After months of searching for a video converting app that would let me choose audio and subtitle tracks contained in the ubiquitous MKV format (which is very common for anime) and re-export it to an iPhone or PS3-ready video with or without burned in subtitles, I gave up. There simply wasn’t an app that would let me do it without undertaking at least 10 manual steps with dubious command-line software and a lot of script rummaging.
Then I found MKVTools. It’s not just super-fast (my previous alternative was Perian+Quicktime, which made gorgeous subtitles, but exporting literally took hours), but it also lets me pick audio/video/subtitle tracks, and 1-click convert it to something my iPhone can play. It’s free, to boot (a few advanced features like queuing are unlocked for a tiny 5 dollars).
The UI and the icon of the app are not that great, unfortunately. I can’t do much about the UI, but here are two nice icons so you can keep it in your dock without flinching. As a bonus, there is an alternative to the modern aluminium replacement icon in ‘toolbox red metallic’ included.
MKVTools can be downloaded here. Icons are for personal usage only.
Excelent replacement icon. I’ll use it for Visualhub :)
Thank you so much, I was prepared to rip my eyes out the next time I needed to open this app!
Very nice, these look fantastic. My only problem being that the Film on the “Tool Box Red” version looks more magenta on my screen than a red. It just throws me off a little. Though I don’t know what it looks like on my desktop at the moment. Otherwise great work, love the shading.
Very nice. MKVTools is indeed useful but I’ve always hated the icon. I don’t really mind the UI though.
Also, on the Windows (gasp!) side of things, I use mkv2vob. It actually is a lot faster then MKVTools – I’m not sure why though. It’s also mainly aimed at converting mkvs to mpg/vob/etc for playback on the PS3. Probably doesn’t interest you but I thought I’d mention it anyway just in case someone else would use it. :)
Or you use ps3mediacenter and stream that mkv (with subs if you want) to your ps3. That way you don’t have to wait to encode or take a trip to windows.
I’ve been on the same quest as you to fill pretty much the same need. I’m converting 720p content for PS3. The workflow which works for me is tsMuxeR to demux and remux into .m2ts format. If the MKV contains DTS audio which the PS3 doesn’t like I use eac3to to convert to 5.1 AAC. This is Windows only unfortunately.
The beauty of tsMuxeR is that nothing is converted so the whole process takes around 3 minutes to complete. Which is better than 3 hours on my Mac mini using Toast or Visualhub to convert.
about software interface
you should be very amazed about what you can do with simply “interface builder” in many mac applications.
open the content of the software, look after .nib files, edit them with interface builder (part of Xcode sdk , free to download and use)
you could reorganize the button, texts, even menu and often, replace toolbar icons.
for many things, the application will still be useable.
–
to create a mockup with interface builder is not hard. it could have even a little (just a faint) interaction, without one line of objective c.
Nice! Finally I have a VisualHub replacement. The perspective in the top right corner of the slab looks a little off (not a big deal for free icons though).
Fantastic icon. Any possibility of getting one with a DVD on it for Handbrake.
@Bas / DeanDMX; yeah, I use Nullriver Medialink and PS3MediaServer, but my network doesn’t really do HD streaming well, nor does it transcode stuff for my iPhone :)
You should send the developers the icon. Get them to use it in their actual releases.
Great job Sebastiaan, just wanted to let you know that we posted these on We Love Icons!
http://weloveicons.com/2009/06/mkvtools/
I think you made a mistake with your blue MKV icon. There shouldn’t be a blue gleam on the wrench. Here: http://qkpic.com/f56de