MKV File Format Specification

MKV is an open standard free container data format that can grip an unlimited number of video, audio, picture or subtitle track inside a single file. This file format was developed by Steve Lhomme . Lasse Karkkainen and a team of programmers. Matroska is like AVI or MP4, but not covered by patents or restriction license. MKV is increasingly supported across a wide variety of players, supports essential features like multiple soundtracks, subtitle, multiple sound sources. It is the similar concept to another containers like AVI, MP4 or advance system format. The MKV is a structured system to maintain multimedia data in a single file containing video/audio streams, video subtitles and content tagging. The well known MKV environment is useful for managing storage of multimedia information retrieval. Matroska goals to become the standard of multimedia container format. MKV is a universal format in that it attempts to support all codecs. It’s container format is characterized by its capability to store a large number and types of video, audio, subtitling and meta data and features an interactive menu for access to multimedia content similar to DVD’s.

• STEP1: Select the MKV file, Right click the MKV.
• STEP2: Now, choose Open with option & select default program .
• STEP3: If default program option not available, then choose Media Player Classic, VLC media player in the list of the program.
• STEP4: Click Ok.

Note: If MKV supported software is not available on your PC, so you need to download from the internet and install it.

• It is totally free, does not require any type of licensing fees.
• This file format is easy to change using some editing tools, it is a main benefits of MKV file.
• Its file size is compact.
• It supports Internet and LAN streaming.
• MKV format is able to handle Variable Frame-rate video encoding (VFR) and variable Bit rate audio encoding(VBR).

• Header- It contains information saying the EBML versions this file was created with, and what type of EBML file is this.

• Meta Seek- It contains an index of where all of the other groups in the file are located such as chapters, tracks, tags, cues, attachment etc. Seek ID contains the “class-ID” of a step 1 element. This section is usually just used when the file is opened so that it can get information about the file.

• Segment information- The segment Information gives the information that is vital to identifying the file.

• Track- They tell us the technical side of what is in each track such as track no, track name, track type.

• Chapters- This section list of all the chapters.

• Cluster- It contains all of the audio track and video frames.

• Cueing Data- It contains all the cues. This are the index for each of the tracks.

• Attachment- This section for attaching any type of file such as pictures, webpage, programs etc.

• Tagging- It contains all of the Tag that relates to the file and each of tracks.

• MKV file was corrupted/ not saved due to the program crashing or hanging.
• Due to system failure, MKV file may be crashed.