Best Quality Codec for playback on Xbox One

[moniker00]

I keep all my video files on an external storage which is hard wired into my network along with everything else, including laptop, Xbox One, etc. As most of us know ( I assume) the One will playback almost any video format, even the new 4K, however, I have yet to find a way to play back an .MKV file without conversion. The same goes for playback on my laptop unless I use VLC player, which I do not mind but can't use that for the One. So, I recently purchased the lifetime sub. to the AVS suite and am playing around with the Video Converter. I have had some luck in converting to AVI and MP4 formats and playing them back on the One via the "Play To" option, my problem however is that I have no idea where to set some of the output settings to keep the file size close to original or maybe even smaller, without losing quality. Thusfar, my conversions have made the file sizes so large it takes all day to convert. Most everything I have is in 1080P and I would like to keep that, as well as the 16:9 AR. As for the audio, I am using the Bose 2.1 so sound quality can be sacrificed a bit if it has to be but I would like to keep that higher 5.1 or 7.1, in case I ever upgrade my surround components. As for subs, I couldn't care less, I usually delete any .srt files anyway. So....any ideas or advice would be much appreciated. If any of you have a favorite conversion profile that would do what I have described, maybe you could post that for me...or email it to me. I know there are a LOT more codecs and advanced settings within each that I have yet to try but I hate to waste time when I know there are folks out there who already have the knowledge and are willing to share. Thank you in advance for any help.

[jagabo]

Most of your MKV files can simply be remuxed into an MP4 container that will probably play on the xbone. That will be fast and there will be no loss of quality. Try MkvToMp4. Though personally, I'd look for a player that supports MKV.

On your laptop you only need to install a MKV reader/splitter (Windows doesn't know that MKV files are media files -- you need to install a reader/splitter to tell it that). Try Haali or LAV Filters. After that WMP or any other DirectShow based player will recognize MKV files. I don't know if you can install those on the xbone.

[moniker00]

Jagabo,
Thanks for the reply. I have no problem with playback on my laptop through VLC Player. As for mkvtomp4.....I am actually trying to figure that one out right now. I downloaded from the direct link, which was a zip file, I then unzipped into it's own file, however, I do not seem to be able to find an .exe file or a Run file to execute the program. So I now have all the files sitting there but unable to launch them as an app. HELP!!

[moniker00]

Just noticed one of the reviews on the mkvtomp4 says there are troubles with compatibility with Win 8.1, just so happens I am running 8.1 so this may be my problem with not being able to run the app.???

[jagabo]

I've never used the program myself, but I downloaded it and there are MkvToMp4.exe files in the x32 (32 bit) and x64 (64 bit) folders.