanks big thanks

7

There are some programs and scripts to automatically check and fix your files for you but I’ve never tried any of them.

The “old fashioned way” is to open each file in MediaInfo ( http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en/Download) and look for the “Writing application”.  Any file written with mkvmerge 4.1.0 or later is likely to have compressed headers unless it’s already been fixed.  Any file wrillen with mkvmerge 4.0.x or older will not have compressed headers and won’t need to be fixed.

8

Thanks for the quick reply i will try this when i get home.

open my mkv file in media info and see if i spot what you are saying.

hopefully it won’t be all MKV files only a few of them are affected.

Thanks once again will post my finding on  writting application

:slight_smile:

9

The “Official” way is to use the MKVInfo tool (part of the Matroska package).

It will list every imaginable detail about an MKV, including the compression type used.

10

ok i found a solution for batch file fix this is great 2 click it will fix all your MKV files

  1. download New download link:
    http://www.chumpusrex.com/junk/MKVFix.exe

  2. install MKVMerge

then run the MKVFix.exe it will clean all your files at the bottom it show compression / headers / all

you can pick this is will do all with 2 clicks

thanks i guess here my input back into the forum

11

Ok guys just an update run the MKVfix.exe and worked flawlessly you can do batch as many MKV file as you want

it checks for compression headers then fix it.

i had 12 1080I movies found 2 movies with the problems

Toy Story 3 and sex in the City both had header compression run the MKVfix.exe then test it on my WDC media player no problem what so ever.

Enjoy…