New TV's that will play AVI, MP4, MKV files

[micallen]

My 5 year old LG TV is starting to give out. Plus, it plays less and less of the files I throw at it lately.

So, I was hoping some folks that have bought TV's in the past year that have a good track record of playing these files could post in this thread (with model number).

[hardy]

I am also in the market. Steer clear of new LG models, they don't last long. They don't make them like they use to. I never did switch over to LED, even though it's a dead tech now lol

[hech54]

Steer clear of new LG models, they don't last long.

Obviously you have zero experience in this since you:

never did switch over to LED

Correct?

[jagabo]

Some of the TV manufactures have started spying on you and listening to your conversations (via the voice command function) and selling information about what you are watching and discussing to third parties.

http://arstechnica.co.uk/security/2015/11/own-a-vizio-smart-tv-its-watching-you/

Get a standalone media player and connect it to your TV. Or better yet, put together your own media player with a Raspberry Pi media center kit.

https://www.amazon.com/Vilros-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit--Black/dp/B00MV6TAJI/
https://learn.adafruit.com/raspberry-pi-as-a-media-center/overview

[micallen]

Some of the TV manufactures have started spying on you and listening to your conversations (via the voice command function) and selling information about what you are watching and discussing to third parties.

http://arstechnica.co.uk/security/2015/11/own-a-vizio-smart-tv-its-watching-you/

Get a standalone media player and connect it to your TV. Or better yet, put together your own media player with a Raspberry Pi media center kit.

While I'm new at it, my RasPI with Kodi also won't play a lot of the files I get. It may need an updated codec or something.

[usually_quiet]

Some of the TV manufactures have started spying on you and listening to your conversations (via the voice command function) and selling information about what you are watching and discussing to third parties.

http://arstechnica.co.uk/security/2015/11/own-a-vizio-smart-tv-its-watching-you/

Get a standalone media player and connect it to your TV. Or better yet, put together your own media player with a Raspberry Pi media center kit.

While I'm new at it, my RasPI with Kodi also won't play a lot of the files I get. It may need an updated codec or something.

You need to buy a license to hardware decode MPEG-2 and VC-1. An H.264 license for hardware decoding is included with the Pi. Software decoding is used for everything else, but the Pi's CPU may struggle with some formats.

[KarMa]

You need to buy a license to hardware decode MPEG-2 and VC-1.

Kind of ridiculous that VC-1 ($2) decoding is half the price of MPEG2 ($4). While I don't use VC-1 much, it's certainly better.

[usually_quiet]

You need to buy a license to hardware decode MPEG-2 and VC-1.

Kind of ridiculous that VC-1 ($2) decoding is half the price of MPEG2 ($4). While I don't use VC-1 much, it's certainly better.

..but MPEG-2 content (DVD and a large amount of TV) is probably more common than than VC-1 content (some Blu-ray releases), so there is more need for an MPEG-2 decoder. The licensing authority sets the price. Demand may or may not play a big role in pricing.

[KarMa]

..but MPEG-2 content (DVD and a large amount of TV) is probably more common than than VC-1 content (some Blu-ray releases), so there is more need for an MPEG-2 decoder. The licensing authority sets the price. Demand may or may not play a big role in pricing.

Agreed, there's not much VC-1 content vs MPEG2. Mostly just earlier Bluray releases, before professional bluray encoders moved more toward H.264. Also a certain segment of internet videos before H.264 dominated.

Just pointing out that more expensive does not always mean better.

[usually_quiet]

..but MPEG-2 content (DVD and a large amount of TV) is probably more common than than VC-1 content (some Blu-ray releases), so there is more need for an MPEG-2 decoder. The licensing authority sets the price. Demand may or may not play a big role in pricing.

Agreed, there's not much VC-1 content vs MPEG2. Mostly just earlier Bluray releases, before professional bluray encoders moved more toward H.264. Also a certain segment of internet videos before H.264 dominated.

Just pointing out that more expensive does not always mean better.

So what. If someone has MPEG-2 content and wants to watch it using their Pi without re-encoding it first, neither an H.264 decoder or a VC-1 decoder is of any use them. Have you been intellectually contaminated by spending time in a Stears555 thread? LOL

[KarMa]

So what. If someone has MPEG-2 content and wants to watch it using their Pi without re-encoding it first, neither an H.264 decoder or a VC-1 decoder is of any use them. Have you been intellectually contaminated by spending time in a Stears555 thread? LOL

There seems to be a misunderstanding. If I had lots MPEG2 content to watch, I'd just pay the fee and keep it as is. Re-encoding it to H.264 or VC-1 would just cause a loss and take CPU time to encode. No real benefit.

Just find it crazy that MPEG can still charge what they do to decode an ancient standard. Nearly all of MPEG2s patents have run out but they still charge the same. But they can and the market seems to accept it. A more extreme example would be the prices for TI calculators.

https://www.amazon.com/Texas-Instruments-TI-83-Graphing-Calculator/dp/B00001N2QU

I payed the same price for the above calculator 15 years ago.

[jagabo]

As I understand it, the RPi 3 can play MPEG 2 video up to 1080p with software decoding just fine. And it supports h.265/HEVC up to 1080p30. You might need recent beta software though.

In any case, whatever the OP gets, it won't play everything. Nothing plays everything. And if you somehow found a player that plays everything today, tomorrow a new video or audio codec will come out and it will no longer play everything.

[usually_quiet]

There seems to be a misunderstanding. If I had lots MPEG2 content to watch, I'd just pay the fee and keep it as is. Re-encoding it to H.264 or VC-1 would just cause a loss and take CPU time to encode. No real benefit.

Just find it crazy that MPEG can still charge what they do to decode an ancient standard. Nearly all of MPEG2s patents have run out but they still charge the same. But they can and the market seems to accept it. A more extreme example would be the prices for TI calculators.

https://www.amazon.com/Texas-Instruments-TI-83-Graphing-Calculator/dp/B00001N2QU

I payed the same price for the above calculator 15 years ago.

Things cost what they cost. We can either pay or do without. It is up to the OP to decide if $4 is a fair price to pay for better MPEG-2 playback, assuming he has an older Pi that needs to decode with hardware.

[KarMa]

Looked up the royalties for decoding MPEG2, and it seems like it recently dropped.

On January 1, 2002 it dropped from $4 to $2.50, and then on January 1, 2010 it dropped to $2. January 1, 2016 says it should be $0.50, and after January 1, 2018 it can be $0.35.

Assuming I read this right. http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/M2/Pages/Agreement.aspx

[usually_quiet]

Looked up the royalties for decoding MPEG2, and it seems like it recently dropped.

On January 1, 2002 it dropped from $4 to $2.50, and then on January 1, 2010 it dropped to $2. January 1, 2016 says it should be $0.50, and after January 1, 2018 it can be $0.35.

Assuming I read this right. http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/M2/Pages/Agreement.aspx

The license key needs to be purchased from the Raspberry Pi Store. I thought you had checked, but apparently not. The Raspberry Pi Store charges £2.40. ($3.42 at the current exchange rate) The one-time fee is nominal regardless. Most family restaurants charge more for a slice of pie.

[theewizard]

if you want 'Pi' pay the price for mpeg2
or buy a Media Player for $49 that will play almost anything and has mpeg2 support built in

you asked about Tv's that play MKV
they aren't widely available
a new TV is a lot more $$ than a $4 license fee

it really Not worth the time and effort to Quibble about it

[johns0]

My mom's 2013 46" Samsung TV plays any mkv,mp4,avi and mpeg that plug in the usb,it's not that the video files are getting any better or advanced it's just that they need to be within the specs and that means no head shrinking,5.1 profiles or variable frame rates and subtitles that are out of spec.

[hardy]

Steer clear of new LG models, they don't last long.

Obviously you have zero experience in this since you:

never did switch over to LED

Correct?

Incorrect
LCD to LED was never really an upgrade

[theewizard]

Led is still an LCD TV
The change is in the light source
The first LCD TVs used florescent light tubes
Then LED light source
Then really large sets used mirrored reflected light DLP?
THEN CAME edge lit led lighting using fiber optics to place the light behind the LCD panel
This is when TV's became really thin
Everyone is still and LCD panel TV the edge lit fiber optic
It's what makes the high contrast deep blacks possessible
By eliminating light bleed over between adjoining pixels

[usually_quiet]

LCD to LED was never really an upgrade

It depends on how you define "upgrade". In general, a TV which uses LEDs for back lighting has a thinner bezel, weighs less, uses less electricity, and runs cooler than a TV which uses fluorescent back lighting. If someone buys an LED TV which uses a quantum dot film to diffuse the back light, the color range will be improved considerably. Samsung calls it "Nano-Crystal Color".

[micallen]

if you want 'Pi' pay the price for mpeg2
or buy a Media Player for $49 that will play almost anything and has mpeg2 support built in

you asked about Tv's that play MKV
they aren't widely available
a new TV is a lot more $$ than a $4 license fee

it really Not worth the time and effort to Quibble about it

My TV is going out. That's the original point. So I need a TV. Hoping whatever I get will play a good percentage of file types.

[theewizard]

And that's what I mean
Why the quibbling discussion of $4 MPEG license, if you are shopping for a new TV
Which ever one you buy it won't play everything
The problem with mkv is it too open, too lienate , you can put anything in it
And that audio and video may not match the specs for the TV decoding

Me I would choose a reasonable priced TV with a picture I like, multiple HDMI ports etc...
And then add a multi media player, connected via HDMI
I would not be overly concerned about what the TV can play via USB
I have four ways to play video files via devices connected to the TV by HDMI
PC, Sony media player, PVR, and via playback thru DVD/BD player USB input

[usually_quiet]

if you want 'Pi' pay the price for mpeg2
or buy a Media Player for $49 that will play almost anything and has mpeg2 support built in

you asked about Tv's that play MKV
they aren't widely available
a new TV is a lot more $$ than a $4 license fee

it really Not worth the time and effort to Quibble about it

My TV is going out. That's the original point. So I need a TV. Hoping whatever I get will play a good percentage of file types.

I helped my mother pick out a new TV last year. A media player was not a consideration in the selection process, but after we brought it home and I set it up for Mom, I found out that the small, inexpensive Samsung smart TV she bought happened to have a fairly competent media player. The file and format compatibility for the media player were spelled out in a fair amount of detail in the owner's manual. Unless a TV has just been released, most of the time the owners manual can be located online.

Mom's TV also collected data and supplied targeted pop-up ads, until I turned off the features responsible for that.

[Moralez]

My Samsung 55" playes AVI, MKV, MP4, MTS
YMMV

[theewizard]

I'm not disputing that some TVs will play some mkv files
As long as the video and audio match the specs, and most likely this specs are the same as the mp4 specs
But will it play files with out of spec aspect ratio , to high a bit rate, files that are HEVC instead h264,
You can stick anything in an mkv , mp4, mpeg2 are more constrained/controlled

[usually_quiet]

And that's what I mean
Why the quibbling discussion of $4 MPEG license, if you are shopping for a new TV
Which ever one you buy it won't play everything
The problem with mkv is it if too open, too lienate , you can put anything in it
And that audio and video may not match the specs for the TV decoding

The OP, micallen, asked about TV media players first and later asked a question about a problem with media playback on his Raspberry Pi, running Kodi. micallen has so far said nothing about the Raspberry Pi's MPEG-2 decoder license fee being too high. That was all KarMa.

[usually_quiet]

I'm not disputing that some TVs will play some mkv files
As long as the video and audio match the specs, and most likely this specs are the same as the mp4 specs
But will it play files with out of spec aspect ratio , to high a bit rate, files that are HEVC instead h264,
You can stick anything in an mkv , mp4, mpeg2 are more constrained/controlled

Mom's TV plays HEVC video and AAC audio in an MKV container. I tested it with a legal download of Sintel, which is 1920x824 and 2:35:1 aspect ratio. Will it play everything? No. No hardware-based media player will play everything. Even stand alone Android media players running Kodi can be limited by their CPU. ...but there is no question that TV media players are getting better.

[micallen]

My LG TV would play about 98% of what I tried in the beginning, Now it's more like 10%.
As a stop-gap, I've tried streaming via PlayOn (just starting experimenting with that) to my Dish Hopper receiver, but that is hit and miss.

It's nice to have the media player as part of the TV. It makes it easier. And neater.

[micallen]

My Samsung 55" playes AVI, MKV, MP4, MTS
YMMV

What's the model # of the TV ?

[lingyi]

My Samsung 55" playes AVI, MKV, MP4, MTS
YMMV

AVI and MKV are containers and can contain many different types of video files, many of which are incompatible with built-in media players (there are numerous threads about this).

The best advice has already been given, get a separate media player and you'll get a much higher level of playback compatibility and value. A built-in media HDTV media player is analogous to an OEM stereo in a car. The cost to the manufacturer is minimal, but they'll tack on the full retail price to car. Better to save the additional $50-$100 retail cost on the HDTV and get a good separate media player.

Also, since you're already trying streaming (PlayOn), I'd suggest Plex or Mezzmo (both free for the basic edition) and set it to transcode your stream for greatest compatibility.