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Best RF number for HD movies

M

marisarb

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 23, 2011
4
0
Now i just want convert some mkv HD movies (720 or 1080p) in very good quality. I want this movie watsh on my LED 40 FullHD TV.

I use Apple TV 2 present. Handbrake homepage says use an RF 22 +/-, but anothers forums says use 18 or 19. What value finally are the best?

And can i use same Framerate "Same as source" not 29.97 (NTSC Video) as default for Apple TV 2 present?

Thanks
 
Last edited:
A

AdrianK

macrumors 68020
Feb 19, 2011
2,230
2
marisarb said:
I use Apple TV 2 present. Handbrake homepage says use an RF 22 +/-, but anothers forums says use 18 or 19. What value finally are the best?

And can i use same Framerate "Same as source" not 29.97 (NTSC Video) as default for Apple TV 2 present?
Click to expand...

Welcome to lossy encoding, there's always a compromise between file size and quality, so there isn't exactly a 'best'. Personally I use 18.

Leave it as default (NTSC), it will use the same FPS as the source but limit anything >29.97 to 29.97.
 
northy124

northy124

macrumors 68020
Nov 18, 2007
2,293
8
marisarb said:
I use Apple TV 2 present. Handbrake homepage says use an RF 22 +/-, but anothers forums says use 18 or 19. What value finally are the best?

And can i use same Framerate "Same as source" not 29.97 (NTSC Video) as default for Apple TV 2 present?
Click to expand...
RF21 for 720p and RF18 for 1080p is what I have been taught told to use :)

With HD there is a high chance it is 23.976fps (24p) or if it is from France they for instance like to use 25p so leave it on Same as Source :) you will most likely never come across 29.97fps HD unless it is a HDTV Broadcast.
 
obsidian1200

obsidian1200

macrumors 6502
Jun 19, 2010
359
0
Albuquerque, NM
AdrianK said:
Leave it as default (NTSC), it will use the same FPS as the source but limit anything >29.97 to 29.97.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with this MOST of the time. For example, I remember when I encoded HP 6 and the frame rates started getting weird about 2/3 into the film. Changing the frame rate from "same as source" to "29.97" fixed that problem. That was a long time ago, and now I just leave it as 29.97. However there are some movies/tv shows where leaving it as 29.97 fps results in a loud scratch sound at the start of the encoded movie. It's loud enough to bother me, so I can't simply ignore it (especially if I'm watching a TV show at night; the pop is loud enough to disturb the roommates). Changing the FPS from 29.97 to same as source usually resolves this issue.

So really, depending on the results of your encode, I'd recommend sticking to the standard 29.97 FPS. If you run into problems, then you can try changing the framerate.

Also, I use a 20 for constant quality with DVDs. In a blind test, I couldn't tell the difference between a 20 and 18 to justify the file size difference, even on my 27 inch iMac, fullscreen mode. When I start encoding blu rays (well, if I do), I'll probably bump the quality up to a 18.
 
B

blevins321

macrumors 68030
Dec 24, 2010
2,768
96
Detroit, MI
I find 19.25 to be a good center point for my 720p TV. This resulted in about 5.9GB for Transformers and 3.2 for Starship Troopers, for comparison.
 
M

marisarb

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 23, 2011
4
0
So, i understand that better leave 29.97 NTSC video and use RF18
 
Last edited:
B

benh911f

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2009
427
447
obsidian1200 said:
I'd agree with this MOST of the time. For example, I remember when I encoded HP 6 and the frame rates started getting weird about 2/3 into the film. Changing the frame rate from "same as source" to "29.97" fixed that problem. That was a long time ago, and now I just leave it as 29.97. However there are some movies/tv shows where leaving it as 29.97 fps results in a loud scratch sound at the start of the encoded movie. It's loud enough to bother me, so I can't simply ignore it (especially if I'm watching a TV show at night; the pop is loud enough to disturb the roommates). Changing the FPS from 29.97 to same as source usually resolves this issue.

So really, depending on the results of your encode, I'd recommend sticking to the standard 29.97 FPS. If you run into problems, then you can try changing the framerate.

Also, I use a 20 for constant quality with DVDs. In a blind test, I couldn't tell the difference between a 20 and 18 to justify the file size difference, even on my 27 inch iMac, fullscreen mode. When I start encoding blu rays (well, if I do), I'll probably bump the quality up to a 18.
Click to expand...

I've actually had that pop sound on some of my TV DVDs I've ripped, and never knew why. So am I understanding correctly that for HD files, I should use 29.97 FPS and if it's SD it should be Same as Source?
 
A

AdrianK

macrumors 68020
Feb 19, 2011
2,230
2
Lets just be clear, you always want to encode at the same FPS as the source unless anything >29.97 is an issue. Using the default FPS option on the ATV2 preset (29.97 NTSC Video w/ Peak Framerate) will use the same FPS as the source but limit it to 29.97 if your content's FPS is >29.97 (for example 60/1001 FPS 720p HDTV).

northy124 said:
RF21 for 720p and RF18 for 1080p is what I have been taught told to use :)

With HD there is a high chance it is 23.976fps (24p) or if it is from France they for instance like to use 25p so leave it on Same as Source :) you will most likely never come across 29.97fps HD unless it is a HDTV Broadcast.
Click to expand...
Or use peak framerate, then you're covered in all cases.

obsidian1200 said:
I'd agree with this MOST of the time. For example, I remember when I encoded HP 6 and the frame rates started getting weird about 2/3 into the film. Changing the frame rate from "same as source" to "29.97" fixed that problem. That was a long time ago, and now I just leave it as 29.97. However there are some movies/tv shows where leaving it as 29.97 fps results in a loud scratch sound at the start of the encoded movie. It's loud enough to bother me, so I can't simply ignore it (especially if I'm watching a TV show at night; the pop is loud enough to disturb the roommates). Changing the FPS from 29.97 to same as source usually resolves this issue.

So really, depending on the results of your encode, I'd recommend sticking to the standard 29.97 FPS. If you run into problems, then you can try changing the framerate.

Also, I use a 20 for constant quality with DVDs. In a blind test, I couldn't tell the difference between a 20 and 18 to justify the file size difference, even on my 27 inch iMac, fullscreen mode. When I start encoding blu rays (well, if I do), I'll probably bump the quality up to a 18.
Click to expand...
I was advocating NTSC (I forgot peak framerate though :() as opposed to 'same as source' ;)

northy124 said:
You are using HD so no not 29.97 NTSC... Same as Source or 23.976fps!
Click to expand...
The OP was referring to an (encoded, though it's not relevant) Bluray source. There are some Blus encoded at 24FPS.

benh911f said:
I've actually had that pop sound on some of my TV DVDs I've ripped, and never knew why. So am I understanding correctly that for HD files, I should use 29.97 FPS and if it's SD it should be Same as Source?
Click to expand...
You should always encode at source FPS unless >29.97 is a problem for you, resolution doesn't come in to it.
 
obsidian1200

obsidian1200

macrumors 6502
Jun 19, 2010
359
0
Albuquerque, NM
benh911f said:
I've actually had that pop sound on some of my TV DVDs I've ripped, and never knew why. So am I understanding correctly that for HD files, I should use 29.97 FPS and if it's SD it should be Same as Source?
Click to expand...

I'd say to use 29.97 FPS for both unless you find that you get a popping sound in your video. If it's something that's very common in the SD encodes you've done, then you'll want to do them with the "same as source" fps option.

Just to clarify what I was saying earlier regarding that popping sound, I'd like to add that the source material, according to Handbrake's log, was always at 29.97 fps; so, in theory, there shouldn't have been a difference between telling handbrake to use "29.97 fps" or "same as source," but I found that it made the difference and the popping sound didn't come up using the "same as source" fps option.
 
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