I would like advice on MKV setting for phones.

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g725s
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I would like advice on MKV setting for phones.

Post by g725s »

I have some fitness/exercise DVDs. I want to make some MKV files for the many fitness/exercise programs on these DVDs to put on a couple of phones.

For starters I want to be able to view these files on a Galaxy S6 and an iPhone 6, using the same file. As I have a Galaxy and my wife an iPhone. And I don't want to make separate files for each phone. As I need to make about fifty separate files.

I would like the smallest file size with "good enough" quality as I have quite a few files I would like to put on these phones. So, file size is more imporant than quality. Would a preset in the program be good enough?
Last edited by g725s on Sat Nov 11, 2017 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
rollin_eng
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Re: I would like advise on MKV setting for phones.

Post by rollin_eng »

I don't own the Galaxy but using the Apple presets should work on the iPhone.

Try a few and see if they look ok and work on the Galaxy.
Woodstock
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Re: I would like advice on MKV setting for phones.

Post by Woodstock »

MKV is not well supported on Apple products, so following Rollin's advice on using the Apple presets, including the mp4/m4v file type, should work better.

I've always found Apple compatibility to be the limiting factor when compressing for both iOS and Android.
Deleted User 11865

Re: I would like advice on MKV setting for phones.

Post by Deleted User 11865 »

There's always VLC for iOS with hardware-accelerated decoding (and in current Beta versions, some form of hardware-accelerated filtering, IIRC). If you wife's willing to use it instead of the default video player, it does open up MKV support and many more subtitle options, I think (haven't tested subtitle support in VLC iOS much, TBH).
g725s
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Re: I would like advice on MKV setting for phones.

Post by g725s »

So what I'm getting from all your responses is that it probably would be best to make two different files, one for each type of phone.

I was planning on putting VLC on the iPhone but don't have experience with it.

and just going with the preset options is my best call for either?
Woodstock
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Re: I would like advice on MKV setting for phones.

Post by Woodstock »

You don't HAVE to make separate files - an m4v that works on an Apple device works just fine on Android. But the reverse is not necessarily true.
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BradleyS
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Re: I would like advice on MKV setting for phones.

Post by BradleyS »

The Android 1080p30 preset makes MP4 should work on both phones. The Apple 1080p30 Surround preset is similar but includes surround sound.
g725s
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Re: I would like advice on MKV setting for phones.

Post by g725s »

BradleyS wrote: Mon Nov 13, 2017 2:08 pm The Android 1080p30 preset makes MP4 should work on both phones. The Apple 1080p30 Surround preset is similar but includes surround sound.
OK then MP4 it is. I thought I'd read somewhere that MP4 was not Apple friendly. I don't have much iPhone experience. But I'll do some testing with ripping the DVD segments to MP4 and put it on both phones.

What player plays the MP4s on the iPhone?
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BradleyS
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Re: I would like advice on MKV setting for phones.

Post by BradleyS »

MP4 is the most compatible, especially with Apple.

On iOS 11, the Photos app, I believe. Earlier iOS versions had a Videos app but if I’m not mistaken, it’s been removed.
g725s
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Re: I would like advice on MKV setting for phones.

Post by g725s »

BradleyS wrote: Tue Nov 14, 2017 2:26 am MP4 is the most compatible, especially with Apple.

On iOS 11, the Photos app, I believe. Earlier iOS versions had a Videos app but if I’m not mistaken, it’s been removed.
Maybe I'm doing something wrong. When you select a preset should it not change visible setting. For instance when i select Android 1080p30 I still see the setting like Picture set at 720 width and 480 height. Shouldn't that change to 1080?

Or I guess my source is 720 and it won't go to 1080 because of that :oops:
Woodstock
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Re: I would like advice on MKV setting for phones.

Post by Woodstock »

The handbrake graphic user interface is not going to scale anything up for you... Sorry. :)

The dimensions in the preset name are the maximum dimensions it will allow through, essentially, If you put a 2160p file through a 1080p preset, you'll get 1080p out, but a 480i source (DVD) is going to end up 480p (assuming you remove the interlacing).

As for "mp4 not being Apple friendly", Apple's official software SHUTS OFF certain features if the file does not have a file extension of "m4v". The file is the same, but the software gets stupid.
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BradleyS
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Re: I would like advice on MKV setting for phones.

Post by BradleyS »

Supposedly the m4v vs mp4 extension is old news. I've been using mp4 only with no issues for some time, but yes iTunes used to be picky about the extension.
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