Convert MKV to MPEG2 including subtitles with FFMPeg

[EwanG]

Have some MKV files that have subtitles. Would like to create an MPEG-2 version of the files so I can play them back on my Tivo. I've used FFMpeg before to do this, and even know how to specify to use a different audio track. Normal command I use looks like:

"c:\program files\ffmpeg\ffmpeg.exe" -i "Home Movie.mkv" -target ntsc-dvd -acodec mp2 -ab 192 -ac 2 -ar 48000 -b 4096 -r 29.97 -s 720x480 -vcodec mpeg2video "Home Movie.mpg"

But how do you specify which subtitle track? Is this even possible?

Thanks,
Ewan

[celtic_druid]

You might be better off with mencoder since it supports ssa/ass subs. Also supports twolame for mp2 encoding (lavc's mp2 encoder isn't the best).

[EwanG]

OK, I looked around the MPlayer site, but couldn't find where I could download binaries of Mencoder for Win32. Suggestions?

Also, since I'm asking for help anyway, could you suggest what the correct command would be for Mencoder?

Thanks again,
Ewan

[Ai Haibara]

It's usually included in the mplayer package.

[EwanG]

As it turns out, it IS in the "regular" MPlayer package, but it isn't in the versions that have a GUI. Guess they figure that if you want the GUI you wouldn't want the mencoder tool. Nice to be the exception to the rule...

In any event, that covers getting the tool. Could still use some help on how I would specify to mencoder to use a specific subtitle track to output to the final file.

TIA,
Ewan