--- /dev/null
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# step 1: convert the mkv to mpg ; many mkv files do not directly get converted to mp4
+mencoder "$1" -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg1video -aid 0 -oac pcm -o delete_me.mpg
+
+# step 2: convert the mpg file to mp4
+mencoder -of lavf -lavfopts format=mp4 -oac lavc -ovc lavc -lavcopts \
+aglobal=1:vglobal=1:acodec=libfaac:vcodec=mpeg4:abitrate=128:vbitrate=640:keyint=250:mbd=1:vqmax=10:lmax=10:turbo -af lavcresample=44100 \
+-vf harddup,scale=640:-3 "delete_me.mpg" -o "$1.mp4"
+
+# step 3: delete the temporary huge sized mpg file
+rm "delete_me.mpg"