MKV playback problems - ATV1

Help and Support Apple TV
1

Hi team.

I have an ATV1 160gb with the Broadcom HD card, with the Nov 16.1 OSMC build…and very nice it is too! Before I start the hare running, should I be able to stream 1080p files in mkv format? I can, very well, in mp4 and other lesser streams but not, it seems, in mkv in any size.

I have researched that there is another build, Kinos Kodi Jarvis [Release] Kinos - Kodi Jarvis for Apple TV gen 1 but am unsure if this would play the mkv files.
I am fully aware I have an ATV1 that is over 13 years old and support is finished but just love the look of it and whilst I have very few addons installed I just use it for a streamer. I have a fully whizzed up Vero4k in our main room which works brilliantly, just not in our winter snug room!
Thanks in advance.

M

2

You could use an older version of OSMC which still has CHD acceleration. This may work better.

AppleTV is end of life, from an OSMC perspective, as we have to move forwards with things rather than stick to an older OS and Kodi version.

3

Hi Sam…thanks for speedy reply. I have the [2017.01-1-HDD] 5a291a8586b01439ee33f006a9c16d6b build which I thought was the last one for CHD support i.e 16.1 compiled Nov 22 2016…can I get previous versions of this? If so, from where please?

Thanks,

Michael

4

Stick with v16 if you want HW accel.

5

OK…so I have the last build with CHD support. That’s good.
Just wondering if it should play mkv files or if I should give up chasing now!
Cheers,

Michael

6

MKV is just a container. It will play those files.

But those files may have a higher bitrate than the MP4 files you are playing.

7

Im ssh into the ATV but can’t for the life of me bring up the list of the hardware… What command do I type to show what Broadcom Card I have please?
Thank you.
Michael

8

Just upload some logs and we should be able to see

9

OK thanks…just thought it would be easier if I typed a certain command line in terminal!
M

10

logs

http://paste.osmc.io/epeyumamup

First time ever done this…so no idea if this is correct…be kind…

11

My bad…

Here we go

http://paste.osmc.io/amupobuqod

Enjoy! let me know what on earth it means?!
Thanks,
M

12

Anybody had a chance to read my ‘tea leaves’ yet? :grinning:
Thanks,
M

13

The CrystalHD card is indeed being detected and used for playback.
I don’t think the kernel can detect the difference between the 70012 and 70015, but you should be able to open the Apple TV and find this out trivially.

14

I managed to to find the correct code for (ssh) terminal to find out what Broadcom card I have:
“lspci | grep Broadcom”
It confirms I have the ‘BCM70015 Video Decoder (Crystal HD)’. So I have the latest hardware. If the files have a higher bit rate is there anything I can do to play them on the ATV1?
Thanks,
M

15

Not really - the hardware is quite old I’m afraid.

Sam

16

Ok, no worries Sam. Guess I will have to get another Vero4k for my Sony TV…if I can sort out the Pink screen issue.
Thanks,

M

17

I will check that shortly.