Convert to same quality- possible?

[mst]

I have a .MKV file that won't play on my DVD Player. So I want to convert it to AVI.
But how do I know, what options should I select in my video converter so that the quality stays exactly the same? Final filesize is not an issue. I just don't want any quality loss whatsoever from the original file.
Is it possible? If yes what options should I use?

[hech54]

I just don't want any quality loss whatsoever from the original file. Is it possible?

Nope

[jagabo]

Sure. Just remux from MKV to AVI. AviDemux can do it. You could also decompress and use a lossless codec like HuffYUV or Lagarith, or just leave it uncompressed. But probably none of that will play on your DVD player. You'll have to convert the video from whatever codec it's currently in (h.264?) to Divx/Xvid in AVI or MPEG 2 in MPG. Both of those will lose a little quality.

[mst]

In that case, is there *any* video format that satisfies this requirement (no quality loss)?

[hech54]

In that case, is there *any* video format that satisfies this requirement (no quality loss)?

Yes....MKV

[mst]

Both of those will lose a little quality.

Then how do professional editors do it?
If what you say is true, even they, working with raw, un-encoded material, like image sequences, suffer some quality degradation, because even pros export with the help of some codec or other.
Is it true? Do even they lose quality?

[jagabo]

All high compression codecs are lossy. You can't convert from one high compression codec to another without accruing more losses. If you want no losses you have to stick with uncompressed or lossless codecs. But lossless codecs don't give you much compression.

As I mentioned earlier, you can take the compressed audio and video out of one box (MKV) and put them into another box (AVI) with no losses. But unless the codec (and other properties) used for the audio and video are compatible with your DVD player it will not play it.

[mst]

lossless codecs don't give you much compression.

I don't care about compression. Or filesize. Just quality.

uncompressed or lossless codecs

Could you please give me a list of those? I'd appreciate it, as I'm still new at this.

[hech54]

Then how do professional editors do it?
If what you say is true, even they, working with raw, un-encoded material, like image sequences, suffer some quality degradation, because even pros export with the help of some codec or other.
Is it true? Do even they lose quality?

Dude....whatever you have inside that MKV is a JOKE compared to what professional editors are used to working with. 30 minutes of what they work with wouldn't fit in your computer. Blu Ray is compressed from what they work with.
I don't know what you think you have in that MKV....but you can start off by telling us what you have in that MKV.
You can do that by running it through MediaInfo.

https://www.videohelp.com/tools/MediaInfo

[jagabo]

uncompressed or lossless codecs

Could you please give me a list of those? I'd appreciate it, as I'm still new at this.

I already gave you a few examples: HuffYUV and Lagarith. Also UT and MSU lossless codecs. But your MKV file will likely grow 10+ times in size if you use those codecs. And your DVD player will not play them.

On top of that you may have to consider the frame size of the video. Most Divx/DVD players will not play frame sizes larger than 720x576. If your MKV video has a larger frame size you'll have to downsize. That will involve quality loss.