Step by step instructions

[Lololark]

Hello, noob here. I can't seem to find any instructions on how to use MakeMkv for Mac. I have an iMac with Sonoma 14.2.1

I've tried to convert dvds to .mkv, but all I can get it to do is make .iso.

Am I supposed to click on "save selected titles"? It won't allow me to, it's grey.

I clicked on "backup" and it will only do .iso and I can't select "decrypt video files."

Thank you!

[Lololark]

Ok, I read the solution in another thread. For those encountering the same thing, click on the big DVD Player icon to make the .mkv file.

[DavoBR]

Ok, I read the solution in another thread. For those encountering the same thing, click on the big DVD Player icon to make the .mkv file.

I was about to suggest this but see you've got there!

[oharag]

Hey I'm also confused! Noob here. So Make Backup makes a DVD image that I guess can be burned correct? What do I Leo doing this? I use Handbrake to open the ISO and then convert to MP4 for AppleTV. I noticed I'm missing bonus material etc. doing the MP4 route - or at least I cannot see this using QT. I'm creating MKV file of same DVD to see the difference between ISO and MKV. I know I have to make another conversion to convert to MKV to MP4. Seems like a ton of conversions.

[dcoke22]

Hey I'm also confused! Noob here. So Make Backup makes a DVD image that I guess can be burned correct?

Sure, if you like. You can also open the backup (or the disc directly) in MakeMKV and create .mkv files of the contents. You can create one .mkv of the movie and additional .mkv files for any 'extras' on the disc.

You can use Handbrake on the resulting .mkv files to transcode them down to something smaller. Or, you can leave them as they are. In the grand scheme of things DVDs are relatively small and relatively low quality compared to blu-rays or 4K UHDs. Personally, I don't usually bother transcoding DVD rips down to something smaller.

You can run a server, like Plex, on your computer to organize and host your files on your local network. There's a Plex client app available for most devices, including the AppleTV, that'll let you connect to the server and watch whatever you've got stored there. Or, you can store the files in a shared folder on your computer and use Infuse on the Apple TV to watch them. Or, there's Jellyfin, Emby, Kodi, or countless others.

[oharag]

Hey I'm also confused! Noob here. So Make Backup makes a DVD image that I guess can be burned correct?

Sure, if you like. You can also open the backup (or the disc directly) in MakeMKV and create .mkv files of the contents. You can create one .mkv of the movie and additional .mkv files for any 'extras' on the disc.

You can use Handbrake on the resulting .mkv files to transcode them down to something smaller. Or, you can leave them as they are. In the grand scheme of things DVDs are relatively small and relatively low quality compared to blu-rays or 4K UHDs. Personally, I don't usually bother transcoding DVD rips down to something smaller.

You can run a server, like Plex, on your computer to organize and host your files on your local network. There's a Plex client app available for most devices, including the AppleTV, that'll let you connect to the server and watch whatever you've got stored there. Or, you can store the files in a shared folder on your computer and use Infuse on the Apple TV to watch them. Or, there's Jellyfin, Emby, Kodi, or countless others.

So I do have a PLEX server on my NAS and the App installed on Apple TV. I also purchase a ton of movies on AppleTV/Amazon/Moviesanywhere/Vudu. I read somewhere that Plex has issues with mkv - maybe this is false. One thing I noticed a while back trying both solutions (MakeMKV and Handbrake) the Mp4 files were 1/10th the size of mkv (or maybe a bit larger than 1/10th). I tried to discern the quality better mkv and the 2nd converted Mp4 file and it was hard to see any loss on quality. What I would like to see from MKV (besides exporting out to other file formats - couch cough Mp4) I would like an option to merge all of the additional content into one file. I'm noticing the difference between playing ripped content verses the original DVD playing in a DVD player - the DVD Player has tools to access menus - and the additional content. So for a merged file on my Apple TV - I can select titles and advance through the original movie to the additional content - all in one file. I hate the multiple files - just seems messy on my Plex App. If Plex allowed for folders then maybe that would be better.

I tried MacX DVD Ripper Pro SW (demo) and they can read CW content - save to a number of different formats (Mp4) and even select the extra content and either write separately or as one file. Though one thing I noticed is MacX crashes during this process (merge). Also MacX seems to be very SLLLLOOOOWWWW.

Still trying to find the best solution for my Mac. Maybe there are better solutions for Windows.

[dcoke22]

MKV is a container. It can contain lots of different things. When MakeMKV is used to rip a blu-ray, most commonly the resulting .mkv file contains h.264 encoded video; a direct copy of what's on the disc. If MakeMKV is used to rip a 4K UHD, the resulting .mkv file contains h.265 encoded video; again a direct copy of what's on the disc.

Handbrake can be used to transcode that video into any number of supported formats. It can deposit that transcoded video into either a .mp4 container or a .mkv container.

All the various video encoding standards have many knobs, dials, and switches that can be used to alter the tradeoffs made by each algorithm. The output can large, small, or something in between. And it doesn't matter if that output is in a .mp4 container or a .mkv container.

[dcoke22]

Plex does indeed allow for organizing movies into individual folders. This is how I organize my Plex server.

Naming and organizing your Movie files

Plex also allows for putting individual files for the 'extras' along with a movie so they can be accessed in the Plex app interface.

Local Files for Movie Trailers and Extras