.mkv issues

[Anya2186]

It's been almost a week since I started to search for a good program to convert videos, mostly .mkv format into another one (.avi or .mp4) without losing quality. But seems luck isn't beside me.
Everytime I try to convert that format, the new one actually lose in quality.
I dunno what to do and I'm gonna crazy.

All of this started 'cuz Subtitles Workshop doesn't run .mkv files!
Anyone knows how to make it work even for .mkv format? I've search all around the web but without find anything good. Don't wanna download and install other programs to let workshop work, so if it's not really really necessary don't say I've to do so.

Please help me, I'll be grateful until I die

[sinecure]

1st i wouldn't convert the files. it will always lose quality unless you know what you are doing. 2nd why use subtitle workshop if it doesn't work with mkv files.

i personally use subtitle edit. http://www.videohelp.com/tools/Subtitle-Edit

you can sync it with video or by waveform or both. and yes works perfectly fine with mkv files. as that's what i use to encode with and use subtitle edit to sync subs. sure there is a learning curve since it's a different program but it's quite easy to use. so far works with any type of video i've thrown at it.

[8thSin]

Pretty much every fansubber I know have been using Aegisub for quite some time, and it handles mkv/x264... every other subtitle editors are obsolete. You can "export subtitles" as formats (such as .srt) other than .ass as well.

Also, if you absolutely had to use Subtitle Workshop and don't want to lose source quality, then you shouldn't "convert" the video but "rip" it.
.mkv is simply a container format that combines video/audio/subtitle file/font etc into a single file, and all source files can be extracted.

Download/install mkvtoolnix and then MKVExtractGUI2 in the same folder to rip various files. I would recommend simply using Aegisub though, because no one in the right mind uses Subtitle Workshop anymore.

[Anya2186]

thank you very much. I usually don't use those programs, but I always have had workshop so when I need I use it.
I'll try Aegisub, thank you.

Just a question about it: what I have to download between "Full Install", "MD5" and "SHA"?
Or do I have to download them all?
I'd like to have even the italian dictionary, but there is again the "MD5" and "SHA" words, so dunno what download.

[8thSin]

Just a question about it: what I have to download between "Full Install", "MD5" and "SHA"?
Or do I have to download them all?
I'd like to have even the italian dictionary, but there is again the "MD5" and "SHA" words, so dunno what download.

Just need full install. Checksums are just used to confirm uncorrupted file after download and not necessary.

[Anya2186]

ok, thank you very much.

[sansain]

Subtitle Workshop sure can handle mkv files, it's a codec issue if it fails.
SW is an antique and it's a real pain to get it working with needed file formats.

- SW user since 2005

[Anya2186]

@sansain: I've had it for a long time too (too many years!) but mkv files always didn't work. In fact I didn't liked SW too much, but since I use it something like one time in a year, I just kept it. But now I need something better.
Can't wait to try Aegisub =)