2017 m3 MacBook for Handbrake

[Kilgrave]

Does anyone have experience of using handbrake on the 2017 m3 MacBook? I had previously been using it on an iMac late 2009 core 2 duo which has just died on me.

I appreciate the one port problem etc, I’m happy to get an appropriate dongle. I’m more concerned with how hot the cpu might get when encoding a full movie and the potential for hardware failure if this is done frequently - I’m consolidating all of my large dvd collection onto my NAS and still have a lot of discs to do. Also if you have used it, does using a low power cpu mean the encode takes much longer than something comparable to a 2009 core 2 duo?

Moderators: If this kind of question is not allowed please remove, I appreciate the legal conundrum of ripping dvds. Rest assured this is only for my conveniece. I do not intend to sell my dvds once the process is complete.

 

[EugW]

I wouldn't recommend a Core m3 MacBook for Handbrake. it's a dual-core CPU with no fan and lower end performance. Perfect for surfing and office applications, and even light multimedia stuff, but it's not the ideal machine for extended software-based video encoding.

Personally, I would recommend waiting for a 2018 quad-core 13" MacBook Pro, or getting a new 2018 hex-core iMac. The m3 MacBook would be faster than your Core 2 Duo iMac, but a 2018 MacBook Pro would be way, way faster than the MacBook, and a 2018 iMac would be in a totally different league than even the 2018 MacBook Pro.

P.S. I have a Core m3 MacBook. I love its portability, etc. but I don't do heavy lifting on it. I reserve that for my 2017 iMac.

 

[Patcell]

I would tend to agree that the M3 MacBook would not be a great choice for Handbrake encoding. On paper the Core M3 is a decent CPU, but it will be greatly limited by the lack of active cooling in the MacBook. Even a current 2017 dual-core 13" MacBook Pro would run circles around any of the MacBook configurations in that kind a sustained-load situation.

The 12" MacBook is a great machine, but just not intended for this type of workload.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

I've used Handbrake not on my i5 MacBook but on my 2016 M5 which I had before that. It didn't get on too well with it, making it very very hot. Time wise, it tended to rip in real time which means 2 hours for a 2 hour film.

Having read MacRumours forums, I tried the trial version of MDRP Mac DVD Ripper Pro which worked very nice and was so easy to use. Again, it ripped in real time. I do feel however, that it puts a lot of stress on the MacBook - maybe i'd be happy ripping one disc a month.

However, I've only had to use this for maybe 5 DVDs - Wild Style, breakdancing documentary, The Rebound, Summer Lovers - Films that are not available on iTunes at present - I will buy from in HD from iTunes when available however as the picture quality is far superior to that of DVD.

For me, I sold my 2-3 month old Panasonic 4K BluRay player which was used once maybe twice and being 100% honest, I decided there and then, to spend the money on iTunes buying HD replacements of the DVDs that I had. For me, this was such a nicer option. Picture quality far superior - 4K HDR/DV and soon Dolby Atmos in some cases, wonderful multi platform - I travel so being able to watch film on my iPhone X on the Eurostar / plane is essential or simply watching a favourite part of a movie in bed with an espresso on a Saturday morning is just fab! ALSO and VERY IMPORTANTLY, here in Europe/UK, DVDs are speeded up to 4% due to frame rate. Listening to the film on iTunes & comparing the DVD is truly incredible - how the heck Hollywood got away with speeding up films on DVD/video is horrific - it totally changes the whole film!!!!!!!!!!! Even the actors voices sound different when speeded up.

I'd already replaced favourite films over the years with iTunes HD copies and I only had maybe 20 that I replaced with iTunes HD/4K versions recently - some were only £3.99/£5.99 (the most being £7.99) AND it works so much better for me. Ripping DVDs is so time consuming and being honest, I feel that it puts a lot of stress on a computer when doing it frequently.

Apple seem highly committed to iTunes with films upgraded to 4K Dolby Vision and soon Dolby Atmos and for me, it's a far nicer option than using a disc based system. Plus I can download the 1080p HD version and keep it in 3 minutes with my super fast fibre.

 

[Kilgrave]

Thanks for all of your replies. You all confirmed what I thought. I don’t think I’d be comfortable keeping the m3 under sustained load over and over again.

Never mind, project on hold until I can think of something better to use that won’t cost a fortune. Whilst I would love to get a new iMac, I just don’t have a use case for it beyond this project. My MacBook does everything else I need.

 

[EugW]

Thanks for all of your replies. You all confirmed what I thought. I don’t think I’d be comfortable keeping the m3 under sustained load over and over again.

Never mind, project on hold until I can think of something better to use that won’t cost a fortune. Whilst I would love to get a new iMac, I just don’t have a use case for it beyond this project. My MacBook does everything else I need.

A 2018 13” quad-core MacBook Pro would be a good solution then. If Apple offers quad in the non-TB model, then the cost would not that much different from a 12” MacBook.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

Thanks for all of your replies. You all confirmed what I thought. I don’t think I’d be comfortable keeping the m3 under sustained load over and over again.

Never mind, project on hold until I can think of something better to use that won’t cost a fortune. Whilst I would love to get a new iMac, I just don’t have a use case for it beyond this project. My MacBook does everything else I need.

Maybe do what I now do, if you need to rip many DVDs why not rip them on your old Mac? And then save your new MacBook for nicer, less demanding tasks? Ripping DVDs is very time consuming and now my idea of fun especially for crappy low res DVD picture quality. The trouble is in this wonderful HD, 4K, Dolby Vision world that we now live in, DVDs and their 480p image really have no place and should have been rightly left in the last century along with the internal combustion engine

 

[Kilgrave]

Maybe do what I now do, if you need to rip many DVDs why not rip them on your old Mac? And then save your new MacBook for nicer, less demanding tasks? Ripping DVDs is very time consuming and now my idea of fun especially for crappy low res DVD picture quality. The trouble is in this wonderful HD, 4K, Dolby Vision world that we now live in, DVDs and their 480p image really have no place and should have been rightly left in the last century along with the internal combustion engine

That’s what I was doing until my old iMac died. As you say it’s a slow and boring process but the quality is ok for watching on an iPad or phone. Luckily I’ve managed to get my iMac up and running again - just hard drive failure and I had a spare drive lying around. Pretty much everything I’d done so far is on my NAS so I didn’t lose much.

 

[Kierikka]

Nice that the iMac works again. My advice would have been to buy an older second hand mac and make the rips on and when finished sell it, depending on how many movies you needed to rip.
I had a lot of DVDs and VHS a couple of years ago that I ripped. But I only ripped those that I could not find on Netflix or other online service (iTunes Store) and that I really wanted to watch again. I realised that it was not many movies I needed to rip and in the end most of my ripping was of old home movies that I save in my Pictures. I had an Macbook 13” that I was going to sell that I used for the ripping and then sold it. Looking back after about 5 years since I ripped those movies I wanted I have maybe watched 3-4 of 29 DVD movies.
For me the time and effort to rip all movies I had would have taken to much so I decided that for that little extra cost of buying it again was worth it and when I look at how few movies I watch of those I am glad that I didnt put more time on it. Good luck with all the ripping