AVIsynth suddenly refuses to open mkv...

[Vivaldi]

So suddenly, earlier today all my .avs files that were using mkvs broke, I'm now getting the error:

"video returned: directshowsource couldn't open file "file.mkv". Cannot play back the file. The format is unsupported.

Audio returned: directshowsource couldn't open file "file.mkv". Cannot play back the file. The format is unsupported.

I've reinstalled avisynth to no avail, I'm using windows XP SP2, and AMVapp 3.0

I know that's basically no information to go on, I'm just curious whether this is common or has happened to anyone else? Or if it's just the amv gods punishing me for using mkv.

Avi files are still working fine, even if I use directshowsource.

[Kariudo]

That error makes it sound like you don't have something to split/decode the mkv stream
try reinstalling CCCP (or installing if you didn't have it before)

that, or search doom9 for ffmpegsource and use it in place of DirectShowSource

[Qyot27]

Aye. DirectShowSource relies upon your ability to play the file with DirectShow. If the original files don't play in WMP, then DirectShowSource won't work either. It's practically certain you can't watch MKVs in WMP either with those errors.

Haali's Media Splitter is necessary. It comes in the CCCP if you just go ahead and use that, but if you don't want to, then the main site for the splitter is here:
http://haali.cs.msu.ru/mkv/

Additionally, the proper video decoder has to also be installed. ffdshow will cover that (again, included in the CCCP*). I generally go with clsid's generic builds.
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfile ... _id=173941

*The version of ffdshow included in the CCCP is seven months old (the version of Haali's is over a year old). Hence why I recommend independently installing them. At least in ffdshow's case, recent builds have much better performance. Just be sure to install one of the new builds, not the beta from last December - the beta has path issues that could screw up x264.exe (it depends on how Zarx264gui handles calling it) and xvid_encraw.exe if the command options exceed 250-odd characters.

[Vivaldi]

Well, you're right about it not playing in WMP (I hadn't noticed because I use MPC)

I know I have CCCP installed, but I'll try installing haali's splitter and ffdshow just in case.

Side problem, when installing a new plugin for avisynth (in this case ffdshowsource) putting the .dll and\or avsi in the "plugins" folder is supposed to allow it to auto load, correct? However virtual dub's not recognizing it. (With or without the loadplugin command actually.)

[Vivaldi]

Well, you're right about it not playing in WMP (I hadn't noticed because I use MPC)

I know I have CCCP installed, but I'll try installing haali's splitter and ffdshow just in case.

Side problem, when installing a new plugin for avisynth (in this case ffdshowsource) putting the .dll and\or avsi in the "plugins" folder is supposed to allow it to auto load, correct? However virtual dub's not recognizing it. (With or without the loadplugin command actually.)

Updating haali and ffdshow worked, many thanks.

[Scintilla]

Side problem, when installing a new plugin for avisynth (in this case ffdshowsource) putting the .dll and\or avsi in the "plugins" folder is supposed to allow it to auto load, correct? However virtual dub's not recognizing it. (With or without the loadplugin command actually.)

Which plugin/script? Also and the specific error message.

[Qyot27]

Side problem, when installing a new plugin for avisynth (in this case ffdshowsource) putting the .dll and\or avsi in the "plugins" folder is supposed to allow it to auto load, correct? However virtual dub's not recognizing it. (With or without the loadplugin command actually.)

Well, if you're entering it in the script as ffdshowsource, then of course it wouldn't recognize it. It's FFmpegSource. Note as well that the .avsi for FFmpegSource2 won't work with FFmpegSource 1.21, although you can have both 1.21 and the 2.00 beta version installed simultaneously, as they don't conflict with each other.

Also, 'plugins' folder being C:\Program Files\AviSynth 2.5\plugins (correct) or the plugins folder in VirtualDub's directory (incorrect, as far as autoload is concerned)? Although like I said, if you're entering it as ffdshowsource, then that's the actual source of the problem.

[Qyot27]

Side problem, when installing a new plugin for avisynth (in this case ffdshowsource) putting the .dll and\or avsi in the "plugins" folder is supposed to allow it to auto load, correct? However virtual dub's not recognizing it. (With or without the loadplugin command actually.)

Well, if you're entering it in the script as ffdshowsource, then of course it wouldn't recognize it. It's FFmpegSource. Note as well that the .avsi for FFmpegSource2 won't work with FFmpegSource 1.21, although you can have both 1.21 and the 2.00 beta version installed simultaneously, as they don't conflict with each other.

Also, 'plugins' folder being C:\Program Files\AviSynth 2.5\plugins (correct) or the plugins folder in VirtualDub's directory (incorrect, as far as autoload is concerned)? Although like I said, if you're entering it as ffdshowsource, then that's the actual source of the problem.

Eesh, do make sure that the differences in calling 1.21 and 2.00 are observed. The .avsi for 2.00 sets the command as FFmpegSource2 (without the .avsi, you'd need to use FFVideoSource to make 2.00 work; the .avsi makes 2.00 roughly conform to 1.21's parameter set, for those that are used to using 1.21).

[Vivaldi]

Side problem, when installing a new plugin for avisynth (in this case ffdshowsource) putting the .dll and\or avsi in the "plugins" folder is supposed to allow it to auto load, correct? However virtual dub's not recognizing it. (With or without the loadplugin command actually.)

Well, if you're entering it in the script as ffdshowsource, then of course it wouldn't recognize it. It's FFmpegSource.

Sorry, I mistyped, in the script is was ffmpegsource.

Eesh, do make sure that the differences in calling 1.21 and 2.00 are observed. The .avsi for 2.00 sets the command as FFmpegSource2 (without the .avsi, you'd need to use FFVideoSource to make 2.00 work; the .avsi makes 2.00 roughly conform to 1.21's parameter set, for those that are used to using 1.21).

[/quote]
Thanks for mentioning this, apparently I had just gotten the 2.00 version, and so was using the wrong command to load it. It all works now.