diff --git a/MediaBrowser.Model/LiveTv/LiveTvOptions.cs b/MediaBrowser.Model/LiveTv/LiveTvOptions.cs
index 242a2d24e4..ee7dd8b985 100644
--- a/MediaBrowser.Model/LiveTv/LiveTvOptions.cs
+++ b/MediaBrowser.Model/LiveTv/LiveTvOptions.cs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ namespace MediaBrowser.Model.LiveTv
         public string SeriesRecordingPath { get; set; }
         public bool EnableAutoOrganize { get; set; }
         public bool EnableRecordingEncoding { get; set; }
+        public string RecordingEncodingFormat { get; set; }
         public bool EnableRecordingSubfolders { get; set; }
         public bool EnableOriginalAudioWithEncodedRecordings { get; set; }
 
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ namespace MediaBrowser.Model.LiveTv
             TunerHosts = new List<TunerHostInfo>();
             ListingProviders = new List<ListingsProviderInfo>();
             MediaLocationsCreated = new string[] { };
+            RecordingEncodingFormat = "mp4";
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/MediaBrowser.Server.Implementations/LiveTv/EmbyTV/EncodedRecorder.cs b/MediaBrowser.Server.Implementations/LiveTv/EmbyTV/EncodedRecorder.cs
index 5e7e3a94f7..75ad3de59e 100644
--- a/MediaBrowser.Server.Implementations/LiveTv/EmbyTV/EncodedRecorder.cs
+++ b/MediaBrowser.Server.Implementations/LiveTv/EmbyTV/EncodedRecorder.cs
@@ -46,9 +46,24 @@ namespace MediaBrowser.Server.Implementations.LiveTv.EmbyTV
             _httpClient = httpClient;
         }
 
+        private string OutputFormat
+        {
+            get
+            {
+                var format = _liveTvOptions.RecordingEncodingFormat;
+
+                if (string.Equals(format, "mkv", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+                {
+                    return "mkv";
+                }
+
+                return "mp4";
+            }
+        }
+
         public string GetOutputPath(MediaSourceInfo mediaSource, string targetFile)
         {
-            return Path.ChangeExtension(targetFile, ".mp4");
+            return Path.ChangeExtension(targetFile, "." + OutputFormat);
         }
 
         public async Task Record(MediaSourceInfo mediaSource, string targetFile, TimeSpan duration, Action onStarted, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
@@ -233,15 +248,10 @@ namespace MediaBrowser.Server.Implementations.LiveTv.EmbyTV
 
         private string GetAudioArgs(MediaSourceInfo mediaSource)
         {
-            // do not copy aac because many players have difficulty with aac_latm
-            var copyAudio = new[] { "mp3" };
             var mediaStreams = mediaSource.MediaStreams ?? new List<MediaStream>();
             var inputAudioCodec = mediaStreams.Where(i => i.Type == MediaStreamType.Audio).Select(i => i.Codec).FirstOrDefault() ?? string.Empty;
 
-            if (copyAudio.Contains(inputAudioCodec, StringComparer.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
-            {
-                return "-codec:a:0 copy";
-            }
+            // do not copy aac because many players have difficulty with aac_latm
             if (_liveTvOptions.EnableOriginalAudioWithEncodedRecordings && !string.Equals(inputAudioCodec, "aac", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
             {
                 return "-codec:a:0 copy";
diff --git a/MediaBrowser.ServerApplication/MainStartup.cs b/MediaBrowser.ServerApplication/MainStartup.cs
index 8fb0e8f46b..cdacdc81f8 100644
--- a/MediaBrowser.ServerApplication/MainStartup.cs
+++ b/MediaBrowser.ServerApplication/MainStartup.cs
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ namespace MediaBrowser.ServerApplication
             Application.Run();
         }
 
-        private static SplashForm _splash;
+        internal static SplashForm _splash;
         private static Thread _splashThread;
         private static void ShowSplashScreen(Version appVersion, Progress<double> progress, ILogger logger)
         {
diff --git a/MediaBrowser.ServerApplication/Native/WindowsApp.cs b/MediaBrowser.ServerApplication/Native/WindowsApp.cs
index 3cd6c95d2d..200e2d3ae1 100644
--- a/MediaBrowser.ServerApplication/Native/WindowsApp.cs
+++ b/MediaBrowser.ServerApplication/Native/WindowsApp.cs
@@ -212,7 +212,12 @@ namespace MediaBrowser.ServerApplication.Native
 
         private bool Confirm()
         {
-            return MessageBox.Show("Emby has detected that Windows Firewall has been configured in a way that may prevent your other devices from accessing Emby Server. Click OK to remove this rule, or cancel to proceed anyway.", "Windows Firewall", MessageBoxButtons.OKCancel) == DialogResult.OK;
+            if (MainStartup._splash == null)
+            {
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            return MessageBox.Show(MainStartup._splash, "Emby has detected that Windows Firewall has been configured in a way that may prevent your other devices from accessing Emby Server. Click OK to remove this rule, or cancel to proceed anyway.", "Windows Firewall", MessageBoxButtons.OKCancel) == DialogResult.OK;
         }
 
         public bool PortsRequireAuthorization(string applicationPath)
@@ -242,7 +247,7 @@ namespace MediaBrowser.ServerApplication.Native
 
                     if (data.IndexOf("Block", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) != -1)
                     {
-                        _logger.Info("Found windows firewall rule: " + data);
+                        _logger.Info("Found potential windows firewall rule blocking Emby Server: " + data);
                         return Confirm();
                     }