Formally known as: Handbrake...Is there such a thing as this?

[cwazytech]

Is there such a thing as not getting the perfect encode with Handbrake? I have an MKV file that I'm trying to convert to an m4v format. The MKV file plays flawlessly. At the beginning of the video, there is a scene that fades from black into a scene that has trees in it. Every time I run this through Handbrake(ATV3 quality), that opening scene starts off real pixelated until the fade-in is complete. I have changed many settings; a tweak here and a tweak there. No matter how many times I run it, the pixelation still occurs. So, is there such a thing as not getting the perfect encode?

[simsaladimbamba]

You already have a highly compressed source, why not try using another tool, that does not involve transcoding, but only rewraps from an .MKV container to an .MP4/.M4V container, like this small tool to convert video containers without reencoding or Subler or MKVToolnix (extensive, but older guide from 2008)?

[cwazytech]

Originally Posted by simsaladimbamba

You already have a highly compressed source.

What do you mean? This mkv file is a direct copy from a disc. Full quality, I thought.

[Tweak3D]

Originally Posted by cwazytech

What do you mean? This mkv file is a direct copy from a disc. Full quality, I thought.

did you make the MKV yourself? The ones i've made run about 20-40GB each and have never had an issue. If you've obtained it elsewhere, it may have already been down converted once which is quite common.

[Macman45]

I've kind of traded HB for MKV which I find better..I bought into the BETA deal in the hope that 3D support will come soon. It's faster than HB, but is not yet as comprehensive in terms of settings etc.

Still have Handbrake though.

[Menneisyys2]

Originally Posted by simsaladimbamba

You already have a highly compressed source, why not try using another tool, that does not involve transcoding, but only rewraps from an .MKV container to an .MP4/.M4V container, like ... MKVToolnix

MKVToolnix can't remux per se. (It's a great MKV track editor / splitter, though.)

[cwazytech]

I have tried Googling my above question every which way, and gotten no where. I also searched these forums for older threads on Handbrake and saw many people getting the same results I used to get before upgrading to the latest Nightly build. I found that interesting. So, I've decided to try the ATV3 preset on version 0.9.8. Crossing my fingers. The Nightly build just got way to advanced for me, I guess.

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by Menneisyys2

MKVToolnix can't remux per se. (It's a great MKV track editor / splitter, though.)

Thanks for the correction. I once remuxed an MKV to an .mp4 with an application, and thought it was this one, Probably was another one then. Tired.

[hipnetic]

We've already explained to you in detail everything you need to know, but you seem to be deaf to what we've told you. Short version: You can't get a high quality end result sub-3GB file, with a 1080p grainy 2+ hour source.

[cwazytech]

Originally Posted by hipnetic

We've already explained to you in detail everything you need to know, but you seem to be deaf to what we've told you. Short version: You can't get a high quality end result sub-3GB file, with a 1080p grainy 2+ hour source.

I think you should re-read my posts. I'll break this down. It's a 54min(Not 2+ hour or 2 hour. Not even 1.5 hours) 1080 program that used to encode to a file size of 2.40 gig file under the ATV3 preset. Only change is that I slid the RF slider down to 18. Since upgrading to the latest Nightly, the same preset now encodes the same file(again, less than one hour) to 6.37gigs.

[mic j]

Originally Posted by cwazytech

Is there such a thing as not getting the perfect encode with Handbrake? I have an MKV file that I'm trying to convert to an m4v format. The MKV file plays flawlessly. At the beginning of the video, there is a scene that fades from black into a scene that has trees in it. Every time I run this through Handbrake(ATV3 quality), that opening scene starts off real pixelated until the fade-in is complete. I have changed many settings; a tweak here and a tweak there. No matter how many times I run it, the pixelation still occurs. So, is there such a thing as not getting the perfect encode?

First, make sure the pixelation is not in the source (disc), if it's not, then check to see if it's in the mkv. Use the same viewing source for both. I would suggest VLC but anything that will play both disc and file works. Also, if you are seeing pixelation on your computer screen, check the mp4 on your tv. I have run into sometimes seeing pixelation on my MBP but not on the mp4 through the aTV. Just trying to save a lot of effort by making sure there really is a problem. There have been several posters with "quality problems" only to find out after a few posts later that their source material was the issue.

[cwazytech]

Problem solved. It wasn't the source material. That played perfectly. I really don't understand the solution. I just updated HB to the latest Nightly version. I used the ATV3 preset just as I did with the previous version of HB. So, I'm not sure what changed, but whatever. Problem solved. Was kind of hoping Dynaflash would have some input.

[dynaflash]

Originally Posted by cwazytech

Problem solved. It wasn't the source material. That played perfectly. I really don't understand the solution. I just updated HB to the latest Nightly version. I used the ATV3 preset just as I did with the previous version of HB. So, I'm not sure what changed, but whatever. Problem solved. Was kind of hoping Dynaflash would have some input.

So the nightly solved your issue ?

[cwazytech]

Originally Posted by dynaflash

So the nightly solved your issue ?

Yep. I changed all sorts of settings on the version I was using. Then I decided to upgrade to the latest Nightly and the issue went away. Now, it had been a while since I last updated my Nightly version. Months.

[dynaflash]

Originally Posted by cwazytech

Yep. I changed all sorts of settings on the version I was using. Then I decided to upgrade to the latest Nightly and the issue went away. Now, it had been a while since I last updated my Nightly version. Months.

yep, new version uses a bit different x264 settings. pretty close but uses (as I am sure you noticed on the video tab) x264 presets with an additional string. Glad to hear it fixed your problems. I hadn't noticed a diff on my encodes but its good to know its a bit better in some cases.

[cwazytech]

Well, I can't seem to access my logs back that far. The best I can do is tell you that I used the ATV3 preset in Nightly version 4190svn and slid the RF value to 18.

[dynaflash]

Originally Posted by cwazytech

Well, I can't seem to access my logs back that far.

They are kept forever unless you manually erased them.

https://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/ActivityLog

The Individual Encode Activity Log File

Starting with 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.

Important Note: starting with OS X 10.7 "Lion", the ~/Library/ directory is hidden and can't be accessed using regular Finder navigation. You can open the folder directly from the Activity Window (see above), or use the Finder's Go > Go to Folder… menu item (setting it to ~/Library/Application Support/HandBrake/).

[dynaflash]

Originally Posted by cwazytech

The best I can do is tell you that I used the ATV3 preset in Nightly version 4190svn and slid the RF value to 18.

Er, you mean this svn 4190 from a year and a half ago ?

https://trac.handbrake.fr/changeset/4190

----------

I find it *very* hard to believe you used the AppleTV 3 preset in 4190 since I did not put it in HandBrake until much later in this svn commit:

https://trac.handbrake.fr/changeset/4784

which was about 7 months ago. There is no way you used that nightly from 4190 since the AppleTV 3 did not exist at that time.

You seem to be off by oh, about a year.

[cwazytech]

There's a good chance I could be mistaken. A real good chance. I know that whichever version I had, did have have an ATV3 preset, and I don't think it was that long ago since I upgraded.

[dynaflash]

Well, did you erase your activity logs ? If not you can retrieve these if you really want to find out what the issue is. Otherwise, not much to say.

[cwazytech]

Originally Posted by dynaflash

Well, did you erase your activity logs ? If not you can retrieve these if you really want to find out what the issue is. Otherwise, not much to say.

I didn't erase them. At least, not that I know of. I did delete older versions of Handbrake(Nightly).

[dynaflash]

deleting or replacing hb does not remove the activity logs. they are found according to the instructions a couple posts up.

[cwazytech]

Originally Posted by dynaflash

deleting or replacing hb does not remove the activity logs. they are found according to the instructions a couple posts up.

I shall do that and get back to you. Thanks.

[cwazytech]

Originally Posted by dynaflash

deleting or replacing hb does not remove the activity logs. they are found according to the instructions a couple posts up.

I found my logs. As I expected, I was encoding using the H264 Levels:

mixed-refs=1:b-adapt=2:b-pyramid=none:trellis=0:weightp=0:vbv-maxrate=5500:vbv-bufsize=5500

And yes, I realize that this was probably used in the ATV2 preset. I will adjust accordingly.