Saving .mkv and .srt files to one .avi file

Cork Skate

Hi there

I normally use eRightSoft Super to convert file formats for video but i have a problem in that i need to convert a .mkv file with an .srt file now as well. Does anyone know how this can be done?

hidinginthebush

AutoGordianKnot should do it for you, if not GotSent will also do it.

Both are free GotSent will probably do it quicker for you

AutoGK
GotSent

norbert64

You mean you want to ''Hardcode'' the subs then?

Off the top of my my head, we have
MKVextractGUI to decompile the mkv.
AvctoAvi to convert the x264 file to avi

Then just use virtualdub
http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/archive/adding_subs_to_avi.cfm

Cork Skate

hidinginthebush wrote: »

AutoGordianKnot should do it for you, if not GotSent will also do it.

Both are free GotSent will probably do it quicker for you

AutoGK
GotSent

I hope its something i am doing but neither of those worked. AutoGK, mkv was an unsupported file type (looked good though). GotSent, i tried to download several times on different machines but seems to be something up with their package where the rar file saved a rar.part file and doesn't work after that.

norbert64 wrote: »

You mean you want to ''Hardcode'' the subs then?

Off the top of my my head, we have
MKVextractGUI to decompile the mkv.
AvctoAvi to convert the x264 file to avi

Then just use virtualdub
http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/archive/adding_subs_to_avi.cfm

MKVextractGUI .... 1.6.4.1 and 2.2.2 ... neither work, missing files. re-downloaded, still no joy.

Error Message wrote:

mkvextract.exe and/or mkvmerge.exe file not found in the same MKVestractGUI folder. Copy them into this folder and try again.

Just in case; i have Windows XP

Anyone got any more suggestions?

hidinginthebush

here's a link to GotSent - just tried and tested on a WinXP machine. Sorry the earlier link didn't work!

Check out this post too, as you have to install Haali Media Splitter and AC3 Filter for it to work.

Cork Skate

hidinginthebush wrote: »

here's a link to GotSent - just tried and tested on a WinXP machine. Sorry the earlier link didn't work!

Check out this post too, as you have to install Haali Media Splitter and AC3 Filter for it to work.

Thanks for that, i've installed all three now. Giving it a go now so will let you know how it goes.

Voodu Child

What are you trying to do exactly, and why?

Cork Skate

Voodu Child wrote: »

What are you trying to do exactly, and why?

I have some footage (.mkv) and subtitles (.srt) and i want to convert it to a format i can watch later on (.avi) and i think if i go to this in a few years time, having the subtitles hardcoded will be worth it (if it all works out that is)

This way will give an MP4 file so i will have to convert that as well.

hidinginthebush

oh I forgot that gotsent does it as mp4. It's a pretty common holder, so when you come to look at whatever it is a few years down the road, it should still play on pretty much anything :shrug:

Voodu Child

Cork Skate wrote: »

I have some footage (.mkv) and subtitles (.srt) and i want to convert it to a format i can watch later on (.avi) and i think if i go to this in a few years time, having the subtitles hardcoded will be worth it (if it all works out that is)

This way will give an MP4 file so i will have to convert that as well.

I don't recommend hardcoding subs, but if you want to do it Mediacoder should allow it.

Nowadays you can get lots of media players that play everything incl MKV and all kinds of subtitles for under €100. They'll only get cheaper with time.

hidinginthebush

Why is there an aversion to hardcoding subs anyway? I'm impartial either way since I'd watch most things through vlc player, just curious. Is it just that it takes longer to hardcode them, or does it subtract from video quality in some way?

pickarooney

hidinginthebush wrote: »

Why is there an aversion to hardcoding subs anyway? I'm impartial either way since I'd watch most things through vlc player, just curious. Is it just that it takes longer to hardcode them, or does it subtract from video quality in some way?

Depends on the potential audience I guess. If you're just recording it for yourself there's no real issue, but if someone who understands the language doesn't want the subtitles they'll be annoyed (and there's no real way you can watch with alternative subtitles once you've hard-coded them).

Voodu Child

hidinginthebush wrote: »

Why is there an aversion to hardcoding subs anyway? I'm impartial either way since I'd watch most things through vlc player, just curious. Is it just that it takes longer to hardcode them, or does it subtract from video quality in some way?

Softsubs get rendered at the display res, so they look better/smoother, you also have the option of changing the font/size/position at playback. If it turns out the translation is gammy (downloaded subs often have mistakes or the letter I instead of l for example) you can always delete it and get a better one.

If your video is cropped 2.35:1, then when you play it back the black bars are added by the player and the subtitles can float over the black bars (blocking less of the picture). With hardcoded subs they're stuck on the video frame.

Hardcoded subs look rough and use up bitrate.

Cork Skate

Voodu Child wrote: »

I don't recommend hardcoding subs, but if you want to do it Mediacoder should allow it.

GotSent saved it as an .avi file in the end, great quality, as good as when it was shot first day.

I have installed Mediacoder and my laptop is creaking at the seams. It really does chew up the resources. So much so that i'll have to look for a better machine to do this on. I keeping getting asked is there something else running that is using up resources, and the opt to continue or the process will end in 30 seconds (and cant sit by it for the entire time watching this).

Voodu Child

Cork Skate wrote: »

GotSent saved it as an .avi file in the end, great quality, as good as when it was shot first day.

I have installed Mediacoder and my laptop is creaking at the seams. It really does chew up the resources. So much so that i'll have to look for a better machine to do this on. I keeping getting asked is there something else running that is using up resources, and the opt to continue or the process will end in 30 seconds (and cant sit by it for the entire time watching this).

In order to hardcode subs you have to do a full video conversion. That takes time and most conversion software will max out your CPU to get it done as quick as possible.

Just the way it goes. You can always set it to have a low priority so that it doesnt freeze up your system like you described.

Also unless you have just remuxed (not converted), I can guarantee the quality is NOT as good as the day it was shot. So if quality is important you should keep the original file, you might be glad of it at a later date.

Cork Skate

Folks, just so you know ... one of the piece of software listed here has corrupted my laptop. I have completed a full scan with AVG, disk cleaup, defrag and its still crawling slow, even in safe mode.

I thought it was just Mediacoder chewing resources but its affected the OS now. If i cant solve it i'll have to format, disaster.

Voodu Child

Some 'free' software comes bundled with adware,crapware, things like Open Candy or Google Toolbars etc. You're not supposed to install any of this though. When installing a program, don't just blindly click 'OK' to every dialogue, check each one and untick any crapware it offers to install.

-Uninstall all the things you have installed.
-Also check the startup list to see if there's anything unusual on it.
-bring up task manager and see if you can find what is hogging your CPU, go one step further and use the resource monitor if needs be
-Download and run malwarebytes anti-malware (I know you have AVG but a second opinion is always worthwhile).

Report back because most of these things are easily fixable, a reformat is a bit drastic until you have exhausted other options.

Cork Skate

Voodu Child wrote: »

Some 'free' software comes bundled with adware,crapware, things like Open Candy or Google Toolbars etc. You're not supposed to install any of this though. When installing a program, don't just blindly click 'OK' to every dialogue, check each one and untick any crapware it offers to install.

Yeah, always conscious of this so i was careful to not install anything else, or at least i thought i was (obviously not enough). I was looking out for all check boxes, extra installs etc. I dont think it was anything obvious

-Uninstall all the things you have installed.

Yup, done, and had a look for anything un-necessary as well

-Also check the startup list to see if there's anything unusual on it.

I have done that, i'll go into msconfig and startup tab and have a look too

-bring up task manager and see if you can find what is hogging your CPU, go one step further and use the resource monitor if needs be

Yeah, monitor is up at 58%-70% but system idle process is up at 95-98% leading me to believe it is malware

-Download and run malwarebytes anti-malware (I know you have AVG but a second opinion is always worthwhile).

Definitely, i'll give that a go

Report back because most of these things are easily fixable, a reformat is a bit drastic until you have exhausted other options.

Will do

Kristopherus

The best bit of free software you'll ever need is Microsoft Security Essentials available free from Microsoft. Get rid of any other anti-virus progs you have. MSE will do it all for you. You can also re-tune your lappy free on the Msoft website.