# Codec and Encoder Tags with MKV
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/codec-and-encoder-tags-with-mkv/19374
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [September 23, 2017, 8:23pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/codec-and-encoder-tags-with-mkv/19374 "2017-09-23T20:23:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Spider099](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Spider099)
#### Post date: [September 23, 2017, 8:23pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/codec-and-encoder-tags-with-mkv/19374/1 "2017-09-23T20:23:26Z")
Testing with 2.84c
When i open a MP4 file my "Codec" column has something like "MPEG-4 AAC (Handbrake\*\*\*)"
where \*\*\* is some version number
However when i open a MKV file the same column shows "Audio AAC"or similar and by using the extended tag dialog the "Encoder" filed has for example "Lavf57.7.2" etc. This was a file created by Handbrake if thats significant.
If i try a mkv file created by MakeMKV it has e.g. "Audio DTS" in the codec column as well but no Encoded tag which is fine as a difference between HB and MakeMKV.
I suppose my question is when viewing a MKV file should the Codec filed not show the "same" as the MP4 file would?
I checked the setup for the Codec column and its value is set to "%\_codec%[(%\_tool%)]" i assume this is the default but i have changed my setup a lot so i could have changed it in the past.
Another Question
If an MKV has multiple Audio tracks do you only show details on the first or default audio track
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### Author:  [@ohrenkino](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/ohrenkino)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2017, 6:59am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/codec-and-encoder-tags-with-mkv/19374/2 "2017-09-24T06:59:51Z")
> [@Spider099](#):
>
> .... This was a file created by Handbrake if thats significant.
> ...a mkv file created by MakeMKV ...
MP3tag only shows what the encoder has written into the respective field.
You could use a hex editor and compare the 2 files and see if MP3tag is missing something.
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### Author:  [@Spider099](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Spider099)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2017, 10:57am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/codec-and-encoder-tags-with-mkv/19374/3 "2017-09-24T10:57:00Z")
my query is about consistency - at the moment the codec tag/field is showing different data between MP4 and MKV
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### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2017, 12:16pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/codec-and-encoder-tags-with-mkv/19374/4 "2017-10-10T12:16:23Z")
> [@Spider099](#):
>
> I suppose my question is when viewing a MKV file should the Codec filed not show the "same" as the MP4 file would?
Not exactly. The MKV file has a codec field which I use to extract the codec information.
> [@](#):
>
> If an MKV has multiple Audio tracks do you only show details on the first or default audio track
Yes. Except it's a forced audio track, then I display this one. If there is no default, I show the first.
Kind regards
– Florian
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### Author:  [@Spider099](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Spider099)
#### Post date: [October 11, 2017, 5:46am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/codec-and-encoder-tags-with-mkv/19374/5 "2017-10-11T05:46:51Z")
Hi
Not sure what feedback you want?
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### Author:  [@Florian](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/Florian)
#### Post date: [October 12, 2017, 8:44am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/codec-and-encoder-tags-with-mkv/19374/6 "2017-10-12T08:44:08Z")
I'm interested in your experience with the newly added support for MKV in general. Have you used it, is it useful to you, are some things missing for you?
Kind regards
– Florian