Post
by Flesh » Sat Jun 01, 2024 12:28 am
mkxNIX is clutch & will guarantee you don't have to sacrifice quality or any of the subtitles, audio tracks, chapters, etc. etc. It is also great for joining movies split over multiple disks into a single file or multiple episodes glued into a single file into multiple files. If you're very paranoid about quality you can also go into MKVToolNIX GUI at the top left, preferences, default values, and check "Disable additional lossless compression for all track types".
It is clunky, but worth the 10-15 minutes it'll take you to figure out how to use it to take 1 movie into 3 files (original, part 1, part 2). Then remove scenes & recombine the many parts into a single file losslessly without losing on audio, subtitles, or quality.
The easiest way is to drag in the original file, go to 'output' tab, change 'split mode' to "after specific timestamps", set the timestamp to when the scene you don't want is about to start, then change 'maximum number of files' to '2'.
Afterwards take the output that continues with the scene you don't want, make that your 'input' file, go back to 'output' tab, change the timestamp for when the scene in question ends.
You now have many files, one of which is the movie just until the scene in question is about to start (we'll call A), and another file where the movie starts when the scene in question ends (we'll call B).
Change the 'input' file to A, append file B to it, go back to 'output' tab, & change 'split mode' to 'do not split'. BAM, you now have a bunch of files + the one you've made where the movie has the same quality in every possible way, but is simply missing the scene in question. This last file is the one you'll want to keep, rename, & upload to plex.
I really hope for your own sanity that you don't have multiple scenes you want to remove, or at least not too many movies you're trying to censor, otherwise you'll quickly go insane writing down timestamps & managing the 10,000 files you'll generate.
Obviously delete the unwanted files once you are done & have confirmed you appended the correct splits to each other into a single file.
These instructions are for removing a single scene, the more scenes the more parts you'll have to cut up & then glue back together based on timestamps. I strongly recommend re-naming files so you don't lose track on what it is you're trying to do if you're removing multiple scenes.
Realistically I question the logic behind censorship; but since you took the time to read my walkthrough on how to use this software to accomplish your exact needs, maybe you'll listen to my $0.02 on keeping the movies how to directors intended & simply restricting access to certain movies until viewers are mature enough to handle them. Or you'll ignore my self-righteous advice on how to run your family & treat your media. Either way, enjoy!