Share your Handbrake settings

[Charlie98]

I use Handbrake to rip my DVDs to .mp4 and store on my HTPC. I'll admit, looking at all the settings on Handbrake makes what little brains I have left leak out of my ears... but I want to make good video rips for now and into the future, I sure don't want to rip them all again!

For general video rips I just use the 'Normal' preset, bump the video quality up to 17.5, bump the audio up 10db... and let'er rip (excuse the pun.) Video is pumped from the HTPC to a 1080p Visio via HDMI; I don't have a AV receiver (yet.)

I'm wondering if I'm missing something important, however.... I wonder about framerate settings, the optimize video settings, and bitrate.

What are your generic encode settings?

Do you have a specific setting you have found that really makes a difference?

What changes do you make for BD rips?

Any other sage hints?

Thanks!

 

[tential]

I think people use different presets based on the content you're ripping. There are presets you can use for Anime, Cartoons, Slow Moving Dramas, Fast Action Movies, etc.

There are a couple of guides you can use to help you along the process although the presets in Handbrake right now are very good apparently.

I just use the presets with a tweak here and there. Kids shows I reencode at 720p from recording with my Ceton Tuner for example at a low bitrate because the children don't care.

 

[smitbret]

I use Handbrake to rip my DVDs to .mp4 and store on my HTPC. I'll admit, looking at all the settings on Handbrake makes what little brains I have left leak out of my ears... but I want to make good video rips for now and into the future, I sure don't want to rip them all again!

For general video rips I just use the 'Normal' preset, bump the video quality up to 17.5, bump the audio up 10db... and let'er rip (excuse the pun.) Video is pumped from the HTPC to a 1080p Visio via HDMI; I don't have a AV receiver (yet.)

I'm wondering if I'm missing something important, however.... I wonder about framerate settings, the optimize video settings, and bitrate.

What are your generic encode settings?

Do you have a specific setting you have found that really makes a difference?

What changes do you make for BD rips?

Any other sage hints?

Thanks!

If you are doing DVDs you should set your Decomb and Detelecine filters to Default. DVDs in the US use 2:3 pulldown and setting the detelecine filter pulls out redundant frames, saving bitrate and also, potentially creating a smoother picture. Decomb also helps remove annoying horizontal lines from interlaced material. Handbrake will automatically detect when these filters are needed so just leave them at <Default> all of the time.

I use the same settings for DVD & BD

Almost always .mkv so I don't have to worry about Large File settings and I completely forego the presets

Anamorphic - Strict
Cropping - Auto, but I will occasionally change this based on experience
Filters - See Above
Video - H264
Variable Frame Rate
Same as Source
x264 Tune - Film 90% of the time or Grain for grainy sources
Profile - Main I would use High if I didn't worry about compatibility
Level - 4.0 I use this to keep bitrate peaks under 30mbps so my RaspPi won't choke
Constant Quality - RF 18
Audio - 1st Track aac(faac)/Dolby Pro Logic II/Auto/160kbps/Gain 1 any more seems to distort it
2nd Track Pass Through the best multi-channel AC3 or DTS Track

Usually give me a BD Rip of about 6.5-9GB that looks transparent to my eyes. I have had a few grainy and high action sources that pushed 20GB, though.

If I have a special need for compressing a BD down to 10GB but want to be certain I get the maximum quality possible I use a 2-pass and set a bitrate between 6500-10000kbps.
Then, the following settings from the Advanced Tab:
Ref Frames - 4
B-Frames - 3
CABAC, 8x8, Weighted P Frames all checked
Adaptive B-Frames - Automatic
Motion Estimation Method - UMH
Subpixel ME - 10
Partition Type - Default
Trellis - Always
Deblocking - 1

BD Rips usually take between 10-16 Hours on my FX-6100 with these settings