mp4tools/mencoder - compressed with an unknown/unsupported compression

[furrytoes]

I'm using mp4tools (3.0.3) & am trying to burn some sub-titles from an MKV file to an MP4.
The last few .mkv files I tried, I get this error (see below).

I've actually spent quite a bit of time looking at updating the relevant binary - which I now believe is mencoder.
I've been down several rabbit holes trying to compile mplayer (which has mencoder) which required, ffmpeg, yasm & loads of other stuff.

I'm now appealing to dear VideoHelp forum users to help.
Even if you can't help with this specific error, does anyone know of a pre-built version of MEncoder? As I'm guessing this is the best chance I have to try & fix this error.

I'm currently using -> MEncoder dev-SVN-r28132-4.0.1 (C) 2000-2008 MPlayer Team
I'm on a Mac.

MEncoder dev-SVN-r28132-4.0.1 (C) 2000-2008 MPlayer Team
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU 550 @ 3.20GHz (Family: 6, Model: 37, Stepping: 5)
CPUflags: Type: 6 MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 1 SSE2: 1
Compiled for x86 CPU with extensions: MMX MMX2 SSE SSE2

success: format: 0 data: 0x0 - 0x1b5b295d
[mkv] Track 1 has been compressed with an unknown/unsupported compression
[mkv] algorithm (3). Skipping track.
[mkv] Track ID 1: video (V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC), -vid 0
[mkv] Track ID 2: audio (A_AAC), -aid 0, -alang jpn
[mkv] Track ID 3: subtitles (S_TEXT/ASS), -sid 0, -slang und
[mkv] Will play video track 1.
Matroska file format detected.
VIDEO: [avc1] 1280x720 24bpp 29.970 fps 0.0 kbps ( 0.0 kbyte/s)
[V] filefmt:31 fourcc:0x31637661 size:1280x720 fps:29.970 ftime:=0.0334
Opening video filter: [expand osd=1]
Expand: -1 x -1, -1 ; -1, osd: 1, aspect: 0.000000, round: 1
Opening video filter: [harddup]
================================================== ========================
Opening video decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg's libavcodec codec family
Selected video codec: [ffh264] vfm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg H.264)
================================================== ========================

[h264 @ 0x86cd70]AVC: nal size 142342
[h264 @ 0x86cd70]no frame!
Error while decoding frame!
Pos: 0.0s 1f ( 0%) 0.00fps Trem: 0min 0mb A-V:0.000 [0:0]
[h264 @ 0x86cd70]AVC: nal size 2306369
[h264 @ 0x86cd70]no frame!
Error while decoding frame!

[Herve]

burn some sub-titles from an MKV file to an MP4.

Why do you want to burn subtitile, keeep them external
- extract subtitiles (mkvextract ?)
- add subtitles inside your mp4 with subbler (and video will be preserve )

…just my 2 cents

[furrytoes]

Thanks.
I need to burn the subtitles in to an mp4, so I can watch the show (with subtitles) on my AppleTV.

[Case]

I need to burn the subtitles in to an mp4, so I can watch the show (with subtitles) on my AppleTV.

AppleTV 2 should have support for soft subtitles, but this feature appears to be turned off by default.

1 - Turn on your ATV2
2 - Go to Settings menu
3 - Turn on subtitles and choose your desired language and closecaption if you want.

[vukodlak75]

When I have problems with mkv's (in mp4tools) it is because the mkv was made with the header removal compression setting "on".
I have to run the mkv through mkvtools and turn off header removal compression.
In mkvtools load the video then click the edit button and then click OK where it says "Turn off MKV's header removal compression". It will remux your video (not lose any quality) and turn off that setting.
Then load the remux version into mp4tools and see if that works.