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matroska issues in vista media center - Full screen only

post #1 of 6
1/22/09 at 4:21pm
Thread Starter 
Hello all,

i hope this is the place to ask this and i hope someone can help. i have vista ultimate and the only codecs i installed was the Ac3 filter and the CoreAVS which comes budled with the Haali media splitter for Matroska (.mkv) files. MKV files play in my media center with out a problem so that is not the issue.

the issue is some of my movies have a second or "alternate" video track for instance "I Am Legend" has a second video track for an "alternate" ending. when playing the movie in media center it plays in full screen mode and there is no icon next to the clock that can been seen that can be righ clicked so you can set the video to the second track to see the alternate ending. Now if i minimize out of full screen to "windowed mode" i can see the icon next to the clock and righ click it and select my second video track. HOWEVER if i go back to full screen the video selection goes back to the first track on it's own (sort of like going back to default). so it seems the only way i can set and KEEP my second video or second audio tracks is to stay in windowed mode which really lookks like crap on my 46" HD TV.

so does anyone know how to get around this issue??? i would like to be able to stay in full screen mode and be able to change the audio/video tracks or at least have them stay when i swich them in windowed mode and go back to full screen. any ideas or help you have will be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Mike
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post #2 of 6
1/22/09 at 11:56pm
1) you can use mkvmerge (included with mkvtoolnix) to remove any audio tracks you do not want. It is quick and easy and does not alter audio or video quality at all.

2) if you really want to hold on to the other audio tracks what player are you using? MPC-HC will allow you to assign any key to "change language", pressing this key will then cycle through the languages/audio streams. With some remote control tools it is possible to map this to a key on the RC as well. I am sure this is possible with some other players too.
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post #3 of 6
1/23/09 at 2:20am
I think the OP was talking about video and not audio.
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post #4 of 6
1/23/09 at 3:53am
Ah! You are right.

Well the remuxing using mkvmerge should still work. I would guess it must be a separate video stream he can strip out. I don't think there is a way to have two alternate versions in an mkv without duplicating the whole movie, although I may be wrong on this. Either way a simple remux should give a version that works in any player. I'm also 90% sure that switching to/from fullscreen mode in most players (MPC-HC/TheaterTek ...) and changing streams using Haali will not cause the video stream to change. He may have to avoid D3D/exclusive mode though. And, yes, the idea to change stream using the keyboard or remote will not work for video (at least in MPC-HC).
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post #5 of 6
1/23/09 at 11:54am
Thread Starter 
thanks for you replies. your suggestion about the audio tracks removal will be helpful for other files i have but my issue is with the video tracks right now. you asked what player i am using to watch the video and i am using Windows Vista Ultimate and i watch videos using Media Center. i will try and explain again....

i open media center and i navigate and play my "i am legend" mkv file. the file opens and media center begins playing it in full screen mode. no issue there at all. now i know my "i am legend" mkv file has a second video track that has the entire movie but with an alternate ending not shown in theaters. to switch to that video track i have to minimize media center to windowed mode (not minimize to tray), then i can right click the Haali Media Splitter icon in the system tray next to the clock and in the menu that opens i can select the second video track that contains the alternate ending. again no issue there. the problem arises after i choose the second video track and then maximize media center back to full screen......when it goes back to full screen mode for some reason the video track switches back on it's own to the default video track and i am now again watching the theatrical version and not the secondary version with the alternate ending.

i hope i explained that well enough. so what i need is help on is a way to switch to the alternate video track while still in full screen mode, which i don't know how that would be possible since you can't access the tray icon in full screen mode OR i need a way to be able to select the secondary video track BEFORE it opens in media center in full screen mode and have it stick.

i hope i explained myself better and i hope someone can help

thanks again for your replies
Mike
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post #6 of 6
1/23/09 at 3:56pm
Hopefully someone else can help you with VMC. I do not use it.

Alternatively you can remux the video using mkvmerge into two separate mkvs, one for each version of the movie. The total size of the two files will not be any larger than your current single mkv and there will be no degradation, as you are not re-encoding. Or use an alternate player in non D3D/exclusive mode, where you can switch between windowed and fullscreen mode without reinitialising playback.

Sorry I cannot be of more help.
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