Set of tools for creating, altering and inspecting the Matroska file format. Split , merge, extract and get information about MKV video files. It also supports video codecs and subtitle formats.
Matroska (MKV) files have become the de facto standard for compact HD video files. To create MKV files from various sources or to modify the structure of existing Matroska files, MKVtoolnix offers an open-source solution to inspect, modify, or produce new MKV files with the audio, video, and subtitle streams of your choice.
Actually, MKVtoolnix is not one tool but a toolbox that integrates various Matroska-related open-source utilities. Mkvinfo provides you with a list of all the elements contained in a Matroska file, its tracks, and even the codecs used. Mkvmerge joins the streams of various media files in a single MKV file, while Mkvextract performs the opposite operation – it takes out a selected stream out of the container and save it as a standalone file. Mkvpropedit is used to modify the properties of an MKV file without extracting its contents or build a new one. With this utility, you can change the segment information elements (such as the title) and the track headers (the default track, the language code, etc.).
All of these functions are wrapped up in a convenient interface called mkvtoolnix-gui. This GUI turns all those more or less cryptic program names into more accessible options and tags, such as Multiplexer (to create new MKV files), Info tool, Header editor, or Chapter editor. Useful as it is, the interface itself (and some of the language used in it) is not the most straightforward video tool you may come across. Designed by experts, it does seem to be designed also for experts or, at least, for those who really know what a MKV file is and how it works internally. If you want to make the most of the various tools included in MKVtoolnix, you will need to do your homework first.
One great thing about this tool that all users will surely appreciate is its batch-oriented working flow. The last two tags in the program’s main interface, namely Job queue and Job output, will let you design all your multiplexing or stream extraction one at a time and launch them all in one single operation. Given that some of these operations may take some time to finish (especially if you use large BD video files as source), this batch processing approach is certainly a great add-on to this suite of tools.
Do not mistake this program with the average video conversion and compression tool – MKVtoolnix gathers a set of professional and high-quality MKV-related utilities aimed at video connoisseurs looking for an uncompressed HD video compact container for their beloved movies and other video files.
v21.0 [Feb 24, 2018]
## New features and enhancements
* mkvmerge: track statistics tags: the `TagDefault` element will not be
written anymore as it was always set to the default value `1`
anyway. Implements #2202.
* mkvmerge, MKVToolNix GUI: JSON files can now contain C++-style line comments
outside of strings (e.g. something like this: `// this is ignored`). Such
comments, even though not part of the official JSON specifications, are now
ignored when reading JSON files.
* MKVToolNix GUI: chapter editor: opening a Matroska file without chapters in
it will now open the file in an empty chapter editor instead of showing an
error message. Implements #2218.
* MKVToolNix GUI: an "info" tool has been added, replacing the functionality
of mkvinfo's GUI. The functionality is not on par yet but will be for
release v22. Implements most of the functionality of #2104.
## Bug fixes
* build system: `configure` was treating `--disable-ubsan` and
`--disable-addrsan` the same as `--enable-ubsan` and
`--enable-addrsan`. Fixes #2199.
* build system: an error message is output if a command to execute is not
found instead of silently failing.
* build system: in addition to looking for the `gettext` C function and
library, `configure` now also verifies the presence of the `msgfmt` program
instead of simply relying on it.
* mkvmerge: appending files with additional parts at the same time was broken
if more than one additional part was appended (e.g. when appending files
from DVDs with something like `'(' VTS_01_1.VOB VTS_01_2.VOB ')' + '('
VTS_02_1.VOB VTS_02_2.VOB ')'`). In such a situation the content from files
`VTS_02_1.VOB` and `VTS_02_2.VOB` where laid out in parallel to the content
from the earlier files.
* mkvmerge: FLV reader: a single invalid AAC frame was written for AAC audio
tracks with codec initialization data longer than five bytes.
* mkvmerge: FLV reader: timestamps will be normalized down to 0. Fixes #2220.
* mkvmerge: MP4 reader: if an AAC track doesn't contain an AAC-specific
decoder configuration in the ESDS portion, then a default decoder
configuration will be generated based on the track's header data instead of
skipping the track. Fixes #2221.
* mkvmerge: MP4 reader: fixed reading HEVC/h.265 video tracks if they're
stored as Annex B byte streams inside MP4. Fixes #2215.
* mkvmerge: Ogg Opus reader: mkvmerge will now emit a warning instead of
aborting when it encounters an Ogg Opus page with no data in the
packet. Fixes #2217.
* mkvmerge, mkvextract: Matroska parser: fixed a segmentation fault that
occurred whenever the first level 1 element after resyncing after an error
in the file structure isn't a cluster. Fixes #2211.
* mkvmerge, MKVToolNix GUI multiplexer & header editor: fixed a crash during
file type detection for attachments if MKVToolNix is installed in a path
with non-ASCII characters (e.g. German Umlauts). Fixes #2212.
* mkvinfo: the `--hex-positions` parameter did nothing in summary mode.
* mkvinfo: Windows: line endings will be written as `\r\n` (carriage return &
line feed) again instead of just `\n` (line feed).
* mkvpropedit: adding track statistics tags: for tracks with content encoding
(compression) mkvpropedit is now accounting the uncompressed number of
bytes, not the encoded (compressed) number of bytes. Fixes #2200.
* MKVToolNix GUI: multiplexer: the subtitle character set can now be set for
appended subtitle files, too. Fixes #2214.
* MKVToolNix GUI: multiplexer: when appending, all tracks appended to disabled
tracks will start out disabled, too.
## Build system changes
* mkvinfo: the GUI portion has been removed. mkvinfo is now a pure
command-line program again.
Total Video Converter is a powerful video and audio conversion tool
