Are there are other apps like gotsent? Looking to convert mkv to mp4

[AndyD]

without loss of video quality. Looked like gotsent would be the perfect choice for this but while the app seems to reach 100% the output file disappears. I assume it crashed but I'm not seeing a error. Are there better alternatives?

[marioval]

Perhaps Total Video Converter.

[guns1inger]

If you seriously want to preserve video quality then you don't want to use Total Video Converter or anything else that encodes.

You could try mkvextract to get the audio and video streams from the mkv file, then use YAMB to remux them into an mp4 container. This would perform no re-encoding, and therefore no quality loss at all.

[Ai Haibara]

Theoretically, that's basically what gotsent does, too, if I remember correctly. I think it uses mp4box (after extracting the streams with mkvextract), which YAMB also uses (also IIRC).

AndyD: The output file disappears? Have you tried searching your hard drives for any file with an .mp4 extension?

[AndyD]

Yep, it does. I made sure I set it to the right location and searched. I even stared at the file as it was doing the work but when it gets to the end...

The cmd prompt window closes
the file then disappears
gotsent remains in memory as I have to kill the app using task manager

It appears that from searching on Google that I'm not the only one with the issue. Looks like there might be issues with 64bit Vista

I'll check mkvextract out - thanks guys! If that doesn't work, I'll probably try and see if I can run gotsent within a virtual machine

[AndyD]

So I was able to extract both video and audio but I think I ran into another issue...

Yamb doesn't support AC3? I'm not sure if I'm supposed to add it in the same location I would add the video but I don't see any other option nor will it let me add the ac3 file.

[poisondeathray]

AC3 has compatibility issues in mp4 container (I'm assuming your original audio was AC3)

Most usually convert to AAC or mp3

Avidemux can do this all for you (i.e. h264 mkv => mp4)

I just had a similar discussion here https://forum.videohelp.com/topic343834.html

[AndyD]

My main concern is that I will lose video quality - can I use avidemux to just convert the audio and use the same video for the mp4 conversion?

[Baldrick]

Nope, the video is not reconverted. Read poisondeathray other topic, https://forum.videohelp.com/topic343834.html

It appears that from searching on Google that I'm not the only one with the issue. Looks like there might be issues with 64bit Vista

64bit and vista = problems. UPgrade to 32bit XP or convert on another computer. .

[AndyD]

hahah I've actually been using Vista since day 1 launch as I got a free copy when I intended the main launch event. To be honest, I've run into very few issues and been pretty happy so far

Anyway, I'll be sure to check through that thread when I get back from work. Thanks guys!!!

[AndyD]

This stuff is just not working out for me for whatever reason. I have h264 and ac3 files I extracted using mkvextract. I installed avidemux but when I try to load up the h264 file it will not load. Says it can't load the file. Why would that be?

[AndyD]

And if I index the file, it locks up the app after indexing

[poisondeathray]

Sorry, I missed that you were on Vista x64.

As Baldrick said, upgrade to XP

Or dual boot.

Good Luck

[poisondeathray]

If you are dead set on mp4 container for whatever reason, and have managed to separate audio & video streams, one option is to convert the AC3 => AAC or mp3 and then use YAMB to mux

AC3 audio and mp4 have compatibility problems

[AndyD]

I'm not really dead set on it - I just want a file that will stream and play to my 360. I figured mp4 would be my best option. Or am I mistaken? My main concern is losing vid quality so I didn't want to convert the video.

[poisondeathray]

If YAMB is compatible with Vista x64, then convert your AC3 => AAC (2 channel because Xbox 360 doesn't support 5.1) then join with YAMB.

Your other option is to keep 5.1 AC3, but convert the video stream and put it into AVI

Here is info on what is supported by Xbox 360:
http://blogs.msdn.com/xboxteam/archive/2007/11/30/december-2007-video-playback-faq.aspx

[AndyD]

I don't mean to keep bugging you but hopefully you have an answer for this as well

I'm trying to figure out what app to use to convert to AAC. Avidemux won't accept the audio file alone. Was trying out Besweet/Belight but I'm still trying to figure out whether aac.dll or aacenc32.dll would be installed with Nero 7 as I don't see the files where they should be. I need the two to run the Be apps and I don't want to download the dlls off of some random site

[poisondeathray]

Most people use nero digital aac codec, but you need a "front end" or GUI to use (unless you're good with programming and command lines)

You can download from nero
http://www.nero.com/enu/nero-aac-codec.html

There's probably an easier front end, but since I already have it installed, I use megui's audio component. To configure it you have to "point" the software to the program path of neroaacenc.exe is in the options

I doubt you will have any success with any of these programs with Vista x64. You have to replace all the components in the program chain with x64 versions.

Good luck!

[guns1inger]

DAudioK should be able to convert AC3 5.1 to AAC. Might be worth a look.

[AndyD]

Most people use nero digital aac codec, but you need a "front end" or GUI to use (unless you're good with programming and command lines)

You can download from nero
http://www.nero.com/enu/nero-aac-codec.html

There's probably an easier front end, but since I already have it installed, I use megui's audio component. To configure it you have to "point" the software to the program path of neroaacenc.exe is in the options

I doubt you will have any success with any of these programs with Vista x64. You have to replace all the components in the program chain with x64 versions.

Good luck!

I'm almost there though. I just need to convert the audio and I think Yamb will do the job of combining the two properly (since I was able to change the video to mp4). Hopefully anyway. I downloaded Megui but I can't just convert audio?

[AndyD]

DAudioK should be able to convert AC3 5.1 to AAC. Might be worth a look.

Installed it along with avisynth since it required it. My only concern is that the bitrate stops at 256 which is lower than what my ac3 file is. Not sure to be honest if it matters but I'm trying to sustain as much quality as possible in the conversion

[guns1inger]

AAC compresses slightly better than AC3, so you probably won't notice it. You lose nothing but time by trying it.

[AndyD]

Tried it out but I get the same error users are getting here...

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic306886.html

I'm guessing Vista isn't supported as claimed. Or the combo of 64 bit isn't supported.

I'm getting close to giving up and just going to my bro's place to convert everything on his pc. I've installed far too many apps just to get this working lol

[guns1inger]

I think jumping into a combination of Vista, and 64 bit, is just making a rod for your back. The simplest solution, in the short term, is probably a VM installation of Windows XP running inside Vista to do your video processing with, until the rest of the world catches up to you.

[AndyD]

Yeah, I was going to that till I realized I had only set the xp installation I made a while ago with a 8gb virtual hard disk. With only about 3.5 gigs left over, I won't really have much space to work around in.

I will probably try that in the morning. Hopefully, I see the same sort of performance I was getting on my desktop

[guns1inger]

I'm not talking about a dual boot, but a virtual machine installation running on top of Vista. Microsoft's official entry is VirtualPC 2007, which is a freebie.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/virtualpc/default.mspx

And one I like a lot, Virtualbox, also free

http://www.virtualbox.org/

[AndyD]

I know what you meant If you re read, you'll see that I said "virtual hard disk". In VMWare, once you set the hard drive space you're stuck to that. I have Virtual PC installed as well but I like USB functionality in VMWare

[guns1inger]

No probs - just wasn't sure. Haven't used VMWare. I'm surprised you can't expand the drive or add to it.

[AndyD]

Wow, I really bad luck with this stuff. After all that, I experienced the same exact issues under Windows XP. I guess it isn't Vista after all. Still trying to convert ac3 to aac so going to take it to the audio section for now

[poisondeathray]

AndyD - I admire your dedication

If you have access to a pc with XP, just open your original mkv with avidemux and do it all there (i.e. x264 6 channel AC3 mkv => x264 (copied) 6 channel AAC mp4)

EDIT: I forgot your intended target is xbox360...you have to change to 2 channel AAC