Can't Open MKV file with VirtualDubMod

[hiwass]

Hi,
I've got a couple of mkv files that I want to convert to vcd/svcd. I tried to follow the directions according to https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=197636&highlight=mkv but when I tried to open the file with VirtualDubMod (latest version) it gave me some kind of error like "can't open [S_TEXT] so something. When I get home I will give the exact error message. If anyone has any idea of what's going wrong, please reply.
TIA

[au7usa]

MKV can contain streams that VirtualDubMod can't handle.

I personally like to use GraphEdit to conver WMV files to MKV while still retaining their Windows-Media compression. They are much easier to deal with in TMPGEnc (through DShow). MKV files with WinMedia Audio, and Video refuse to open in VDubMod, and play just fine in WMP.

I know for a fact that MKV files with AAC audio do weird things in VDubMod, but play just fine in WinMedia Player provided the Matroska Splitter is installed.

Have you tried to open the file in GraphEdit just to see what type of streams your dealing with?

[au7usa]

Better yet, there is a utility called mmg.exe (MKVMerge GUI) that can help you out. I can't remember where it is at the moment.

Anyway open the MKV-file with mmg.exe and get rid of everything except the Audio and the Video streams, then remux to a new file.

That "s_text" thing sounds like a chapter index, but your destination format doesn't support it so no big loss.

Maybe this is it: http://www.bunkus.org/videotools/mkvtoolnix/win32/mkvtoolnix-0.8.2.rar

You'll be surprized how much crap you can stuff into this format!

[hiwass]

i was able to open the mkv file with mmg.exe but all it does is spit out the exact file that I used as the input file. I just want to convert the mkv file into a svcd so I can watch it on a standalone dvd player. thanks

p.s. once the file is open, it won't let me change any settings. all i can do is hit the remux button.

[au7usa]

You are able to play the file aren't you?

If you highlight the input file in the topmost window of mmg.exe it will show you the Audio, and Video streams are contained within, in the window below. Are these formats that your system support?

The rest of the tabs ov MKVMerge show everything else that can be contained within the Matroska package. Are the other tabs blank?
You might try to kill everything that not in the first tab, and then remux to a new file.

Are you familiar with Graphedit? If you have Matroska Muxer / Matroska Splitter filters installed you should be able to remux just the audio and video streams and leave out anything else that could be interfereing with VDubMod.

I don't claim to be an expert at anything, i'm just familiar with the format!

[hiwass]

mmg.exe shows that the file has 5 streams (1 audio, 1 video, 3 subtitles). I only remuxed the audio, video and one subtitle stream but virtualdubmod still complains about it. so i remux just the A/V and i was able to open it under virtualdubmod. i then Save As the mkv into avi. but now the avi has no audio (source mkv with the a/v plays fine). what am I doing wrong? please help

[au7usa]

Isn't there a subtitle plugin for VirtualDub? Not having ever attempted to use subtitles, i really can't say if you need it or you don't.

I think the thing for you to do is re-word your forum post, and ask for "Using Subtitles in AVI format", or something along those lines.

Sorry, but this isn't my area!
(i think we've norrowed down the problem though)

[au7usa]

It's called VOBSub.

http://www.divx-digest.com/software/vobsub.html