I have mp4's from digital copies that came with DVDs, which are supposed to play according to the Acer support webpage--check out the FAQ section for the list of playable formats--but when I try to play them, it reports "unknown format". Interestingly, when I hit info, the info reports the format is mp4, just like the stock videos. I've tried several players as well as the stock players...yet another disappointment from this device. The stock videos play just fine, so it may be a factory protection on the digital copies...but my other devices play them. My device may just be a lemon.
Thanks...my files are on an external microsd and it isn't recognizing them. The stock players find them, but won't play them. Two are from iTunes, the other is from a digital copy that came with a DVD...I think I will try to rip another copy to my desktop computer. Maybe something in my laptop has corrupted the files...even though they still play on the laptop? Hmmm
I havent confirmed it yet, but supposedly they added MKV format support in the 3.1 update. Im not sure how that would work thoug, since it is only a container file (kinda like a zip or rar file, but for movies) and not an actual video file.
Try Buzzplayer from the market. You have to pay for it, but trust me when I say it is worth it. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than Mobo and supports all kinds of formats. I use it onmy Iconia and have no issues with avi, mpg, vob, mkv, ... the list goes on.
The only issue I had was with subs in mkv files being out of sync, but since the time I encountered this problem, there had been like 5 updates to the program, so it was probably fixed. OH! Thats another great thing about Buzzplayer... it is kept up to date and the developer really seems to listen to his customers.
Give it a try and if it isnt working for you, return it within the market's fifteen minute return period.
On the adroid development page, there is an active bug fix in progress affecting SD cards, and it seems most people are noticing problem when using media files
I've been playing a bunch of different xvid and divx codecs on rockplayerlite without any trouble, but from the internal drive;
In regards to the mp4 videos from DVDs not working, that is, in fact, a DRM issue. As a matter of fact, as i understand it, support for digital copies on android devices are only just about to show up (X-Men First Class being the first movie to offer support for android). Most others only work on PCs or idevices. As such, more than likely no mp4 digital copy will play on android without some special software or root hack (of which I know of none for this issue). That said mp4 in general DOES work as I have ripped a few TV shows from DVD into that format and watched them without issue on my a500.