Remove subtitles etc from MKV files

[jack616]

I have some MKV files I want to remove everything from except the video and main audio.

I've tried everything I can get from here but cannot find anything that can do this in one go.
I've tried splitting and re-merging using things like mkvcleaver/mkvmerge/toolnix/mkvstreamextractor etc
but nothing seems capable of re-merging and keeping the audio in sync.

Can anyone suggest a one step application that can strip all the extraneous stuff out of MKV files please?
(I'm not overskilled so a GUI app is far preferable)

cheers

[aedipuss]

install the latest mkvtoolsnix. run mkvmergegui(mmg.exe). open file options and put a check in disable header removal compression. close mmg and then restart it. open your mkv with it. uncheck whatever you don't want and then give it an output folder and name. click merge.

if it's not in sync does the amount of delay vary or is it constant for the entire video?

if it's constant you can manually input a delay offset in mmg. you just need to figure out how much.

[poisondeathray]

As above, use mkvtoolnix only. Don't extract the streams, just uncheckmark the streams you don't want, leave the audio & video checked. If you extract it, that's when sync problems can frequently occur

[johns0]

If you still get sync problems then there's a problem with the original mkv.

[jack616]

Thanks guys

I've tried that with mmg.exe and it works great. (I didn't understand what that header
setting did when I tried it before and that seems to be what I needed)

Just to keep me amused the TV bug that was forcing the subtitles on isn't the only problem I have
It seems it cant play DTS files so I now have to convert to AC3 or something anyway.

I do feel like I'm running round in circles here!

[netmask56]

Been there done that! The next step is https://www.videohelp.com/tools/PopCorn-MKV-AudioConverter

PopCorn MKV AudioConverter is a Matroska MKV DTS to MKV AC3 converter. It can also remove DTS tracks and convert OGG audio to AC3,MP3,AAC,MP3. It requires a lots of external tools but AudioConverter will download them automatically

[jack616]

Cheers netmask I'll give that a go.

Dont you just love it when a plan comes together

[cal_tony]

As above, use mkvtoolnix only. Don't extract the streams, just uncheckmark the streams you don't want, leave the audio & video checked. If you extract it, that's when sync problems can frequently occur

This procedure has been a problem for me with my Theater+ media players. They will not play mkv files that have been muxed in this way.

I have to extract the streams I want and if I want any additional streams I have to use MMG to add them as well as the original streams.

Tony

[jack616]

OK some feedback after messing with it all weekend:

Everything (except AAC) plays fine on all my PC's (I have 4 all different)
However I have a great deal of trouble when playing back via Bluray player USB port or from the TV directly.

Most MKV's play fine but the ones I create myself always have issues.

I have discovered that I DONT need to change video or audio formats but simply putting then in a .TS wrapper
cures 95% of issues

HOWEVER using "makeMKV" is a dissaster - it never works and trying to change it causes sync issues.
Using most of the free software sends me round in cricles - none of it seems to do what I really want and most
of it doesnt work on playback off a PC.

The best solution I've found to doing my DVD's so far is:

1. Use DVD decrypt to hard drive
2. Use mmg.exe and manually select the movie vobs to append
3. Use TSmuxerGui to change the MKV to a .TS stream removing subtitles if necessary

Unfortunately the TS stream will then refuse to "seek" on playback and I cant get any chapters to work
even if I include them.

I'd appreciate any suggestions for an easier way to do what I want or to get the searching and or chapters to work
at any time.

cheers.

PS the playback is via USB hard drive through an LG BD660 bluray player

[TomMusic]

install the latest mkvtoolsnix. run mkvmergegui(mmg.exe). open file options and put a check in disable header removal compression. close mmg and then restart it. open your mkv with it. uncheck whatever you don't want and then give it an output folder and name. click merge.

if it's not in sync does the amount of delay vary or is it constant for the entire video?

if it's constant you can manually input a delay offset in mmg. you just need to figure out how much.

I opened the "Options" menu and was unable to find the box to "disable header removal compression". Is it possible I have a newer or older version of the .exe?

[netmask56]

install the latest mkvtoolsnix. run mkvmergegui(mmg.exe). open file options and put a check in disable header removal compression. close mmg and then restart it. open your mkv with it. uncheck whatever you don't want and then give it an output folder and name. click merge.

if it's not in sync does the amount of delay vary or is it constant for the entire video?

if it's constant you can manually input a delay offset in mmg. you just need to figure out how much.

I opened the "Options" menu and was unable to find the box to "disable header removal compression". Is it possible I have a newer or older version of the .exe?

In version v6.2.0 (Promised Land) I currently have it has been removed, however if you load a file and highlight the video and then go to "extra options" tab you can then select none - repeat for the audio etc. It may be defaulted off but I haven't been able to find any update notes.

[hello_hello]

I opened the "Options" menu and was unable to find the box to "disable header removal compression". Is it possible I have a newer or older version of the .exe?

Header Removal Compression was disabled by default quite a few MKVMergeGUI versions ago. Therefore the box to disable it's use was removed. I assume it was causing too many problems. I could never really see the point myself.

If you open an existing MKV with the current version of MKVMergeGUI and just remux it, the output file shouldn't use header removal compression even if the original MKV did. The ability to manually enable it per track can still be found under the Extra Options tab.