MKV video suddenly stops playing after random time - what could this be?

Question

I have this HP USB drive (16GB, NTFS formatted) that has, a MKV video. The USB is always detectable, so is the MKV, but when I connect that USB drive with that MKV video on my HT-C5530 home cinema USB port, the playback just suddenly stops after random time, and it returns to the main menu when I can see the pen and it's contents.

I really have no clue about what could be the issue here, has someone else experience something similar? That may help me out on this.

UPDATE:
My computer plays the mkv, I confess I didn't have the opportunity to watch it all and see if it all goes well until the end, but while I was watching, all went well.

Do you receive any sort of error message when it stops? No. Nothing at all. It quits, and returns to the pen root list.

Do other MKV files play on your home cinema without problems? No. The same issue occurs. Other codecs used.

Does this file work if on a different USB drive? It's the only usb drive that I have that supports more then 4gb on one file. This happened before, on another formats, with another USB drive.

Have you tried it on a different home cinema or TV with USB capability? No. The best I was able to do is to play it on the PC. It's not the same but still.

Additional Info: On the manual it says:

MKV

Supported Video Codecs VC-1 AP DivX 5.1/6.0 XviD H.264 BP/MP/HP

Supported Audio Codecs MP3 AC3 DTS

Resolution: 1920x1080

Since I tried other two MKV with diferent codecs, but the result was the same, I take out that THAT is not an mkv format issue.

Update 2: I will try, on another TV with HDMI support, and see what I get.

Update 3: Solved on the comments. ;)

Solution

It is possible that your MKV file is corrupted. This is quite a common occurrence and, if not too badly damaged, can easily be repaired using the Meteorite utility. You can download it here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/meteorite/ It is a portable utility, so does not require installation. Simply run it, drag and drop the suspect MKV onto it and wait till it is done. Copy the repaired file onto your USB drive and try it out.

Should this not solve your problem, you will need to provide more info such as: Do you receive any sort of error message when it stops? Do other MKV files play on your home cinema without problems? Does this file work if on a different USB drive? Have you tried it on a different home cinema or TV with USB capability?

UPDATE: Try Meteorite and, if it does not work, perhaps you could obtain some further info on the file that may be helpful using something like MediaInfo: http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en and post it here. From your update it sounds like you created the file yourself and, if this is the case, it will be helpful to know the software that you used - MediaInfo will provide the settings.

Comments

[Supercereal]

Does your computer play the mkv?

[Prerak Diwan]

Multi-media devices are off-topic as per the FAQ

[MEM]

I've drop the mkv file into Meteorite but the progress bar didn't appear. On Ubuntu 10.10.

[MEM]

Application: mkvmerge v3.4.0 Video Codec: 23.976 fps, AVC([email protected]) (CABAC / 4 Ref Frames) Audio 510Kbps 48.0KHz 24 bits, 6 channels, DTS

[MEM]

I see VC as a video supported, but NOT AVC. Perhaps here could be the issue? Anyway, and to remove all my doubts I will try to play, on the same pen, another mkv video with other codecs. I will post back if succeed. Thanks a lot for your time. :)

[MEM]

Solved. :) Ufff. I notice this, because, while switching things on the blu-ray player, I accidentally switch to the tv. I then notice that, while the blue-ray was on the root menu, the tv had a mkv movie picture freeze. I end up turning my suspicions on the tv side and hence, reseting the tv configurations, and configure all over again. No more freezing behaviours while seeing mkv files. :)

[matan129]

I don't think FAT32 is "less managed" then NTFS, an as far as I am aware it shouldn't cause MKV files to stop playing. Anyhow, his file system is NTFS already.