Remove & replace existing audio file in movie

[silvershadow68]

HI Guys, first post here.
Firstly, apologies if this is not the correct section.
I looked at the forums and thought this is the most closely related due to me having a mac.

I download a copy of movie in 1080p which has an existing russian audio file built in as the default films audio.

It also has included the English ac3 as a separate file.


I want to replace the russian audio with the English audio , so that its built into the movie like the existing one
Is there any free progams you could recommend that i could use to carry this out.

I usually use Popcorn mkv audio convertor for stripping audio, (dual booted mac with windows 7)
but i have no idea how to remove & replace and existing one.

Programs & tips greatly appreciated

cheers

Thomas

[emmgunn]

Here are some options for you:

• If your comfortable using the command line in Terminal you could use mkvtoolnix, which comes with a set of tools for editing and creating mkv files. Mkvmerge from the package should let you create an mkv file with tracks selected from multiple files, so that would work for your situation. There is also a gui for the mkvmerge that comes in the package. I've never used it so I don't know all of its capabilities, but it may be worthwhile for you to check it out.
• There is a newish application called makemkv that is still in beta, so it's free. Again, I've never tried it but it might have the ability to put together an mkv from tracks that you select from multiple files. So you wouldn't be deleting the audio track that you don't want. You'd be creating a new mkv file with your desired tracks.
• MKVtools will let you delete tracks from an mkv but it doesn't yet create mkv files, though if your OK with your new video being an mp4 file, then the newest beta will do what you're looking for. It's trialware, but the free version will do everything that you want.

Hopefully that helps. Note, if you're going to mux in an external audio track, there is a decent chance that you'll run into sync issues.

[silvershadow68]

Thanks my friend for taking the time to list some solutions.

Think a will look at the tools available for creating a new mkv file complete with new audio.

Am happy enuf to use the command line, so a will try this first


cheers

Thomas

[KneeRow]

you CAN do it, but it might be very hard. What you have to do is, stretch the English audio (or make it shorter) until is the same length as the video. Then you can replace it. you can use Goldwave 4.xxx to rip the English audio out of whatever you're getting it from and then adjust the audiolength. of course in WAV format. The hard thing is that most of the time, the English and Russian audio or video don't begin exactly at the same time. I did it once, with Ratatouille. I noticed there was a scene in the beginning of the movie, i think at 0m15s, where i could SEE someone make a sharp short sound, drop a coin. Then there was a scene near the very end, where I could SEE someone make a sound, i think it was a gunshot or something like that, at 1h58m31s. Then I looked for these sounds in the ripped English audiofile, which was of course in WAV format. They weren't exactly at 0m15s and 1h58m31s, of course, because it was differently coded etc. Doesn't really matter WHY they weren't sync. In my case it was shorter by 2m21s. So, there's a function in Goldwave which allows you to adjust the lenght of a file, and I made mine then 2m21s longer. This produced a sync english audio file, which i could then easily attach to the video with Virtualdub, but you can use Avidemux for that too. Ask me if you don't get it.

[terryj]

HI Guys, first post here.
Firstly, apologies if this is not the correct section.
I looked at the forums and thought this is the most closely related due to me having a mac.

I download a copy of movie in 1080p which has an existing russian audio file built in as the default films audio.

It also has included the English ac3 as a separate file.


I want to replace the russian audio with the English audio , so that its built into the movie like the existing one
Is there any free progams you could recommend that i could use to carry this out.

I usually use Popcorn mkv audio convertor for stripping audio, (dual booted mac with windows 7)
but i have no idea how to remove & replace and existing one.

Programs & tips greatly appreciated

cheers

Thomas

Does the file HAVE to be an .mkv file?

If not, and you just want a file that will play back the video without re-encoding it,
and with the english audio track, how about these steps:

0. both the .mkv and the english .mp3 should be in the same folder on your mac.

1. Open the .mkv in Quicktime 7 Pro with Perian installed on the mac.

2. open the english .mp3 file.

3. Select all of the .mp3 file, copy to clipboard

4. Select the opened .mkv file. select all, so that the whole video file is selected.
Paste the mp3 file to the mkv file using the "Edit--> Add to Movie" command.

5. Open the movie properties, and un-enable ( uncheck) the russian track,
and make sure the english track is enabled.

6. Then perform a "Save As" and "Save as a reference movie".
Save it to the folder on your hd that has the .mkv, and the english.mp3 in it.

Thus, you will create a reference file that when played will play the movie asset
from the .mkv file, but will also play only the english .mp3 file.
There would be no decompression, and you cannot delete the originals.
But for just playback purposes, it will be all you will need.