.mkv File doesn't Start

I have a specific .mkv file that, for the life of me, I can’t figure out how to get to work. Most other .mkv files work, but this one doesn’t. I’m using the Matroska Pack for Windows 98, and VSFilter 2.37. The file simply won’t start playing right. Media Player or MPClassic, it just never even starts properly - it says 'Playing' but nothing else happens. If I use BSPlayer it starts playing but immediately comes up with an Illegal Operation message, followed by a message stating: “Application Error: Exception EAccessViolation in module BSPLAY.EXE at 0009BE3C. Access violation at address 0049BE3C in module 'BSPLAY.EXE'. Read of address 8E93F000." Just to apparently taunt me, the movie seems to play fine behind the error message until I click OK, then the player closes.

I used VideoInspector to check the file. It told me I needed the Xvid MPEG-4 codec. I downloaded it and installed it. It still doesn’t work, and VideoInspector still tells me I need the same codec. Not much use there apparently.

Using MatroskaDiag on the file I get the following:

Matroska file info : C:\Film Clips\Movies\Slayers\Slayers Try\Slayers Movie 01 - Perfect.mkv
File size : -1 bytes
TEbmlReader.ReaderHeader : Can’t read EBML header.
DirectShow RenderFile check :
Matroska Splitter : Gabest’s Matroska Splitter
- Installed : no
- Can be created : no
Matroska Splitter : Haali’s New Matroska Splitter
- Installed : yes, in C:\PROGRAM FILES\MATROSKA\HAALI\SPLITTER.AX (1.6.162.22)
- Can be created : yes
RenderFile with DirectShow : OK
Filters in graph: : 6
- Default DirectSound Device - DirectSound Audio Renderer {79376820-07D0-11CF-A24D-0020AFD79767} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\QUARTZ.DLL (6.5.1.907)
- Video Renderer {70E102B0-5556-11CE-97C0-00AA0055595A} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\QUARTZ.DLL (6.5.1.907)
- ffdshow Audio Decoder {0F40E1E5-4F79-4988-B1A9-CC98794E6B55} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\FFDSHOW\FFDSHOW.AX (1.0.0.1)
- DirectVobSub (auto-loading version) {9852A670-F845-491B-9BE6-EBD841B8A613} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\DIRECTVOBSUB\VSFILTER.DLL (1.0.1.3)
- ffdshow MPEG-4 Video Decoder {04FE9017-F873-410E-871E-AB91661A4EF7} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\FFDSHOW\FFDSHOW.AX (1.0.0.1)
- C:\Film Clips\Movies\Slayers\Slayers Try\Slayers Movie 01 - Perfect.mkv - Haali Media Splitter {55DA30FC-F16B-49FC-BAA5-AE59FC65F82D} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\MATROSKA\HAALI\SPLITTER.AX (1.6.162.22)

DirectShow detailed rendering :
0> MyRenderFile : C:\Film Clips\Movies\Slayers\Slayers Try\Slayers Movie 01 - Perfect.mkv
1> Creation of GraphBuilder : OK
1> Creation of FilterMapper2 : OK
1> Adding graph to ROT : OK
140> Creation of source filter : OK
140> # Rendering output pin C:\Film Clips\Movies\Slayers\Slayers Try\Slayers Movie 01 - Perfect.mkv(Video)
141> Filters matching mediatype : ffdshow MPEG-4 Video Decoder, DivX Decoder Filter, DirectVobSub (auto-loading version), DivXAntiFreeze, Video Renderer, XviD MPEG-4 Video Decoder, DivX Decoder Filter, VIVO Video Decoder Filter, AVI Decompressor, Nero Video Decoder, Nero DVD Decoder
141> Trying connection to ffdshow MPEG-4 Video Decoder :
148> OK, connected to (In)ffdshow MPEG-4 Video Decoder
148> # Rendering output pin C:\Film Clips\Movies\Slayers\Slayers Try\Slayers Movie 01 - Perfect.mkv(Video) -> ffdshow MPEG-4 Video Decoder(Out)
151> Filters matching mediatype : ffdshow MPEG-4 Video Decoder, DirectVobSub (auto-loading version), DivXAntiFreeze, Video Renderer, VIVO Video Decoder Filter, AVI Decompressor, Nero Video Decoder, Nero DVD Decoder
152> Trying connection to DirectVobSub (auto-loading version) :
161> OK, connected to (Video)DirectVobSub (auto-loading version)
161> # Rendering output pin C:\Film Clips\Movies\Slayers\Slayers Try\Slayers Movie 01 - Perfect.mkv(Video) -> ffdshow MPEG-4 Video Decoder(Out) -> DirectVobSub (auto-loading version)(Output)
174> Filters matching mediatype : ffdshow MPEG-4 Video Decoder, DirectVobSub (auto-loading version), DivXAntiFreeze, Video Renderer, VIVO Video Decoder Filter, AVI Decompressor, Nero Video Decoder, Nero DVD Decoder
174> Trying connection to DivXAntiFreeze :
187> Failed connecting pin to DivXAntiFreeze, removing it now.
187> Trying connection to Video Renderer :
197> OK, connected to (Input)Video Renderer
197> Completed path : C:\Film Clips\Movies\Slayers\Slayers Try\Slayers Movie 01 - Perfect.mkv(Video) -> ffdshow MPEG-4 Video Decoder(Out) -> DirectVobSub (auto-loading version)(Output) -> Video Renderer
198> # Rendering output pin C:\Film Clips\Movies\Slayers\Slayers Try\Slayers Movie 01 - Perfect.mkv(Audio)
198> Filters matching mediatype : ffdshow Audio Decoder, WMplug, DirectVobSub (auto-loading version), DivXAntiFreeze, ACM Wrapper
198> Trying connection to ffdshow Audio Decoder :
206> OK, connected to (In)ffdshow Audio Decoder
206> # Rendering output pin C:\Film Clips\Movies\Slayers\Slayers Try\Slayers Movie 01 - Perfect.mkv(Audio) -> ffdshow Audio Decoder(Out)
207> Filters matching mediatype : ffdshow Audio Decoder, WMplug, DirectVobSub (auto-loading version), DivXAntiFreeze, Default DirectSound Device, ACM Wrapper
207> Trying connection to WMplug :
208> Failed connecting pin to WMplug, removing it now.
208> Trying connection to DirectVobSub (auto-loading version) :
232> DirectVobSub (auto-loading version) AddFilter failed : : ? (0x80004005)
233> Trying connection to DivXAntiFreeze :
233> Failed connecting pin to DivXAntiFreeze, removing it now.
233> Trying connection to Default DirectSound Device :
253> OK, connected to (Audio Input pin (rendered))Default DirectSound Device
253> Completed path : C:\Film Clips\Movies\Slayers\Slayers Try\Slayers Movie 01 - Perfect.mkv(Audio) -> ffdshow Audio Decoder(Out) -> Default DirectSound Device
253> # Rendering output pin C:\Film Clips\Movies\Slayers\Slayers Try\Slayers Movie 01 - Perfect.mkv(Subtitle)
253> OK, connected to (Input)DirectVobSub (auto-loading version)
253> MyRenderFile finished : OK

Any ideas on what’s preventing this file from playing right?

Try K-Lite Codec Pack Standard (it works on Win98). It contains newer versions of Haali Media Splitter and ffdshow. Uninstall the Matroska pack. That is outdated.

Get K-Lite here:
http://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm

Also try newer version of BSplayer (if you have an old version) because older versions have trouble with Matroska files.

hi there
i used Storm Codec
that had the right codecs to play the MKV files
try and download it from one off the peer to peer sites like kaaza or bitcomet so on good luck

The same thing is happening to me. I downloaded at least 12 codec decoding programs for mkv files and it still won’t convert. I just wanted to put the video on my zune and now im going crazy!!!