The 'Terminal'y inept guide to convert MKV files

[Lokkison]

Ok.
I searched all over for solutions to converting .mkv files and all the solutions were either Windows based or asked for OS X user to use the MKV toolset from the terminal. I hated the fact that I couldn't use Quicktime to play the offending file also. ffmpegX when attempting to convert the files always had major sync issues, so I found another solution even though I love major's work on this program.

Open VLC
Click at top on FILE, then OPEN FILE
Click BROWSE and select the .mkv file
Click on ADVANCED OUTPUT then SETTINGS
Make sure Play locally is OFF
Then just choose your ENCAPSULATION METHOD
Along with ticking ON both VIDEO and AUDIO and select formats
Then click BROWSE and enter files save point

At this point I selected 2 CHANNELS of output and took a stab at the BITRATES but it does not seem to affect the end result much

Click OK on bottom then OK again and let it go

A few hours later, I was the happy Mac user with a file that liked working with Quicktime and FfmpegX. Hell I've even experimented "ripping" DVD's with succes and also dumping movies with subtitles straight to my HD.

Hope i have not repeated instructions anyone else may have left, and I hope it helps if your allergic to Terminal.

Cheers

[galactica]

im assuming this is with the latest version of VLC?

[Lokkison]

I used 0.8.0 of VLC.

The file may or may not of been Pride Fighting Championship Volume 8
Silly thing used that mkv compression I loathed, but when I thought of the fact that VLC could play said file and could stream I figured why not to my HD. Also tried the subtitle trick on the first 2mins of a Chinese movie and if memory serves I got subtitles, albiet in Chinese. Then grabbed my DVD of the Footy Show and tried a few minutes of that but noted that you had to set your PREFERENCES to forward to the relevant chapter before it begins otherwise you only "rip" the menu. BTW, takes a bit of time but for me was worth it.

Cheers

[Ladd]

Along with ticking ON both VIDEO and AUDIO and select formats

And what formats did you select for the video and audio?

[Lokkison]

I chose mpeg4 for VIDEO and mp4a for AUDIO... that time

Only reason I chose mpeg4 was cause I thought it was an mpeg4 file already after seeing the text at the top of ffmpegX when I tried converting the mkv files the first time(sync probs).

[Lokkison]

BTW folks
To test this you don't have to go through the whole file
When it says 2-5 mins have passed, end it and then launch the resultant file to see what your output has come up as to gauge settings.

[promoter]

Neat tip, Lokkison. Might have saved me a lot of grief over some audio/video sync issues I've seen. Thanks for sharing it.

[Ladd]

I'm having no problem getting video output from an mkv file using the method you have suggested, but no success yet getting any audio.

Files plays fine in VLC, just can't get any audio in the export.

[Lokkison]

Cool, so far so good.

Are you using build 0.8.0?

Did you try choosing mp4a, bitrate 128, Channels 2? I'm not sure for the mkv file whether I chose mpeg 4 or mpeg ts encapsulatio, actually I don't remember if I got audio till file was finished...

...hmm

Actually I might re-download same said movie I "might" have used and re-create results. I'll be back to post my details soon.

[qshartle]

Is it really so dificult to type "mkvextract /link to video file/ trackidutputname -o /output name/"? Without sync problems and quicker times? Then use AVI tool to merge together?

If you want to just do chapters and subs and such...its easy. Its all documented on Bunkus' video site.(With MAC OS X installer too )


Q

PS: When I tried making one with VLC, it would not let me rip the vobSubs out.

[Lokkison]

Actually the main point of what I shared is that if a "new" format is released and VLC can or is made to be able to play back that file we have a way of converting that file till a Mac converter comes about. Otherwise I know that sometimes Terminal can give me the sh*ts, so prefer other work-arounds when available

[qshartle]

"Actually the main point of what I shared is that if a "new" format is released and VLC can or is made to be able to play back that file we have a way of converting that file till a Mac converter comes about."

somewhere in there should be a period or something.

Anyways, VLC yes can export/convert matroska, so can FFmpegX. The files you are dealig with must be corrupted. I would say get the info on them, sadly using terminal, and see if it comes out corect or with errors. if these matroskas are downloaded *ehem* then that probably is th problem. I was working on a MKV GUI but I got sent to japon and havent had the time to do it.



Q

[Ladd]

Are you using build 0.8.0?

Did you try choosing mp4a, bitrate 128, Channels 2? I'm not sure for the mkv file whether I chose mpeg 4 or mpeg ts encapsulatio, actually I don't remember if I got audio till file was finished...

I've tried with 0.8.0 and 0.8.1

I've selected every option available with the QuickTime encapsulation method and still no audio. I'm most of the way through all the other encapsulation methods (and with each, the various options available) but no luck there either.

Not sure what clues I can offer so this problem can be sussed out...

[Lokkison]

First things first.

Can VLC play your file on its own?

In PREFERENCES pane check AUDIO tab, enabled?

Then INPUT tab
-1 for choose audio (unless audio is in other loc)
-1 Choose Audio channel

STREAM OUTPUT tab
ON Enable streaming of all ES
ON Enable audio stream output
ON Enable video stream output

[Ladd]

> Can VLC play your file on its own?
Yes


> In PREFERENCES pane check AUDIO tab, enabled?
Yes


> Then INPUT tab
> -1 for choose audio (unless audio is in other loc)
> -1 Choose Audio channel
Yes


> STREAM OUTPUT tab
> ON Enable streaming of all ES
It wasn't before; it is now.


> ON Enable audio stream output
> ON Enable video stream output
Yes to both

Ok -- of your suggested settings, all but one was the same. I'll run a quick test and see if that makes a difference. Be back in a few minutes.

Regardless, thanks for your time helping!

[Ladd]

Nope, no joy. Still get the video OK, but not the audio.

This is using the QuickTime encapsulation method that you suggested and trying all the various audio options. With some of audio options (such as mpga and MP3, I get a "can't create audio chain" error message; with others (such as mpa) everything seems to go OK, but the resulting QuickTime file still has no audio.

[thoughton]

Are you using build 0.8.0?

Did you try choosing mp4a, bitrate 128, Channels 2? I'm not sure for the mkv file whether I chose mpeg 4 or mpeg ts encapsulatio, actually I don't remember if I got audio till file was finished...

I've tried with 0.8.0 and 0.8.1

I've selected every option available with the QuickTime encapsulation method and still no audio. I'm most of the way through all the other encapsulation methods (and with each, the various options available) but no luck there either.

Not sure what clues I can offer so this problem can be sussed out...

I've gotta throw in my 2c too. It's great to hear VLC is working for you, but you should know that it doesnt work so great for everyone. I posted a note about it somewhere round here about 3 weeks ago. In a nutshell VLC 0.8 couldnt transcode anything useful for me. It eats up tons of CPU (much much much more than the last version), crashed on a known-good mkv file (I say known good because I can demux it with mkvtoolnix), produced avi files that crashed QT player, couldn't recognise the audio (ogg) in an ogm, and various other problems. It did work successfully with an mpeg1 I tried, but what use is that - there's hundreds of apps that can transcode mpeg1 :P