matroska problem- no video

[the_ultimate_samurai]

whenever i play an MKV file i get audio just fine but no video. i have all the libraries i even downloaded them dirrectly from the main site to insure they are the newest. as far as i know all my libraries are their newest (i did an apt-get upgrade not too long ago) the mkvinfo says this:
+ A track
| + Track number: 1
| + Track UID: 1
| + Track type: video
| + Enabled: 1
| + Default flag: 1
| + Forced flag: 0
| + Lacing flag: 0
| + MinCache: 1
| + Timecode scale: 1.000000
| + Max BlockAddition ID: 0
| + Codec ID: V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
| + Codec decode all: 1
| + CodecPrivate, length 39
| + Default duration: 41.708ms (23.976 fps for a video track)
| + Language: eng
| + Video track
| + Pixel width: 1280
| + Pixel height: 720
| + Interlaced: 0
| + Display width: 16
| + Display height: 9

xine didnt give me info on it when i ran it but mplayer gave me this:
[mkv] Unknown/unsupported CodecID (V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC) or missing/bad CodecPrivate data (track 1).

i imagine thats important but i dont know what to do to fix that.

[apsel]

Run

mplayer -v -vo xv file.mkv

and post the output you get.

[the_ultimate_samurai]

hmm thats odd...i have recently upgraded hoping it will fix my problem...it kinda does. i have video now (at least on these files...i have to re-download the non-working ones to see if they now work) but when i ran the command you gave i didnt get video (xine gave video and mplayer didnt...but when i play it in xine the audio keeps cutting out and im getting visual glitches...and this is what i used to experience before with MKV's on windows. is there a workaround to this aside from getting a new vid card?)

btw the output is this:

MPlayer 1.0pre5-3.3.4 (C) 2000-2004 MPlayer Team

CPU: Advanced Micro Devices Athlon MP/XP Thoroughbred 2488 MHz (Family: 6, Stepping: 0)
Detected cache-line size is 64 bytes
MMX2 supported but disabled
SSE supported but disabled
3DNow supported but disabled
3DNowExt supported but disabled
CPUflags: MMX: 1 MMX2: 0 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 0 SSE2: 0
Compiled for x86 CPU with extensions: MMX

Reading config file /etc/mplayer/mplayer.conf
Reading config file /home/austin/.mplayer/config
Reading /home/austin/.mplayer/codecs.conf: Can't open '/home/austin/.mplayer/codecs.conf': No such file or directory
Reading /etc/mplayer/codecs.conf: 73 audio & 180 video codecs
CommandLine: '-v' '-vo' 'xv' '[zw]_dot_Hack_Roots_01_(1280x720_h264_Vorbis)_[04AF2C6C].mkv'
init_freetype
get_path('font/font.desc') -> '/home/austin/.mplayer/font/font.desc'
font: can't open file: /home/austin/.mplayer/font/font.desc
Font /usr/share/mplayer/font/font.desc loaded successfully! (206 chars)
Using MMX Optimized OnScreenDisplay
Linux RTC init error in ioctl (rtc_irqp_set 1024): Permission denied
Try adding "echo 1024 > /proc/sys/dev/rtc/max-user-freq" to your system startup scripts.
Using usleep() timing
get_path('input.conf') -> '/home/austin/.mplayer/input.conf'
Can't open input config file /home/austin/.mplayer/input.conf: No such file or directory
Parsing input config file /etc/mplayer/input.conf
Input config file /etc/mplayer/input.conf parsed: 53 binds
Opening joystick device /dev/input/js0
Can't open joystick device /dev/input/js0 : No such file or directory
Can't init input joystick
Setting up LIRC support...
mplayer: could not connect to socket
mplayer: No such file or directory
Failed to open LIRC support.
You will not be able to use your remote control.
get_path('[zw]_dot_Hack_Roots_01_(1280x720_h264_Vorbis)_[04AF2C6C].mkv.conf') -> '/home/austin/.mplayer/[zw]_dot_Hack_Roots_01_(1280x720_h264_Vorbis)_[04AF2C6C].mkv.conf'

Playing [zw]_dot_Hack_Roots_01_(1280x720_h264_Vorbis)_[04AF2C6C].mkv.
[file] File size is 241001165 bytes
STREAM: [file] [zw]_dot_Hack_Roots_01_(1280x720_h264_Vorbis)_[04AF2C6C].mkv
STREAM: Description: File
STREAM: Author: Albeu
STREAM: Comment: based on the code from ??? (probably Arpi)
CACHE_PRE_INIT: 0 [0] 0 pre:0 eof:8192
Cache fill: 0.78% (8192 bytes) Checking for YUV4MPEG2
DEMUXER: freeing demuxer at 0x8483e08
ASF_check: not ASF guid!
DEMUXER: freeing demuxer at 0x8483e08
Checking for Nullsoft Streaming Video
DEMUXER: freeing demuxer at 0x8483e08
Checking for NuppelVideo
DEMUXER: freeing demuxer at 0x8483e08
Checking for REAL
DEMUXER: freeing demuxer at 0x8483e08
Checking for SMJPEG
DEMUXER: freeing demuxer at 0x8483e08
[mkv] Found the head...
[mkv] + a segment...
[mkv] /---- [ parsing seek head ] ---------
[mkv] /---- [ parsing seek head ] ---------
[mkv] \---- [ parsing seek head ] ---------
[mkv] /---- [ parsing cues ] -----------
[mkv] \---- [ parsing cues ] -----------
[mkv] \---- [ parsing seek head ] ---------
[mkv] |+ segment information...
[mkv] | + timecode scale: 1000000
[mkv] | + duration: 1484.983s
[mkv] |+ segment tracks...
[mkv] | + a track...
[mkv] | + Track number: 1
[mkv] | + Track type: Video
[mkv] | + Default flag: 1
[mkv] | + Codec ID: V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
[mkv] | + CodecPrivate, length 39
[mkv] | + Default duration: 41.708ms ( = 23.976 fps)
[mkv] | + Language: jpn
[mkv] | + Video track
[mkv] | + Pixel width: 1280
[mkv] | + Pixel height: 720
[mkv] | + Display width: 1280
[mkv] | + Display height: 720
[mkv] | + a track...
[mkv] | + Track number: 2
[mkv] | + Track type: Audio
[mkv] | + Default flag: 1
[mkv] | + Codec ID: A_VORBIS
[mkv] | + CodecPrivate, length 4328
[mkv] | + Language: jpn
[mkv] | + Audio track
[mkv] | + Sampling frequency: 48000.000000
[mkv] | + Channels: 2
[mkv] | + a track...
[mkv] | + Track number: 3
[mkv] | + Track type: Subtitle
[mkv] | + Default flag: 1
[mkv] | + Codec ID: S_TEXT/ASS
[mkv] | + CodecPrivate, length 1125
[mkv] | + Language: eng
[mkv] |+ found cluster, headers are parsed completely
[mkv] Track ID 1: video (V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC), -vid 0
[mkv] Track ID 2: audio (A_VORBIS), -aid 0, -alang jpn
[mkv] Track ID 3: sutitles (S_TEXT/ASS), -sid 0, -slang eng
[mkv] Unknown/unsupported CodecID (V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC) or missing/bad CodecPrivate data (track 1).
[mkv] No video track found/wanted.
==> Found audio stream: 2
[mkv] Will play audio track 2
Matroska file format detected.
================================================== ========================
Trying to force audio codec driver family libmad...
Opening audio decoder: [libvorbis] Ogg/Vorbis audio decoder
dec_audio: Allocating 4096 + 65536 = 69632 bytes for output buffer.
OggVorbisComment: ENCODED_USING=Made with BeSweet v1.5b31
OggVorbisComment: ENCODER_URL=http://DSPguru.doom9.org
OggVorbis: Bitstream is 2 channels, 48000Hz, 144960bit/s VBR
OggVorbis: Encoded by: AO; aoTuV b4b [20051117] (based on Xiph.Org's libVorbis)
OggVorbis: Init OK!
AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, 16 bit (0x10), ratio: 18120->192000 (145.0 kbit)
Selected audio codec: [vorbis] afm:libvorbis (OggVorbis Audio Decoder)
================================================== ========================
Checking audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/16bit -> 48000Hz/2ch/16bit...
[libaf] Adding filter dummy
[dummy] Was reinitialized, rate=48000Hz, nch = 2, format = 0x00000001 and bps = 2
AF_pre: af format: 2 bps, 2 ch, 48000 hz, little endian signed int
AF_pre: 48000Hz 2ch Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian)
alsa-init: requested format: 48000 Hz, 2 channels, Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian)
alsa-init: compiled for ALSA-1.0.6
alsa-init: setup for 1/2 channel(s)
alsa-init: got device=0, subdevice=0
alsa-init: 1 soundcard found, using: default
alsa-init: pcm opend in block-mode
alsa-init: chunksize set to 1024
alsa-init: fragcount=16
alsa-init: got buffersize=65536
alsa: 48000 Hz/2 channels/4 bpf/65536 bytes buffer/Signed 16 bit Little Endian
AO: [alsa] 48000Hz 2ch Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian) (2 bps)
AO: Description: ALSA-0.9.x-1.x audio output
AO: Author: Alex Beregszaszi, Zsolt Barat <joy@streamminister.de>
AO: Comment: under developement
Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/16bit -> 48000Hz/2ch/16bit...
[dummy] Was reinitialized, rate=48000Hz, nch = 2, format = 0x00000001 and bps = 2
[dummy] Was reinitialized, rate=48000Hz, nch = 2, format = 0x00000001 and bps = 2
Video: no video
Freeing 0 unused video chunks
Starting playback...
alsa-space: free space = 65536, prepared --
Uninit audio filters...%
[libaf] Removing filter dummy
uninit audio: libvorbis
DEMUXER: freeing demuxer at 0x8484670
DEMUXER: freeing sh_audio at 0x8488988
alsa-uninit: pcm closed
vo: x11 uninit called but X11 not inited..

Exiting... (Quit)

[apsel]

Dude, your MPlayer is ancient, almost three years old!

Get MPlayer 1.0rc1 and try again.

[the_ultimate_samurai]

hmm i cant seem to upgrade. got this:
Unpacking mplayer (from .../mplayer_1.0~rc1-12_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/mplayer_1.0~rc1-12_i386.deb (--unpack):
trying to overwrite `/usr/share/man/man1/mplayer.1.gz', which is also in package mplayer-586
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/mplayer_1.0~rc1-12_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

for some reason it wont install the newest version.

[the_ultimate_samurai]

ok i think i may have isolated the problem....too many screens are being dropped. the dropped + discarded comes to 186 frames. frames delivered was 200. that nearly half the frames are being dropped. because of this the audio is trailing ahead. when it gets too far ahead the audio pauses and lets the video catch up. changing a/v offset doesnt seem to work (which makes sense because the problem isnt that they are dysnched its that they are dysynchING. trailing further away as time goes on)

i think this may have something to do with the high video quality of the video (1280x720...i believe that HD) and my video card may not support that high of video.

so to me it seems some form of video compression is needed to take the resolution down to something the video card can handle well.

is there any way to do this?