Recommendations for Windows MKV to H264 converters?

[KermitJ]

Am totally new to MKV to H264 converters.

Searched the forum and found a number of posts (~ 2,380 results using keywords MKV to H264 converters if used "MKV to H264 converters" got No results).

An interesting one was " Most simple Handbrake setting to convert MKV to H264 or Mp4" by joms 4th Sep 2013 but wonder if the info is still relevant?

Also I want to convert 4K MKVs to H264.

Then Googled and found "The best free video converter 2020: convert video files to any format" by Cat Ellis 11 days ago https://www.techradar.com/uk/best/free-video-converter
This was the most recent I found.

Am interested in any tips/recommendations concerning apps for converting 4K MKVs to H264.

[Selur]

As a rule of thumb: I wouldn't recommend to use any video tool which has 'Free' or 'Any' in it's name.

[videobruger]

First you start to use MediaInfo to see the codec for the video in your MKV file.

It may bee AVC (h.264) in which case you can use MKVCleaver to extract it.

If the codec is not AVC you need to re-encode it. Almost any encoder can make h.264 but try Xmedia Recode


[Attachment 51750 - Click to enlarge]

[jagabo]

Just use Handbrake. The current version is 1.3.1. It was released a few weeks ago.

Note that MKV is a container -- a logical box that can hold audio and video compressed (or not) with any of a number of codecs. h.264 is a codec, a compression scheme. MKV can contain h.264 encoded video. In fact, that's probably the most common codec used in MKV files. You need to more clearly specify what you want to do. You have a TV with a built in media player that doesn't support MKV so you need to convert to MP4 (container)? You may be able to do that by simply taking the video out of the MKV container and putting it in an MP4 container.

[KermitJ]

Thanks everyone for your comments

Selur As a rule of thumb: I wouldn't recommend to use any video tool which has 'Free' or 'Any' in it's name. OK what do you recommend?

videobruger Thanks for the MediaInfo tip! dl MediaInfo_GUI_19.09_Windows_x64_WithoutInstaller did default basic setup. Any setup or tutorial recommendations? Also is there any way I can use it before downloading a video?
It may bee AVC (h.264) in which case you can use MKVCleaver to extract it.
Decided to use "NEON Noir" as example with my favorite 4KDLer get info 4K MKV VP9 AAC 129 MB (1 attach) Since this is all new to me checked VP9 wiki "...VP9 is the successor to VP8 and competes mainly with MPEG's High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC/H.265). At first, VP9 was mainly used on Google's video platform YouTube.[2][3] The emergence of the Alliance for Open Media, and its support for the ongoing development of the successor AV1, of which Google is a part, led to growing interest in the format.
In contrast to HEVC, VP9 support is common among web browsers (see HTML5 video § Browser support). The combination of VP9 video and Opus audio in the WebM container, as served by YouTube, is supported by roughly ​4⁄5 of the browser market (mobile included) as of June 2018.[4] The single holdout among major modern-day browsers is Apple's Safari (both desktop and mobile versions).[5] Android has supported VP9 since version 4.4 KitKat."

So VP9 is what I want to convert to H264/MP4 (do not know the difference so Google and found "MPEG-4 Part 14" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG-4_Part_14 Am I splitting hairs or for 4K resolution do I want to specify H264? Comments?

Thanks also for the Xmedia Recode tip! DL XMediaRecode3492_x64 from https://www.xmedia-recode.de/en/download.php and opened OK Tutorial Recommendations? Especially for converting VP9 videos. Googled and top one was " MKV to MP4 Lossless and quick with XMedia Recode" comments Issorrisi Graphic 2 days ago "Everything is cool except the fact that it can't convert HEVC files.
I have a bunch of mkv in HEVC and can't use them cause xmedia recode just does not work with them" Is this correct?

jagabo Thanks for the Handbrake tip! Can you recommend any tutorials for converting VP9 videos? Googled using keywords Handbrake tutorials converting VP9 videos and limited to last year. Found
"how to convert vp9 with handbrake and premiere pro (in hindi)" only problem my hindi is very poor.
Googled again and found "Handbrake VP9 Encoder - How to Use Handbrake to Convert MKV with VP9 Codec" https://www.macxdvd.com/mac-dvd-video-converter-how-to/handbrake-vp9-encoder.htm
then found "Handbrake: Complete Step-by-step Guide (2020 Update)" https://www.rapidseedbox.com/blog/guide-to-mastering-handbrake I checked the entire guide but did not find any mention of converting VP9 videos to H264. Did I miss something?

[videobruger]

tutorial Recommendations?

Not really. But I can see there are several on Youtube.

I have a bunch of mkv in HEVC and can't use them cause xmedia recode just does not work with them" Is this correct?

No. In the image you've uploaded the "Format" is chosen to 3GPP instead of "H.264 Raw Video"? (And before you ask - Yes it also convert VP9)


[Attachment 51769 - Click to enlarge]

I want to convert to H264/MP4

Then maybe you should use:


[Attachment 51770 - Click to enlarge]

PS Seems there's a bug in the version 3.4.9.2 as filters are missing under "Filters/Preview"


[Attachment 51771 - Click to enlarge]

Use Vers 3.4.8.3


[Attachment 51772 - Click to enlarge]

[KermitJ]

videobruger Thanks again for your help!!

Since posting have been doing some reading and it is H264 that I want to use.

For tutorials I will first try the most recent.

Seems there's a bug in the version 3.4.9.2 as filters are missing under "Filters/Preview" Thanks for info! I would have missed it.

"Use Vers 3.4.8.3" Is this the vers that you use?

[videobruger]

Is this the vers that you use?

Yes. Installed Vers 3.4.9.2 yesterday.

[JKyle]

Seems there's a bug in the version 3.4.9.2 as filters are missing under "Filters/Preview"

I'm afraid you're wrong about it.
XMR lists filters under the preview pane in 3.4.9.2.


[Attachment 51774 - Click to enlarge]

You can enable/disable a specific filter by clicking the eye icon there.
Of course you can add a filter not listed by default.
And this new presentation has a benefit of including a timeline editing feature in a filter if the filter supports that feature.

BTW, if a user is a noob in encoding, I wouldn't recommend XMR 'cuz it's a little complicated to set the options every time a user wants to do an encoding job.
Rather, I'd come up with easier tools such as VidCoder or Handbrake or Shana Encoder, etc.

[videobruger]

I'm afraid you're wrong about it.

So I learned this. But as I said I just installed 3.4.9.2. and just used it for this thread.

[Selur]

OK what do you recommend?

Depending on you understanding of AV formats and their handling:
as GUIs: Handbrake/VidCoder, MeGui, StaxRip, Hybrid work all fine, depending on your understanding of the material.
on the command line: ffmpeg would be my way to got

[KermitJ]

Selur Thanks for the Handbrake/VidCoder, MeGui, StaxRip, and Hybrid recommendations!

Am especially interested in your Hybrid but need to do my homework and read or watch some tutorials.

Searched YouTube using keywords hybrid video converter and found a number of tutorials Can you suggest ones for how to convert YouTube 4K MKV videos

Example: Would like to convert YT "NEON Noir" 4K https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nqhkDm2_Tw (4K DLer lists it as VP9 attach) to H264.

[Selur]

Sorry, no clue if there is any usable/recommendable tutorial out there which handles your case.
Hybrid probably offers more options than the other tools I mentioned, but due to this it's harder to use and also assumes more understanding of what is happening from the user.

Cu Selur

[KermitJ]

Selur Is Hybrid available as a Windows 64 Zip DL (Portable 64 bit)?

Did some quick searching but did not find any (1 & 2 Attach)

[Selur]

There is no portable version of Hybrid, but the normal install can be converted into a portable version.

make Hybrid portable (Windows only):

• install Hybrid on a system
• copy the Hybrid folder to a separate folder
• deinstall Hybrid
• create a new subfolder inside the new folder i.e. 'settings'
• create a misc.ini (if not preset in the folder) and change it's content to
  [General]
  settingPath=.\\settings

source: [INFO] *hidden* Hybrid options,...

Cu Selur

[jagabo]

Example: Would like to convert YT "NEON Noir" 4K https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nqhkDm2_Tw (4K DLer lists it as VP9 attach) to H264.

Start with something like this in Handbrake, tune to your liking:

1) Start Handbrake
2) Open single video file
3) Select preset Matroska -> h.264 MKV 2160p60
4) Filters -> all off
5) Video -> Framerate (FPS): Same As Source
6) Video -> Constant Quality, RF 18 (or lower value for higher quality and larger file, higher value for lower quality and smaller file)
7) Video -> Encoder Preset -> as slow as you can stand
8) Audio -> Codec -> Auto Passthru
9) Set output filename (Save As -> Browse)
10) Start Encode

If you have a supported hardware encoder try selecting that in Video -> Video Codec. Encoding will be faster, quality will be a little lower.

[babygdav]

The only 2 things I'd adjust to the above post is if you're after super fast encodes vs the very best quality, then in
1. Preferences - enable Intel Quicksync (or nvidia, amd encoders).
Whatever's available.

2. In the video tab, change the encoder to h.264 (qsv) for Quicksync (or nvidia, amd depending on what you have).

For this, you'll really really encode 10x+ faster using the Intel Quicksync encoder. (To compensate for the quality drop, you'd increase quality from 18 to 12-15 by giving it more bits to encode with. Test and see if you even notice regular vs qsv.)

3. Change the profile from MAIN to High, and level 5.2.
This level is highly compatible with modern devices and gives better encode quality by enabling various h.264 encoding factors not available when using MAIN 4.0.