Ripped Concert Videos Won't Play in Kodi

[letting1]

I've just ripped a DVD (first time) with MakeMKV and used MMH to split the chapters and edit: tag create NFOs for them. I have them showing up in the Kodi library but when I try to play them, I get only sound. No video. I've used two approaches, one with splitting the chapters and using edit: tags NFOs and one with putting the mkv with all the chapters into Music with a cue file (I created an advancedsettings.xml and added .mkv and .mp4 as valid file types for Music) Same result - sound but no video. The ripped files play fine in VLC and I have played other mkv files (tv shows) with no issues. Not sure if it's a drm issue or a codec issue or what. I'm using Kodi on Windows 10 build 20.4. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[HomerJAU]

PREAMBLE:
Kodi doesn’t read MKV tags for music. Officially Kodi only supports video files in its Music Video library (not Music which is by default an audio only section). BUT, you can hack Kodi settings to allow MKV/mp4 music videos and concerts to be added to the Music library.

If you are using a Music Video source (You want them to appear in your Music Video library only) then you must create nfo files (small xml files with ‘tag’ data) for every MKV file. MMH can create those semi automatically.

If you are using a Music source (you want your Concerts to appear in the Music library only) then you must tell Kodi that ‘MKV’ files are a music file (otherwise they are ignored in the music library, as they are a video files). This requires a one-off addition to a Kodi configuration file. Then you need to create a CUE file for each concert folders (MMH can do that), you don’t need nfo files.

Questions:
Are you loading your Concerts into Kodi from a ‘Music’ source or ‘Music Video’ source? (I prefer as ‘Music’ not ‘Music Video’, but Music Video can be a little easier but is not such a good user interface experience).

BTW: What device are you playing on? Is it a FTV using my config files? If so your Kodi config to support MKV as a music file is already done.

Based on your answer, I can advise further.

 

[letting1]

Hi. Thanks for the quick reply.

Are you loading your Concerts into Kodi from a ‘Music’ source or ‘Music Video’ source?

I did both. In the Music Video as source case, I did have NFO files for all the chapters. In the case of Music source, I deleted the Music Video source and I created a CUE file using your MMH along with one .mkv file containing all the chapters. And I did add an advancedsettings.xml file to Kodi and added .mkv and .mp4 as valid file types for Music as outlined in another of your threads.

What device are you playing on? Is it a FTV using my config files?

I'm using a Windows 10 laptop with a display port connection to my tv to play my Kodi files right now. I have plans to use an Intel NUC feeding an AVR but wanted to do some proof of concept kinda stuff before committing to buying those items. Sorry, but I'm not sure what "FTV" is in your last question.

I should have reported that in each case, when the laptop tried to play the .MKV file, the screen went black and when I moved the mouse on the laptop it moved in a very jerky way. Could that be a buffer overflow or something?

Thanks again for your help.

 

[HomerJAU]

It sounds like your Kodi it set correctly. But you must restart Kodi for it to read the advanced settings changes.

Maybe check your Kodi video settings? If you are playing to two screens with different resolutions that can be an issue with one not syncing.

Maybe your AdvancedSettings.xml is not formatted correctly, so it’s not reading the MKV setting? I don’t know, just a thought.

Otherwise go the the Kodi forum.

You can also use the Kodi Videos menu and go to ‘files’ option when navigating and attempt to open the file in the Kodi file browser. Does that play as a Video?

 

[marpow]

Or just use JRiver, super simple.

 

[letting1]

Or just use JRiver, super simple.

That's a thought, but I've got a lot of time invested in Kodi and I'm stubborn

 

[paligap]

I use Kodi to play MKV files with (almost) zero problems, but I put them in subfolders (Concerts, Movies, and Videos) in the Video library. What's the advantage of putting them elsewhere?

 

[HomerJAU]

Or just use JRiver, super simple.

It can’t play Atmos in m4a files.

 

[letting1]

But you must restart Kodi for it to read the advanced settings changes.

Yes, I did restart Kodi after adding the advancedsettings.xml file. Here's what's in that file when edited with Notepad. I saved Notepad as .xml

<advancedsettings>
<musicextensions>
<add>.mkv|.mp4</add>
</musicextensions>
</advancedsettings>

I don't know much about xml. Is there some formatting that's missing?

If you are playing to two screens with different resolutions that can be an issue with one not syncing.

I'm trying to play only to the laptop screen right now so only one screen is involved right now.

 

[HomerJAU]

Ok definitely go to the Kodi Settings, Video and check the resolution is set to your screen.

Your xml looks good.

May try your laptop on your TV.

 

[letting1]

Hi. The screen settings match what my laptop screen is set for: 1920x1080.

The songs are showing up in the Music library, but they only play audio on the laptop and the tv.

But, like I said, tv show mkv's play with no issues at all. Is it possible that I need to adjust the video buffer for the codec used for the concerts? I think it's MPEG 2 on the concert mkv's whereas the tv show mkv's use HEVC either .264 or .265.

 

[HomerJAU]

I’m playing ripped DVDs as mpeg in MKV no problem on my NUCs.

Is kodi playing those MKVs from its video section?

I think you should ask on the Kodi forum.

 

[letting1]

I’m playing ripped DVDs as mpeg in MKV no problem on my NUCs.

Is kodi playing those MKVs from its video section?

I think you should ask on the Kodi forum.

Yes, the tv show mkv's are playing from the video section.

I took a quick look in the Kodi forum. It looks quite daunting. What do you think I should put as a thread title for this problem and where?

Thanks very much for your assistance and for all you do here, Homer! You're the best!

 

[gwlbe]

Same here i ignore music videos and put all videos in the video section under different file folders. I wish KODI was like VLC and played what ever is in the folder regardless of file type. I typically have KODI shuffling 8000 music videos 24 7 through various channels in my house , my personal MTV which I call FMTV.

 

[letting1]

Same here i ignore music videos and put all videos in the video section under different file folders. I wish KODI was like VLC and played what ever is in the folder regardless of file type. I typically have KODI shuffling 8000 music videos 24 7 through various channels in my house , my personal MTV which I call FMTV.

Yes, it seems Kodi is quite fussy about some things. My motivation for all this is just to be able to play a file list of concert dvd videos. I don't enjoy the DVD experience at all. Too slow and rigid.

 

[letting1]

I think I may have solved this problem. I was looking through r/kodi on Reddit and found a thread that suggested checking to see if hardware acceleration was enabled and to disable it if it was. Mine was enabled and once I disabled it, I was able to play files in Music that I had ripped. All of the concert songs showed up in Music, but some of them were not single songs, but that's different issue. At least now I can play something I ripped from a concert DVD with audio and video.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions.