How can I split mkv files?

[theSeb]

I have a small problem. I am currently converting all of my dvds and BR discs using makeMkv. I am planning to keep 2 copies of my movie and tv series collections - original quality in mkv for XBMC in the lounge and compressed using handbrake for iPad and AppleTV in the bedroom/kitchen whatever.

I have a small and niggly problem though. I like seeing all of the info about each episode in XBMC, but for some strange reason the last season of My Name Is Earl combines some episodes (2 of them) into one track so makeMKV pulls this out as one file. So episodes 1 and 2 are one file, episodes 3 and 4 are one file. I've looked at TVDb and I cannot imagine that XBMC will be able to index these properly and it will be annoying if I specifically want to watch episode 2.

Is there any way to split the mkv file into 2 files in the middle of the running time? If not mkv files, can I split m4v files?

 

[roidy]

MKVToolnix can split mkv files by chapter or by time. Take a look at this thread from the MakeMKV forum:-

http://www.makemkv.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=690&p=3275&hilit=chapter+split#p3275

Most mkv's that contain 2 or more episodes will have a chapter marker where the first episode ends and the second begins.

I prefer to do it from the command line, heres a quick example command line to split a file:-

mkvmerge -o "outputfile.mkv" --split "timecodes:00:20:00.00" "inputfile.mkv"

This will open "inputfile.mkv" and split it into 2 files named "outputfile-01.mkv" and "outputfile-02.mkv" with the split occurring at 20 minutes. The time code format is HH:MM:SS.milliseconds.

Timecodes can also be seperated by a comma to split the file into more parts eg:-

--split "timecodes:00:10:00.00,00:20:00.00"

Would split the file into 3 pieces occurring at 10 minutes and 20 minutes.

 

[theSeb]

MKVToolnix can split mkv files by chapter or by time. Take a look at this thread from the MakeMKV forum:-

http://www.makemkv.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=690&p=3275&hilit=chapter+split#p3275

Most mkv's that contain 2 or more episodes will have a chapter marker where the first episode ends and the second begins.

I prefare to do it from the command line, heres a quick example command line to split a file:-

mkvmerge -o "outputfile.mkv" --split "timecodes:00:20:00.00" "inputfile.mkv"

This will open "inputfile.mkv" and split it into 2 files named "outputfile-01.mkv" and "outputfile-02.mkv" with the split occurring at 20 minutes. The time code format is HH:MM:SS.milliseconds.

Timecodes can also be seperated by a comma to split the file into more parts eg:-

--split "timecodes:00:10:00.00,00:20:00.00"

Would split the file into 3 pieces occurring at 10 minutes and 20 minutes.

Thanks for that mate.

 

[snowyjoey]

Wow, I was SO pleased to find this thread! However, I just tried it and it says :

"-bash: mkvmerge: command not found"

Did they remove that command or has it changed name? Thanks, if i can make that work it will be a Godsend!

 

[ActionableMango]

Just a tip... I know this isn't true for all cases, but I've seen many, many episodic discs where there is also a merged track that contains all episodes (like OP describes), AND there are separate tracks for each episode.

Typically, based on movie discs, people are in the habit of ripping only the largest track and ignoring the smaller ones because they are extras, commercials, etc., but for an episodic disc you might be ripping the wrong track.

The usual clue that this is an episodic disc with both combined and separate episodes is when the largest track is almost exactly the same size as the several smaller tracks combined, and each of those several smaller tracks is nearly the same size. For example a three episode disc with one 3GB file and three 1GB files. In this example, you'd want to rip the three 1GB files and not the one 3GB file.