Bulk transcode MPEG-2 to H.264, keeping all subtitles

[Ramias]

Rightly or wrongly I swapped all of my ripped VOBs in VIDEO_TS folders to MKV files with MakeMKV. Ran fast, kept all subtitles and various audio streams.

So now I have a bunch of MKV files with MPEG-2 video that are 2x the size I need them to be.

I would like to transcode to 264 but keep the same quality level/bitrate etc. Will I get any smaller file size if I do this?

So then my next question - should I transcode to MKV or to MP4?

I want to keep multi-language subtitles.

MP4 is nice because it can contain metadata and thumbnails in the file itself. But MKV is what I've basically standardized on.

Question: if I converted these to MP4/h.264 with subtititles keeping the same width/height/bitrate etc would they have to be transcoded again for an iPad 2 or would those MP4 files just copy over with iTunes?

Thanks (yes, I am a newb here).

[manono]

Rightly or wrongly I swapped all of my ripped VOBs in VIDEO_TS folders to MKV files with MakeMKV..

Are you saying you don't have the original DVDs? If so, dumb move.

I would like to transcode to 264 but keep the same quality level/bitrate etc. Will I get any smaller file size if I do this?

No, same bitrate=same size with lower quality just from reencoding to another lossy format. Half size=half bitrate with even lower quality.

So then my next question - should I transcode to MKV or to MP4?

If you are asking if you should stick your reencoded h(or x)264 with AAC audio videos inside of MP4 or MKV, it doesn't make any difference. Unless you have some goal of doing something with the videos besides playing them on your computer. Then one or the other might be better. Someone else can answer the questions about the subs and the ipad.

[Ramias]

Rightly or wrongly I swapped all of my ripped VOBs in VIDEO_TS folders to MKV files with MakeMKV..

Are you saying you don't have the original DVDs? If so, dumb move.

I would like to transcode to 264 but keep the same quality level/bitrate etc. Will I get any smaller file size if I do this?

No, same bitrate=same size with lower quality just from reencoding to another lossy format. Half size=half bitrate with even lower quality.

So then my next question - should I transcode to MKV or to MP4?

Both are just containers with no indication of the audio/video inside. I assume you are asking if you should reencode to h(or x)264 with AAC audio. If half size with the greatest remaining quality possible is the goal, then the answer is 'yes' and it doesn't matter which container you use. Unless you have some goal of doing something with the videos besides playing them on your computer. Then one or the other might be better. Someone else can answer the questions about the subs and the ipad.

Thanks.

I still have the original DVD's - in boxes in the attic .

I knew I'd lose DVD menus by running the through MakeMKV but I get better results from my WD TV player if all the files are the same type (weird issue but it seems if after I watched a VIDEO_TS movie then tried to watch a MKV movie I'd have to reboot the WD TV before the MKV would work.

Is there another reason I really screwed up in doing this?

I transcode my BD's and they look great and are a lot smaller than the MKV files I have my DVD's in. Just looking to reclaim some space (Yes, I know disks are cheap these days).

[manono]

Just my own opinion, but if you have the DVDs or Blu-Rays, and if you have a DVD player and a Blu-Ray player, then I don't get the point of reencoding to lower quality. You mentioned the loss of the menus, which is one consideration. Sure, a WDTV can be very useful and I have a PS3 for downloaded stuff and will probably buy the new Roku3 for both downloaded files and streaming video. Now, if a WDTV is all you have then sure, but I doubt that's the case.

Is there another reason I really screwed up in doing this?

Besides the loss of the menus? You also lose extras which some (including me) like to have. And DVD video is easier to work with (for me) as a DVD than inside an MKV, although that might not be a prime consideration. But I always get a little bit irritated when I see MPEG-2 inside of MKV. Why not just have the DVD video inside of a DVD? But that's mostly my own bias and there's no other real reason for my dislike of it.

[Ramias]

One other thing I like - I can embed chapter names into the MKV and easily navigate to them with my WD player. So the deed is done and I won't be re-ripping my DVD collection (don't want to climb up into the attic for starters ).

So do you think it best simply not to transcode and leave the MPEG-2 in MKV? It's about 6-7GB/movie.

For my BD's, I encode to H.264 VBR and can get them down to the 3GB/Movie range and they look great at 1080/1920. If I did that to my MPEG-2 DVD rips (720x480 max; some even less) and encoded them to H.264 would they look like crap?

[manono]

So do you think it best simply not to transcode and leave the MPEG-2 in MKV? It's about 6-7GB/movie.

That's entirely up to you. I do a lot of things myself others might consider a waste of time.

If I did that to my MPEG-2 DVD rips (720x480 max; some even less) and encoded them to H.264 would they look like crap?

Well, you've already said your Blu-Rays reencoded to 1080p and 3GB look fine to you, so I'd guess your reencoded DVDs would as well. Maybe others have some things to say also.