I'm rethinking what I'm doing and have a couple questions. Does it pay to convert a MKV file to MP4 to play on an aTV3 with PlexConnect? Does the Plex Server have to convert an MKV to MP4 on the fly if you don't convert before adding it to the library? Are there any benefits to keeping a file in MKV format?
I'm rethinking what I'm doing and have a couple questions. Does it pay to convert a MKV file to MP4 to play on an aTV3 with PlexConnect? Does the Plex Server have to convert an MKV to MP4 on the fly if you don't convert before adding it to the library? Are there any benefits to keeping a file in MKV format?
I have 1259 movies.. 125 TV series. Somewhere amongst them there may be 10 or so MP4's.. Everything else is MKV. I have never had an issue with playback on Samsung TV, PHT, Roku, Chromecast, Android,WP8 or Ipad.
So the main benefit is MKV works why change everything you already have lol :)
BUT... I would also say that to someone who had an entire collection of MP4
If there is anything specific about the ATV that means MP4 would be better then I'm sure someone in the know will chime in. It's probably the only device I haven't used lol
I have 1259 movies.. 125 TV series. Somewhere amongst them there may be 10 or so MP4's.. Everything else is MKV. I have never had an issue with playback on Samsung TV, PHT, Roku, Chromecast, Android,WP8 or Ipad.
So the main benefit is MKV works why change everything you already have lol :)
BUT... I would also say that to someone who had an entire collection of MP4
If there is anything specific about the ATV that means MP4 would be better then I'm sure someone in the know will chime in. It's probably the only device I haven't used lol
Dave,
Thanks for the quick reply.
I remux all my mkv’s to mp4/m4v for the simple reason that mp4/m4v files play natively on the aTV so they fast forward and rewind with a real live preview image, where as with mkv’s you just get a black screen during FF/RW. Also mp4/m4v can be paused and single frame advanced where as mkv’s can’t, mp4/m4v can handle subtitles natively on the aTV, mkv’s either need to be transcoded or use PlexConnects internal sub render, which still has some problems.
I guess it depends on a couple of things, first how many files would you need to remux and secondly do you care about things like black screen during FF/RW or being able to single frame advance.
I remux all my mkv's to mp4/m4v for the simple reason that mp4/m4v files play natively on the aTV so they fast forward and rewind with a real live preview image, where as with mkv's you just get a black screen during FF/RW. Also mp4/m4v can be paused and single frame advanced where as mkv's can't, mp4/m4v can handle subtitles natively on the aTV, mkv's either need to be transcoded or use PlexConnects internal sub render, which still has some problems.
I guess it depends on a couple of things, first how many files would you need to remux and secondly do you care about things like black screen during FF/RW or being able to single frame advance.
Good info..thanks :)
I've remuxed all my mkv's to m4v recently as well and I've noticed some video stuttering and audio cutouts...I assume I could remedy by adjustments in my converter (iVI) but for the quick fix I just play the original mkv and haven't experienced any issues with any of them. Thinking of maybe abandoning my m4v library in favor of the mkv's but haven't decided. Only reason I made m4v versions in the first place was to use itunes/atv, but now that I've found plex...well...
+1
I use iFlicks (OSX software) to remux all files before I add them to the server.
I remux all my mkv’s to mp4/m4v for the simple reason that mp4/m4v files play natively on the aTV so they fast forward and rewind with a real live preview image, where as with mkv’s you just get a black screen during FF/RW. Also mp4/m4v can be paused and single frame advanced where as mkv’s can’t, mp4/m4v can handle subtitles natively on the aTV, mkv’s either need to be transcoded or use PlexConnects internal sub render, which still has some problems.I guess it depends on a couple of things, first how many files would you need to remux and secondly do you care about things like black screen during FF/RW or being able to single frame advance.
@charlieny100 well, I prefer mp4 cause of the simple fact it goes easy on my mac mini. Transcoding means strain or usage of CPU/RAM to transcode on the fly(while streaming). I like watching my TV SHows/Movies without worrying about heating up my mac mini. To each their own.
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To clarify, I have been converting MKV files to MP4 using IVI on my Mac. I was thinking that process might be a waste of time since I have decided that Plex is the way to go. If Apple blocks Plex I will move to a different device. I guess if Apple revamps it's interface I might reconsider but I hate the way the native ATV displays my library. The ATV1 had a better interface.
From what I have seen; MKV files won't play on the ATV natively and I will have issues with subtitles without transcoding. That doesn't seem like too big of an issue.
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