How can I get my MKV files to play on a PS3?

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Solution 1

Chances are the video bitstream in your MKV container is one that the MP4 container can handle as well, which would be MPEG-4 Part II or H.264 video. It depends on the tool you're using to rip the Blu-rays, but the codec will probably be H.264.

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In essence, you can copy the video, audio and subtitle bitstreams from the MKV to the MP4 container and play that on the PS3. For example with FFmpeg:

ffmpeg -i in.mkv -c copy out.mp4

The benefit is that this will take less than a second because it won't re-encode the video or audio. So you won't even lose quality in the process.

A combination of mkvtoolnix and MP4Box should give you similar results.

With that being said you could simply do your Blu-ray rips in MP4 in the future—unless there's something the MKV container gives you which MP4 doesn't, maybe with regard to subtitles. If your FFmpeg command fails due to an improper subtitle codec, use the following instead, which will re-encode subtitles:

ffmpeg -i in.mkv -c:a copy -c:v copy -c:s mov_text out.mp4

Solution 2

If you can jailbreak your PS3, then do that, and install the superb app called as Showtime. It's basically VLC for PS3.

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Sponge Bob

Founded this site back when I was in high school. Have had my PPL since first year of college, physics degree from Embry-Riddle. I'm currently in F-16 B-Course training. The photo is from an incentive ride I got back in college.

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Sponge Bob almost 2 years

I just finished building a video server for PS3 and I am working on converting all of my DVD and Blu-ray to my HDD.

For DVD, MP4 files work great, but the PS3 can't play MKV which is what I use for my Blu-ray rips and such.

What format can I rip my Blu-ray to that will be full HD and still be playable on a PS3? I only need 2.1 audio.
- slhck over 11 years
  
  This question is not off topic for Super User. It's not about operating a game console, it's about using your computer to rip videos from Blu-ray discs or convert them.
Sponge Bob over 11 years

Lol. I do know about codecs and containers, but thank you for the very detailed answer. All of my personal MKVs are h264 and they have ac3 audio. I already use ffmpeg for audio all the time, I didn't know that it supports video too. Thanks.