64 bit encoding program for MKV to MP4

[prk72]

Hello all, I was wondering if anyone new of a true 64-bit program to encode a MKV to a MP4. Currently I'm using HB, but it's not a 64-bit program.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[jagabo]

There's not much benefit from using a 64 bit program for that type of operation.

[jman98]

If you're one of those "it takes too long" people who always whine about it, have you considered just running your encodes while you sleep or are away from your PC?

[V1de0Luvr]

If the MKV video is already AVC/H.264, the only thing you might need to reencode is the audio to AAC, which will not take long enough to matter, which is probably what jagabo is trying to say.

[jagabo]

In my experience, 64 bit software runs anywhere from about 10 percent slower to 10 percent faster than their 32 bit counterparts. The exception to this would be programs that need a lot of memory, over ~3 GB, where 32 bit versions simply won't run. A/V conversion software does not need that much memory.

[ricoman]

MultiAVCHD has a check box for 64 bit. I don't know if it helps or not, I just check it and let it run. The program itself is great.

[PuzZLeR]

Encoding today is all about processor speed, not memory - 64 bit will do very little except make a few people believe it's going much faster.

However, in the case of emerging, or more modern formats, like 3D or SVC, where multiple layered encoding applies, I can see 64 bit encoding being more beneficial.

If you're one of those "it takes too long" people who always whine about it, have you considered just running your encodes while you sleep or are away from your PC?

Ahh, guilty as charged here. But that was years ago when I was tricked by Apple into buying their QuickTime H.264 encoder. My brand new 2-core machine was taking overnight to encode, like, a 15 minute clip. Can you blame me? But things have changed in H.264-land since... (even with QT too I hope). Yes, I too use overnights to do my heavy stuff.

@ prk72: You may not have to re-encode the MKV file as V1deOluvr pointed out. Just remux the contents, using YAMB into MP4. Keep in mind, MKV and MP4 are just "containers" of video/audio. And yes, you will have to encode the audio to AAC if it's AC3, since MP4 containers don't handle AC3 without some hack.

[prk72]

@ prk72: You may not have to re-encode the MKV file. Just remux the contents, using YAMB into MP4. Keep in mind, MKV and MP4 are just "containers" of video/audio. And yes, you will have to encode the audio to AAC if it's AC3, since MP4 containers don't handle AC3 without some hack.

Right now I'm using eac3to to demux my BD, MKVmerge to remux and HB to compress into a smaller MP4 with AC3 passthru. I don't have any problems with AC3 passthru with my MP4, so I don't know what you mean by "MP4 containers don't handle AC3 without some hack". I watch them with WMC 12.

With regards to time, I can take a 24GB MKV and get a 5-8GB MP4 in about 6 hrs which isn't too bad. I've read elsewhere that a 64 bit machine can handle this process quicker, and if I can shave an hour off then an hour is an hour and I'm happy.

I'm running a dual core i5 with multithreading and 4GB memory.

[PuzZLeR]

@ prk72: You may not have to re-encode the MKV file. Just remux the contents, using YAMB into MP4. Keep in mind, MKV and MP4 are just "containers" of video/audio. And yes, you will have to encode the audio to AAC if it's AC3, since MP4 containers don't handle AC3 without some hack.

Right now I'm using eac3to to demux my BD, MKVmerge to remux and HB to compress into a smaller MP4 with AC3 passthru. I don't have any problems with AC3 passthru with my MP4, so I don't know what you mean by "MP4 containers don't handle AC3 without some hack". I watch them with WMC 12.

With regards to time, I can take a 24GB MKV and get a 5-8GB MP4 in about 6 hrs which isn't too bad. I've read elsewhere that a 64 bit machine can handle this process quicker, and if I can shave an hour off then an hour is an hour and I'm happy.

I'm running a dual core i5 with multithreading and 4GB memory.

What does this have to do with MKV -> MP4 then if you have the blu-ray Source?

Nevertheless, I can appreciate the smaller size and then, re-encoding is necessary. This still has very little to do with MKV -> MP4 as both containers are sufficient for the bigger, or smaller file video stream sizes. You only need to choose one, or it depends on your playback method.

I still say 64 bit will do very little even if the encoding application is optimized for it, and will do nothing if not optimized for it.

Yes, MP4 "supports" AC3 today but only in a, let's say, "modified" context. It's not a native standard - last I checked, the ISO group still hasn't ratified it even when considering it (but can someone verify any news here?). I guess it's just me, I just feel safer using AC3 with MKV. HandBrake does support MKV too.

[poisondeathray]

AC3 was officially added about a year ago to the mpeg-4 part 14 specs, but even now some software splitters and devices still do not support it although that seems to be improving.

You can check under "registered types" and "codecs"
http://www.mp4ra.org/codecs.html
http://www.mp4ra.org/specs.html#etsi

[PuzZLeR]

Thanks Poison, nice to see it finally official instead of in the domain of hacks. I should keep up more.

Once upon a time the MP4 group refused to accept AC3 because the mindset was that MP4 is supposed to be a sexy, new, slick, and marketable, format, riding on the success of the MP3 name. In their eyes, AC3 was "old and fat" and would kill its image (even though its ancestor, MOV, was fine with it).

Well, blu-ray didn't think so - in another's view, AC3 is the "Cadillac" of the audio compression formats.

Having no common subset with AAC and AC3, I guess MP4 was the one that finally caved.

I still stay away from MP4/AAC though. There's no need when there's blu-ray, transport streams and MKV. Unless your mobile, console, etc decide on an AC3 hack instead of an MKV hack, it's pointless.

but even now some software splitters and devices still do not support it although that seems to be improving.

Yes, hopefully, if I decide to test AC3/MP4 again it won't crash VLC this time. It discouraged me last time.