Software to convert MKV to ISO and vice versa

[gmd024]

Can someone recommend some software that will easily convert MKV to ISO - and possible ISO to MKV -- and is Windows 7 x64 compatible

Thx

[Monkey]

Please understand MKV is just a container and it may or may not contain a video /audio stream that's in the correct format for a DVD ISO for example.

However convert an ISO (I assume is DVD?) to MKV should be pretty simple.

But why? What does this has to do with Patriot Box Office?

[Nugpot]

I would also like to have something like this. Having mkv files that the PBO cant play (no, its not a bad file, PBO can not play all kinds of MKV's). And converting it to a diffrent format, like an iso may allow me to play it on the PBO. But I would like to keep a resolution of 1080p... maybe an HD DVD format of some kind? I tried DivX but got lot of pixelation with the software I used. So I think this is a very valid question....

[wigout]

Handbrake is extremely popular:
http://handbrake.fr/
and purports to make the conversion back and forth.
And is free.
(Have used it before- haven't made the conversions you're looking to do.)
-wigout

[aasoror]

ISO is just a standard disc image container, it can contain whatever files you might think about (think of it as zip, rar file), including MKV files.

MKV is a video container (it would contain several video, audio, subtitle streams each having it own encoding.

You can use handbrake or clown BD to transform MKV to mt2s (BR video streams) then create an ISO image out of the result.

There is good information in this threads (and the like) which eventually get lost, calling one more time for reviving the video tool thread.

[scboley]

I have been using Handbrake to convert my dvd iso files over to mkv packaging and have had not a single issue with the conversion or the files playing on my PBO. I initially use dvdshrink to dump the dvd to iso format and then use handbrake to convert to the mkv. If the dvd has the sub encryption schemes made since dvdshrink quit being developed, I use dvdfab hd decrypter to dump the dvd title to a dvd folder structure decrypted and then load that folder into dvd shrink to create the iso packaging. I have a 2tb drive I archive the iso files and push the mkvs to general population for my 2 PBOs to watch at will. I have seen no loss of quality from the dvd to the mkv and the only issue is that the PBO is slower for rewinding or fast forward because of dealing with the compression of the mkv file. I just use handbrakes normal settings and select the mkv instead of default mp4. You'd want to use the mkv because it supports the chapter format of the original dvd. If you use just the movie title usual compression is down to about 700mb to a gb in size for each movie title greatly reduced from the normal 4 to 4.4gb a typical title is.

[gmd024]

The app I'm looking for needs to be W7 x64 compatible...

I've had instances where I couldn't burn/back up an MKV file on certain BD rips -- but never had a problem burning/backing up ISO's -- PLUS - my HDD storage space is filling up very quickly as I Rip the same BD's to both MKV and ISO to alleviate this problem --- so I was hoping to find software that will covert MKV to ISO as needed when I wanted to back up/burn to ISO the smaller stored content from an MKV container

I considered handbrake but recieved much conflicting info as to the fact that it is W7 "x64" compatible and can not find anywhere that lists the system req's as (definately) W7 x64 compatible - and I'm pretty sure I saw where dvdshrink is not w7 x64 comp.

With that said -- since I posted this thread - I have stumbled upon an App that I am currently transcoding an MKV to an ISO with - and it seems to be about to complete the transcode from a 24GB MKV to an ISO in approx. 2-1/4 hours - I'll report the progress and if it was successful when it's completed --- the App is called SUPER © (Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer) from http://www.erightsoft.com/ - and it's freeware

I'll post the link to this info on the Video Tools thread also

Thanks

[gmd024]

The SUPER app didn't work out -- it transcoded the audio - but I could NOT find the Video anywhere (in 2 different tests)

Plus the app crashed my W7 x64 PC -- it did say on their website that is was not 'guarenteed' to run on Windows 64 bit platforms


In any case the answer/App was right under my nose all the time -- I have imgBurn installed on my PC and by using the "Create Image File from Files/Folders" it converted a BD MKV to ISO "Very" fast -- and the ISO played fine through VirtualCloneDrive and PDVD 8 - so I assume it will burn/back up with out issue also

I will post this info on the Video Tools thread also for those following it there

[scboley]

I'm running both programs on a W7 X64 quad core system and they are rock solid. If you have professional or above versions of W7 it has the ability to run programs as vista or xp for stability and is called compatibility and it is NOT in the home versions. I'll look at the one you have listed here. Your only issue with taking from a mkv back to iso is you're going to lose quality everytime because you're making the disk from a file already transcoded which always causes loss of quality and then going back to iso will further give quality loss.

[scboley]

What it is doing is just taking the mkv file and making a data dvd image iso not an image that can be played on any dvd or other device and that is confusing as to why you'd want it packaged that way as it is only mounting the iso and still playing an enclosed mkv file. I haven't started messing with bluray ripping as I don't have a BR rom on pc yet but have a player and those suckers take up a lot of space and the disc costs are still prohibitive for getting a BD burner so I've stuck with dvd so far. I'm not trying to do crazy things with my PBO and just run it as is and love exactly what it does and it seems that the people yelling loudest are trying to do things it wasn't intended for. Now HDMI incompatibility issues definitely need to be addressed for sure.