Stream 1080p MKV Video to HDTV/HD Media Player

Is it possible to stream MKV to HDTV/HD player over DLNA? Some say yes and some say no. Most of the time people get no luck when trying to stream a MKV file from NAS to DLNA certified TV or HD media player, but it does work for some guys. Why should this happen? Basically, with DLNA media devices there are certificates given to each product that receives DLNA approval.  The problem is that .mkv is not one of the media options that are categorized because it’s not a sanctioned format (not like WMV, MPEG, etc.) Besides, MKV is a flexible container format which can store just about anything (H.264, DivX, MPEG, any sort of audio, even menus and subtitles) while WMV, MPEG is more or less complete formats so they know what to expect while with MKV’s you really can’t tell without checking the contents itself.

Although most people meet with very limited success streaming .mkv files from NAS to a TV, it is reported that many have good luck when streaming H.264 .mkv with AC3 audio. DTS audio in .mkv may results in av sync problems so it is advised to be converted to AC3 or AAC before streaming MKV. Anyway, the best way solving this problem is streaming .mkv while transcoding the file on the fly with media server like Tversity. Despite that, you may receive error message when streaming .mkv to the DMP (Digital Media Player). In that case you’re suggested to convert .mkv to DLNA sanctioned format, e.g. H.264 .mp4. The following guide tells you how to convert .mkv to H.264 .mp4 video with AAC audio included.

Download a free trial of the Pavtube Video Converter first.

Step 1. Load H.264 MKV to the Video Converter software.
Have the Pavtube Video Converter installed on your computer. Run the app and click “Add” button to load source MKV files. The converter works with MKV files encoded with H.264, Xvid, AAC, AC3, DTS codecs and converts any video thrown to it. It supports CUDA acceleration and batch conversion.

Step 2. Select DLNA optimized streaming media format.
DLNA applicable required formats include MPEG2, MPEG4, H.264 and WMV9. H.264 is recommended as a top choice for achieving very high data compression while maintaining good video quality at bit rates that are substantially lower (e.g., half or less) than what previous standards would need. In Pavtube Video Converter you’re advised to follow “Common Video” to choose H.264 .mp4 format for video streaming over DLNA. If the source MKV is 1080p or 720p high definition video, you may follow “HD video”>>H.264 HD (*.mp4) video to get best video quality and AAC 5.1 sound.

Step 3. Convert MKV to optimal DLNA streaming media format.
Click “Convert” to start converting MKV for streaming over DLNA. When the conversion completes, click “completed”, back to the Pavtube Video Converter interface, and click “Open” to find converted H.264 mp4 videos for streaming to DLNA certified TV or HD media player (e.g. WD TV Live Hub, Popcorn Hour NMJ).