Show HN: TED video downloader to MKV with subtitles embedded

by oxplot • 14 years ago

48 11 14 years ago

clicks• 14 years ago

Glad to see the mkv container format get some attention -- I quite like it that I can have one file all tidy and nice that contains multiple audio tracks, subtitles, etc.

I'd love to see it catch more attention and wider use.

But, for a new challenge for you: construct a similar script that downloads Youtube videos to MKV with subtitles :)

vault_• 14 years ago

The webm container format is a subset of Matroska, so that should widen its base to some degree.

4ad• 14 years ago

I wanted to respond that everything I saw in the past 5 years has been mkv, but then I realised it was all pirated high definition rips.

Pirates, always one technological step ahead.

Delphiki2• 14 years ago

MKV file sizes are outrageously large. MP4 is a great alternative (less than half the file size) that doesn't sacrifice resolution. With that said, not sure if it supports multiple audio tracks, subtitles, etc.

oxplot• 14 years ago

mkv is only a container format. As such, given the same audio/video encoding, the file size would be very similar.

codemac• 14 years ago

MKV is a container format, not a codec. It's great, and can contain an arbitrary number of audio, video, subtitle, etc tracks. This is why the file sizes can generally end up inflated, people will put all dubs and subtitles into one file. The video stream rarely has anything to do with this (other than the tendency for very high def rips to use mkv).

Secondly, mp4 is a container format as well, but is less generic. MPEG-4 is actually a series of standards. MPEG-4 Part 14 describes the mp4 container format, and MPEG-4 Part 10 describes the H.264 codec.

Delphiki2• 14 years ago

Ahhhh gotcha, now I feel dumb. Thanks for the explanation! (:

stordoff• 14 years ago

Only if the actual content (video bitrate etc.) differs. If you stick the same video in both MKV and MP4 containers, the resulting filesizes will be almost identical.

tmchow• 14 years ago

I haven't tried this yet, but the promise is fantastic! Can't wait to download the videos I've bookmarked so I can watch them through XBMC.

rpm4321• 14 years ago

Now do Netflix! ;)

BUGHUNTER• 14 years ago

What is the best web player supporting maximum MKV features, like switching subtitles or audio tracks or playing / showing multiple of them at once? Thanks!

Show HN: TED video downloader to MKV with subtitles embedded

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