Converting doesn't improve quality; it repackages existing data for better compatibility. Profile 8.1 cannot restore discarded EL data.
The Old Way (Circa 2021-2023): Users had to extract the BL+EL+RPU, then use complex command lines to merge the enhancement layer into the base layer before converting to Profile 8. This often broke FEL content or resulted in sync issues.
The "New" Method (2024–Present):
Thanks to the incredible updates to dovi_tool (by quietvoid) and mkvtoolnix, we can now convert Profile 7 to Profile 8 without losing the dynamic metadata, and without complex EL merging. The new method simply rewrites the RPU (Reference Processing Unit) to Profile 8 compatibility while keeping the video stream intact. convert dolby vision profile 7 to profile 8 new
For most users, the best route is using a GUI (Graphical User Interface) that wraps around the command-line tools.
Tool: StaxRip or specific "Dolby Vision Converter" GUIs found on forums like Doom9. (Adjust track mapping to your specific file)
Workflow:
Use mkvmerge to put the new video track back into an MKV container with your original audio and subtitles. Converting doesn't improve quality
mkvmerge -o movie_DV_P8.mkv movie_converted.hev \
--audio-tracks 0:1 --language 0:eng audio.ac3 \
--subtitle-tracks 0:2 original_subs.sup
(Adjust track mapping to your specific file)