mkv - avi/adobe premiere compatible

[Encrtia]

I have read several posts here , but none have helped me =/ so I'm asking to hopefully nail the issue.

Several Places, people have asked for .mkv into .avi for purposes such as, they hate mkv, they watch on ps3, etc.
I have the same query, but for an important reason. I am trying to convert it to a format that is Adobe Premiere Pro v3 compatible, as it does not accept .mkv as a valid file, and thus I can not use it for editing.

I'm asking if there is a way (as I have used some of the links on other posts that didn't quite get the job done) to convert the .mkv file without reducing the resoultion. When I converted the files, the 1440 action turned into 640, and thus in my Premiere Project, all the other clips extended to the end of the screen, but the converted mkv clips became a little box in the middle, making the whole project look rather ugly.

Many Regards,
~Encrtia.

[Baldrick]

What software did you use?

I would try xmedia recode or avidemux and convert to avi with some lossless codec (huffyuv) or dv (720x480/576).

[Encrtia]

Free Any Video Converter, Handbrake, some others that didn't go well at all =/

And as response to what's happened so far ::: I've successfully using xmedia recode, but unfortunately, whilst playing standalone, runs smoothly, but once placed into adobe premiere, it has an effect that I can only describe as, 'two steps forward, glitchy step back, two steps forward, glitchy step back', and so on. Although, it maintains the good resolution of 1440 x 1080 quite well (as when I produced the video, it fitted the screen.

I guess I'll be trying avidemux now - though it doesn't look toooo pretty lol

Regards,
~Encrtia.

[filmboss80]

Free Any Video Converter, Handbrake, some others that didn't go well at all =/

And as response to what's happened so far ::: I've successfully using xmedia recode, but unfortunately, whilst playing standalone, runs smoothly, but once placed into adobe premiere, it has an effect that I can only describe as, 'two steps forward, glitchy step back, two steps forward, glitchy step back', and so on. Although, it maintains the good resolution of 1440 x 1080 quite well (as when I produced the video, it fitted the screen.

I guess I'll be trying avidemux now - though it doesn't look toooo pretty lol

Regards,
~Encrtia.

Sounds like a field mismatch. Run your source file through GSpot and see if it is Top Field First (TFF) or Bottom Field First (BFF), and make sure your conversions, Premiere project preset, and final output are all consistent with that field order.

[Encrtia]

Apologies for a late reply, I've been away from home during my absence.

Regarding my issue, erm, I have downloaded the dubiously named GSpot lol, but my lack of knowledge on this subject has left me struggling =/

I have uploaded a picture to see if you can hopefully/possibly take a look and help me out further..?

Many regards,
~Encrtia.

[Encrtia]

Please.. ?

[poisondeathray]

Is it interlaced or progressive ?

Use mediainfo view=> text

Gspot reports 1440x1080 , where do you get 720 and 640 from ?


If it's progressive , you can demux with mkvextract and use avc2avi to re-wrap it into avi container with no quality loss. You can use avimux-gui to add in audio or import separately. You might have to convert to wav first (e.g. audacity, foobar, eac3to etc...) .It should import into premiere if you have ffdshow installed and avc enabled in the vfw configuration

Another option, if you know how to use avisynth is to use premiere pro avisynth import plugin, which works for cs3
http://videoeditorskit.sourceforge.net/

[Encrtia]

Gspot reports '1440x1080' , where do you get 720 and 640 from ?

Ah, Ok. I meant that when I converted the original file of 1440x1080 by a now uninstalled program (can't recall the name now =/) it destroyed the resolution by making it go down to 640xXXX .

Is it interlaced or progressive ??

Sadly, my knowledge on this is very limited.. but to save just saying "huh?" I've done some research, and having to make a guess, I'd say Progressive. The clip being used is an Animated Cartoon clip, and since you can see the movement frame by frame when slow enough, I think (as someone on this forum said, "you have to see, you can't really figure it out with any software") it's Progessive.

If it's progressive , you can demux with mkvextract and use avc2avi to re-wrap it into avi container with no quality loss.

The funny thing here is, again on this forum, the mkvextract/MKVtoolnix/mkvmerge GUI (lot of names ?) I had previously downlaoded and installed to remove the subtitles from my file ^_^
So, from the start of my attempt to implement my file into CS3, I have taken my original .mkv file, put it into mkvmerge GUI and muxed my file removing the subitles. Then putting my file in xMedia Recode to convert to .avi, which has left me at my current issue of '2 steps forward, glitchy step back'
Perhaps I am not able to see demux, which is not muxing and what you said? ^_6;;

You can use avimux-gui to add in audio or import separately.

On a final note, in case this may help draw a quicker solution; the audio is not needed at all.

Many regards,
And thank you for replying,
~Encrtia.

[Encrtia]

Use mediainfo view=> text

I some how Completely Missed this ^_^;; Whether or not it is 100% accurate, it agreed with my sketchy guess, it is Progressive.

[poisondeathray]

Did re-wrapping work for you? It works for CS4 , and I think it should work for CS3 for progressive AVC streams

MKVExtract isn't the same thing as MKVMerge. MKVExtract will demux into elementary streams. (If all you want is video, then just checkmark the video). It will have .h264, .avc , or .264 extension. Then you re-wrap with avc2avi . You have to enter the proper framerate or conform in in premiere.

AVI is just a container . It holds different types of audio, video and metadata, subs.

By using xmediarecode, you changed the video (not just re-wrapped it) . Re-wrapping just puts the video into "another box". It takes much less time, and no quality loss. By re-encoding, you take a long time, and incur quality loss.

[Encrtia]

A-hah! Perfect. See, you gave me a link to mkvextract, which when I clicked, at the top said MKVtoolnix, and when isntalled, said MKVMerge on the desktop. It was quite confusing haha

But Thank you ! That worked a charm. You have a high reputation by a look on your profile , and you've added another to the fan base ^_^

Many thanks ^_^



Just wondering, I am editing many clips from a variety of programmes - 2 particular files have a resolution of 720x480. When inserted into my project on CS3, both come out with different results.
On the Files tab it says:

First .avi file 720x480(0.9)
Scnd .avi file 720x480 (1.2)

As you can imagine, when compiling the results, teh 720 file does not stretch to the edges while the rest of the clips (being 1440x1080 etc.) do.

However, the (1.2) file stretches and the (0.9) doesn't which makes me wonder :: is there a way I can either stretch the 720x480(0.9) file to the edges (knowing it'll look slightly wonky as I am ultimately 'Stretching it') lol, or at least get it to work like the (1.2) clip?

Many regards,
~Encrtia.

[poisondeathray]

in premiere, you can right click the clip in the clip bin, and interpret the footage to different aspect ratios

[Encrtia]

GAH!!! evrything ran so smoothly as well

I have come up with the last final possible error for my project.


For some reason, when I put my file into Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 after converting from .mkv, the file doesn't 'stick'. It appears in the tab of 'clips' but when I place on the timeline, as soon as I quit the project or encode the final video, the clips of this one disappear, turning black, or a half cut picture of the last clip.

Is this an unfixable glitch then?

Regards,
~Encrtia.