How do you reduce mkv file size to fit a 25Gb blu-ray disc?

[phillip999]

Hi All.
I am very happy with makemkv, it's a great program. With some movies, even after eliminating unwanted video files, audio files, and subtitles, the resulting mkv file produced by makemkv is too big to burn onto a blank single-layer blu-ray disc. While single layer blu-ray discs can now be bought at Frys for about $1.50 each, double-layer blu-ray discs are still much more expensive. Can anyone suggest a way to reduce the mkv file size to just under 25 Gb but still keeping the file in the mkv wrapper, keeping in mind that I am using an intel duo core iMac? Thanks.

[setarip_old]

Hi!

May I ask why you want to keep it in an MKV wrapper?

If it's not imperative that you do so, I'd suggest that you use multiAVCHD to directly compress the MKV as a BluRay "package" (BDMV folder, etc.).

[phillip999]

Hi Again.

As far as I can tell, multiAVCHD is a windows program and I should like to stay with Mac apps on my iMac.

I want to create smaller mkv (under 25 Gigs) because I use Macintosh software that conveniently converts my mkv to the blu ray file structure, with which I can optionally create a back-up blu-ray disc. Also, movies in the mkv wrapper play beautifully using the WDTV Livesetup that I have, but I should like to save a little spce if possible on the attached hard drives.

So, if I could identify a Mac program that simply compresses the >25 gig mkv package to under 25 gigs, I can use single layer blu-ray blanks the prices of which are now affordable ($1.50). In the DVD world "DVD2oneX" compresses dual layer DVD Video_TS files to 4.3 gigs for burning to single-layer DVD+/-R. A program that does the corresponding thing for mkv files would be very useful (i.e., >25 gigs tp <25 gigs).

[setarip_old]

I believe there's a separate Mac sub-forum maintained here...

[skittle]

This is easy, rip with makemkv, then pipe the output from mplayer to x264 and mux audio in with mkvtoolnix

Rip with MakeMKV then do:

Code: Select all

mkfifo in.y4m
x264 <options> in.y4m --output <outfile>.mkv & mplayer <makemkvoutput>.mkv -nosound -benchmark -really-quiet -vo yuv4mpeg:file=in.y4m