Many of you are probably saying, "Mawhatska?" to yourself
right now, but in a few years time MKV files will become the MP3 of video. The
Matroska Multimedia Container is an open standard audio/video container.
Origin
The English word 'Matroska' is derived from the Russian word 'Matryoshka',
which translates to "nesting doll". As the name suggests, the Matroska format
can hold an unlimited amount of video and audio streams within.
Although Matroska is gaining in popularity at a very rapid
pace, it is hardly a newcomer to the scene. The Matroska project was created in
2002 with the intent to create a flexible audio/video container with future
needs in mind.
Open Source
The Matroska project is open source, which means it is completely free to
use. It also means that the source code is free to use for programmers to adapt
and create their own features or add-ons.
Another benefit of being an open source project is that
electronics manufactures can build MKV support into their products without
having to pay any royalty fee. This can help drive manufacturers to add support
into their products at a lower cost and has been some of the major hindrances
of other video formats such as MP4 and AVI.
Multiple Audio Tracks
- One advantage of MKV files is the ability to store multiple audio tracks.
This enables commentary tracks or alternate versions to be stored in a single
file.
Multiple Subtitle
Tracks - MKV offers the inclusion of subtitles in multiple languages also
within the same file.
Chapter Support - Another
advantage over MP4 is chapter information, similar to a DVD menu.
Audio Support - MKV
includes support for both Dolby Digital 5.1 (AC3) and DTS Audio. MP4 files mainly
support AAC audio, which has less hardware support.
Getting MKV to run on
your computer
Ready to start reveling in HD content with some MKV files? Hold your
horses. Your computer won't recognize these files natively. You will have to
install a few free programs to get your computer up to speed on the new
container format.
The easiest way to add MKV support is to install a program such as VLC Media Player which can handle almost any format. If you'd rather use your current media player, you must add support for MKV codecs. MKV files can use many different video and audio codecs. You
can install each of these individually or use a codec pack to install many
codecs at a time. Another option is a program called FFDSHOW, which works with
the media player to automatically download any codec as they become needed.
Here is a more in-depth guide to installing MKV support on
your computer.
Media Center Extender with MKV support?
Sure MKV files look awesome on your PC, but who wants to watch the latest Hollywood blockbuster movie on their computer monitor?
Next we'll take a look at media extenders and some of the more popular ones on
the market today.
With all of these features, MKV finally sounds like a video
container that has a shot of replacing discs completely. Do you think computer
files will replace packaged media altogether or are you nostalgic for your
collection of shiny little discs?
More Info:
Matroska.org Home Page
MKV File Extension (Afterdawn)
H264 + AC3 in MKV - Ultimate Solution but no Support?
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