Convert MKV into mp4

[vetting]

Is there a easy way to convert MKV into mp4 with minimal loss in quality?

I have an iPad Air which I plan to stream/play movies on. But it won't play MKVs with DTS soundtrack. And I'm tired to try an pay for different players. None have worked yet.

[ndjamena]

There are plenty. However, the method I use is probably the most difficult of the them all.

Handbrake is what you want. You should be aware that easier is generally accomplished by restricting options.

[vetting]

There are plenty. However, the method I use is probably the most difficult of the them all.

Handbrake is what you want. You should be aware that easier is generally accomplished by restricting options.

Do you use handbrake?

I downloaded it, and it looks good.

A few questions:
I don't want to use the presets, as I think that will lose more in quality over manual settings.

What settings is best for minimal loss in quality (both sound and video) for MKV from DVDs an BRs?

I have changed these settings so far:
Preset: High Profile
Output settings: mp4 and lagre file size
Video codec: H.264
Constant quality: 18RF
Framerate (video): same as source and cheked constant Framerate
Audio codec: auto passthru

Edit: Tried a test with these settings, and it should take 2 hours on one film. Thats a bit long when you have many films.

[ndjamena]

I have used handbrake in the past. At the moment I use AVISynth, NeroAACEnc and X264 with MKVMerge and MP4Box among others, but you asked for simple and simple is handbrake.

I believe Handbrake uses the X264 presets, so just choose either very slow, slow or whatever, if you want faster then choose one of the faster presets, but they will give you less quality, even at the same RF and give larger files to boot. After that you select the Tune setting, either Film for live action footage or Animation for cell animation.

Auto pass-though for audio won't be of much use if you're muxing into an MP4 for playing on an apple device. You need to convert to AAC.

Beyond that the RF is the only way to modify the quality. Set a lower RF and you get larger files and better quality, higher RF gives you smaller files and less quality. There aren't any magical settings that will give you a better encode, if there was the developers would have set them as defaults. They know what they're doing better than anyone on this forum.

Are you encoding DVDs or Blu Ray? If they're Blu Ray and they use the h.264 codec you could use MakeMKV to convert the audio to AAC while ripping, then remux the MKV into an MP4 using MP4Box.

Also I don't think an iPad will show either DVD or Blu Ray subtitles... but that's getting complicated.

-Edit- Oh right, there's deinterlacing too, I guess you'll ask if you need to know about that.

[mike admin]

I have used handbrake in the past. At the moment I use AVISynth, NeroAACEnc and X264 with MKVMerge and MP4Box among others, but you asked for simple and simple is handbrake.

Any specific reason that makes you prefer neroAAC vs MakeMKV built-in libFDK AAC encoder? Or it is just the workflow you have for a while?

[ndjamena]

Because I keep the original MakeMKV rip in tact in another directory, complete with the original AC3 audio, in case I want to re-encode them again later using whatever new skill-set I've acquired. When I re-encode my DVD rips I take them apart with MKVExtract and process each video (AVISynth/VirtualDub,X264), audio (Nero or just copied from the original file) and subtitle (SubExtractor,Notepad++) track individually, then put them back together again using MP4Box or MKVMerge. Anyhow, It's only the MP4's I make for my iPhone that get the AAC treatment, encoded to exactly 160kbps, my WDTV encodes keep the original audio, and only the video changes. It's all done automatically via batch and there's not much room for MakeMKV there.

I don't believe the libFDK AAC encoder existed when I first started, or else it was one of those miscellaneous encoders that were universally panned at the time. I'll have to do some research and find out of it's as good as the Nero and Apple Encoders.

[chrisking]

To convert video formats like MKV to MP4 without compromising quality, if possible, use software like DumboFab that can remux (repackage) the file without altering the original video and audio streams.

[ArArdin]

Also Clever FFmpeg-GUI can do mkv to mp4 conversion without recoding. It's a frontend for ffmpeg.exe. Same quality, just remuxing to different container.