Which Magix video programs will import MKV files directly?

AAProds wrote on 4/15/2023, 5:38 AM

MKV support is still flaky with Movie Studio 2023 (the renamed Move Edit Pro); some files are OK and others not.

Re conversion of files, AVIDemux will smart-convert MKVs to MP4s with no transcoding. Try my guide for that here (this is for converting MOVs, but the principle is the same: Open file, Video>Copy, Audio>Copy, Mux format MP4):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GfpVjtQaeBo4DSzT5K3DodMztFq7LT-1/view?usp=share_link

mark-sullivan wrote on 4/15/2023, 5:46 AM

Thanks, I’ll try this! I used to use TS Edit which was expensive but it has died too. Best thing about it was it would split MKV files convert to whatever but NO audio loss… all the converters these days seem to limit audio to 160k… I absolutely love Video Proc for its video skills but I can hear 160k vs original dvd quality audio and it bugs the crap outta me. Same with all the dvd burners now… 160k audio… Ugh

johnebaker wrote on 4/15/2023, 6:08 AM

@mark-sullivan

Hi

In addition to @AAProds comment

. . . . MKV support is still flaky with Movie Studio 2023 . . . .

It is, however it is not the MKV file format that causes the 'flakiness'.

MKV is a container file format and contain video and audio that is encoded using many different encoding formats.

It is these encoded video/audio formats that cause the issue - if supported by Movie Studio, or require Quicktime installing, they are OK.

Download and install MediaInfo and analyse one of the MKV clips and post the results, see this tutorial on how to setup MediaInfo and analyse a video clip for all the data required.

To get MKV files without the need to convert them, this should be done at the time of creation eg if screen capturing, the encoding formats should be set eg h.264 for video and AAC for audio.

If you are using 3rd party MKV files then conversion is necessary unless you can get them in supported encoding formats

John EB
Forum Moderator

AAProds wrote on 4/15/2023, 7:02 AM

@johnebaker

MKV is a container file format and contain video and audio that is encoded using many different encoding formats.

It is these encoded video/audio formats that cause the issue - if supported by Movie Studio, or require Quicktime installing, they are OK.

John, to a certain extent, you are correct, however, the file header definitely has a bearing on it's openability in Magix. Here is, on the face of it, a "standard" AVC file, which will not open here in MKV format but no problems in MP4 format:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WgYeivW7AAF3iLlvvsXJxHSP7evFvAdK/view?usp=share_link

That is why so many MKVs, when changed to MP4 with no codec changes/smart rendering, will open when they initially, as MKVs, won't.

Another area where Magix should up it's game.

johnebaker wrote on 4/15/2023, 7:28 AM

@AAProds

Hi Alwyn

Thanks for the sample clip - it is definitely screwed up, looking at the header information, was this a re-encoded DV-AVI type 2 or webM video file by any chance?

John EB

AAProds wrote on 4/15/2023, 7:44 AM

@mark-sullivan

It would have been a lossless AVI, probably HUFFYUV or Lagarith, from a VHS capture. The person who encoded it is the video guru of Videohelp:

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/402853-What-can-be-done-to-improve-this#post2629333

I don't know what encoder they used.

AAProds wrote on 4/15/2023, 9:19 AM

Details of the encoder used for that file:

I used an old version of the x264 CLI encoder. You can see it with MediaInfo:

Code:

Writing application : x264 r2969 d4099dd Writing library : Haali Matroska Writer b0

Maybe some source filters don't like it because there's no audio?