Cenko11-03-2010

Cenko is a tiny software application with a very simple purpose: it enables you to mux movies and subtitles with the help of MKVToolnix (the portable version only). It doesn't need any other installations and contains just a couple of options that can be quickly figured out, even by less experienced users.

Get Cenko up and running

Since it's not wrapped in a setup kit, you can drop the executable file anywhere on the disk and just click it to run. However, make sure to put it the same location as Portable MKTVoolnix's directory (next to it, not inside the folder itself), otherwise, it will fail to launch. More important is the fact that, unlike most installers, Cenko doesn't change Windows registry settings.

Straightforward interface and options

The GUI is user-friendly, represented by a simple window split into two panes, for indicating the movie file with the audio and video stream, and for specifying the subtitle file, respectively.These can be added to the list by using either the file browser or drag-and-drop support. In the following stage, all you have to do is click a button to start the muxing operation.

Easily mux movies and subtitles

Cenko automatically creates the new movie file in the same location as the input and appends the "-mux" to the original file's name. Unfortunately, it doesn't integrate an option for changing these default parameters. On the other hand, you can ask it to reveal console messages during the muxing.

Evaluation and conclusion

The tool didn't put a strain on the overall performance of the machine in our tests since it needed low CPU and RAM to work properly. Muxing operations are carried out in a reasonable time.On the other hand, the app implements just a couple of options and doesn't have more advanced customization settings for experienced users. We must also keep in mind that it hasn't been updated for a long time. Nevertheless, you can test it for yourself, since it's free.