MKV Splitting

[Ippothechamp]

In case of video encoding, I have very limited knowledge. I have some anime videos (epi) on which I am working to make them ordered chapter. But the problem is using mkvtoolnix videos can not be splitted at exact time. So is there any other software which can easily trim/split video at exact time/video frame? I prefer mkvtoolnix since it does not require advance video encoding knowledge and most importantly can split video+audio+subs simultaneously. So kindly refer me those software which is lossless in quality and works simultaneously on video+audio+subs like mkvtoolnix.

[netmask56]

AFAIK you can only cut on Key Frames and they could be some distance from where you want to cut. Others may have suggestions.

[videobruger]

So kindly refer me those software which is lossless in quality and works simultaneously on video+audio+subs like mkvtoolnix.

AFAIK no such software exist.

There are "smart cutters" like SolveigMM Video Splitter, Videoredo, MKVCutter, Smart Cutter Ps/Ts that are frame accurate and almost lossless as only the part between the cut and the nearest I-frame is re-encoded while the rest is copied.

However. they don't support subtitles or multiple audio tracks (AFAIK) and may be limited in the video/audio codec supported.

[netmask56]

Due to the file structure of MKV files you can't frame accurate edit. Basically what you want to do with a mkv file is close to impossible.

[jagabo]

Due to the file structure of MKV files you can't frame accurate edit.

It has nothing to do with the MKV container. The issue is the use of an inter-frame codec. With inter-frame encoding most frames are not encoded in their entirety, they only contain the differences between frames. So the first frame is encoded in its entirety, much like a JPEG picture (called a keyframe), but the second frame only includes the changes between the first frame and the second (called a "predicted" frame), the third frame may only include changes between itself and the second frame, etc. Eventually another frame is encoded in it's entirety followed by a bunch more predicted frames. Predicted frames require far fewer bytes than keyframes so you can get much better compression using them. All high compression codecs use them. The I frame along with all its predicted frames is called a Group Of Pictures (GOP). GOP sizes can vary from a handful of frames up to hundreds of frames. If you remove the I frame from the GOP none of the other frames of that GOP can be reconstructed.

Because of this GOP structure simple cut/paste editors only allow cuts on keyframes. Other editors allow for cuts on any frame but require decompressing the entire source and recompressing the output. As was pointed out there is a class of "smart editors" which allow cuts in any frame but only decompress and recompress the cut GOPs. The rest of the video is passed through unchanged.

[Selur]

Depending on the formats Mkv Cutter might work,...
(subtitle should be cut, but since I never tested it extensively I never added it to the feature list,..)

[netmask56]

Due to the file structure of MKV files you can't frame accurate edit.

It has nothing to do with the MKV container. The issue is the use of an inter-frame codec. With inter-frame encoding most frames are not encoded in their entirety, they only contain the differences between frames. So the first frame is encoded in its entirety, much like a JPEG picture (called a keyframe), but the second frame only includes the changes between the first frame and the second (called a "predicted" frame), the third frame may only include changes between itself and the second frame, etc. Eventually another frame is encoded in it's entirety followed by a bunch more predicted frames. Predicted frames require far fewer bytes than keyframes so you can get much better compression using them. All high compression codecs use them. The I frame along with all its predicted frames is called a Group Of Pictures (GOP). GOP sizes can vary from a handful of frames up to hundreds of frames. If you remove the I frame from the GOP none of the other frames of that GOP can be reconstructed.

Because of this GOP structure simple cut/paste editors only allow cuts on keyframes. Other editors allow for cuts on any frame but require decompressing the entire source and recompressing the output. As was pointed out there is a class of "smart editors" which allow cuts in any frame but only decompress and recompress the cut GOPs. The rest of the video is passed through unchanged.

Fully aware of the correct technical explanation but the OP clearly is wanting a simple answer/process - so if you really want to use mkvtoolnix or similar then the simple answer is you can't do it. You could load the file into Womble or Videoredo or similar that do smart edits ie re-encode around the edit points but in the process you would lose any subtitle regardless of format and end up re-encoding. MKV is a bitch of a format if you want to do extensive and accurate editing. Ideally if he still had the DVD's then it would be an easier option. So the simplistic answer is the format is the problem. Demux all the elements sound, video and subs and do separate edits and then recombine!!! Not a simple process.. I sometime think we try to over engineer explanations rather than simply answering the question in the most simple and basic form.

[sneaker]

The OP is talking about wanting to create mkv ordered chapters so he has to leave the newbie territory anyways. (Though I agree videohelp answers are often unhelpful for newbies that way.)

There are "smart cutters" like SolveigMM Video Splitter, Videoredo, MKVCutter, Smart Cutter Ps/Ts that are frame accurate and almost lossless as only the part between the cut and the nearest I-frame is re-encoded while the rest is copied.

However. they don't support subtitles

SolveigMM advertises subtitle support.

[netmask56]

What many 'customers' want is a program that can simultaneous cut out with frame accuracy, any content within a mkv file ie audio video and subtitles all in the same program and simply... Fair enough! However whether it's technically possible is another matter and I suspect if it were it would be a commercial product certainly not a shareware or freebie. Altho my background is sound and music engineering I've also worked as a teacher and I've found simply 'telling' people facts is not all that helpful. Solutions and how to are appreciated. Above all listening and analysing what is being asked is the key.