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Handbrake

N

NutFlush920

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 31, 2011
280
34
I've been converting my blurays to digital m4v's and it's been slow. I was using the "Normal" preset and the time it took was almost equal to the length of the film. I've recently switched to the AppleTV 3 because I like the idea of keeping 5.1 surround sound audio which Normal didn't do. Encoding now takes about twice as long.

I'm using my 13" MBP which I know is only dual core. Question is would I be better off to just pick up a used quad core laptop on Craig's List for $150 and use that solely for encoding?

I rip the movie from BR to MKV using MakeMKV then encode that mkv file using Handbrake. 4 hours to encode a movie is a little excessive in my opinion.

Thanks for the advice.
 
Most BR's are h.264 codec. If that is the case with the ones you are converting, you have the option just to repackage it as an m4v using Subler. Takes minutes. Of course, you don't get the benefit of reduced file size.
 
mic j said:
Most BR's are h.264 codec. If that is the case with the ones you are converting, you have the option just to repackage it as an m4v using Subler. Takes minutes. Of course, you don't get the benefit of reduced file size.
Click to expand...

If I recall, if ATV sees a movie and its over a certain size, it wont play it. I know that Plex or XBMC did some work around by linking the movie previews or whatever ATV calls it to these over sized files in order for them to play (call it a hole in the ATV software). If I am incorrect about the size issue, by all means correct my statement.
 
NutFlush920 said:
I'm using my 13" MBP which I know is only dual core. Question is would I be better off to just pick up a used quad core laptop on Craig's List for $150 and use that solely for encoding?
Click to expand...
You'd probably see a benefit but it'd also depend on how old the system is. Processor clock speed has traditionally been the defining factor in video encoding speed, and while Handbrake will utilize multiple cores, a system with faster clock speeds will be faster than a system with more cores that is much slower. If you go for an older quad-core system and your 13" MBP is relatively new then there's a chance that you might not see much benefit.

If you're comparing clock speeds, also be aware of the "turbo boost" feature that all modern systems have (automatic temporary overclocking). It muddies the comparisons a bit.
 
Suggest a totally different approach. Convert your Blu Rays to .MKV first using Make MKV. This process runs much faster then going directly to MP4.

After you have converted a bunch of Blue Rays you can queue the .MKV files on handbrake with the apple tv3 settings to convert overnight or when you are not at home.

Even though you are running two processes instead of one you will find it completed quicker.
 
nebo1ss said:
Suggest a totally different approach. Convert your Blu Rays to .MKV first using Make MKV. This process runs much faster then going directly to MP4.



After you have converted a bunch of Blue Rays you can queue the .MKV files on handbrake with the apple tv3 settings to convert overnight or when you are not at home.



Even though you are running two processes instead of one you will find it completed quicker.
Click to expand...


This is pretty much exactally what I do.

Thing is if I wanna do a TV series such as House MD (177 hour long episodes) it'll take a month and a half of encoding 8 hours a night. Now, I could simply buy each season in iTunes for roughly $280 but, it costs so much more money to do that compared to buying a box set on Amazon for $150. Kinda dumb if you ask me. No reason digital should cost more then physical media.
 
phrehdd said:
If I recall, if ATV sees a movie and its over a certain size, it wont play it. I know that Plex or XBMC did some work around by linking the movie previews or whatever ATV calls it to these over sized files in order for them to play (call it a hole in the ATV software). If I am incorrect about the size issue, by all means correct my statement.
Click to expand...
There is no file size limit. You will find many posts in this forum on changing the container on a BR as an option to transcoding. It is not my personal approach, but it is an option. One thing to keep in mind that if the file is DTS, it will have to be converted to 5.1 Dolby. I think Subler (free) has the capability to do that. If not, there are other apps, such as the highly recommended MP4Tools (not free), which can be used.
 
crazzyeddie said:
FYI, there's no such thing as an i5 quad core for laptops. It is a dual core. This machine will probably be slower than you Macbook.
Click to expand...


Ok thanks. Seems as though I'm doing the best available option for now. Maybe some day I'll get an iMac.
 
mic j said:
There is no file size limit. You will find many posts in this forum on changing the container on a BR as an option to transcoding. It is not my personal approach, but it is an option. One thing to keep in mind that if the file is DTS, it will have to be converted to 5.1 Dolby. I think Subler (free) has the capability to do that. If not, there are other apps, such as the highly recommended MP4Tools (not free), which can be used.
Click to expand...

I did a quick check and read that ATV can play a file that is beyond 4 gigs if it is a 64bit encode. 32bit is limited to 4gigs. (not to confuse with bitrate)
 
phrehdd said:
I did a quick check and read that ATV can play a file that is beyond 4 gigs if it is a 64bit encode. 32bit is limited to 4gigs. (not to confuse with bitrate)
Click to expand...
Sorry, but your "quick check" is incorrect for the aTV3. I have a 9GB Lord of the Rings file, encoded with HB using the aTV3 preset (large file size check box, checked as part of the preset) which plays flawlessly.

Edit: After re-reading your post more carefully, you are correct. Checking the large file size option enables 64bit encode.
 
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