mkv2vob: New App to Remux MKV x264/AC3 which play on PS3

[canoehead]

Nice job, (very) patient man/woman... :)

What about file size? Was it close to the original?

Well, I have to go to work, so I leave the dog to keep an eye on the computer :p It depends on the source - I am aiming to keep it about the same size, whereas some files went over 20gigs with a transcode to mpeg2. Depending on the source I'd go anywhere from 8500 to 12000, but always capping it at 19,200 which is really important, especially if you have delusions of wireless. I started with 11,000 because that is what I use for Blu-Rays and HD-DVDs (a really easy operation - all you need is tsmuxer and megui with all plugins for Blus, add eac3to for hd-dvds - I went through a ton of really complicated formulas I found on these and other fora until I learned that the most recent versions of tsmuxer and megui will do a lot of stuff internally - no more manually assembling avs scripts and graphedit graphs). I'm a noob but learning.

I am also running some experiments with tsmuxer to see if I can avoid the transcode process - I will know more tonight or on the weekend - basically copying what mkv2vob does already but trying to play with a few settings that might be tough to automate. If I have any luck, then maybe our guru can utilize it in his fine program.

[valuat]

well you quoted the rapidshare link with the sample where someone posted the audio wasnt working, so i though you were talking about the audio not the video.

I don't know about "someone". If you read all my posts they all point to the same file AND problem, which is: regardless the extension I choose (I use VOB for no particular reason, it just seems to work: mkv2vob, remember?), if I use x264 transcoding, the file gets ridiculously small and the image is pixelated. Transcoding with MPEG2 works but the file size is ridiculously large, which is impractical, at least for me. Even if it wasn't, it should've worked with x264, which is, according to this very same Forum, the best video encoder out there.

You've found the bug. Let's test the new version out. If you found a bug like this everyday, with the help of all forum members/testers, I'm sure the likelihood of one making a donation would significantly increase, further improving the chances of us all having the definitive HD/PS3 tool.

[3r1c]

V2.2.0 3/Apr/2008
Added multi-core transcoding support.
Added support for .TS as input file, will automatically join split .ts files in the format abc.0001.ts etc...
Added Hebrew subtitle support.
Added AAC 2 channel (stereo) support.
Fixed bug where rar set would not be deleted if you select the delete source option.
Fixed bug where some x264 transcoded files would be small filesize and very bad quality.

[jaguar8311]

Could anyone please help me and reccemend me settings that would guarantee highest quality on PS3.

Thank you, so far loving the program

[_leech_]

Fixed bug where some x264 transcoded files would be small filesize and very bad quality.

I noticed this a couple of versions ago, glad it's been fixed!

[mmace]

Therefore, please try to show a modicum of courtesy. It is not the first time I see you being "assertive" to people before. Just keep it professional.3r1c wrote this software off his own back, for FREE, and then started this thread to help people out. He could give it up and sent out an update that kills the software if he wants. He has done a great thing with the software and helped many people and been very patient with us. If he wants to get assertive then let him (although I didn't read his reply in the same way as you obviously did). And why does he need to be professional? are you paying him to be?

Having said all that, 3r1c, would still love a BDMV output after transcoding video (if it can be transcoded to 1920x1080 or 1280x720 with "addborders").

Great bit of kit that has saved us all a lot of time & effort

[God Radio]

V2.2.0 3/Apr/2008
Added multi-core transcoding support.
Added support for .TS as input file, will automatically join split .ts files in the format abc.0001.ts etc...
Added Hebrew subtitle support.
Added AAC 2 channel (stereo) support.
Fixed bug where rar set would not be deleted if you select the delete source option.
Fixed bug where some x264 transcoded files would be small filesize and very bad quality.


3r1c,
The program looks to be just about complete with this fix.

Its working very well and as of today my PS3 hard drive is chockfull of HD movie goodness thanks to you and the hard work done to make MKV2VOB the program that it is today.

Thank you, thank you and thank you for this wonderfull program!

If I have no Paypal is there a way for me to send in a money order as a donation?

Thank you.

[yigal33]

thanks 3r1c!!! for the uptade!!!

[yigal33]

HI

The letters are still in Jibrish...

thanks

[Renzz]

Hi 3r1c.

Thanks for the addition of TS support. However, your prog doesn't like BBC-HD streams, which are H264/AC3. When I click Add File, I get

Run-time error '5':
Invalid Procedure call or argument

I've put a small sample at http://rapidshare.com/files/104762336/BBC-HD-sample.ts.html if you want to take a look.

Thanks

[CowTipper]

also, all TS files i have tried i get an error "unsupported audio codec" but its in AC3.

Also, i have had to transcode the video of a lot of mkv files. they are all advanced profile, is that why?

[FOSI]

great... Long live 3r1c. keep up the good work

quad-core powa now, he he he

just something easy you can addon for fun. a counter/time for us to see how much time did it take to transcode.

go and take the day of, you desearve it.

[ps2devil]

hi,
mkv2vob is very great tool and i love since i've found it in the www, but there is one big problem. I have many mkv-files with 2 ac3 streams in it and i don't want to lose 1 of the 2 languages. Is it possible to fix that in the near feature or is that to complexity? Please help

ps: sorry if my english is bad. it's a little bit rusty :-)

[3r1c]

hi,
mkv2vob is very great tool and i love since i've found it in the www, but there is one big problem. I have many mkv-files with 2 ac3 streams in it and i don't want to lose 1 of the 2 languages. Is it possible to fix that in the near feature or is that to complexity? Please help

ps: sorry if my english is bad. it's a little bit rusty :-)

theres no point, the ps3 wont allow you to select the language anyway, it will just play the first track.

[3r1c]

HI

The letters are still in Jibrish...

thanks

can you send me a screenshot of what they are supposed to look like, i just looked for what the code page was, watched a few frames and seen it renered something, i dont know what hebrew looks like.

[3r1c]

V2.2.1 4/Apr/2008
Sorry in last version it was working fine then before uploading i updated tsmuxer to latest version which caused problems.
Fixed crash on .ts files (due to tsmuxer changed the format of the "stream info" line).
Downgraded tsmuxer to 1.6.3(b) due to bugs in latest version causing it to completely not work on some files.

[akoronel]

3r1c, you are the best.

[eitach]

can you send me a screenshot of what they are supposed to look like, i just looked for what the code page was, watched a few frames and seen it renered something, i dont know what hebrew looks like.

Here the Hebrew looks like, the bible language :)
http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/988/hebrewcc5.th.jpg (http://img357.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hebrewcc5.jpg)

Thanks a lot 3r1c! u are the best! u doing great job!!!:thanks::thanks::thanks:

[valuat]

3r1c wrote this software off his own back, for FREE, and then started this thread to help people out.


Yes. But that does not mean that anyone in this position - providing useful software for free - can say anything in whatever way he/she wants. Everytime someone points out something that might be wrong with the software he first blames the user and then tries to figure out what's going on. He might be putting some people off with those comments, that's all. But the software is great, never sad it wasn't.

He could give it up and sent out an update that kills the software if he wants.

uuuuuuhhh. I'm gravely concerned now.

And why does he need to be professional? are you paying him to be?

That was about the way he communicates, some could take it personally. And yes, I might make a donation, so I would be paying him, wouldn't I?. Or you really think that "donation" is not a form of payment? Even though it is an ex-post payment, it is a payment nonetheless.

Anyway, let's try the updated version and see how it works.

[nunyabuizness]

@ valuat:

dude, i think you need to chill out and stop grinding everyone in the forum as if you made it and the program. if youre gonna give sass to 3r1c and "withhold" donations because you have the almighty power, ill compensate for it because i have used mkv2vob since its inception and have successfully added roughly 20 720p and 1080p movies to my ps3 (using dvds). so stop it.

question 3r1c, i know its been brought up, but there are some movies that have amazing sound that (it seems to me) are just too good for ac3. would it be possible in the next available update to include a bdmv output to allow dts audio? band of brothers, for example, would be perfect for this as it is already 1280x720 (without crop bars) and has dts audio. please think about this for the next update and thanks, honestly, for all your hard work.

also: has anyone converted almost identical files (not necessarily the same movie, but two with the same resolution, both had to be transcoded) using xvid for one and x264 for the other see which produces a smaller file size? i would but my computer in my dorm is slow and i do all my movies at home
my question is does anyone know which compresses the file size the best? cuz i know mpeg2 takes as much space as it wants. thank you very much in advance

[canoehead]

theres no point, the ps3 wont allow you to select the language anyway, it will just play the first track.

Not trying to be dick on this - but are you sure that it wouldn't be possible in a M2TS - since those files are meant to have multiple soundtracks on Blu-Rays? Same thing for subtitles.

Anyway, thanks again for a great program - I've got the latest version transcoding away at home, looking forward to seeing the results!

[guru1968]

m2ts files alone don't play as good as if "in the blu-ray environment"...
maybe because there are sort-of controlling files that are missing if playing the m2ts alone (comparable to a .vob without the proper .ifo in DVD language)!

I tried a lot of those combinations, only valueable container if you really need more than one video and one audio stream seems mp4 (BUT: your still limited to 4GB files, even with latest FW), or DivX.
mp4 containers work with multiple audio, subtitles seem not to work (up to 4 GigaBytes)
divX work with multiple audio and multiple subtitles (more than 2 GigaBytes with FW 2.20; don't know of any max-limit)
I've read that PS3 is going to be divX certified, so maybe this is the way to go for archiving movies...

[eitach]

Hi 3r1c!

About the Hebrew support, first i wrote to you how it looks like (I attached picture), but i found the solution!, i enter to the SRT file with Notepad and i changed the encoding to "UTF-8" and it's work perfectly!, we can see Hebrew!. so if can do that the program will do it automatically or you have some other option that it's work...

Second, when i try to convert file and i getting the message "no free space" i change the option "file splitting:none" and the massage doesn't apper! and the convert is working!, why?
u can do another method that the program first convert to hole file and after that will split it? I think that option will be solution to a lot of people who don't have many free space.

[canoehead]

m2ts files alone don't play as good as if "in the blu-ray environment"...
maybe because there are sort-of controlling files that are missing if playing the m2ts alone (comparable to a .vob without the proper .ifo in DVD language)!



Interesting - the M2TSs I've made from BLu-Rays seem to be smooth as silk, and as you may know, MP4s have been messed up since Firmware 2.20.

[babbar]

it won't let me copy to external hard drive(FAT32) some files are not in sync with audio.

[canoehead]

Hi 3r1c - I'm afraid that the making really small x264 bug is still around. I queued up 3 files into the program this morning, one of them seemed to convert perfectly, and the input and output file sizes are about the same, but another came out about 10% the size of the original file - ie same problem as before. The third file is still running.

Let me know if I can get you more info.

[djmas1998]

Hi 3r1c - I'm afraid that the making really small x264 bug is still around. I queued up 3 files into the program this morning, one of them seemed to convert perfectly, and the input and output file sizes are about the same, but another came out about 10% the size of the original file - ie same problem as before. The third file is still running.

Let me know if I can get you more info.


Out of curiosity, the files that become pixelated... are they dts by chance? Just asking because I have a file that gets pixelated also and it has dts sound.

hopefully he knows what exactly causes this problem. Absolute fantastic program!

[3r1c]

pm me the filename

[micro23]

Love your program. I have used it many many times. Quick question what is actually better mp4 or m2ts both seem to work well.

I have had great success with 5.1 and Dolby Digital.

But the 1080P version of The Fifth Element backup im trying to use just wont start when I launch it. What am I doing wrong? I'm going to try m2ts next and then im going to split it if that doesent work. Any ideas?

Great work!

Nothing worked, trying 4 gig vob now....

[micro23]

I went into tvversity and changed the settings on the mp4 to transcode = never and it worked PERFECT full 8 gig file thanks!

Once again I really really love your program great work!

[SKAPiter]

3r1c, thanks for the great app!

One request: Since you added the option to encode into XviD, can you make a check mark option that will mux ALL audio tracks from the MKV into AVI? Thanks.

P.S. I noticed that file size of resulted XviD files became much smaller with the latest version. Looks like you lowerd bitrate. Can you explain how you determine bitrate for XviD files, and can you provide some flexibility for this process, like suggested and manual bitrate option?

[Ryu77]

For all those that would like multiple audio tracks, DTS audio, switchable subtitle tracks etc... It is possible on the PS3! You will need to author your content into Blu-ray structure. This can be burnt into a DVD-5/DVD-9 if you like. The PS3 will "label" it as AVCHD but it will play the full feature set of Blu-ray discs.

[djmas1998]

For all those that would like multiple audio tracks, DTS audio, switchable subtitle tracks etc... It is possible on the PS3! You will need to author your content into Blu-ray structure. This can be burnt into a DVD-5/DVD-9 if you like. The PS3 will "label" it as AVCHD but it will play the full feature set of Blu-ray discs.


any chance on a "how to tutorial" on this. Maybe a link perhaps???

thanks in advance,

djmas

[FOSI]

3r1c: new tsmuxer out:

* Version 1.7.3(b)
- Improved M2TS splitting in Blu-ray mode
- bug fixed: some H.264 streams in version 1.7.1/1.7.2 did not work.

* Version 1.7.4(b)
- I have made small updating, now tsMuxeR will be less sensitive to bad frames in H.264

[Sephiroth0000]

31rc,

I have been attempting to use your your current uptodate MKV2VOB and I always get ERROR TRANSCODING when attempting to convert my MKV files. The files I am working with are EVO files converted to VIDEO ONLY MKV with EAC3TO and AC3 audio muxed in together with MKVMERGE. I can run these files fine with your older MKV2VOB versions but not the current one.... what gives?

[Ryu77]

any chance on a "how to tutorial" on this. Maybe a link perhaps???

thanks in advance,

djmas

I recently laid out the steps on another forum. Here's the link: http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_jump.cfm/646621/3916260

[Thunder2001]

@Ryu77

The Problem of your way is the file must have a correct HD or Full HD size an must fit for DVD5 or DVD9. With mkvtovob is no limit in screen solution, in the size and i can play over a Network device.

[ndunn1979]

Hi 3r1c - I'm afraid that the making really small x264 bug is still around. I queued up 3 files into the program this morning, one of them seemed to convert perfectly, and the input and output file sizes are about the same, but another came out about 10% the size of the original file - ie same problem as before. The third file is still running.

Let me know if I can get you more info.

I am having this problem as well, trying to re-encode a 1080P version of Planet Earth. It takes all day to re-encode then the resulting file is ~268M and unplayable. I was using an earlier version (the one before the PS3 update) and it gave an error saying transcoding failed. Is it possible that's still happening but is not being reported as a failure? Do you output any log files anywhere that could be useful in debugging or providing feedback? An option to save intermediate files might be helpful for debugging troublesome files.

By the way, I love the program.

[ajamils]

Downloaded the latest version last night and converted 4 movies with it (3 were 720p and one was 1080p). All 720p file did not require transcoding (according to mk2vob) and they worked fine. According to mk2vob 1080p file required transcoding and it went through the whole process but at the end trancoding failed and there was no output file.

[lazarusbf]

Hello
i was wondering if i was the only one who used this great application to mux 720p mkv files whose original sizes are 4,3Gb to make them fit onto just one dvdr (single layer) ?
every time i've muxed those, i always get an ouput which is just a little too big (approx. 4,6Gb) so then i cannot burn it
surely there's a way (is editing the end/start credits the one and only way?) :stupid:

[Ryu77]

@Ryu77

The Problem of your way is the file must have a correct HD or Full HD size an must fit for DVD5 or DVD9. With mkvtovob is no limit in screen solution, in the size and i can play over a Network device.

Ummm, no that isn't true. Did you read that link thoroughly?

http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_jump.cfm/646621/3916260

If you are using a DTS audio stream, you will need to make sure that you do not crop the borders (the resolution must be 720p:1280 x 720 or 1080p:1920 x 1080). If you are using AC3, it is safe to crop the borders if you wish.

You will see that I stated if you want to keep DTS audio, you will need to author in Blu-ray structure and yes in this format you will need to comply with standard HD resolutions (1280 x 720 or 1920 x 1080).

If you are happy with AC3 audio, then you can simply export a raw M2TS media file. This can be any resolution you like.

Also, you will note that the steps I linked to are more focused on recompressing a Blu-ray disc to fit onto a DVD. If you already have a file small enough, then of course most of those steps can be excluded. I don't think I need to explain which steps need to be excluded and which ones don't. If you need that explained, then you probably shouldn't be trying to author Blu-ray content in the first place and are best off with an automated application like mkv2vob.

For the M2TS media file to play over a network device, you just simply rename the extension. Did you know that mkv2vob uses the M2TS container and renames the extension? So my point is that it's doing the same thing through an automated application.

There is no way to get multiple audio tracks, DTS audio, switchable subtitle tracks etc. without authoring to Blu-ray format (or Blu-ray on DVD). The only viable alternative with the PS3's recent firmware release (v2.20) is the DivX media format. This format allows multiple audio tracks and switchable subtitles, but DTS audio is not supported in this format.

[djmas1998]

I recently laid out the steps on another forum. Here's the link: http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_jump.cfm/646621/3916260


just wanted to say thanks so much for the link.

it's much appreciated!

[veggav]

Ryu, using your method with AC3 with the cropped bars and muxing with tsremuxer

Two question in this option you choose to remux to "create a blu-ray disk" option
or remux into m2ts ?

Any possibility trought this way to have subtitle working ?

[Ryu77]

Ryu, using your method with AC3 with the cropped bars and muxing with tsremuxer

Two question in this option you choose to remux to "create a blu-ray disk" option
or remux into m2ts ?

Any possibility trought this way to have subtitle working ?

Please read the link properly... It's all explained there.

M2TS=Borders cropped, AC3 audio (no DTS), no subtitles etc.

Blu-ray=720p/1080p resolution only, DTS audio is ok, multiple audio tracks and switchable subtitles are supported.

If you do not want to author as Blu-ray disc and you want subtitles, then your only option is to hardcode them. From what I understand mkv2vob automates this.

[veggav]

ok, thanks
i'm using megui to make my mkv compilant right now.

[Sephiroth0000]

A N Y O N E ,


I have been attempting to use your your current uptodate MKV2VOB and I always get ERROR TRANSCODING when attempting to convert my MKV files. The files I am working with are EVO files converted to VIDEO ONLY MKV with EAC3TO and AC3 audio muxed in together with MKVMERGE. I can run these files fine with your older MKV2VOB versions but not the current one.... what gives?

[ajamils]

A N Y O N E ,


I have been attempting to use your your current uptodate MKV2VOB and I always get ERROR TRANSCODING when attempting to convert my MKV files. The files I am working with are EVO files converted to VIDEO ONLY MKV with EAC3TO and AC3 audio muxed in together with MKVMERGE. I can run these files fine with your older MKV2VOB versions but not the current one.... what gives?

I'm getting the same error on every file that need to be transcoded. I think something is broken in the latest version.

[djmas1998]

just wanted to say thanks for such a great program. Keep up the good work!

[ajamils]

noticed another strange thing today. All the movies that I converted with the latest version show up as "Corrupt Data" in Ps3 but they play fine. Also, first part of one of the movies does not play..instead just shows a black screen but if I forward couple of minutes then it starts playing :confused:

[gusf1]

Hi

I have a query to do with MKV2VOB (which I think is great and nearly solves all my problems!)

However I have been trying to watch some content which has english subtitles for non-english dialogue.

I have been unable to hardcode the subtitles for this content without hardcoding throughout the content. Would it be possible to allow a user to select which subtitle track to use rather than the language? When playing original MKV using VLC I can select the right subtitle track and I know which number it is, but when I use MKV2VOB I either have no subtitles, or I have them throughout. Examples of content which I have been trying to watch are Rendition (arabic parts) and 30 Days of Night (vampire speak?!) both of which have english subtitles for the non-english parts.

Thanks for any advice on how to sort this out!

Gus