[Nottingham] Video containers. I fixed my DLNA, but don't understand how

[Jason Irwin]

On 19/06/16 23:32, Neal Ponton via Nottingham wrote:
> As a caveat, I know little about how (or why) we have video containers
> with different codecs in them either.
My understanding is that the container tells the media player where the 
video, audio, subtitles etc tracks are. Thus the player can go "video 1, 
audio 2 (Eng, 5.1), no subtitles". Hence why I am completely flumoxxed 
that dvr-ms is working when the server claims it's a mkv.

Another issue is that OEMs do not document what combinations of 
containers/codecs they support. They will have some marketing puff about 
"Play mp4 over DLNA" but no information on the actual encodings, aspect 
ratios, bitrates or all the other stuff you have to get 100% correct for 
DLNA to work.

Which I guess is why so many people say DLNA is a crap-shoot.

At least with Emby I can hack the handshake profiles and fiddle things 
through. Both TVs are now playing most files. Just the multi-audio track 
and subtitle ones to contend with. And the 3D. For some reason a 3D TV 
claims it can't handle a 3D video. :-S

And don't start me on why I have a 3D TV....

J.