# what is an mkv file? how do i convert it to avi? **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [March 1, 2009, 4:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-an-mkv-file-how-do-i-convert-it-to-avi/63776 "2009-03-01T04:27:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dex](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/dex/32/7210_2.png) [@Dex](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Dex)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 4:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-an-mkv-file-how-do-i-convert-it-to-avi/63776/1 "2009-03-01T04:27:40Z")
i’ve been googling it. i’m just getting more confused. does anyone know of a simple program that i can download to convert mkv files over to something i can get to play? preferably one for OS X, but i can make one for XP work if needed. ---
**Author:** ![sureshot](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/sureshot/32/7578_2.png) [@sureshot](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sureshot)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-an-mkv-file-how-do-i-convert-it-to-avi/63776/2 "2009-03-01T04:28:29Z")
VLC plays MKV, for either operating system ( i think ) ---
**Author:** ![Dex](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/dex/32/7210_2.png) [@Dex](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Dex)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-an-mkv-file-how-do-i-convert-it-to-avi/63776/3 "2009-03-01T04:44:19Z")
> [@sureshot!](#): > > VLC plays MKV, for either operating system ( i think ) i got it to play audio, but no video. ideally, i’d like it to be a file type i can stream to my xbox or PS3 via connect360 or orb. ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 6:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-an-mkv-file-how-do-i-convert-it-to-avi/63776/4 "2009-03-01T06:00:08Z")
> **[DivX Video Software | Free Video Software | DivX Format | DivX.com](https://www.divx.com/)** > > Free video software downloads to play & stream DivX (AVI) & DivX Plus HD (MKV) video. Find devices to play DivX video and Hollywood movies in DivX format. Their latest player will play mkv. Then install the AC3 filter: [http://codecs.com/download/AC3\_Filter.htm](http://codecs.com/download/AC3_Filter.htm) ---
**Author:** ![chino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bcef8e/32.png) [@chino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/chino)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 6:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-an-mkv-file-how-do-i-convert-it-to-avi/63776/5 "2009-03-01T06:31:19Z")
mplayer has been the best player i’ve seen so far for MKV’s. You cannot convert it to AVI (well you could through a lot of work but that would severely degrade the quality)… [http://www.mplayerhq.hu/design7/dload.html](http://www.mplayerhq.hu/design7/dload.html) VLC has not been keeping up for MKV support, not really sure why because it usually is the best player for everything. edit: i really hope they either standardize and get players working correctly with mkv’s, or they get rid of the mkv container because right now the buggyness of them is annoying as hell… edit: heres a direct d/l to an easy mplayer install/build: [http://kovensky.project357.com/smplayer-0.6.4-kovensky.exe](http://kovensky.project357.com/smplayer-0.6.4-kovensky.exe) ---
**Author:** ![Vile](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vile/32/7595_2.png) [@Vile](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vile)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 7:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-an-mkv-file-how-do-i-convert-it-to-avi/63776/6 "2009-03-01T07:56:19Z")
i use Zoom player… part of CCCPack ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 8:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-an-mkv-file-how-do-i-convert-it-to-avi/63776/7 "2009-03-01T08:01:34Z")
get perian and quicktime can play it, doesn’t work well for some files though. ---
**Author:** ![BillysRevenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@BillysRevenge](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BillysRevenge)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 8:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-an-mkv-file-how-do-i-convert-it-to-avi/63776/8 "2009-03-01T08:54:09Z")
after taking about 2 seconds to enter into google I found the site for the .mkv extension (Matroska). Here shows a list of all players that can play .mkv files: [http://www.matroska.org/downloads/windows.html](http://www.matroska.org/downloads/windows.html). VLC does play mkv I’ve used it before.