DVD - AppleTV (What's The Best way to convert a DVD to a 700mb mp4?)

[arcsbite]

Quick question, more of a sanity check really.

I use Visualhub to convert my video's for the AppleTV.
Thing is, all the file's I have converted so far have been downloaded TV shows and Movies from the web, these are usually 700mb .avi files (Xvid/DivX)

I am almost complete in backing up my DVD library to Hard Drives, but there are some films I cannot locate online so I will have to rip them manually from the DVD disks (I was hoping to avoid this as it takes aeems to take an AGE!)

So, how would I go about this?
I've downloaded Handbrake, and I own Visualhub.

thing is, everytime I try I get unwatchable quality when I limit the file size to 700mb-1.6GB
but this has been possible by downloading a 700mb divx then converting it to mp4 *confused.*

please tell me there is another way other than ripping my DVD's to Divx and then converting to MP4.

thanks

 

[JPT]

please tell me there is another way other than ripping my DVD's to Divx and then converting to MP4.

thanks

You could rip them to MP4 with Handbrake... Just don't do it with actual movies... cuz... ya know.. that's illegal!
*runs away*

 

[arcsbite]

You could rip them to MP4 with Handbrake... Just don't do it with actual movies... cuz... ya know.. that's illegal!
*runs away*

But ripping them to mp4 using handbrake is causing the files to be over 2GB per movie.
if I set it at a lower bitrate the quality is unwatchable.

and I'm in the UK, I own the DVD's so I'm allowed to own a back up

 

[Cave Man]

But ripping them to mp4 using handbrake is causing the files to be over 2GB per movie.
if I set it at a lower bitrate the quality is unwatchable.

Set to the "Target size" option in Handbrake. That should do it for you.

 

[gr8tfly]

The Apple TV setting in Handbrake will give you a 853 x 356 pixel movie. What's the resolution of your baseline DivX? That could make a huge difference in file size.

 

[arcsbite]

The Apple TV setting in Handbrake will give you a 853 x 356 pixel movie. What's the resolution of your baseline DivX? That could make a huge difference in file size.

Ahhh..


They seem to be around the 576*xxx size when in DivX
I'm guessing that's making the file size vs Quality an issue in handbrake.
Maybe setting the resolution to smaller size would help.

the Divx movies, once converted to 700mb Mp4 files look great on my 37" TV, so I guess they fit the need I have.

I'll play around with the bitrate and resolutions, guess it's trial and error...just hoping there was a quick fix, I have about 120 dvd's to rip lol

 

[Peace]

Best settings for the TV Handbrake rips are :

H.264 mp4

4700kbps constant bitrate video
48k stereo 256kbps bitrate audio

either 640X480 or 960X540 resolution ( 4:3 or 16:10 or 16:9 )

This will produce a large file.Around 100MB per every 5 minutes.

This is for the BEST quality.If I'm gonna watch something on my HDTV I want it to be of good quality.No matter how big the file is.

 

[arcsbite]

Best settings for the TV Handbrake rips are :

H.264 mp4

4700kbps constant bitrate video
48k stereo 256kbps bitrate audio

either 640X480 or 960X540 resolution ( 4:3 or 16:10 or 16:9 )

This will produce a large file.Around 100MB per every 5 minutes.

This is for the BEST quality.If I'm gonna watch something on my HDTV I want it to be of good quality.No matter how big the file is.

Thats' great but that woun't help when I want a 700-1400mb file per film.
I have just over 600 films to store, I don't think that would end well if each movie was 4-5GB each.

If I want to watch them in full quality, I'll just pop the DVD into my 360 and have it upscale.
this is to archive my library for fast access and easy browsing.

 

[Yvan256]

Best settings for the TV Handbrake rips are :

H.264 mp4

4700kbps constant bitrate video
48k stereo 256kbps bitrate audio

either 640X480 or 960X540 resolution ( 4:3 or 16:10 or 16:9 )

How can you get 960x540 from a DVD that is at most 720 pixels wide?

Also, 4700kbps is quite excessive for H.264, I would suggest 2000kbps or 2500kbps at most if you have enough storage room. The new version of HandBrake has new default settings which eliminate the obvious "bands" effect in gradients.

 

[crazzyeddie]

Use Handbrake and encode h.264 at 1500 or 2000kbps. That should give a file about 1.1-1.5GB, which is close to what you're looking for.

 

[myjellyass]

I'm in the UK, I own the DVD's so I'm allowed to own a back up

Actually, no you're not (I'm pretty certain). It is illegal to copy or reproduce it in any form and so therefore is illegal. However, it is the equivalent to copying a cd to a tape so you can listen to it in your car which is obviously obsurd. Morally, it is ok as long as it is for personal use only and so therefore nobody would bother enforcing what is quite obviously an outdated law. Just to get the facts right.

 

[Peace]

How can you get 960x540 from a DVD that is at most 720 pixels wide?

Also, 4700kbps is quite excessive for H.264, I would suggest 2000kbps or 2500kbps at most if you have enough storage room. The new version of HandBrake has new default settings which eliminate the obvious "bands" effect in gradients.

Sorry..I was referring to HD settings.

 

[arcsbite]

Actually, no you're not (I'm pretty certain). It is illegal to copy or reproduce it in any form and so therefore is illegal. However, it is the equivalent to copying a cd to a tape so you can listen to it in your car which is obviously obsurd. Morally, it is ok as long as it is for personal use only and so therefore nobody would bother enforcing what is quite obviously an outdated law. Just to get the facts right.

We have "fair dealing" rights in the UK, which makes it legal to own one copy of any media you eglally own.
if anything it would be considered a civil crime and not a criminal one, and would be absurd, much like you stated in the case of copying a cd to tape or recording a TV show to video.

Section 50A: Back up copies

50A.-(1) It is not an infringement of copyright for a lawful user of a copy of a computer program to make any back up copy of it which it is necessary for him to have for the purposes of his lawful use.

I'm sure the same applies to DVD media, but to be honest it's such bollocks I don't care either way lol

 

[mrgreen4242]

How can you get 960x540 from a DVD that is at most 720 pixels wide?

Non-square pixels being converted to square ones results in generating some extra resolution horizontally.

Back to the original question, if you're willing to go up a bit to 1gb you should get some very nice quality movies (better than the Xvid downloads) using h264 @ 1500 or so kbps. You can chose what looks best to you in terms of having a higher resolution file with slightly more compression artifacts or a lower resolution file with more detail per macroblock (less artifacts) by keeping a steady bitrate and adjusting the resolution up and down in handbrake. Also, the most important thing you can do to get high quality in a small file is check the two pass box!

I'd recommend getting a disc, pick a chapter that's a few minutes long and has a scene that's difficult to encode (like an action movie with lots of fast camera movement and explosions and such). Rip it in a couple of different settings, then play them back and evaluate which one is most acceptable to you. Write those settings down (or better type them into a dashboard sticky note) so you can rip consistently later.

Hope that helps!