MKV to DVD

[theWallflower]

I have an MKV file that I want to convert into something I can use with DVD-lab pro - meaning a VOB or MPV file.
I have tried using MKVEGUI to extract the separate tracks, but I can't get the video track out. It gets the audio and subtitle tracks out, but it doesn't even do the video.
VirtualDub and VirtualDubMod do not work (it gives a Birtual Bit not found error). Other conversion programs like DivxToDVD, ConvertXtoDVD, and WinAVIVideoConverter do not work.
DVDForger can give me a VOB format (it fails on every other kind of conversion), but the video and audio do not sync up.
I think the video is in PAL format, which is why I'm having such trouble.

[Baldrick]

Can you post the video and audio details from the mkv? Use MediaInfo and copy and paste here.

[name123]

use avimux it can extract both audio and video with out any problems, its best to leave mkv's as they are and convert them with avs scripts in conjunction with which ever encoder you prefer

[FulciLives]

Not being able to demux the video tells me that perhaps something is wrong with the original file and/or you don't have the "right stuff" installed.

As Baldrick suggested please post what MediaInfo has to say about it (try the "text" mode). Also as name123 suggested you could try AVIMux GUI to demux the video and audio (although I do not think it works on subtitles but if you can get the subtitles from MKVExtractGUI then no problems).

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
OGMcleaver is another GUI that can demux MKV files but please note that it is just a front end to MKVtoolnix same way that MKVExtract GUI is a front end to MKVtoolnix so if MKVExtract GUI does not work it is possible that OGMcleaver will also not work ... but it is worth a try!

[guns1inger]

ConvertXtoDVD has worked for me in the past, but generally I would start with FAVC first, DVD Flick second, and ConvertXtoDVD as the final tool if the others failed. Sometimes I have found that I have to demux the mkv with mkvextractGUI, then remux with mkvmerge before converting.

[theWallflower]

Here is the MediaInfo
General
Complete name : C:\folder\Santa_1.mkv
Format : Matroska
File size : 509 MiB
Duration : 28mn 29s
Overall bit rate : 2 499 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2007-12-24 06:35:02
Writing application : mkvmerge v2.0.0 ('After The Rain Has Fallen') built on Jan 13 2007 19:58:56
Writing library : libebml v0.7.7 + libmatroska v0.8.0

Video
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L5.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 8 frames
Muxing mode : Container profile=Unknown@5.1
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 28mn 28s
Bit rate : 2 002 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 2 585 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16/9
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : NTSC
Resolution : 24 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.250
Writing library : x264 core 57 svn-709C
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:-1:-1 / analyse=0x3:0x133 / me=umh / fpel_cmp=sad / subme=7 / me-prepass=0 / brdo=1 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=1 / nr=0 / decimate=0 / mbaff=0 / bframes=2 / b_pyramid=1 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / wpredb=1 / bime=1 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / rc=2pass / bitrate=2585 / ratetol=1.0 / rceq='blurCplx^(1-qComp)' / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ip_ratio=1.40 / pb_ratio=1.30

Audio #1
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 28mn 29s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Language : English

Audio #2
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 28mn 29s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Language : Japanese

Text #1
Format : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Language : English

Text #2
Format : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Language : Japanese

Text #3
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : S_VOBSUB
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Language : English

Text #4
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : S_VOBSUB
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Language : Japanese

[theWallflower]

I was sort of able to get it to work. I used WinAviVideoConverter to make an AVI, but it was of low quality, and now I can't get it to work again. I used the audio and sub files I extracted via MKVEGUI and now I have a complete set.
OGMCleaver also worked, and produced a high quality file, but it made the file 23 minutes long, not 28. The audio and sub files are 28 minutes long. There appear to be no settings on OGMCleaver to fix this.
AVIMuxGUI forces me to save it as a MKV file. I couldn't do anything different with this new MKV file, so that was useless.
I cannot get FAVC to open. It gives an application error.

[guns1inger]

I suspect that you have ignored the instructions for FAVC and not installed .net 2, which is a pre-requesite

What problem are you having with ConvertXtoDVD when you use that ?

WinAVI is not the answer to any question, other than "how can I fill up space on my HDD with useless crap ?" and "What should I uninstall next ?"

You could also try AVI Demux

[FulciLives]

What reported the OGMCleaver extracted video file as being 23 minutes as opposed to 28 minutes?

I'm not sure that I see anything that looks "odd" or "weird" in the MediaInfo text. Anyone else notice anything?

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[theWallflower]

When I load the mkv into ConvertXtoDVD, it first says it can't find the duration. I input the correct duration, and it fails after a few seconds of processing with the message "Assertion failed, Program: h264.c, Line: 2590, expression pic->data[0]". If I hit ignore, the process continues, but I continually get errors.
FulciLives: I don't know what you mean by "reported". The video that OGMCleaver extracted _was_ 23 minutes long (I did say to convert h264 files to AVI).
You were right on the FAVC. I did install .Net and now it works. It's still converting as I write this, so I'm not sure if it works yet.
AVIDemux reads the MKV file fine, but it says very clearly that the video is 23 min long and the accompanying audio is 28 min long. Not sure what gives here.

[guns1inger]

I have found mkvs to be difficult to work with at the best of times. Sometimes it is because of the nature of the container, and the way it tries to accommodate so many features. Sometimes it is simply because the files are badly made.

Your duration problem could be because the video uses a variable framerate, and this isn't being interpreted correctly by the encoding software. Or it could be because the framerate specified in the container isn't the true framerate.

Around 50% of the time I find that I get the best results by unpacking the MKV and creating a new one. I take only the video and audio tracks I need for the conversion, and make sure that the correct framerates are entered. On each occasion this has resulted in a successful transfer.

It has also lead me to believe that the MKV container is used mostly by people with very little in the way of technical skills, and who create some of the most inconsistent output.

[whatsmyname]

I've had good success converted h.264 MKV files to DVD using avisynth and Adobe Premier. Premier use the mainconcept encoder which is not exactly great, but it does the job. The picture quality can be improved if you run an unsharp mask andor sharp filter over the video before rendering to mpeg2. But don't go too heavy on the sharpening, you'll ruin the picture.

[FulciLives]

I still don't understand why the thread creator cannot properly demux the MKV ... only thing I can think of is if the video is a variable frame rate video. If true you might as well not bother anymore LOL

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[theWallflower]

I believe the problem has been solved. FAVC was able to create an AVI of the proper length. I used that with the audio and subtitle tracks created from MKVEGUI and the DVD appears to be in sync.
Thanks for all your help.