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Fastest way to convert MKV to MP4?

Bobson Dugnutt

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I'm not sure if there is already a thread about this, but I'm trying to convert an MKV file to an MP4 file. I can convert the other way in a minute with MKVToolNix, but not the other way. I can't seem to figure out MyGUI either and I can't seem to find anything else online that looks trustworthy, so I thought to ask here.
 

The Scribbling Man

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Why do you need to convert MKV to MP4? What is the file being used for? 

Also, the thread says "fastest way". Is time an issue? Are you going for speed over quality? 

A Google will reveal many options for a quick convert, but you probably won't get a satisfying result. 

I believe Handbrake will convert MKV to MP4, but it won't be lossless.
 

thecuddlyninja

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My guess is to edit in Sony Vegas because that's the only reason I can think of to convert to mp4. 

The important thing to understand is that your video is probably H264, mp4 and mkv are just containers. You definitely don't want to do something like Handbrake, or any conversion for that matter or you'll lose quality. And it'll take a long time, if you care about that. You just want to switch containers, no conversion of video file at all. Something like Mp4Box should do the trick easily and free.
 

Bobson Dugnutt

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It's to edit in Premiere, but yes. 

Also, how exactly does MP4Box work, it just appears to be a player for video files with a console
 

The Scribbling Man

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I don't know what Premiere is like, but it never worked for me when I just switched containers for Vegas. 

How come you've got an MKV in the first place? Is that your source or did you make the MKV from a DVD/Blu Ray? If MKV isn't your starting point, then there might be better ways for you to get it into an editable format.

Edit: Also, there are some suggestions for your predicament on this thread: https://forums.fanedit.org/showthread.php?tid=11799
 

Bobson Dugnutt

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It's one of kk650's regrades that is an MKV that needed to be converted to an MP4 so that I could tinker with it. 

I've figured it out now though using ffmpeg. The code is below for anyone that wants to use it

Code:
ffmpeg -i input.mkv -codec copy output.mp4

It switches containers without any quality loss, and in only a few minutes too, so I seem to have solved my own problem.
 

darksteel1335

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Bobson Dugnutt said:
It's one of kk650's regrades that is an MKV that needed to be converted to an MP4 so that I could tinker with it. 

I've figured it out now though using ffmpeg. The code is below for anyone that wants to use it

Code:
ffmpeg -i input.mkv -codec copy output.mp4

It switches containers without any quality loss, and in only a few minutes too, so I seem to have solved my own problem.

Any way to do that on Mac?
 

Bobson Dugnutt

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darksteel1335 said:
Bobson Dugnutt said:
It's one of kk650's regrades that is an MKV that needed to be converted to an MP4 so that I could tinker with it. 

I've figured it out now though using ffmpeg. The code is below for anyone that wants to use it

Code:
ffmpeg -i input.mkv -codec copy output.mp4

It switches containers without any quality loss, and in only a few minutes too, so I seem to have solved my own problem.

Any way to do that on Mac?

Not that I know of, but I'm sure you could find something if you look up "ffmpeg mac" or something to that effect
 

Sinbad

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Does that only work if the codec is h264? I've looked for a way to convert an mkv ripped from the bluray using makemkv but cant find a way to change the container to mp4 for editing without recoding it. my usual way is to create a high quality mp4 from the BR using handbrake on all the best settings.
 

Bobson Dugnutt

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That should work I think, I'm not fully sure how ffmpeg works, only that it's some magical progam that converts/remuxes anything to anything.
 

Sinbad

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Well it can't hurt to try it out, I'll give it a go thanks Bobson  :)
 

ThrowgnCpr

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Just to be clear, there is no need to "convert" MKV to MP4. They are both containers that hold the same type of video (typically x264 or h264) and audio (typically AC3, DTS, AAC) streams. Simply demux the MKV and remux the MP4. Off the top of my head, you can demux with MKVtoolnix, and easily mux back into an MP4 container with MeGUI. The process should take less than 10 minutes.
 

Sinbad

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Thanks Throw, I've used makemkv in the past to rip a blu and I think that rips to AVCHD in an mkv container, i may well be wrong but I'm not sure you can put that in a .mp4 container without conversion. Do you know if thats possible and if its then editable in Vegas? Thx in advance
 

addiesin

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Rip the bluray to mkv. Demux the mkv video stream to m2ts. Edit video with the m2ts file. Avoid putting it in an mp4 container til you're done editing.

Also, demux the mkv audio stream to dts or ac3 (or the highest quality of whatever file type is available in the stream). Open demuxed audio in Audacity, save each track as a mono wav. Edit audio with the wav files.
 

ThrowgnCpr

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please note that M2TS, AVCHD (a container of containers...), MKV, and MP4 are all containers. You can easily put your (lossy) elementary video and audio streams in any of these containers without conversion.

Vegas can handle M2TS and MP4 containers, there is no real difference between using the two. Also note that the video stream within these containers is almost surely not in the RGB color space (which Vegas uses), so you may need to apply a correction when you edit these filetypes directly.

Side note: I recommend always converting to lossless audio and video streams before editing. That gives you control of colorspace, and avoids potential bugs associated with editing compressed files. See my guide for details.
 

Sinbad

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I feel like Jackie Chan learning about Iceland and Greenland :D
 

thecuddlyninja

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Sinbad said:
Does that only work if the codec is h264? I've looked for a way to convert an mkv ripped from the bluray using makemkv but cant find a way to change the container to mp4 for editing without recoding it. my usual way is to create a high quality mp4 from the BR using handbrake on all the best settings.

You can use "copy disc" function in MakeMKV and it will give you an mts file instead of an mkv, which you should be able to edit straight away.
 

Sinbad

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thecuddlyninja said:
You can use "copy disc" function in MakeMKV and it will give you an mts file instead of an mkv, which you should be able to edit straight away.

Lots to try thanks guys I didnt either start the thread  :)
 

Moe_Syzlak

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I’m not sure this is the right place for this, but I’m trying to convert an MKV to an MP4 so I can play it on Apple TV. I’ve tried twice with Handbrake using different settings (once very slow high quality settings) and the image comes out all pixelated. Any suggestions or ideas as to what’s going on?

(I’m on a Mac)
 

thecuddlyninja

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Moe_Syzlak said:
I’m not sure this is the right place for this, but I’m trying to convert an MKV to an MP4 so I can play it on Apple TV. I’ve tried twice with Handbrake using different settings (once very slow high quality settings) and the image comes out all pixelated. Any suggestions or ideas as to what’s going on?

(I’m on a Mac)

You don't want to use Handbrake anyway because then you are re-encoding the file, which is not necessary. You just want to switch the container from MKV to MP4, not touch the video file. Search "mkv mp4 container change lossless" should get you there. Off the top of my head (I'm at work not near my personal computer), you can use yamb, mp4 Box or mkv to mp4 (I don't remember if this program only goes in one direction or not) to accomplish this.
 
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