Matroska Suggestion - codec_url

[justin]

This might be a good idea or not, I'm not sure, but it would be nice for people who have internet that use Matroska. I was wondering if a tag could be added to the specs called for example "codec_url", and it could be supported by the Matroska players or by a directshow filters if possible.

Windows Media Player automatically downloads the codecs you need for people who don't have the codecs installed. I was thinking something along the same lines for matroska except that you embed the url to download the codec in the matroska file. Then the player says: "you don't have the necessary codec, but you can download the (codec_name) codec at (codec_url)" (and repeat for aditional codecs that are needed to play the file)

Edit: wait, on second thought this wouldn't work because you'd need a matroska parser to be able to read the matroska file to search for the codec_url tag to display it. But you could still use it to display video/ audio/subtitle/chapters url's, but is it worth it.... hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[robUx4]

It's already in the format (http://www.matroska.org/technical/specs/index.html#CodecName) but not supported. What would you put for XviD or RealVideo ?

[Hiro2k]

Link to Real Player and I guess you could ask to link to someones binaries of Xvid.

[stephanV]

Originally posted by Hiro2k
to link to someones binaries of Xvid.

i think it is that they cannot do... same reason why latest ffdshow wasnt included in the matroska pack for a long time.

[Hiro2k]

But there is a huge difference between linking to another program and including it in the playback packs.

I know Xvid is an encoder, but there is no standalone Xvid Decoder. You really don't have an option here, unless you count FFDSHOW. And it has had problems playing Xvid content in the past.

As for Real, you only need the Real Player in order to play it back in MKV. So you don't have to link to any Real encoders.

[stephanV]

Originally posted by Hiro2k
But there is a huge difference between linking to another program and including it in the playback packs.

but perhaps for mpeg people there isnt. i think linking is already in the "danger" zone.

but there is no standalone Xvid Decoder.
actually there is one on koepi's site... i just remembered :)


So you don't have to link to any Real encoders.
or give a google link to real alternative :)

(thats why i am not sure about even linking to open-source MPEG4 encoders)
but matroska people can clear this one up...

BTW - shouldnt XviD just be stored as MPEG4 in matroska (when the time is there)
hmm, of course it would have to leave VFW or be muxed from mp4 via 3ivx filter suite or something...

[robUx4]

Originally posted by stephanV
(thats why i am not sure about even linking to open-source MPEG4 encoders)
but matroska people can clear this one up...

We didn't ask our lawyer :D

Frankly you should sue Google in the first place then... But all these problems were a good reason for us to take the opportunity to host our content in Russia...

[Atamido]

Actually, the Matroska team has nothing to do with this from a user standpoint. If/when those fields were supported in an app, they would be user definable. So, putting a URL to some MPEG-4 binaries would be the responsibility of the person creating the file.