Converting dual audio

[gruggo]

I have some mkv video files that i need to convert in avi ( my dvd player can't read it) but there is a problem: this files have dual language which i want to keep and when i try to convert in avi VLC get one track only. There is a way to fix this problem or i need a software for conversion only?

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

I don't think AVI allows 2 audio tracks. Does it?

[mederi]

I don't think AVI allows 2 audio tracks. Does it?

It does! Multiple audio/video/subtitle tracks in AVI are possible (AVI-mux GUI) and VLC can handle it very well.

When opening file, just tick [v] Show more options
Add " :audio-track=1" in Edit Options input field, for example:
Edit Options [ :file-caching=300 :audio-track=1]
You can handle all tracks at the same time if you use " :sout-all" instead.
You can try to remux (MKV to AVI) without reencoding of video and audio tracks. Just create and select new transcoding profile there (Encapsulation: (o) AVI; Video codec: [v] Video, [v] Keep original video track; Audio codec: [v] Audio, [v] Keep original audio track).
You can also use Media > Stream instead of Media > Convert/Save and you will see "Generated stream output string" at the end of the configuration process where you can do another adjustment (advanced options) if you need.

[gruggo]

Great it works !!! I add that string in "more options" and all audio tracks remains. Now i will try the other suggestions, for now i used the option "convert" but waht change if i select "keep original audio/video" ?

[gruggo]

i just tryed to use a new profile with both "keep original video/audio" but the conversione is too fast and then when i open the file VLC says that the index is broken so the file is unusable

[mederi]

Well, it depends on the output format that you need (for your dvd player?). Better if you can preserve original quality. Transcoding (converting) always reduces the quality, but on the other hand some compression can considerably reduce the size of the file and still preserve a satisfactory quality. Another issue is, whether the AVI container can handle a specific format of video/audio tracks (XVID/DIVX/H264/..., MP3/AC3/AAC/DTS/OGG/...). What is the format of audio/video tracks in your MKV source files? You can use MediaInfo to find it out. Do you know what format you need/want in the AVI output?

[gruggo]

Then on "Tools>Media Information>Codec" it says:
video
Codec H264 - MPEG-4 AVC (part10)(avc1)
resolution 1280x720
grame rate 25
decoded format Planar 4:20:0 YUV

audio (for both tracks)
Codec A52 Audio (aka AC3) (a52)
Sample rate 48000Hz
Bitrate 192kb/s

for the output file i know that my DVD player can read an avi video and not mkv but exactly what kind of codec it can read i don't know.
What i want to obtain is an avi of about 400-500 MB from an mkv of about 700 MB. The quality of video is not so important (they aren't a film).
Can you help me?

[JD_Real]

Hi all. I'm new to the forum, and to converting files, although I've been using VLC for years. I too am trying to convert .mkv files to .avi so that a not-very-technical friend can play them more easily (at all, really), without having to tutor him or install new software. So far this has been really helpful, and I'm looking forward to further responses. One question/comment I'd like to add is regarding the "destination file." It lists a number of container options by default, but I've just been adding ".avi" at the end of the file name to make it an .avi file. Is there a better way, or anything else I should be doing? I'm very much still learning about all the technical aspects (container vs. file type vs. codec etc) so the more thorough and plain-spoken the assistance, the better for myself at least.

Thank you all so much for the help and in general for this incredible software!