Share your Handbrake settings

Charlie98

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2011
6,292
62
91
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! :D
 

tential

Diamond Member
May 13, 2008
7,355
642
121
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

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2006
3,389
23
81
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! :D

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