What are MKV files, and how to deal with them?
A Matroska Video file is a video container format with several similarities with AVI, MOV, and MPG formats. The MKV format supports several compression algorithms. It is worth noting that the MKV format can also contain various subtitles. Delving into the concept of the MKV format, we should pay attention to its history. Initially, in these video formats, subtitles were implemented, including the necessary service information.
In addition, the MKV container could combine different audio tracks, consolidating the required video and audio data in one file format.
MKV format gained massive popularity among owners of outdated mobile devices based on the Symbian operating system. In most cases, it is recommended to use the Core Media Player utility to open MKV on the devices mentioned above. It is also compatible with other devices and PDAs with non-modern software.
Matroska Video files: opening and converting
On computers, this video file format is often tried to be played in Windows Media Player. However, for correct opening, installing a special Matroska DirectShow codec package is recommended. The developers of the Matroska project provide it on their official website. It will allow the Media Player to play audio files successfully.
The video content is placed in a multimedia container of an MKV file. Many users launch the MKV container in special programs such as KMPlayer to avoid problems with the Windows Media Player. It allows file opening without installing additional playback codecs. Don’t forget that the Nullsoft Winamp package contains a standard set of codecs to open the MKV format.
An open project called Matroska rapidly deserved the love of FullHD viewing fans. This format demonstrates good dynamics regarding the transmission of video and audio streams. If users do not want to play MKV files, they can be converted into other popular formats using appropriate converters,
The MKV file format is a combination of video and audio data. Due to this fact, this format is often called the “container file format.” It is essential to say that this data type can be stored in several different codecs. The abbreviation MKV stands for Matroska Video, which reflects the working principle of a Russian doll, “matryoshka,” which contains several more petite beauties. Similarly, the MKV file contains various codecs and subtitles.
A comparison of MKV and MP4 formats
Experts know that MKV and MP4 are the most common downloadable video formats. But we have to figure out specific differences between these two file types.
- MP4 can be played with almost all media players, while MKV has significant compatibility limitations.
- MKV files are a little better than MP4 in terms of a video quality
- MKV format when is widely used for ripping Blu-ray discs
Users who regularly deal with video files know much about MP4 and MKV formats. It is crucial to analyze the technical aspects of these formats to choose the better option for each case.
Tips on operating with MKV format
Users can convert MKV videos using online viewers. To do this, they should press the “Select MKV file to play” button on the website of an online player. Using the “Save as function, you can save a video stream in the following formats: AVI, MP4, and MKV, as well. After that, the file will be prepared for download.
It is recommended to install the relevant application for playing MKV files and associate the operating system with it. Scan each file with the anti-virus software before opening it. The only significant disadvantage of this format is the requirements of installing the appropriate software on your computer. But it can be compensated with several pros like good compression and excellent image quality.
Conclusions on the MKV video format
Mostly, MKV files are connected with the VLC player developed by VideoLAN. Generally speaking, MKV is the filename extension for video content that is saved in the Matroska media container format. Files with the MKV extensions may contain multiple video tracks and audio and subtitle tracks of different formats. Moreover, MKV files can also manage metadata and images. It should also be mentioned that Matroska files support various video and audio codecs. If needed, it can be converted to other video formats. This file type is an excellent option for saving HD television broadcasts.
Users must download and install the appropriate software to open the MKV files. If the particular applications are not installed, the OS displays the following warning: “How would you like to open this file?” or “Windows is unable to open this file.” If there is a case, click on the “Open with” option and select the relevant program from the list of available ones. The MKV video can be played directly in a browser window if you have the demanded plugins installed.
The Matroska Multimedia Container is an accessible multimedia file format that may contain multiple video and audio tracks, images, and text subtitles. Many people use it for storing movies and sport competition coverages. All sources of data are consolidated in a single compact file.