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Author Topic: mkv files and chapters?  (Read 6420 times)

gappie

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mkv files and chapters?
« on: August 08, 2008, 11:14:45 am »

hello,

ive ripped most of my movies into mkv files. there has been some threads about chapter support for mkv files. at this moment i still use zoomplayer for some of my movies, especially concerts and documentary's because the lack of chapter support in mc.

now i always thought that some day it will be there. but i just read a thread about mkv files, where it is suggested that direct show filters are used. i know that i have no idea what i talk about. but could it be that this is also reason why chapter support is missing?  and that there will not be any support for it in the future?  the reason i ask is that in that case i have to rethink my ripping choice, or with what i want to see my movies.

 :)
gab
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glynor

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2008, 01:12:34 pm »

Right now MC does not natively support chapters in either the MP4 or MKV file containers.  Both Matt and Yaobing have both stated previously that "it is on the list" for this to be added, so that you'll be able to use the OSD to navigate chapters and whatnot in your MKV and MP4 files.

However... You can use chapters with MKV files in MC, just not through MC's UI.  That's because MC doesn't actually handle the decoding of MKV or MP4 files itself, but relies on DirectShow filters (FFDSHOW, Haali Splitter, etc) to handle this for it.  Therefore, you can use the UI of these "helper filters" to navigate chapters and whatnot in your MP4 and MKV files.

Specifically, if you use Haali to decode your MP4 and MKV files (which is probably the most common decoder for those media types), it fully supports chapters.  If you use CCCP to support MKV/MP4 files in MC, then it uses Haali by default.  While media is playing back, if you look down in your task tray area you should see a little white icon with a "horseshoe" like shape on it:



Right click on it and it'll popup a list of all the chapters (along with stream selections) and you can jump directly to/from any chapter in the file.

Not as slick as built-in support, but not unusable either.  Mainly bad because you need to exit from full-screen playback to use it.
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gappie

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2008, 04:40:51 pm »

thanks a lot for the answer glynor. i remember the words of matt and yaobing. actualy switched to mc for video after mkv got subtitle support, with the feeling chapters would follow soon.

i forgot about the icon in the windows tray. but that is more or less a show stopper (popular word nowadays  :) ) . it does make some things more clear for me though, and most of all that my question/fear was not really that stupid.
You can use chapters with MKV files in MC, just not through MC's UI.  That's because MC doesn't actually handle the decoding of MKV or MP4 files itself, but relies on DirectShow filters (FFDSHOW, Haali Splitter, etc) to handle this for it.  Therefore, you can use the UI of these "helper filters" to navigate chapters and whatnot in your MP4 and MKV files.

so in the end it is all about getting the info from the 'helper filters' to the ui from mc.

so for the time being i put a bunch of files back to my old system, as data files and use an other player. easy solution.. thanks again.  8)



 :)
gab
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Alex B

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2008, 05:39:27 pm »

In addition, it would be nice to have a similar chapter editor that Zoom Player has.

It can create a chapter file for any video file and save it as a sidecar .chp file. When a video file with chapters is playing the previous and next main player buttons can be used for changing chapters.

Here is an example of the file structure:

Code: [Select]
// Zoom Player v5.02 Chapter file.
//
// Usage   : AddChapter(FrameNumber,Chapter Title)
// Example : AddChapter(1245,The break in)
// Usage   : AddChapterBySecond(PositionInSeconds,Chapter Title)
// Example : AddChapterBySecond(3600,One Hour Into the Video)
// Usage   : AddChapterByTime(Hours,Minutes,Seconds,Chapter Title)
// Example : AddChapterByTime(1,20,35,1 Hour 20 minutes and 35 seconds Into the Video)
//
# Chapter 000: 00:00:17
AddChapter(00000440,Oh Yeah)
# Chapter 001: 00:03:33
AddChapter(00005347,The Race)
# Chapter 002: 00:07:19
AddChapter(00010990,Who's Gone?)
# Chapter 003: 00:10:46
AddChapter(00016157,Rubberbandman)
# Chapter 004: 00:14:19
AddChapter(00021497,Vicious Games)
# Chapter 005: 00:18:00
AddChapter(00027016,Tied Up)
# Chapter 006: 00:21:33
AddChapter(00032336,Lost Again)
# Chapter 007: 00:25:32
AddChapter(00038306,I Love You)
# Chapter 008: 00:28:56
AddChapter(00043402,Of Course I'm Lying)
# Chapter 009: 00:33:12
AddChapter(00049821,Pinball Cha Cha)
# Chapter 010: 00:36:52
AddChapter(00055301,Bostich)
# Chapter 011: 00:40:11
AddChapter(00060298,Desire)
# Chapter 012: 00:44:32
AddChapter(00066823,Jungle Bill)
# Chapter 013: 00:48:44
AddChapter(00073102,Call It Love)
# Chapter 014: 00:52:21
AddChapter(00078549,Goldrush)
# Chapter 015: 00:56:17
AddChapter(00084427,The Rythm Devine)
# Chapter 016: 00:59:53
AddChapter(00089839,The End Credits)

A screenshot of the user interface is attached:
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leezer3

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2008, 05:44:16 pm »

Please :)
While we're on this subject, another little tweak for these types of files-
How about the ability to select the default language & subtitles from a library field on a per file basis?
Haali's splitter already allows a less advanced variation on this (Global selection), but it'd be nice to be able to store preferences like this in the library.

Cheers

-Leezer-
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raym

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2008, 11:04:40 pm »

Both Matt and Yaobing have both stated previously that "it is on the list" for this to be added, so that you'll be able to use the OSD to navigate chapters and whatnot in your MKV and MP4 files.

I've been wondering about mkv chapter support in MC for a while (I must've missed this thread!). Is this still "on the list" of things to do? The "work-around" described above really isn't an option for me (htpc/remote control only) and I don't really want to resort to using Zoom Player for this feature.

Thanks.
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Griff

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2009, 12:23:41 am »

So here we are.

Did I miss something ?

 >:(

 ;D
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park

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2009, 11:23:19 am »

Just wondering how you all get chapters into your files in the first place? Do your ripped movies come with all chapters intact? I rip using dvdFab (which isn't very good actually. I'm waiting for handbrake to add the ability to rip soft subtitles then I'll probably jump ship on DVDFab).

Also, whilst still on the topic of MC's OSD method of controlling mkv properties, could I say again that using "Right" in the OSD to "Enter/select" subtitle streams in mkvs is really unintuitive. It would be better to group all subtitle streams into one OSD item and then use left/right to switch between them.

Even worse is when the "Enter" button takes you out of Big Screen mode when you actually intended to select the OSD subtitle stream. Very frustrating. I say use "Enter" to enter, and remove the ability of the "Right" key to act as "Enter" across the board.
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gappie

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2009, 03:31:14 pm »

park: i just rip the dvds with dvd decriptor (combined with any dvd), the chapter file is set apart as set in the options. for my music dvds i change that file with the names of the songs. and i import that one into my mkv file with mkv merge, as i learned from glynor. can take some screens when i have a new dvd, but its a piece of cake when you know the way. so for playing back those files i use a program that can read the chapters, the same for dvd files that use diferent angles and i want to choose those, like the new music dvd from McCoy Tyner.

 :)
gab
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Yaobing

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2009, 02:14:30 pm »

Just a heads-up for the next build:

NEW: Chapter support for video files (e.g. mkv, mp4) that contain chapter info.


MC will read chapter info from the DirectShow filters and display it on right-click menu "Jump To".  Not fully tested as I do not have a sample video that contains chapter info.
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glynor

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2009, 03:52:51 pm »

Just a heads-up for the next build:

NEW: Chapter support for video files (e.g. mkv, mp4) that contain chapter info.


MC will read chapter info from the DirectShow filters and display it on right-click menu "Jump To".  Not fully tested as I do not have a sample video that contains chapter info.

Woohoo!!!!

Do you need a sample?  I'm sure I can probably whip one up for you if needed (though not till next week).
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fitbrit

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2009, 04:14:58 pm »

Wow, like my 5 month old daughter, MC is making me fall in love with it, all-over-again-but-stronger, every day.
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Yaobing

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2009, 04:25:28 pm »

Woohoo!!!!

Do you need a sample?  I'm sure I can probably whip one up for you if needed (though not till next week).

Sure.  Thanks.
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gappie

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #13 on: July 28, 2009, 04:58:54 pm »

Just a heads-up for the next build:

NEW: Chapter support for video files (e.g. mkv, mp4) that contain chapter info.


MC will read chapter info from the DirectShow filters and display it on right-click menu "Jump To".  Not fully tested as I do not have a sample video that contains chapter info.
YESSS! thank you.. thank you. dont worry about the not fully tested. cant wait to help out there.

 :)
gab

ps. reading the first few posts of this thread that started a nearly year ago makes you realise some things have changed..  ;)
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leezer3

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #14 on: July 28, 2009, 05:15:46 pm »

This is a quick chapter test file:
http://rapidshare.com/files/261161935/bravia_paint_ad_70sec_1280x720.rar
Details:
720p version of the Sony Bravia paint advert, which was the only really copyright free thing I had floating around. (36mb)
Created and chapters edited with MKVMerge, should have two chapters, one from 0:00=>0:20 (Chapter 1) & one from 0:20=>1:10 (Chapter 2)
Both chapters work correctly in VLC etc.

Cheers

-Leezer-
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Alex B

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #15 on: July 28, 2009, 06:14:02 pm »

Here is another small mkv clip (28 s / 15 MB). It has chapter breaks at 7, 14 and 21 s.

http://rapidshare.com/files/261170651/Whosafraid__a_small_clip_with_chapters_.rar

In addition, it contains three different audio tracks, subtitles in two different languages, and a cover art image as "mkv attachment".

I have previously uploaded the same video clip in avi format. Now I just quickly created the chapters and muxed the contents with mkvmerge v.2.9.7. (It is a part of MKVToolnix: http://www.bunkus.org/videotools/mkvtoolnix/downloads.html#windows.)
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leezer3

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #16 on: July 28, 2009, 06:16:57 pm »

The more the merrier!
Something that struck me a few minutes ago too-
Would it be a good idea to have a set of test files uploaded somewhere & linked on the Wiki?
Basically a set of known variables, could be useful for both beta testing & user troubleshooting :)

-Leezer-
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ThoBar

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Re: mkv files and chapters?
« Reply #17 on: July 28, 2009, 10:50:44 pm »

Quote from: Yaobing on Today at 11:37:03
Unfortunately this does not work, not because what I added does not work, but the entire playback section of context menu is missing.  I did not realize that the menu items are missing since build 39.

I know this is not the forum for this.... buuuut... any chance this is coming for audio files (mka) too? please? embedded images and other data file support would be nice too

This is a nice new feature though, thankyou.
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