Joining 2 mpg to mkv

[ForumID]

I want to merge 2 mpg to mkv without losing any quality. I tried both Avidemux and MKVToolNix.

After I merge them and check the properties, the data rate and total bitrate dropped by half from 9992kbps to 3835kbps.
Is it normal? I am quite new to this, I heard mkv is just container without any compression so I am kind of confused.
There aren't really big quality different when I play them side by side. But still, I want to keep a better copy regardless the file size before I dump the VIDEO_TS.
How can I make it stay at original bit rate?

I tried to merge them by mpeg2(ff) mpeg-ps muxer and it takes 7 hours to run while mkv only takes ~3 min. I think I am doing something wrong with mpg muxer.
By using copy /b 1.mpg+2.mpg 3.mpg to merge them, the quality is completely fantastic and bitrate stays the same, but there is an error on time track.

Any suggestions?

[blud7]

Try ffmpeg.

ffmpeg -i "concat:1.mpg|2.mpg" -c copy output.mpg

If either file is slightly damaged you may get errors that mkvmerge will 'ignore' or 'fix'.
You may have to scrub thru the file and see if there is pixelation etc indicating damage.

[netmask56]

Post a MediaInfo report on both mpg files to see if there are any differences. Alternatively if you have the DVD then try using MakeMKV

[ForumID]

Thanks guys. ffmpeg can keep the same bitrate with no error on time track.
================================================== ===================

Just curious, if we want to make it in MKV, does it mean the actual data rate / total bitrate of the DVD source can be ignored?
Looks like the DVD is listing 9800 kbps but media info shows they are actually 3xxx kbps only.

Random VOB at the source DVD

Media Info:
- Blank -

File Properties:
Data rate: 9800
Total bitrate: 9992 kbps
Frame rate: 29 frames/second
Audio Bit rate: 192 kbps
=======================
MPG by copy /b

Media Info:


File Properties:
Data rate: 9800
Total bitrate: 9992 kbps
Frame rate: 29 frames/second
Audio Bit rate: 192 kbps
File Size: 3.95GB ( 4,248,993,792 bytes )
=======================

MPG by FFMpeg

Media Info:


File Properties:
Data rate: 9800
Total bitrate: 9800 kbps
Frame rate: 29 frames/second
Audio Bit rate: - Didn't show -
File Size: 3.87GB ( 4,162,850,816 bytes )
=======================

MKV by Avidemux

Media Info:


File Properties:
Data rate: - Didn't show -
Total bitrate: 3834 kbps
Frame rate: 29 frames/second
Audio Bit rate: AC3 2.0 [Unknown]
File Size: 3.86GB ( 4,147,041,555 bytes )
=======================

MKV by MKVToolnix

Media Info:


File Properties:
Data rate: - Didn't show -
Total bitrate: 3835 kbps
Frame rate: 59 frames/second
Audio Bit rate: AC3 2.0 [Und]
File Size: 3.86GB ( 4,148,528,305 bytes )
=======================

MKV by MakeMKV

Media Info:


File Properties:
Data rate: - Didn't show -
Total bitrate: 3835 kbps
Frame rate: 29 frames/second
Audio Bit rate: AC3 2.0 [Jpn]
File Size: 3.83GB ( 4,119,595,471 bytes )
================================================== ===================

Btw I found that MakeMKV will auto skip those brand and production logo. Kind of off topic, are there any reason why some ripper will auto bypass some titles? Most of them will bypass the brand, warning, 3d production, etc. They even bypass the regular short length titles ( I meant behind the scene and such, not the main vob ) Sometimes Xilisoft can scout those titles and production logos while VOB2MPG, Handbrake and some other rippers auto bypass them. But I have other serious issues on Xilisoft though ( interlace and bitrate ).

Are there some way to improve this missing title? There are no answer from their official support

[jagabo]

MediaInfo is wrong when it says 9800 kbps. Regardless of anything MediaInfo says:

stream size / running time = bitrate

It's the definition of bitrate.

MkvToolNix has no ability to re-encode. All it does is take existing streams and put them in an MKV container.

[blud7]

Btw I found that MakeMKV will auto skip those brand and production logo. Kind of off topic, are there any reason why some ripper will auto bypass some titles? Most of them will bypass the brand, warning, 3d production, etc. They even bypass the regular short length titles ( I meant behind the scene and such, not the main vob ) Sometimes Xilisoft can scout those titles and production logos while VOB2MPG, Handbrake and some other rippers auto bypass them. But I have other serious issues on Xilisoft though ( interlace and bitrate ).

This is a feature not an error. The idea is to backup and preserve the main movie for portability etc. This is what most people aim for.
Sometimes the shorter titles even have different properties from the main movie in terms of interlacing, quality, bitrate, cropping, frame size...