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Honored Contributor
TonyPh12345
Posts: 17,814
Registered: ‎01-11-2010

How-To: Convert a BluRay to MKV -- With SUBTITLES INCLUDED.

[ Edited ]

Step 1->  Rip your BD to FOLDER structure using a program like DVDFab or AnyDVD HD

  No further instructions here; I assume you can get this far.

 

Step 2-> Examine the file with BDINFO to determine which PLAYLIST comprises your movie:

 

BDINFO.png

 

 

The TOP window pane shows you the PLAYLISTS, and the BOTTOM window shows the assets that are associated with this playlist.  In general, you can infer that the BIGGEST (in terms of bytes) or LONGEST (in terms of length) is your main movie.  But here, there are two playlists (00000 and 00001) that are identical. 

 

Clicking the 00000 playlist and comparing the output in the bottom to that of 00001 shows that they ARE actually identical.  So we'll use 00000.

 

That's all we need to use BDINFO for, so close it.

 

NOTE:   If, indeed, the main movie *IS* entirely in its OWN M2TS file, you can SKIP STEP 3.  However, MANY BD's are authored in such a way that the movie is scattered among MANY M2TS files.   Disney / Pixar movies are known for this.  So, even though MY movie *IS* in one M2TS file, I'll still show Step 3, as the steps are identical regardless.

 

Step 3 ->  Remux the Main Movie into its own M2TS file.

 

Open that specific playlist file in TSMuxerGUI

 

TSMuxerGUIMainMovie.png

 

 

Click ADD... and navigate to the PLAYLIST file that was determined above.  It should be in *\BDMV\PLAYLIST directory.

 

  The top portion of the screen, under "Tracks:," lists ALL of the video / audio / Subtitle tracks that make up the movie.

In our example, the studio decided to put both a HIGH RESOLUTION (HD) and Low Resolution stream inside the M2TS.   Don't know why, but I don't want the low resolution stream.

 

  I am selecting the HIGH RESOLUTION video stream, and ALL the english audio tracks.   Pick any or all, but make sure you include at least one!

 

  Apollo 13 has a HUGE number of subtitle tracks.   We'll deal with those later.   Don't select ANY of them right now.

 

After Selecting the tracks you need, and DESELECTING all the ones you don't, under OUTPUT, click the "M2TS Muxing" radio button, provide a path for the OUTPUT file to be saved, then click START MUXING.

 

This can take quite a while.  It took about 5 minutes on my 4-core i3 processor.  

 

It should be noted that, if you DO select the Subtitle tracks, the resulting M2TS file will play just fine (with subtitles) on the WD Boxes.   So if that's all you want, you can STOP.

 

But if you're interested in saving a signficicant amount of space, continue on.

 

As it stands, this new M2TS file is a few gigabytes smaller than the original, just from removing the unused audio and subtitle tracks.

 

Step 4 -> Pull the PGS (a/k/a SUP) format Subtitle track(s) out of the BD to use in your MKV.

 

Keeping tsMuxerGUI Open, DESELECT EVERYTHING except the Subttitle track you want.

 

TSMuxerGUISubs.png

 

 

Change the OUTPUT radio button to DEMUX, and click Start Demuxing.

 

This took about 15 minutes on my PC.

 

Step 5 -> Use BDSup2Sub to convert these to a format recognized by MKV Players:   VobSub

 

Sup2Sub.png

 

 

Open the SUP file you just demuxed in BDSup2Sub.

When it is finished loading the file, take note of the bottom of the OUTPUT pane; it will say "Detected X Forced Subs."  If X is any number larger than 0, you'll need to determine what you want to do next.

 

Step A->   SOME Forced Subs Detected

 

If Forced Subs were detected, you'll probably want to create a UNIQUE Subtitle track that contains ONLY the forced subtitles.   The WD doesn't obey the FORCED flag, so you'll need to account for these subtitles separately.

 

In the CONVERSION OPTIONS window that opens automatically after import, keep all defaults (unless for some reason you need to change them; I never have...) and click OK.

 

Click FILE  /  Save/Export...

 

Make sure "Export Only Forced" is CHECKED.

 

Then click SAVE.   This should go pretty quick; Maybe 15 seconds?

 

Click FILE / Save/Export AGAIN, but this time, make sure "Export Only Forced" is *NOT* selected.

Make sure you assign a unique file name for this second set, and click SAVE.

You will now have TWO subtitle tracks;  One for the FORCED subs, and one for ALL subs. 

This is useful for those (like me) who want the full set for when the kids are being too noisy and I don't want to turn the TV up.   

 

Step B->  NO Forced Subtitles Detected

 

Click FILE  /  Save/Export...

Then click SAVE.  

 

Step 6 -> Create your MKV.

 

Using HANDBRAKE, open the M2TS file you created in Step 3, and use all your favorite options to create your MKV.

No further instructions here...  I assume you've already used it... There's tutorials galore on this subject if you haven't.

 

Step 7 -> Merge your SUBTITLE TRACKS into your MKV.

 

Using MKVMerge

 

MKVMerge.png

 

.. ADD your MKV File that you created in step 6.

...ADD your IDX files that you created in Step 5.

... Select the OUTPUT FILENAME

.... select any options you may need to select (like turning off Header Compression if you're using older products that don't support that)

... Click START MUXING.

 

In the PICTURE BELOW, IGNORE the file names I used for my MKV.  I didn't want to wait 15 hours to actually do Handbrake on Apollo 13, so I used a pre-existing (star trek) MKV just to get the screen scrape.

 

 

 

===Live SMP / Live Hub x2 / Live+ / Live x2 / 24 TBytes of QNAP + WD NAS ===
Valued Contributor
Cocovanna
Posts: 314
Registered: ‎05-08-2010
0

Re: How-To: Convert a BluRay to MKV -- With SUBTITLES INCLUDED.

Really nice work, Tony! Shouldn't this thread be made sticky?

 

I have a few comments to add:

 

Step 5) My experience is, that adding a delay of 520ms to the subtitle tracks gives a timing closer to the original (don't know why, but it is very consistent, both for DVDs and BDs). The delay can be added in the CONVERSION OPTIONS window when loadíng the SUP file.

 

Step 7) Keeping the VOB/SUB as separate files avoids the transparent shadows, that makes it hard to read subs at light backgrounds. This workaround DIDN'T work for BDs at earlier versions (movie stuttered when larger than around 2.5GB/h), but it does now with the newest version (HOORAY!). Very much recommended! [I don't know which version since 1.02.21 fixed the stuttering]

 

Cocovanna

Regular Advisor
palavering
Posts: 143
Registered: ‎03-23-2011
0

Re: How-To: Convert a BluRay to MKV -- With SUBTITLES INCLUDED.

Wow, Tony:  What an effort you made!  I am very appreciative.

 

I have been able to do half of what you described.  I actually got a movie with subtitles to play.  Interesting, the movie played on the WD from my Windows 7 PC WITHOUT any jitters, so I got a bonus!

 

I'll be muxing all day today, and trying to get the hang of all that you have shown us.  Again, thank you so much.  I think lots of members on the forum appreciate the effort that you have made.

Respected Contributor
Techflaws
Posts: 1,961
Registered: ‎02-22-2010
0

Re: How-To: Convert a BluRay to MKV -- With SUBTITLES INCLUDED.

Nice job, Tony. So far when MakeMKV produced out of sync results, I've relied on MKVMania's guide incorporating Clown_BD.

Tech Flaws
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Honored Contributor
TonyPh12345
Posts: 17,814
Registered: ‎01-11-2010
0

Re: How-To: Convert a BluRay to MKV -- With SUBTITLES INCLUDED.

Cocovanna: Step 7 sounds like a good idea for people using NAS or local disks. Never even thought of that possibility. Step 7 wont work thought for people using DLNA.
===Live SMP / Live Hub x2 / Live+ / Live x2 / 24 TBytes of QNAP + WD NAS ===
Valued Contributor
Cocovanna
Posts: 314
Registered: ‎05-08-2010
0

Re: How-To: Convert a BluRay to MKV -- With SUBTITLES INCLUDED.

[ Edited ]

That's true, Tony ... and I must add, that the workaround has only been confirmed for local USB disk, I do NOT know if it works with a network share.

 

Cocovanna

Community Manager
Bill_S
Posts: 5,926
Registered: ‎11-24-2009
0

Re: How-To: Convert a BluRay to MKV -- With SUBTITLES INCLUDED.


Cocovanna wrote:

Really nice work, Tony! Shouldn't this thread be made sticky?

 

Cocovanna


Done.


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Honored Contributor
ricardodegracia
Posts: 418
Registered: ‎02-03-2011
0

Re: How-To: Convert a BluRay to MKV -- With SUBTITLES INCLUDED.

Excellent job... very helpful information !!

**Click the Kudos star to say thank you for helpful posts. And be sure to come back to click the 'Accept as Solution' button for the post that solved your issue. **

Frequent Advisor
Anime_fan
Posts: 51
Registered: ‎04-20-2011

Re: How-To: Convert a BluRay to MKV -- With SUBTITLES INCLUDED.

I don't think it's an excellent job, not for the time being.  Yeah, it was a good solution one year ago, but not for now. 

 

7 steps with 5 apps- that's not what you really want. 

 

I just don't see why it should be so complicated. I know some app that does BD to MKV conversion in 2 steps- with subtitles included, of course.

 

One is MakeMKV - it copy BD and DVD to MKV without change anything. 3 clicks at most.

The other is Pavtube ByteCopy - it does what MakeMKV does and  also shrink Blu-ray and DVD. 2 clicks for BD to MKV conversion, one for importing BD, one exporting MKV.

 

Both of the two app allow you to keep the subtitles you want.  but there is a problem as I tested- the WD TV Live Plus does not play blu-ray subtitles in MKV container.  And that's why I purchased the Pavtube ByteCopy- it converts bd subtitles to vobsub, and this plays well.

 

MKV is not the only way for playing BD  with  WD TV Live Plus- I tried everyway possible, BDMV, BD ISO, M2TS, and BD MKV.  Actually the device plays all of them.  And the problems:

 

BDMV (M2TS) - each time open a new m2ts, it gets back to  beginning
BD ISO - can't forward, or select chapter to play BD MKV - subtitles not display,  but I managed to fixed this without hurting video and audio quality
I'll make it clearer with detailed steps in a new post,  tomorrow or the day after.






Blu-ray - 1080p - MKV- HDTV - WD
Regular Advisor
palavering
Posts: 143
Registered: ‎03-23-2011
0

Re: How-To: Convert a BluRay to MKV -- With SUBTITLES INCLUDED.

I disagree with you.  Tony went to a lot of trouble to help me, especially, and others who use and need this forum.  It doesn't take a lot of steps for everyone, as Tony suggested.  I just open TSMuxerGUI and I get everything I want and need, including subtitles.  It even decreases the file size, if you get rid of unwanted audio tracks and foreign language subtitles.  So, there's more than one way to skin a cat.

Thanks, Tony.

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