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Knowledge document #680

Cannot play media files

Televisions, Blu-ray players, or other UPnP-compatible playback devices or software cannot play individual photos, videos, or music pieces from the FRITZ!Box media server. When you try to play them, the device may display the error message "not supported file format" or "unknown file format".

1 Changing the file extension of MKV video files for use with Samsung devices

Samsung devices cannot play videos in the Matroska container format ("MKV") from the FRITZ!Box media server or some other UPnP AV servers. This is not a fault of the FRITZ!Box.

Adjust the MKV video files so the Samsung device can play them:

  1. Change the file extension of the video files from ".mkv" to ".avi" on a computer. Refer to the manufacturer of the operating system for information on the procedure.

2 Installing the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box

  1. Install the latest FRITZ!OS on the FRITZ!Box.

3 Updating the playback device or software

  1. Install the latest firmware for the playback device or install the latest version of the software you are using. Refer to the manufacturer for information on how to update, for example consult the manual.

4 Testing a different media server

The FRITZ!Box media server transmits multimedia content according to the UPnP AV standard (Universal Plug and Play Audio/Video). For a playback device or software to be able to play a file, it must support the UPnP AV standard as well as the file type (for example audio or video codec, container format).

Not every device or software can play all files. Therefore, test whether you can play the files in question when the Windows Media Player or a different media server makes them available:

  1. Set up a different media server (for example Kodi, Plex, Windows Media Player as a media server).
  2. Have the media server index the respective files and make them available.
  3. Check whether the device or software can now play the files.
    • If you still cannot play the files, then the device or software does not support them.
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