[MEncoder-users] Solution: transcoding from MKV(AC3+H264) to anything keeping AC3 soundtrack

[Pierre Grimaud]

I have finally found a solution to this problem. As it turn out, it is
mencoder's muxer that is at fault (AFAIK).

1. Encode the video with -nosound option. Xvid or lavc works fine. Resize
and apply required filters if you must.
2. Extract AC3 soundtrack. The best way to do that is to use mkvextract.
I've not seen any other tool work (mplayer crashes, vlc does weird things)
3. remux with mkvtoolnix-gui. There, you got it. Of course, that is an MKV
file.
3bis. I've heard reports of success remuxing with avimux on windows. That
can give a nice AVI file.

No matter how hard I've tried, I've NEVER been successful at remuxing an
h264 recoded to Xvid (or lavc) and the original AC3 with mencoder. At least
when the original mux is MKV... I've had such files in an AVI container and
did not have any problem with it. I have tons of MKVs and there is not one
working. I have no clue as to why...

Feedback is welcome

-- pieroxy