Unable to convert Matroska (.mkv) Files to work with BTV

[erikhtpc]

I have tried using Handbrake to convert Matroska (mkv) files so they will play with BeyondTv. Nothing I do works.

Does anyone know a setting to use that will preserve the best quality and still play with BTV.

.

[mayhem70]

What did you convert it to? I've had no problems with converting to h.264 in a MP4 format.

[erikhtpc]

Originally Posted by mayhem70

What did you convert it to? I've had no problems with converting to h.264 in a MP4 format.

Would you mind explaining the detailed steps you used.

Also - When I use Handbrake... It runs throught a 30 minute process where a DOS window appears saying 1 of 2 tasks. After the first task is over a 4kb file appears on my desktop "HandBrakeCLI.exe.stackdump" and nothing else happens.

What is going on??

.

[erikhtpc]

Maybe this is helpful

_________________________
### Windows GUI 0.9.3 2008112300
### Running: Microsoft Windows NT 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3
###
### CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 920 @ 2.67GHz
### Ram: 2047 MB
### Screen: 1600x1200
### Temp Dir: C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\
### Install Dir: C:\Program Files\HandBrake
### Data Dir: C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\HandBrake\HandBrake\0.9.3.0
#########################################
### CLI Query: -i "E:\Movies to Convert\Hancock.mkv" -t 1 -c 1 -o "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\Handcock.mp4" -f mp4 -p -e x264 -b 1800 -2 -T -a 1 -E ac3 -B 160 -R 0 -6 dpl2 -D 1 -x ref=3:mixed-refs=1:bframes=6:weightb=1:direct=auto:b-pyramid=1:me=umh:subq=9:analyse=all:8x8dct=1:trell is=1:no-fast-pskip=1sy-rd=1,1 -v
#########################################
[11:06:59] hb_init: checking cpu count
[11:06:59] hb_init: starting libhb thread
HandBrake 0.9.3 (2008112300) - http://handbrake.fr/
8 CPUs detected
Opening E:\Movies to Convert\Hancock.mkv...
[11:06:59] hb_scan: path=E:\Movies to Convert\Hancock.mkv, title_index=1
[11:06:59] scan: trying to open with libdvdread
[11:06:59] dvd: not a dvd - trying as a stream/file instead
Input #0, matroska, from 'E:\Movies to Convert\Hancock.mkv':
Duration: 01:42:14.36, start: 0.000000, bitrate: N/A
Stream #0.0(eng): Video: h264, yuv420p, 1280x536, 23.98 tb(r)
Stream #0.1(eng): Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, 5:1, s16
Stream #0.2(eng): Subtitle: 0x0000
Stream #0.3(eng): Subtitle: 0x0000
[11:06:59] scan: decoding previews for title 1
[11:06:59] scan: audio 0x1: AC-3, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=448000 English (AC3) (5.1 ch)
Scanning title 1...
Scanning title 1...
[11:07:00] scan: 10 previews, 1280x536, 23.976 fps, autocrop = 0/0/0/2, aspect 2.39:1, PAR 1:1
[11:07:00] scan: title (0) job->width:1296, job->height:544
[11:07:00] libhb: scan thread found 1 valid title(s)
+ title 1:
+ vts 0, ttn 0, cells 0->0 (0 blocks)
+ duration: 01:42:14
+ size: 1280x536, aspect: 2.39, 23.976 fps
+ autocrop: 0/0/0/2
+ chapters:
+ 1: cells 0->0, 0 blocks, duration 01:42:14
+ audio tracks:
+ 1, English (AC3) (5.1 ch), 48000Hz, 448000bps
+ subtitle tracks:
Invalid sample rate 0, using input rate 48000
Modified x264 options for pass 1 to append turbo options: ref=3:mixed-refs=1:bframes=6:weightb=1:direct=auto:b-pyramid=1:me=umh:subq=9:analyse=all:8x8dct=1:trell is=1:no-fast-pskip=1sy-rd=1,1:ref=1:subme=1:me=dia:analyse=none:trellis=0 :no-fast-pskip=0:8x8dct=0:weightb=0
[11:07:00] 2 job(s) to process
[11:07:00] starting job
[11:07:00] job configuration:
[11:07:00] * source
[11:07:00] + E:\Movies to Convert\Hancock.mkv
[11:07:00] + title 1, chapter(s) 1 to 1
[11:07:00] + container: matroska
[11:07:00] * destination
[11:07:00] + C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\Handcock.mp4
[11:07:00] + container: MPEG-4 (.mp4 and .m4v)
[11:07:00] * video track
[11:07:00] + decoder: h264
[11:07:00] + frame rate: same as source (around 23.976 fps)
[11:07:00] + strict anamorphic
[11:07:00] + storage dimensions: 1280 * 536 -> 1278 * 536, crop 0/0/0/2
[11:07:00] + pixel aspect ratio: 1 / 1
[11:07:00] + display dimensions: 1278 * 536
[11:07:00] + encoder: x264
[11:07:00] + options: ref=3:mixed-refs=1:bframes=6:weightb=1:direct=auto:b-pyramid=1:me=umh:subq=9:analyse=all:8x8dct=1:trell is=1:no-fast-pskip=1sy-rd=1,1:ref=1:subme=1:me=dia:analyse=none:trellis=0 :no-fast-pskip=0:8x8dct=0:weightb=0
[11:07:00] + bitrate: 1800 kbps, pass: 1
[11:07:00] * audio track 0
[11:07:00] + decoder: English (AC3) (5.1 ch) (track 1, id 1)
[11:07:00] + bitrate: 448 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[11:07:00] + AC3 passthrough
[11:07:00] dvd: not a dvd - trying as a stream/file instead
[11:07:00] reader: first SCR 0
[11:07:00] encx264: keyint-min: 24, keyint-max: 240
[11:07:00] encx264: encoding with stored aspect 1/1
x264 [warning]: width or height not divisible by 16 (1278x536), compression will suffer.
x264 [info]: using SAR=1/1
x264 [info]: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 PHADD SSE4.2
x264 [info]: profile Main, level 3.1
No accelerated IMDCT transform found
[11:07:00] sync: expecting 147101 video frames
[11:07:00] sync: adding 256 ms of silence to audio 0 start 23040, next 0
[11:37:33] reader: done. 1 scr changes
[11:37:34] sync: got 147076 frames, 147101 expected
[11:37:34] work: average encoding speed for job is 80.168648 fps
[11:37:35] h264-decoder done: 147077 frames, 0 decoder errors, 0 drops
[11:37:35] render: lost time: 0 (0 frames)
[11:37:35] render: gained time: 0 (0 frames) (0 not accounted for)
x264 [info]: slice I:2169 Avg QP:19.47 size: 43245 PSNR Mean Y:44.83 U:48.02 V:48.16 Avg:45.57 Global:44.56
x264 [info]: slice P:88939 Avg QP:21.05 size: 12243 PSNR Mean Y:43.62 U:48.49 V:48.30 Avg:44.64 Global:43.38
x264 [info]: slice B:55968 Avg QP:24.04 size: 3284 PSNR Mean Y:41.95 U:47.40 V:47.33 Avg:43.07 Global:41.87
x264 [info]: consecutive B-frames: 37.8% 34.8% 5.6% 5.6% 7.0% 8.7% 0.5%
x264 [info]: mb I I16..4: 54.9% 0.0% 45.1%
x264 [info]: mb P I16..4: 35.3% 0.0% 0.0% P16..4: 44.4% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% skip:20.3%
x264 [info]: mb B I16..4: 2.9% 0.0% 0.0% B16..8: 22.9% 0.0% 0.0% direct:12.4% skip:61.8% L0:32.3% L1:59.2% BI: 8.5%
x264 [info]: final ratefactor: 26.47
x264 [info]: direct mvs spatial:99.6% temporal:0.4%
x264 [info]: SSIM Mean Y:0.9716371
x264 [info]: PSNR Mean Y:43.004 U:48.067 V:47.928 Avg:44.057 Global:42.753 kb/s:1782.09
x264 [error]: failed to rename "C:/DOCUME~1/Owner/LOCALS~1/Temp/hb.280/x264.log.temp" to "C:/DOCUME~1/Owner/LOCALS~1/Temp/hb.280/x264.log"
[11:37:35] starting job
[11:37:35] job configuration:
[11:37:35] * source
[11:37:35] + E:\Movies to Convert\Hancock.mkv
[11:37:35] + title 1, chapter(s) 1 to 1
[11:37:35] + container: matroska
[11:37:35] * destination
[11:37:35] + C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\Handcock.mp4
[11:37:35] + container: MPEG-4 (.mp4 and .m4v)
[11:37:35] * video track
[11:37:35] + decoder: h264
[11:37:35] + frame rate: same as source (around 23.976 fps)
[11:37:35] + strict anamorphic
[11:37:35] + storage dimensions: 1280 * 536 -> 1278 * 536, crop 0/0/0/2
[11:37:35] + pixel aspect ratio: 1 / 1
[11:37:35] + display dimensions: 1278 * 536
[11:37:35] + encoder: x264
[11:37:35] + options: ref=3:mixed-refs=1:bframes=6:weightb=1:direct=auto:b-pyramid=1:me=umh:subq=9:analyse=all:8x8dct=1:trell is=1:no-fast-pskip=1sy-rd=1,1
[11:37:35] + bitrate: 1800 kbps, pass: 2
[11:37:35] * audio track 0
[11:37:35] + decoder: English (AC3) (5.1 ch) (track 1, id 1)
[11:37:35] + bitrate: 448 kbps, samplerate: 48000 Hz
[11:37:35] + AC3 passthrough
[11:37:35] encx264: keyint-min: 24, keyint-max: 240
[11:37:35] encx264: encoding with stored aspect 1/1
x264 [warning]: width or height not divisible by 16 (1278x536), compression will suffer.
x264 [info]: using SAR=1/1
x264 [info]: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 PHADD SSE4.2
[11:37:35] dvd: not a dvd - trying as a stream/file instead
x264 [error]: ratecontrol_init: can't open stats file
3 [unknown (0x12F8)] HandBrakeCLI 280 _cygtls::handle_exceptions: Exception: STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION
100751 [unknown (0x12F8)] HandBrakeCLI 280 open_stackdumpfile: Dumping stack trace to HandBrakeCLI.exe.stackdump
___________________________

[blaze818]

this is the only advice i can give you...screw .mkv files...i have nothing but bad luck with them. im guessing you got them from a torrent, so just find another torrent

[mayhem70]

Did you use one of the presets? Not sure what you did, but it looks like you added in cropping 2 pixels out and to encode using x.264 and not h.264. But this is why you have a 4kb file on your desktop. "x264 [error]: ratecontrol_init: can't open stats file" As for the answer to that, you would have to check on their forums.

[erikhtpc]

I seem to be having better luck with videofab converter.
http://www.dvdfab.com/video-fab-converter.htm

Are there plans for BTV to play Metroska (.mkv) files natevily in the future.

[mayhem70]

Maybe...but it wouldn't be native support. Since the latest Divx now supports MKV, I'd imagine it wouldn't be long until they update their version of Divx on BTV.

[outrider]

I use a freeware program called AlltoAvi (their website isn't nearly as good as the product) to convert my mkvs to avis. Its a little odd to get setup, but once you get used to it, it works great. I also have ffdshow installed so I can play those files in BeyondTV

[HomeyFour]

I usually only have to rename a .mkv file to .avi and BTV and BM will play them just fine.

[PaulF]

I used to convert my divix showsqueezed files to mkv. All I did was combine the divx file with the smartskip xml file converted to chapters. I could skip commercials on my Palm TX viewer. Matroska is just a container that can hold video and audio streams plus extras like chapters and subtitles. You lose the extra features if you use BTV to play the files. avi is just a container too so HomeyFour's suggestion sounds good. Try an mkv player to get chapters etc.

[Er. Sag.]

If anyones still wondering, I've found you can use XviD4PSP to "strip" the mkv file to a avi file.

Just set format to avi set Video and Audio encoding to COPY and it makes an avi in about 3 mins that is playable with all features in BeyondTV except you cannot resume where you stopped for some reason.

[YogiBaboo]

If you mkv file contains video x264/h264 then transcoding is really not necessary, you have to make sure that audio is either mp4 or m4a.

Extract video using MKVExtractGUI (MKVToolnix) and mux both video & audio using YAMB with mp4 extention. That's it.