www.makemkv.com

I'm trying to figure out why some discs I have get ripped as a single file (with multiple episodes in each file), vs
separate files for each episode.

The Black List
Star Trek TOS/TNG

are just a few.

How does one decide how the files are ripped/saved?

Thanks

It's up to the disc author.

mkvtoolnix can be used to split (on chapter) into individual episodes.

Thank you.

Some of my files are in MP4 format, is there any way to split those into individual episode files too?

There's probably a tool that can do it in one pass, but since .mkv/,mp4 are just containers, I'd create the split .mkvs w/ mkvtoolnix & quickly remux back to .mp4 w/ ffmpeg... which would take a few extra seconds.

Thanks, but I want to keep the files in MKV format, I just need to split them into individual episode files.

1st answer then. mkvtoolnix will take an .mp4 (or .mkv) input, split on chapter & output to individual .mkv files.

When I copy (backup) a multi episode disc MakeMKV gives me several files with varying times and size...the gb files are episodes, the mb files are ads or features.
Is that what you are talking about?
I convert the MKV files into mp4s using Format Factory, Handbrake is so old and takes hours to convert a dvd

We've begun to talk past each other, so let's back up.

Your initial issue is that "some discs I have get ripped as a single file (with multiple episodes in each file)". This is the way the disc is authored & MakeMKV itself won't produce individual episodes .

IF you play the multi-episode .mkv (or .mp4), the player will usually indicate what chapter (or at what timestamp) the next episode begins. Noting which chapter (or at what timestamp, if no chapter info is available) begins each episode allows you to use mkvtoolnix to split the multi-episode .mkv into individual episodes at those boundaries. The search results show a number of videos instructing how to do this.

mkvtoolnix will take a number of file formats as input (certainly .mkv & .mp4) & output to individual .mkv files.

I am unfamiliar with Format Factory & Handbrake can take great deal of time to re-ncode, probably unnecessarily. IF you manage to get the individual episodes split out AND you wish the .mkv files to me converted to .mp4, we'll cross that bridge later.

Format Factory is freeware that converts .mkv to .mp4.
When I use MakeMKV to do series like Rawhide disc by disc, the .mkv files play subtitles automatically on opening.
So I convert to .mp4 and the subs only play when selected.
Format Factory is a multifunction conversion program, from videos to audio...and it will download videos, edit videos, and lots more.
Very easy to use.

We all have our preferred workflow, but it seems like it would be easier just to configure the player to NOT play subs by default, whatever the container... somewhere in player preferences/settings?

When I DO need to convert, I use ffmpeg to do .mkv > .mp4...

ffmpeg.exe -i "source.mkv" "vcodec copy" "acodec copy" "scodec copy" "destination.mp4"

Takes about ~1-2min (+/-) to remux a 2GB HD movie, if needed. Some players prefer the container? I just create a shortcut to a batch file containing the command (, etc.), drag any .mkv (or folder of .mkvs) I wish to convert to the shortcut & it's done tout de suite. Easy peasy.

Hope you get your splitting task sorted OK.