Best Handbrake 0.9.3 settings for ATV

[gotroxs]

I know this has been brought up before but the TV's being streamed to are smaller and most are trying to limit file size.

My setup is this. I have an LG 60" Plasma, AppleTV streaming through iTunes on a Dell Desktop through wireless of course.

I have seen no problems in streaming from the computer with the movies that in the 2.5 gb range or higher.

What I want is the best settings for Handbrake for picture quality. Sound is not an issue as the ATV works great with the 5.1 to the stereo.

I am taking the ATV preset adding 2-pass encoding and converting from there.

I really don't care that much about file size. I have 2 2TB WD drives. One for back up and one to hold about 490 movies and some 25gb of music. If the file size is under 5gb, I would not complain. Thought none of my movies have approached that yet.

So with the new handbrake settings that are on Picture setting tab and Advanced tab, I am scratching my head cause I really don't know what most of it means. Detelecine and Decomb that I really get. My question on things like this is What is the better setting? That is what I want.

Unfortunately I don't have much time to test and retest different settings as I get very little to even watch a movie. I just want it done the best way the first time.

On occasion because of the screen size (I think) I have seen some pixelation in dark scenes or high action scenes.

So looking for the best settings for a big Tv and size matters little but don't want to be silly. Time to convert also matters little as I have a computer dedicated for that.

 

[anonmill]

I wouldn't mind hearing others feedback as well. I have just started using the new version of handbrake and have only run a few tests. I tried using the new AppleTV preset and the "Legacy" AppleTV preset while encoding a DVD. I found the using the new preset the file size is significantly smaller (1.47GB vs. 2.88GB) but the quality did suffer. I also am not as worried about file size and would rather have something bigger, but at higher quality. One thing I noticed, however, was that using the Legacy preset it didn't automatically crop it the first time I encoded it, I had to re-encode it and specifically select the crop option. I don't remember having to do that in 0.9.2, but could be wrong.

I have also used the new Handbrake to encode an HD .eyetv file from my EyeTV Hybrid using the new preset and that seemed to do pretty well, though, I haven't done anything to compare it to. I am just happy it can encode pretty much anything now. Plus it is the only way I am aware of to get the AC-3 surround sound into a file for the AppleTV from an EyeTV recording since EyeTV doesn't do it itself.

 

[dynaflash]

Try the new appletv setting and bump the quality slider from 59% to 61-62% (any higher and its a total waste).

Beware that depending on the complexity of the source, this could cause extreme ballooning of bitrate/filesize.

 

[bergmef]

Try the new appletv setting and bump the quality slider from 59% to 61-62% (any higher and its a total waste).

Beware that depending on the complexity of the source, this could cause extreme ballooning of bitrate/filesize.

Heck, I'd like just to finish a file with the new handbrake. I have had zero luck with .mkv and .avi files converting to .m4v. I still have to use visualhub

 

[NightStorm]

Heck, I'd like just to finish a file with the new handbrake. I have had zero luck with .mkv and .avi files converting to .m4v. I still have to use visualhub

Unless you're willing to post activity logs and potentially help identify problems, it is quite possible your issue may never be found.

 

[bergmef]

Unless you're willing to post activity logs and potentially help identify problems, it is quite possible your issue may never be found.

I need to find out where the activity log ends up. It disappears when handbrake crashes. I have the feeling it's with the audio. I saw others in the handbrake forums have the same issue. I use it for stuff from the TV Shows program. Handbrake forums tend to lock when they find out.

 

[TuckBodi]

I wouldn't mind hearing others feedback as well. I have just started using the new version of handbrake and have only run a few tests. I tried using the new AppleTV preset and the "Legacy" AppleTV preset while encoding a DVD. I found the using the new preset the file size is significantly smaller (1.47GB vs. 2.88GB) but the quality did suffer. I also am not as worried about file size and would rather have something bigger, but at higher quality. One thing I noticed, however, was that using the Legacy preset it didn't automatically crop it the first time I encoded it, I had to re-encode it and specifically select the crop option. I don't remember having to do that in 0.9.2, but could be wrong.

Yeah, I saw those same issues (quality & crop) along with the MetaX chapters issue. I found it so bad I went back to an earlier version. Kinda bummed this new version did this to us.

 

[Tweeksy]

Heck, I'd like just to finish a file with the new handbrake. I have had zero luck with .mkv and .avi files converting to .m4v. I still have to use visualhub

Seems ok with DVD folders, been encoding a whole load of my DVDs for my ATV and it has been running solidly for 2 days without any crashes! Will let you know if it can manage longer.

 

[NightStorm]

I need to find out where the activity log ends up. It disappears when handbrake crashes. I have the feeling it's with the audio. I saw others in the handbrake forums have the same issue. I use it for stuff from the TV Shows program. Handbrake forums tend to lock when they find out.

From the Handbrake documentation (http://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/ActivityLog):

New for HandBrake 0.9.3, the HandBrake MacGui also records everything from the beginning of each encode to the end to a text file found in ~/Library/Application Support/HandBrake/EncodeLogs/ by default. There is an advanced preference you can set to send each encode log to the same directory as your ouput movie file for easy analysis.

I'm not 100% sure from your statement, but if you are referring to pirated sources, then yes, we tend to lock threads (and ban users) that mention them.

 

[Tweeksy]

To ask what may be a silly question, as the ATV preset is now quality based, would you use exactly the same settings for HD content? (I assume the answer is yes) and would there be any issues with the maximum bit-rate going over if the source is blu-ray.

 

[digduggler]

To ask what may be a silly question, as the ATV preset is now quality based, would you use exactly the same settings for HD content? (I assume the answer is yes) and would there be any issues with the maximum bit-rate going over if the source is blu-ray.

I am interested in this too.

Anybody tweak anything on the new presets (which I just discovered ? With either SD or HD?

 

[dynaflash]

To ask what may be a silly question, as the ATV preset is now quality based, would you use exactly the same settings for HD content? (I assume the answer is yes) and would there be any issues with the maximum bit-rate going over if the source is blu-ray.

Actually its not that silly of a question. It is very possible and even likely that the existing preset would produce way to high bitrate with a 1080p blu ray source. I would try bumping the quality % down to around 54 - 55. The quality percentage is weighed against the quality of the source, higher quality source you would want to drop the quality slider on HB for a constrained device like the atv.

I haven't played with any of these sources much yet, so haven't fine tuned a setting.

 

[Dejavu]

Handbrake crashes trying to encode 1920x1080 video to Apple TV HD on my 8-core Mac Pro. Not quite up to snuff and leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[dynaflash]

Handbrake crashes trying to encode 1920x1080 video to Apple TV HD on my 8-core Mac Pro. Not quite up to snuff and leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Oh, well with all of those details I can tell you *exactly* what it going on </sarcasm>.
Maybe you could post a log of your crashed encode on the HB forums so a dev could actually see what your trying to encode and find out if there is a bug ?

 

[fivepoint]

Actually its not that silly of a question. It is very possible and even likely that the existing preset would produce way to high bitrate with a 1080p blu ray source. I would try bumping the quality % down to around 54 - 55. The quality percentage is weighed against the quality of the source, higher quality source you would want to drop the quality slider on HB for a constrained device like the atv.

I haven't played with any of these sources much yet, so haven't fine tuned a setting.

So, it's more like an AppleTV DVD preset, as opposed to a simple AppleTV preset? Are there any plans to make an AppleTV HD preset or anything to that effect? Is there any guide to better understand how you should adjust the settings for HD content? With the old version, you could put the kBps at 5000 or 6000 or something like that for HD material, and know that your content wouldn't be too much for the AppleTV to handle. With the new preset, I'm a bit fuzzy on how to do that scientifically.

If multiple AppleTV presets is not a good idea, than could the preset auto-adjust based upon the resolution and/or bitrate of the source?

 

[dj420118]

Besides HD Camcorder Video, what other HD content can you get on your Apple TV without a BD ROM Drive and tons of conversion time?

 

[fivepoint]

Besides HD Camcorder Video, what other HD content can you get on your Apple TV without a BD ROM Drive and tons of conversion time?

The exact same sources there are for SD content. Only in HD.

• HD Camcorder Video (SD camcorder)
• Blu-Ray Rips (DVD)
• Legal Online Downloads
• Illegal Online Downloads

 

[spectre51]

Been using the 0.9.3 HB for a lil while now. No issues to speak of. When encoding HD-DVD content I use the new Apple TV preset change the Quality to Average bitrate of 6000 kpbs and change video output to 1280 x whatever keeps aspect ratio. I don't crop (don't mind the black lines)

With this I seem to get decent file size on my HD movies and they look great still. Apple TV correctly identifies them as HD as well.

For normal SD movies I leave the preset at defaults and don't change anything.

 

[dj420118]

Been using the 0.9.3 HB for a lil while now. No issues to speak of. When encoding HD-DVD content I use the new Apple TV preset change the Quality to Average bitrate of 6000 kpbs and change video output to 1280 x whatever keeps aspect ratio. I don't crop (don't mind the black lines)

With this I seem to get decent file size on my HD movies and they look great still. Apple TV correctly identifies them as HD as well.

For normal SD movies I leave the preset at defaults and don't change anything.

What reader do you use to have your computer read HD-DVD's? I have a ton of those i would love to convert.

 

[gotroxs]

If the new AppleTV preset is based on quality why is the 2-pass encoding not already selected as I hear that 2-pass is going to make a better quality picutre.

Speaking of 2-pass, what is the con side of using turbo for 2-pass?

 

[NightStorm]

If the new AppleTV preset is based on quality why is the 2-pass encoding not already selected as I hear that 2-pass is going to make a better quality picutre.

Speaking of 2-pass, what is the con side of using turbo for 2-pass?

Because two-pass is incompatible with CQ/CRF encoding.

You aren't likely to notice a difference in the output between using turbo and not.

 

[tomd51]

While I've only been using 0.9.3 since a couple days after it went GA, I've pretty much kept the same settings as I did in 0.9.2, with the only change being I'm including the AAC audio track as Apple's latest update in the ATV porked any MP4 videos with AC3 audio only.

I was of the same mindset of audio and video quality being the most important factor as I'm using it on a 61" RPTV and 92" projector screen, so the file size wasn't necessarily an issue. I posted my settings back in August on this thread, but essentially, in the 0.9.2 build, they were:

Format: MP4/M4V
Codecs: AVC/H.264 Video / AC3 Audio
Framerate: Same as source
Encoder: x264
Quality: Average bitrate (kbps): 3500
Picture settings: Anamorphic: strict

The only caveats or things to keep in mind are I've since added AAC audio in addition to the AC3 as required as I mentioned above and if titles are longer than 140 minutes, I've chosen to split them into two separate parts (e.g. Saving Private Ryan, Amadeus, American Gangster, etc.), making sure the chapter break isn't in an awkard location in the film. These settings varied every now and then where the source was not the norm, but this is what I've used about 85% of the time.

While I'm sure I could get smaller files if I did enough tweaking, the majority of my M4Vs are in the neighborhood of 3GB each and are almost (if not) identical with the source on a large screen, which was ultimately the goal... -TD

 

[gotroxs]

Format: MP4/M4V
Codecs: AVC/H.264 Video / AC3 Audio
Framerate: Same as source
Encoder: x264
Quality: Average bitrate (kbps): 3500
Picture settings: Anamorphic: strict

Thanks for the info. Are you using 2-pass at all?

 

[south8212]

new version has worked good for me (although it has taken a while). Is anybody using the feature for support on ipod 5g. Im asking because i was thinking of putting some of the movies on my iphone. Will the appletv presets work on the iphone as well?

 

[NightStorm]

new version has worked good for me (although it has taken a while). Is anybody using the feature for support on ipod 5g. Im asking because i was thinking of putting some of the movies on my iphone. Will the appletv presets work on the iphone as well?

No, that's why the Universal preset was included.