Play MKV files on PS3 with Ease

[muharizj]

[This is a double post. I posted this as a reply to a ps3 related post but i thought it deserved its own thread]

Any PS3 owner who wants to play high def downloaded content from the Net should have the following software programs and hardware config

0) LAN connecting the media server PC to the PS3 of course

1) A moderately beefy system core 2 duo running over 2.6 gigs at least to decode 1080p video

2) Combined Community Codec Pack installed (this is for decoding of the highdef codecs within the mkv file container)

[i can't post links here so simply search google for combined community codec pack]

3) PS3 media server installed – one of the best media servers that transcode on the fly for the PS3 – this program is friggin excellent – better than tversity if you only care about serving to the PS3 (sorry no universal support for the other devices hence the name)

[again can't post urls so please search for ps3 media server]

4) mkv2vob installed – this is useful for some mkv files 1080p which are extremely large in the ranges of around 13GB. The PS3 media server has issues seeking and sometimes stutters and sound is off synch. In that case use mkv2vob to convert the mkv file to vob (make sure u ask mkv2vob to change the file extension from mkv to avi – this doesn't do anything but enables the PS3 media server to pick up the file as a media file and serve to the ps3 via network). Mkv2vob can also split the file into any type of chunks like 2GB or 4GB if u care for that – this is useful to directly drop the files via fat32 usb stick or drive into the HDD of the ps3

How To:
after the codec pack is installed, run the PS3 media server. It will detect the connected PS3 hardware. Go to the ps3 and search for media servers. On the PS3 media server software go to the tab called navigation/share settings. Under the subsection Shared Folders, use the plus icon to add folders u want to serve to the PS3. Any unsupported formats will be automatically transcoded using existing codecs on the computer to something the ps3 understands. You need a beefy system for this on the fly conversion but the good thing is 90% of all files will play in this manner. If by any chance your ps3 complains that it cannot play the file and the file is corrupt, you can force ps3 media server to the transcoding. There will be a folder called #transcode# or similar in the folder of the media file you wanna watch (this is on the ps3 ui when browsing the media server). You can manually force encoding and also you can select the audio track and subtitles if there are many in the single mkv file

ENJOY – this was written really quickly – if u need help u can drop me an email

[rsarwar]

MKV 2 VOB best solution EVER!

[skrutzen]

Anyone do this on a Mac?

[rizzlehd]

Originally Posted by rsarwar

MKV 2 VOB best solution EVER!

Amen! Preach on brotha! lol

(Yes, MKV2VOB is indeed a groundbreaking program)

[arinaldi]

PlayOn has a beta folder sharing that streams mkv files no problem. Select folder, select file, play, and done. It is a pay program, but well worth it imho. I tested it on a xbox 360 and a ps3.

[rizzlehd]

Originally Posted by arinaldi

PlayOn has a beta folder sharing that streams mkv files no problem. Select folder, selecy file, play, and done It is a pay program, but well worth it imho. I tested it on a xox 360 and a ps3.

Interesting... gonna have to check that out. Thanks for the heads up arinaldi

[arinaldi]

Originally Posted by rizzlehd

Interesting... gonna have to check that out. Thanks for the heads up arinaldi

No problem. I just wished I tried it earlier.

[d3adpool]

using TsMuxer to convert to m2ts is quicker and superior