[Highdefjunkie]

To play on the surface

[Digital Moe]

I am using this Convert MKV to MP4 with FREE MKV to MP4 Converter for Windows till I find something better, it is lightweight and just changes the container not converts the file so only takes about 20-30 for a 20-30 minute video.

[neova333]

mkv2vob Forums takes just a few seconds to make a mkv file playable, be sure to select "transcode dts" in options. Another option Is HandBrake if you're short on space, this can do a more thorough conversion and convert the audio to stereo or w/e making the file size significantly smaller. Obviously this will take much longer to do.

Edit: mobile.HD in the windows store will play back MKV files, right now it does not support DTS but the developer says it'll come in a future update. It costs $2.45 but you can try before you buy and make sure it works with your files (worked great with all of my mkv's, minus the ones with DTS audio of course).

[Highdefjunkie]

MK2VOB works wonderfully! Thanks!

[Digital Moe]

Edit: mobile.HD in the windows store will play back MKV files, right now it does not support DTS but the developer says it'll come in a future update. It costs $2.45 but you can try before you buy and make sure it works with your files (worked great with all of my mkv's, minus the ones with DTS audio of course).

That is a good spot I just downloaded the trial version and played a MKV which ran silky smooth, it is a heft download though at 358MB I wonder what makes the app so big.

Edit: It even plays mkv files that are stored on my desktop over the LAN, although I got the message about not being able to play a DTS track even though I am pretty sure the files is a DD one.

[mrmprince]

Vuze is good too

[chris198810]

The surface rt has a free video converter although, the input files are limited to MP4, AVI, etc. It can not support MKV format. You can try Brorsoft Video Converter that's the app I'm using for encoding MKVs to Surface RT MP4 video.

[tomm1ed]

[...]
. Another option Is HandBrake if you're short on space, this can do a more thorough conversion and convert the audio to stereo or w/e making the file size significantly smaller. Obviously this will take much longer to do.
[...]

My vote definitively goes to HandBrake. Easy to use and on modern CPU more than fast enough :)

[addicusbrown]

I came to say Handbrake also.

[StevesBalls]

Second the Handbrake recommendation. That is if you really want to transcode, which in most case you really need to do only with the AC3/DTS audio part as you already have H.264 video in the MKV file.

And if you ever need to do some simple editing, there is Avidemux.

[Mark_Venture]

Not Free, but relatively cheap... DVD Catalyst 4 from -> Home of DVD Catalyst 4 - convert fast and easy AVI DVD MKV to Bionic Droid iPad3 iPhone4 iPod Touch4 Iconica Innotab Galaxy Tab Nabi Playbook Transformer Prime Thrive Vita Xoom XyBoard and more
It does a great job.

[power5]

Handbrake. I have not transcoded on my new 2600k system, but on my old e4300 @3.4ghz I was transcoding a 1.5 hour movie in approximately 1.5 hours. I was able to use the queueing list and transcode all the movies on my server in a couple weeks. My CPU was begging for a vacation after that.

[xw227751]

To play on the surface

MKV to MP4 Converter is a professional conversion software with powerful functions and friendly interface. It not only can convert MKV to MP4 format with just a few clicks

You can try this function is very powerful MKV to MP4 software, there are those functions that you say, you can learn from it and see that you have no help.

[msdugn]

To play on the surface

While the other suggestions are great - my personal favorite is Handbrake (there's nothing it can't convert, it has a great interface, and it's FREE).

But while Handbrake does conversions for me, I use the mobile.HD app to play my MKV files natively either from my local SD drive or streaming from my home network. Check it out before you spend a ton of time converting files that the right app can play natively. I love mobile.HD.

[SteelSteve]

Not Free, but relatively cheap... DVD Catalyst 4 from -> Home of DVD Catalyst 4 - convert fast and easy AVI DVD MKV to Bionic Droid iPad3 iPhone4 iPod Touch4 Iconica Innotab Galaxy Tab Nabi Playbook Transformer Prime Thrive Vita Xoom XyBoard and more
It does a great job.

Another vote for DVD Catalyst.

[TeknoBlast]

I gave up on looking for a free converter, so I purchased DVD Catalyst for 9.99. I'm glad I bought this because it can convert files to each specific devices.

[Jrexxx]

Handbrake is by far the best converter I have ever used! It's open source and free :)

[cherry198810]

It's a pity I can't play MKV files on my Surface RT natively. I googled the solution for playing MKV on Surface, one of the easy solution as the #1 mentioned is to convert MKV to MP4. Play 1080p/720p MKV on Microsoft Surface with best video app is a good enough post that helps me solve the problem in an easy and fast way.

[AR2186]

I've spent the past few months working with different tools for backing up my blu ray collection, and settled on a combination of MakeMKV to rip the blu rays to the HD and then Handbrake to convert the MKV to M4V. Handbrake is by far the best video encoding tool, as it allows the most options and works very quickly. I probably average 45-60 minutes per encode of full 1080p blu-ray with passthrough audio and/or dolby digital 5.1 encoded audio (using a core i7-3770). If you need any help on creating the right encode profile, PM me and I can try to create a good one to test on my Surface.

[Guzzler3]

Here is a FREE MKV to MP4 converter: MKVToMP4 It works great if the video is already H.264 and the audio is AAC/AC3, it just dumps the contents from the MKV and repacks into MP4 (goes quickly).

If... the audio/video is in another format, it will try to transcode the files to H.264 and AACorAC3, but it takes awhile. If that's the case, I recommend using Handbrake.

[mattcald]

Another vote for Handbrake.

I use DVD Fab(the free decode only option) to decode my DVD's, and then handbrake to convert them to MP4. That way the files play on both my Surface RT, and my kids Kindles.

[berty6294]

This might be a dumb question... but why on earth do people even use these stupid formats. Can't they just use avi wmv or mp4 to begin with?

[AR2186]

This might be a dumb question... but why on earth do people even use these stupid formats. Can't they just use avi wmv or mp4 to begin with?

MKV, MP4, M4V, AVI and WMV are all containers for underlying video and audio formats, with MKV being the most versatile and allowing the most A/V codecs to be held within it.
Comparison of container formats - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

People like to use MKV because it is open source and can incorporate more standards in the same container

[Guzzler3]

MKV, MP4, M4V, AVI and WMV are all containers for underlying video and audio formats, with MKV being the most versatile and allowing the most A/V codecs to be held within it.
Comparison of container formats - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

People like to use MKV because it is open source and can incorporate more standards in the same container

Which is also it's downfall, IMHO. MKV has been the cause of CODEC "heck", and malware infestation (from people trying to download the proper codecs, but getting malware instead). Even the "professional" pirate guys have decided to drop MKV's and DIVIX and go to MP4, which is a good thing.

[AR2186]

Good point, although MP4/M4V supports a significant number of codecs as well so you can run into the same problems if the video isn't encoded in a OS default codec.

I came across a great program, think it was MediaInfo, that will tell you what codecs each stream in a container is encoded with if you ever have playback issues. Suggest everyone downloads it, will double check on the name when I get to my computer