The VideoLAN Forums

Last version vlc 0.8.6i (janus intel) running on iMac 24" 2.8 MHz with default settings - I get grey screen instead of video on certain mkv files encoded with wvc1 codec. I am uploading a sample file to ftp://streams.videolan.org/incoming with the name Zodiak2007.mkv It is full HD format, with two soundtracks and several subtitle tracks. This file plays fine in windows (using klite codec pack and microsoft DMO decoder), it also can be opened in QuickTime player with flip4mack components on my Imac - however it only achieves 10-18 fps speed. I have similar problems with other files encoded with wvc-1. Could anyone point out the solution or at least the reason why? Is wvc1 simply not supported?
PS I have also uploaded the VLC log from the messages window, named Zodiak2007.html
I also found the following in the system log
VLC[277]: Warning once: This application, or a library it uses, is using NSQuickDrawView, which has been deprecated. Apps should cease use of QuickDraw and move to Quartz.
I guess that means that quartz video output is still not implemented?

since I got no reply reg. my problem - I tried the Plex (plexxapp.com) for mac (OXBMC project) - and it worked MARVELOUSLY!!! I can now watch mkv bluray HD rips (wvc1 codec) easily,
and what UI it has got!! Thumbs up. Recommend to anyone who wants to watch hi-res HD movies.

Did you try with a nightly build of VLC:
http://nightlies.videolan.org/

Also since WVC1 is a Microsoft codec the dmo codec is used on Windows, so support on Mac OS X is likely to be limited.

Arite.

"limited support" for mac - means literally that users will be UNABLE to watch bluray rips (which are the highest quality movies available on the internet nowadays) - as they are mostly encoded with wvc-1 codec. Again thumbs up for PLEX!!!

A lot of HD videos are also encoded in x264 (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC) which VLC supports.

Arite.

sure there are lots of h264 files - but it would be nice if vlc could handle wvc1 also - I have no preference with regard to video quality, I only make a feature request basing on prevalence of wvc1 encoded files on the internet. BTW isnt this (vc1) the encoding standard for blu-ray DVDs?

Yes H.264/MPEG-4 AVC and VC-1 (and MPEG-2) are the formats that require mandatory support on hardware players. As far as I know FFmpeg supports VC-1 and WMV9, however not WVC1 which is a more recent profile of the VC-1 codec with more features. There is however a patch (over two years old) which reportedly allows for experimental WVC1 support.

Arite.