MAC: OK to create a backup disc, but how to create MKV file?

[paolo]

Dear all

I am on a Mac Air.

I am trialing makeMKV, since yesterday, and I am very satisfied, since byteMKV usually crashes and I was never able to complete a full backup of my BD Discs.

In addition to backup, though, I would like to create a lossless MKV. My goal is to reduce the size by eliminating subtitles (except English) and other Audio tracks (except English). How to do so? I see no option to select tracks...maybe because I am using in trial mode?

2. Suppose I find the way, with your help, to create a unique MKV file: will it be lossless in quality, compared to original Blu Ray Disk?

3. Will MakeMKV work for 3D blu ray?

4. Those backups which I plan to create for my archive of BD Discs, will they contain DRM, AACS and other rights piracy protection? If so, which player can read them, when I will try to view on my Mac Air?

5. OFFTOPIC question: I use BD discs and DVD from US and Europe, therefore I need to switch over from region 1 to region 2 (at least for DVD discs I am not sure for BD discs). What will happen after the 5th time I switch? Is there a solution to reset the internal count to zero?

Thanks and waiting.
Paolo

[Smithcraft]

After you scan the disc, and it adds the titles you are presented with a list of titles. If you click on the little triangles, each title expands to so the available streams. you can pick and choose what you want from there. Then click on the MakeMKV button, and it will save the files.

The file will be the same as the source. All MakeMKV is doing is pulling the data off of the disc, and putting it into a easy to use container.

I don't know about the 3D stuff.

MakeMKV's files will not be defective by design, and will be playable on anything that will support them.

Finally, region coding is mostly not relevant to MakeMKV. It might just be easier to have more than one drive, of course then there is that pesky RCE stuff. You might want to consider looking for information on firmwares for your drive that can be more tolerant of stupidity like region coding.

SC

[paolo]

Thank you Smithcraft for your suggestions!

But I believe there is a limitation, on the trial, since I cannot see those yellow triangles, and therefore I cannot produce a unique file, MKV or ISO, whatever.

I end up with a disc image (at least I guess so), made of several directories and several files, tracks, etc.

If I ask VLC for Mac to open such disc/directories, VLC cannot work...

2.
By the way, can you recommend me a Mac player for Blu Ray? I was used to VLC 9on windows) but I have not figured out how to make VLC work to vie Blu Ray discs on Mac Air...

Thank you a lot!
Paolo

[DaveQ]

You're using the full disc backup option, which will not produce MKV files. You're clicking the wrong button in the user interface.

You'll want to click the big rectangular button instead of the little "backup disc" button. Once makemkv processes the disc, you will see the yellow triangles, etc described above.

You will save considerable disc space by selecting only the movie track for conversion to MKV, especially if the full disc backup includes lots of special features. However you will not save much disc space by eliminating subtitles and alternate soundtracks. The video takes up the vast majority of the space, and the primary (usually lossless) soundtrack takes up the next most. So if you eliminate alternate soundtracks and non-English subtitles, you will save a little bit of space but not a lot.

Once you have a real MKV file, then it will play without issue in VLC.

Good luck.

Dave

[paolo]

Thank you very much Dave!

I will give a try immediately than feedback to this post

Have a nice day
Paolo