MKV Chapters on Plex?

MKV playback, recompression, remuxing, codec packs, players, howtos, etc.
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Taqyon
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2023 5:36 pm

MKV Chapters on Plex?

Post by Taqyon »

Noob question but I can't seem to find an answer when searching.

I've successfully backed up one of my UHD disks, but navigating forward and backward in plex or my USB player is painful.

Is there a way to have chapters and perhaps even chapter thumbnails come up on the plex player?

Alternatively, what is the best player to use for playing backed-up movies? I'm currently using plex under apple tv.

Regards
gerard143
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 2:54 am

Re: MKV Chapters on Plex?

Post by gerard143 »

On apple tv I have used plex, emby and infuse. Infuse can play some hit bitrate titles that other players struggle with easily for whatever reason. More efficient player perhaps. It also was last I knew, the only player that could pass lossless audio like atmos, etc. https://firecore.com/infuse

I ripped an mkv file and it does show chapters in plex, however not all have chapter thumbnails. Not sure why. Also I can very easily fast forward/rewind.
Last edited by gerard143 on Wed Mar 15, 2023 4:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
dcoke22
Posts: 2560
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 11:25 pm

Re: MKV Chapters on Plex?

Post by dcoke22 »

What file is Plex actually playing? A .m2ts file from a decrypted backup? Or did you make a .mkv file?

.m2ts files don't have chapters. .mkv files can (and almost always do) have chapters.
Taqyon
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2023 5:36 pm

Re: MKV Chapters on Plex?

Post by Taqyon »

dcoke22 wrote:
Wed Mar 15, 2023 3:46 am
What file is Plex actually playing? A .m2ts file from a decrypted backup? Or did you make a .mkv file?

.m2ts files don't have chapters. .mkv files can (and almost always do) have chapters.
Thanks, I ripped Tenet lossless to MKV using makemkv. I store it on my Qnap NAS running Plex server. When I forward or rewind, it's just a 2.5 hour long timeline and takes forever to navigate. If I could have chapters so I can skip ahead or back that would be amazing.
dcoke22
Posts: 2560
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 11:25 pm

Re: MKV Chapters on Plex?

Post by dcoke22 »

My rip of Tenet has 14 chapters in it. MakeMKV will tell you how many chapters it finds before you rip.
Taqyon
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2023 5:36 pm

Re: MKV Chapters on Plex?

Post by Taqyon »

Ok, maybe plex server can't serve chapters? Or plex client on apple tv can't show chapters. I'll try other players.
dcoke22
Posts: 2560
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2020 11:25 pm

Re: MKV Chapters on Plex?

Post by dcoke22 »

The only way I've found to see the chapters in a .mkv file is to use mkvinfo. What does it say about your rip?

Plex on AppleTV does let you navigate by chapters, but to access them you have to swipe down while a movie is playing and navigate to a chapter from the menu that appears. Just clicking left or right while a movie is playing on advances or backtracks 30 seconds or whatever.
gerard143
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 2:54 am

Re: MKV Chapters on Plex?

Post by gerard143 »

I rip to mkv with makemkv and chapters show up just fine in plex. I hit down on cursor, top menu shows up with chapters and also lets you pick subtitles etc.
d00zah
Posts: 1414
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2016 8:23 pm

Re: MKV Chapters on Plex?

Post by d00zah »

Taqyon wrote:
Wed Mar 15, 2023 5:40 pm
dcoke22 wrote:
Wed Mar 15, 2023 3:46 am
What file is Plex actually playing? A .m2ts file from a decrypted backup? Or did you make a .mkv file?

.m2ts files don't have chapters. .mkv files can (and almost always do) have chapters.
Thanks, I ripped Tenet lossless to MKV using makemkv. I store it on my Qnap NAS running Plex server. When I forward or rewind, it's just a 2.5 hour long timeline and takes forever to navigate. If I could have chapters so I can skip ahead or back that would be amazing.
IF it turns out that your .mkv does not actually contain chapters, you can recreate it, adding the missing part w/ mkvtoolnix. Chapter file & instructions attached.
Tenet.2020.zip
(79.52 KiB) Downloaded 138 times
Taqyon
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2023 5:36 pm

Re: MKV Chapters on Plex?

Post by Taqyon »

Capture.JPG
Capture.JPG (111.86 KiB) Viewed 4901 times
dcoke22 wrote:
Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:07 pm
The only way I've found to see the chapters in a .mkv file is to use mkvinfo. What does it say about your rip?

Plex on AppleTV does let you navigate by chapters, but to access them you have to swipe down while a movie is playing and navigate to a chapter from the menu that appears. Just clicking left or right while a movie is playing on advances or backtracks 30 seconds or whatever.
Thanks I seem to have the chapters (attached). I'll try your recommendation to have it show on the player.
Taqyon
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2023 5:36 pm

Re: MKV Chapters on Plex?

Post by Taqyon »

d00zah wrote:
Thu Mar 16, 2023 11:17 pm
Taqyon wrote:
Wed Mar 15, 2023 5:40 pm
dcoke22 wrote:
Wed Mar 15, 2023 3:46 am
What file is Plex actually playing? A .m2ts file from a decrypted backup? Or did you make a .mkv file?

.m2ts files don't have chapters. .mkv files can (and almost always do) have chapters.
Thanks, I ripped Tenet lossless to MKV using makemkv. I store it on my Qnap NAS running Plex server. When I forward or rewind, it's just a 2.5 hour long timeline and takes forever to navigate. If I could have chapters so I can skip ahead or back that would be amazing.
IF it turns out that your .mkv does not actually contain chapters, you can recreate it, adding the missing part w/ mkvtoolnix. Chapter file & instructions attached.

Tenet.2020.zip
Thanks for this!
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