Any other "all in one" converters than Handbrake?

[richpjr]

I like the all in one approach that Handbrake takes, but it is very unstable on my systems. Some movies rip just fine on my Mac Pro and yield very nice results. My problems is that a lot of movies cause it to crash at the end of the process, wasting a lot of processing time. I tried the Windows version (with AnyDVD) on another PC and while didn't crash, it either won't recognize some movies or if it did, I ended up with either an entire jerky movie or movies with an entire blocky green video. This is with the ATV preset and 2 pass encoding and turbo first pass checked and no other changes to settings.

It's hard to complain about a free application like Handbrake, but I just can't get good results out of it. Since I don't see others complaining about it, it must be something about my systems - or me! Has anyone used any other all in one tools (open source or commercial) that they can recommend?

 

[Cave Man]

Visual Hub. Costs money and doesn't do DVDs as well as HB. But, it can transcode a lot more source types.

 

[26139]

Solution

Are you using mac the ripper first?

That tends to make things run faster with less hassle, in my experience.

 

[richpjr]

No, I was using Handbrake for the entire process. I guess I can give that a try though I REALLY like just plopping a DVD in and firing it off.

 

[Peace]

Here's a good tool to use for DVD's before using Handbrake :
It's called Drive-In
http://www.flip4mac.com/drivein.htm

 

[26139]

okay

No, I was using Handbrake for the entire process. I guess I can give that a try though I REALLY like just plopping a DVD in and firing it off.

yes, but if you rip several dvds using mac the ripper, you can set up a queue on handbrake and do many at once.

 

[JimmyDreams]

No, I was using Handbrake for the entire process. I guess I can give that a try though I REALLY like just plopping a DVD in and firing it off.

True. What I do is MTR a bunch of movies into my Movie Master file, then I can go back later and HB them for whatever device I want....iPhone or TV versions.

Right now, I'm HB'ing a queue of 5 'movie masters' all for TV. And since they've already been MTR'ed, the only thing working really hard right now is my CPU. My CD drive is nice and quiet.

 

[richpjr]

I tried the rip and queue method last night with mixed results. I ripped 5 DVDs two of my PCs (2 on one and 3 on the other) last evening using AnyDVD. I tried queing the folders and one of the ripped DVDs was not recognized by HandBrake as being valid. I queued up the other 4 (2 on each PC) and fired them off before going to bed. I checked this morning and on one PC, Handbrake had exited and created nothing. On the other PC, 1 file was created, the queue was empty and I can't figure out what happened to the 2nd file. The one file that it created looks great and I guess I have the benifit of having the DVDs ripped but I surely am not having much luck here. I did rip and encode another DVD on my Mac Pro overnight with HandBrake and it worked fine.

Am I really the only one having this many troubles?

 

[26139]

Hmmm...

I've never had a problem with the Mac version of Handbrake. Perhaps the PC build is less reliable?

 

[MikieMikie]

I tried the rip and queue method last night with mixed results. I ripped 5 DVDs two of my PCs (2 on one and 3 on the other) last evening using AnyDVD. I tried queing the folders and one of the ripped DVDs was not recognized by HandBrake as being valid. I queued up the other 4 (2 on each PC) and fired them off before going to bed. I checked this morning and on one PC, Handbrake had exited and created nothing. On the other PC, 1 file was created, the queue was empty and I can't figure out what happened to the 2nd file. The one file that it created looks great and I guess I have the benifit of having the DVDs ripped but I surely am not having much luck here. I did rip and encode another DVD on my Mac Pro overnight with HandBrake and it worked fine.

Am I really the only one having this many troubles?

I never have a problem with Handbrake's queue. Unless I forget to change the name of the file before adding it to the queue.

 

[richpjr]

I've never had a problem with the Mac version of Handbrake. Perhaps the PC build is less reliable?

I'll copy the ripped files that didn't work on the PCs onto my Mac tonight and try queing them up over night to see if that makes a difference.

 

[JimmyDreams]

I never have a problem with Handbrake's queue. Unless I forget to change the name of the file before adding it to the queue.

I had a queue of 5 movies running in the new version of HB. 3 processed that I know of, and when I woke up this morning, HB had errored out. Dunno the status of the last 2 movies.....it was raining in SoCal this morning and that means a LONG commute due to stupid drivers. I had to leave early.....

 

[ayale99]

No, I was using Handbrake for the entire process. I guess I can give that a try though I REALLY like just plopping a DVD in and firing it off.

I do to. Simple and easy. but...

It usually takes around an hour and a half to convert a DVD with HB on my MBP.

How long does it take to convert a MTR'd VIDEO_TS with HB?

 

[wmealer]

I do to. Simple and easy. but...

It usually takes around an hour and a half to convert a DVD with HB on my MBP.

How long does it take to convert a MTR'd VIDEO_TS with HB?

Theoretically (my theory), either would take the same amount of time, since encoding is the true bottleneck, not your DVD or HDD drive speed. The rip first/ecode later model is less strenuous on your DVD drive.

 

[bilbo--baggins]

I had a queue of 5 movies running in the new version of HB. 3 processed that I know of, and when I woke up this morning, HB had errored out. Dunno the status of the last 2 movies.....it was raining in SoCal this morning and that means a LONG commute due to stupid drivers. I had to leave early.....

Handbrake 0.9.1 crashed every time I tried to use queues in Leopard, 0.9.2 is working fine for me so far.

 

[Burtonsnow9]

Handbrake on windows works just fine for me.

 

[richpjr]

Handbrake on windows works just fine for me.

That's what is frustrating - I seem to be having way more problems than everyone else is!

 

[Burtonsnow9]

That's what is frustrating - I seem to be having way more problems than everyone else is!

have you tried reinstalling it?
also what settings are you using when encoding?

 

[richpjr]

have you tried reinstalling it?
also what settings are you using when encoding?

Apple TV preset, 2 pass encoding, turbo first pass. No other changes.

 

[JimmyDreams]

Handbrake 0.9.1 crashed every time I tried to use queues in Leopard, 0.9.2 is working fine for me so far.

I'm using 0.9.2. Don't know why it crashed. I'll get to it later...I'm busy being lazy and watching rented content....

 

[chiefpavvy]

I've never had a problem with the Mac version of Handbrake. Perhaps the PC build is less reliable?

MUCH less reliable. I need to buy a Mac.

 

[Burtonsnow9]

Apple TV preset, 2 pass encoding, turbo first pass. No other changes.

These are the settings i use to stream to my xbox 360 and the movies look great. you might want to try to see if they yield better results for you.

Ripped previously to video_ts files
Encoded file saved as a .mp4
Preset:Normal
2-pass
turbo first pass
2500 average bitrate

 

[iphone guy]

iphone conversions

Folks I'm new to all this and hoping for some help after reading your thread. My goal is simple - I want to copy/convert/rip my LEGALLY purchased commercial movie DVDs in a format that itunes can use to download and watch on my iphone. I can certainly use itunes to rip my LEGALLY purchased music CDs so HOW do I do it for movies? I've read several reviews on handbrake, wondershare, popcorn 3, QT Pro and it seems that they are all meant for your homestyle DVDs - not commercial. Can someone help an old guy understand the easiest/simplest way to achieve my goal? Thanks!

 

[richpjr]

Folks I'm new to all this and hoping for some help after reading your thread. My goal is simple - I want to copy/convert/rip my LEGALLY purchased commercial movie DVDs in a format that itunes can use to download and watch on my iphone. I can certainly use itunes to rip my LEGALLY purchased music CDs so HOW do I do it for movies? I've read several reviews on handbrake, wondershare, popcorn 3, QT Pro and it seems that they are all meant for your homestyle DVDs - not commercial. Can someone help an old guy understand the easiest/simplest way to achieve my goal? Thanks!

Without getting into the legality of ripping DVDs you legally purchased...

Handbrake can both rip and encoded movies for your iPhone. There are other choices out there for ripping (AnyDVD on a PC or Mac The Ripper or a Mac) DVDs onto a hard disk for encoding.

 

[bentup]

For starters, I use Mac the Ripper and Handbrake for commercial DVDs, and a lot of the time it works. But the thing to remember is that every movie is different!!! Sometimes a title only extraction in MTR will work in Handbrake, sometimes you have to do a full disc extraction.

Its best to test (or atleast load) each movie in handbrake once before you encode it, but before you run your queue. DVDs can be very tricky. Zero cells, phony main features and other little quirks can mess up your entire queue. So far, I have been able to get every DVD I have tried to work, it just takes a little fussing

Check out the handbrake.fr forums to learn about how to check for all the tricks DVDs use.


But yeah, rip, then encode is MUCH more reliable, and easier on the disc drive.