MKV to Apple TV playable? Please help

[Cattywampus_]

Hi

I am having trouble understanding how to get mkv files to play on the Apple TV. I know they won't play properly but I am confused by all the 'guides' on the big thread here.

Can someone please write their guides how they do it using Mac's. Am I going to be able to convert in like an hour or do all methods currently require hours of encoding?

Thanks

 

[crotalus99]

I have used VisualHub with success. It's easy enough and have had really good results converting some HD movies. How long it will take per file is dependent on your machine and the file. A 4 Gb usually takes my MBP about 2 hours if nothing else is running.

 

[frankiepdx]

+1.........I always use the "Go Nuts" level on the Quality because the slider bar is always a mystery to me in the end for file sizes. I hit advanced and enter the size I want it to be in the "Fit Each Video in: __ MB" . I usually use it for TV Shows but I know many do for movies.

 

[TheCheapGeek]

I just downloaded my first mkv file in 720P. My first attempt was simply dragging it to isquint and walking away. On the highest basic setting "go nuts" it still shrunk the resolution to anamorphic rather than HD. Additionally the video was slightly choppy. My second attempt was a pass through encode using quicktime pro and a quicktime plug-in perian. This basically just re encoded the audio and changed the file format and was very quick and preserved all of the HD quality. Unfortunately my file was 25 frames per second so apple tv would not play it. So finally i had to just do a re encode in isquint telling it to hold the resolution to 720P and after about 15 hours i had a very nice HD tv show for my apple TV. If you file fps and resolution will work on apple tv without a re encode defiantly use quicktime pro its very fast, otherwise just use isquint or visual hub.