I'd be surprised if there's any advanced formatting in those ASS subs. Isn't being able to read them enough?
I don't know of any software that will do that for you. Perhaps some sort of script would help?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Convert mkv movies into mp4
- Thread starter Aegelward
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
It's upsetting that there is still not a simple app that does this trick on mac. I have since moved to the dark side and run this app called XenonMKV on my Windows virtual machine. It's converted every .mkv file i've thrown at it and they stream perfectly to my Xbox 360 (should work on AppleTV too). Don't think it will ever be for mac though but if you guys want playable HD mp4 files then you should definitely check it out. It's free!
I think this depends on what profile the mkv video was originally encoded with.. i.e. most mkv's I have seen have been High@L5.1 but the AppleTv can only support Main@L3.1 or 4.1 - If I am not mistaken?
Haven't tried Handbrake for mkv conversion but i'd be interested in hearing more about it. Quicktime would be the best and quickest way but every time i convert an mkv to mp4 using the passthrough method it gives me a file that either doesn't stream or the audio is out of sync. I hope an update will address this - maybe a setting specifically for mkv to an mp4 that will work.
handbrake now handles files directly, no need for a DVD or anything. just direct handbrake to the .mkv file and convert it to whatever you want. your set!!
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5G77 Safari/525.20)
Ok, sounds like a new version may be out soon, if I get your drift. I will patiently wait till it is available to all.
Ok, sounds like a new version may be out soon, if I get your drift. I will patiently wait till it is available to all.
New version of my script is out. This time large file support was added (i.e. my second tutorial). The announcement is here:
http://oddmanout.wordpress.com/2008/12/25/its-a-mkv-to-ps3-mp4-christmas/
Happy holidays
http://oddmanout.wordpress.com/2008/12/25/its-a-mkv-to-ps3-mp4-christmas/
Happy holidays
I did some fansubbing in the past and ASS subs are so much more than SRT. SRT just contains the text and the time. ASS contains styles (font, primary color, transparency, border color, border size, drop shadow depth, drop shadow transparency, drop shadow color etc. ), margins, animations (moving, rotating, change on colors, transparency, size etc.), custom drawing tools using splines, character encoding etc.
At the end of the day, if the subs are readable then it's ok. But after watching ASS subs, SRT will never be the same.
Here are some of the stuff you can do with ASS subs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-XYiN_Oy_M
I have seen a lot more advanced stuff being done but I can't find any examples of them yet. Afaik, a lot of people have moved on to Adobe After Effects for karaoke effects, but ASS is still very powerful. People have written custom tools so that for example, it would generate a seperate ass file from the one you put in where the words are created by thousands of single pixels created by the drawing tool so that you can manipulate them one at a time and create a stunning sand blowing in the wind effect.
My simplified guide
I just wanted to post this link in this forum, because many times have I googled MKV to MP4 (mainly for PS3 usage) and it has brought me to this section. So here's a small guide, very simple on how to do this. Other's have also followed this for the ATV or so I hear.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/622894/
I just wanted to post this link in this forum, because many times have I googled MKV to MP4 (mainly for PS3 usage) and it has brought me to this section. So here's a small guide, very simple on how to do this. Other's have also followed this for the ATV or so I hear.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/622894/
MacSeda, no offence, but you clearly didn't look very hard. Gluing "everyones tidbits together to form a single conclusion on how to do this" has already been done by many people. I'm one of them and I did it for the Mac. In fact, if you google 'ps3 mp4 mkv macosx' my tutorials are the first two hits! In fact, I posted a link to my tutorials in this very thread. I also made a script to do them automatically. In fact, that is also linked to in this very thread as well. Here's the project page:
http://code.google.com/p/mkvtops3mp4/
That page links to those two blogs that I wrote, that the above script implements. They were written 2008/01/26 and 2008/06/07 which did the conversion and the large file support (mkv file splitting) respectively. All using tools found in MacPorts. But, I'll also say that I've seen "your" tutorial posted around by other people as well back when I was first searching for a solution about a year ago.
Sorry. But, you're late to the game reproducing old easily found work. Not only that but you're claiming grandiosity that is *grossly* overstated. Down playing other peoples work (e.g. tidbits) and elevating yours to such proportions (e.g. "Definative GUIDE", "I will show you..." *I*?!?!?, etc) is insulting to those that have actually done the work. All that and you're wrong on some details! e.g. 720p video *can* be over 4G. I see this regularly.
I'll also point out that copying over the network is fine. As in, I've rarely received DLNA errors. And even when I get them, it's because I'm copying over *lots* of stuff, not just a couple gigs. If you're getting them a lot, then it's not the method, it's *your* network. This is probably effecting you in other ways as well even if you don't realise it e.g. slowing the network. I'd suggest checking for defective cables, router, etc.
So, I'd suggest doing better research when looking for solutions, paying better attention to detail and certainly being more humble in your writings cannot be said enough.
http://code.google.com/p/mkvtops3mp4/
That page links to those two blogs that I wrote, that the above script implements. They were written 2008/01/26 and 2008/06/07 which did the conversion and the large file support (mkv file splitting) respectively. All using tools found in MacPorts. But, I'll also say that I've seen "your" tutorial posted around by other people as well back when I was first searching for a solution about a year ago.
Sorry. But, you're late to the game reproducing old easily found work. Not only that but you're claiming grandiosity that is *grossly* overstated. Down playing other peoples work (e.g. tidbits) and elevating yours to such proportions (e.g. "Definative GUIDE", "I will show you..." *I*?!?!?, etc) is insulting to those that have actually done the work. All that and you're wrong on some details! e.g. 720p video *can* be over 4G. I see this regularly.
I'll also point out that copying over the network is fine. As in, I've rarely received DLNA errors. And even when I get them, it's because I'm copying over *lots* of stuff, not just a couple gigs. If you're getting them a lot, then it's not the method, it's *your* network. This is probably effecting you in other ways as well even if you don't realise it e.g. slowing the network. I'd suggest checking for defective cables, router, etc.
So, I'd suggest doing better research when looking for solutions, paying better attention to detail and certainly being more humble in your writings cannot be said enough.
None taken, my guide was merely an attempt to simplify everyones elses work. I didn't come up with the idea nor am I claiming to. You guide was one of the first guides I came across. I just got a macbook 2 weeks ago and am still getting used to the OS and when I came across your guide it seemed, well, a little too difficult. Yes you wrote a script great. But one has to download all of these developer tools which are over 2gb and macport to run linux programs when you can do it with apples native programs?
"Please note that this script does not replace the tools that need to be installed as described in those tutorials. What this script does do is use those tools so you don't have to." Those tools that you speak of MacPorts etc, etc. take up a lot of room that some people may not want on their computer, such as myself and being very tight about how much HD space is used. Also, perhaps you misquoted me. "Step 2.) For those who are converting the ever-famous 720p movies that are usually under 4GB welcome to the show." The word usually is in there for a reason. I personally don't understand why I have to justify writing this tutorial, or why I'm being bashed for it. My guide isn't something you HAVE to do, just recommendations. Perhaps me labeling this a DEFINITIVE GUIDE, I should have put "EASY ALTERNATIVE" or "DIFFERENT WAY". But in no way, shape or form was I trying to put down everyones guides. People say why not use Parallels, or VMWare or something to that nature and run MKV2VOB. Because why do people have to have all of this software on their computer? Quicktime comes with your computer, simple as that. The other programs that are required are small to say the least.
"But, you're late to the game reproducing old easily found work." I've seen it. Seen in all in fact. I have yet to find one to be step by step, simplified. I wrote this guide so people didn't have to get frustrated like I did. I tried following the guides written by others for this Quicktime method. Failed everytime, or someone was using a combination of programs for no apparent reason. After I wrote this I told my girlfriend, "I think this is so easy you could probably do it if you read it step by step." It's a shame that you immediately go to putting others down for trying to help. To me this is not a pissing contest. I only signed up to help others.
Furthermore, I'm not trying to prove my intelligence over you, because clearly you know more about this than me. I think the idea of your script was an excellent idea, although not the prime choice for everyone. Don't think I was trying to steal anyones thunder, or make anyone look ''dumb''. I was just simply trying to give others an option to do this more simply in words that normal folks could possibly understand. So MY apologies if I offended you, because it was not intentional.
"Please note that this script does not replace the tools that need to be installed as described in those tutorials. What this script does do is use those tools so you don't have to." Those tools that you speak of MacPorts etc, etc. take up a lot of room that some people may not want on their computer, such as myself and being very tight about how much HD space is used. Also, perhaps you misquoted me. "Step 2.) For those who are converting the ever-famous 720p movies that are usually under 4GB welcome to the show." The word usually is in there for a reason. I personally don't understand why I have to justify writing this tutorial, or why I'm being bashed for it. My guide isn't something you HAVE to do, just recommendations. Perhaps me labeling this a DEFINITIVE GUIDE, I should have put "EASY ALTERNATIVE" or "DIFFERENT WAY". But in no way, shape or form was I trying to put down everyones guides. People say why not use Parallels, or VMWare or something to that nature and run MKV2VOB. Because why do people have to have all of this software on their computer? Quicktime comes with your computer, simple as that. The other programs that are required are small to say the least.
"But, you're late to the game reproducing old easily found work." I've seen it. Seen in all in fact. I have yet to find one to be step by step, simplified. I wrote this guide so people didn't have to get frustrated like I did. I tried following the guides written by others for this Quicktime method. Failed everytime, or someone was using a combination of programs for no apparent reason. After I wrote this I told my girlfriend, "I think this is so easy you could probably do it if you read it step by step." It's a shame that you immediately go to putting others down for trying to help. To me this is not a pissing contest. I only signed up to help others.
Furthermore, I'm not trying to prove my intelligence over you, because clearly you know more about this than me. I think the idea of your script was an excellent idea, although not the prime choice for everyone. Don't think I was trying to steal anyones thunder, or make anyone look ''dumb''. I was just simply trying to give others an option to do this more simply in words that normal folks could possibly understand. So MY apologies if I offended you, because it was not intentional.
One does *not* have to download the developer tools. They are on the install disks for OS X that came with the computer. Furthermore, what comes through MacPorts are *not* linux programs. They are programs that can be run on multiple platforms. In fact, many of them run on Windows as well. Just because there development may (or may not) have started on a *NIX, doesn't mean it's a linux program. The GIMP is a good example of this. Its development started on linux, but it has been ported to Windows and Mac OS X and... i.e. it's now cross-platform *not* only linux.
I think that you are confusing "apples native programs" as bundles. This seems to be confirmed as I believe you are getting people to download 3rd party software for use in your tutorial (e.g. the mkv tools) which wouldn't exactly be considered from Apple.
The GIMP can be downloaded as a bundle. So, can many other programs that also run on other OS's. Just because something runs on linux, does that make it a "linux program"? I think not.
NOTE: If you were the Seda that commented on my blog, I did give you an alternative that would have saved you the disk space required by the dev tools. Just saying as you seem to think that this dev tool disk space thing is required for all time. It's not.
With the sizes of hard-drives today, it would be rare and/or misuse of hdd resources to encroach on its limits. Honestly, if you're running a relatively modern Mac, which you pretty much would have to be if you're running 10.4/10.5, then you're most likely mismanaging your hdd. I would imagine that if you would burn the stuff that you want to keep yet don't use and remove the cruft, you'd have a lot more space to spare. I'll also point out that external hdds are really really cheap these days. And if you're wanting to do a lot of this conversion stuff, with the size of those files...
How about this wording: "IF YOUR MKV FILE IS SMALLER THAN 4GB ie. 720p films SKIP THE FIRST STEP (if you are using a 1080p file over 4GB please proceed)".
Your lack of consistency is not my problem, it's yours. The "i.e." "word" is used for a reason too. So, before you go around cherry picking your data, perhaps you should become familiar with the entirety of what I was looking at. That detail is wrong.
I was explicit about why I said what I did. It's all there in black and white. If you can't see it, then I can't help you.
Also, there are problems with the emulation to run MKV2VOB; slower and time consuming. It would require another OS to be "installed" somewhere else which would incur extra cost ($). It would require more than just a little bit of hdd space (far more than MacPorts btw). There would be quality loss. Similarly for use with bootcamp. Among other issues, one of which you bring up.
You're assumption that this is about a "pissing contest" is a very bad one. If you would have been honest, reasonable and respectful about what you did and what others did, then I would have never commented. Also, please see my comment directly above.
It's a shame that you didn't get the reason of why I said what I did even though it was explicitly stated. I pointed out problems with your tutorial including taking credit for more than what you did, have some details wrong and your general tone. Yet, you're complaining about this and pointing the finger at me instead of fixing the errors. Quite frankly, I think that this reflects far more on you than me. Myself being only a little bit of a dick about it whereas you are doing nothing more than tossing accusations.
I never said anything about proving intelligence. Where you got that I will never know. I also never said anything about my tutorial being the end all be all. I was just referencing it because it was not only in this thread, but referenced just a few posts above yours. I'll also mention that if you go to the being of this thread and read through it, you'll see two other tutorials before I posted mine. I believe all three are unique ways to get the conversion done.
If you wanted to give another option, then give another option. But, you didn't provide another option. You pieced together other peoples work and wrote a tutorial on that. That is a VERY different thing. THAT is where the honesty, etc stuff comes in. Again, if you would have been honest about that, then this conversation wouldn't be happening.
You have to think about this like open-source. Everyone gets credit for what they've done not putting down others work (the "tidbits" comment btw does put down others work). Reference what your sources are, but failing that, mention what is and is not your work. THAT is the honest, reasonable and respectful thing to do.
So, the ball is now in *your* court. Will you fix the problems with your tutorial? Or are you just going to be obstinate and leave it the way it is?
You could probably do that using ffmpeg or mencoder. Both being in Macports (mencoder comes with the mplayer port). There is also ffmpegX for Mac OS X for some easy point and click action. Other than that, there may be other ways that I don't know about. Perhaps google 'avi mp4 conversion macosx'?
Please note that this will be time consuming and there's no way around that. So, if you don't have a fast computer, it will take quite a bit of time to do.
In no way shape or form does the word "tidbit" demean others work.
tid⋅bit [tid-bit] –noun
1. a delicate bit or morsel of food.
2. a choice or pleasing bit of anything, as news or gossip.
If you'd like me to quote sources. I can't. I've gone through too many sites trying to find a successful method.
What I will though is state that this is a GUIDE that I put together founded from other peoples research. I came here to help others, which is clearly what I'm doing.
You've mentions and brought up your site and script. How your site comes up on Google almost right away. Yet, there are others who are just ending their "5 month quest" on MKV to PS3. So as much as people Google they couldn't find it which is why I originally wrote this guide.
Also I'd like to point out ...
The X11 windowing environment (A.K.A. “X11 User”) and its related SDK package (“X11SDK”) for ports that depend on the functionality they provide to compile and run.
If you install those from scratch it's over 2gb. That's 2gb of dev. tools just so I can use your method. No thank you. If that's not the case then the MacPorts site is clearly misleading.
I will inform everyone that this GUIDE is in no way shape or form MY method, but a method discovered by others. I didn't join this forum to be a hero, or deal with anyones crap.
If you're goal was to help people as well, which clearly it is, then there really shouldn't be any complaints. Mission accomplished, someone figured it out.
GUIDE edited.
tid⋅bit [tid-bit] –noun
1. a delicate bit or morsel of food.
2. a choice or pleasing bit of anything, as news or gossip.
If you'd like me to quote sources. I can't. I've gone through too many sites trying to find a successful method.
What I will though is state that this is a GUIDE that I put together founded from other peoples research. I came here to help others, which is clearly what I'm doing.
You've mentions and brought up your site and script. How your site comes up on Google almost right away. Yet, there are others who are just ending their "5 month quest" on MKV to PS3. So as much as people Google they couldn't find it which is why I originally wrote this guide.
Also I'd like to point out ...
The X11 windowing environment (A.K.A. “X11 User”) and its related SDK package (“X11SDK”) for ports that depend on the functionality they provide to compile and run.
If you install those from scratch it's over 2gb. That's 2gb of dev. tools just so I can use your method. No thank you. If that's not the case then the MacPorts site is clearly misleading.
I will inform everyone that this GUIDE is in no way shape or form MY method, but a method discovered by others. I didn't join this forum to be a hero, or deal with anyones crap.
If you're goal was to help people as well, which clearly it is, then there really shouldn't be any complaints. Mission accomplished, someone figured it out.
GUIDE edited.