newbie to mkv - queries on splitters, xp, ordering

[halsboss]

I'm having a little difficulty coming to grips with concepts around mkv (eg "splitter") and hope for some assistance.

My PC has ffdshow, MediaPlayerClassic, Avisynth, and Nero7 (inlcuding Recode 2 which understands mp4), and plays MP4s, avis, etc fine. Couple of questions about MKV related matters, after reading the Matroska FAQ http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=54306 -

The Matroska FAQ mentions the need for an .MKV splitter. Is there a small test sample .MKV file which I can download to test things out ?

How do I open an .MKV in avisynth (assume PAL country) ?

If I need to install a .MKV splitter, is Haali the recommended one and do you consider it to be "safe" ?

Some topics seem to mention a concept something like "ordering" of Windows XP splitters, or something like that (merits?). Is that right ? How can that be done ?

Given I'm very happy with ffdshow etc how can I order the splitters/codecs or whatever, so that the haali splitter is "found" as a last resort only and the ffdshow codecs etc are still used even with a .MKV ? If I understand it, haali will open .mp4 too whereas I would like whatever I'm using now to continue to be used "in preference to" haali and haali is only ever invoked when nothing else will do the job.

[Jeff Flowerday]

When you install haali you have options to not have it handle ts/m2ts, mp4 etc. Disabling all the other option has it only do mkv files.

Haali is a splitter that take each elementary stream(video/audio/subtitles) in an mkv and feeds it to the appropriate directshow filter. So to answer you question, everything will operate as you have it currently configured via ffdshow be it mpeg2, h264 etc.

[halsboss]

Great ! Thanks.

Any pointers to short sample .mkv's to test things out ?

[Jeff Flowerday]

Create one using makemkv, it's dead simple.

[setarip_old]

@Jeff Flowerday

Hi! Create one using makemkv, it's dead simple.I believe you're mistaken, as "MakeMKV" can only process full DVDs, HD-DVDs, and BluRay discs.

Rather, I believe "halsboss" can use "MKVMerge" to create small MKV samples...

[Jeff Flowerday]

@Jeff Flowerday

Hi! I believe you're mistaken, as "MakeMKV" can only process full DVDs, HD-DVDs, and BluRay discs.


No I'm not mistaken, it's exactly what I meant. I just assumed he had a DVD kicking around and he wasn't just downloading his content.

You might be mistaken by assuming he has a source readily available to feed into mkvmerge.

[halsboss]

Thankyou for the advice, I can use both suggestions - DV sources, home made DVDs, TV captures for timeshifted viewing...

[setarip_old]

@Jeff Flowerday

The question by "halsboss" was:Any pointers to short sample .mkv's to test things out ?(BTW - I'm the person who first directed you to "Make MKV" ;>})