Handbraked DVD to H.264... some questions...

[iBunny]

I am unfamiliar about all of this, I love that my mac can do these things, so I am playing with it... I am trying to rip all my DVDs into high quality videos, that I can store on my 1TB external HDD. I am not so worried about the size of the file, since I have alot of space. This is what i am doing so far...

First, I am ripping the DVD with MacTheRipper to my HDD. In full quality. I would normally keep this just like this, however I dont want to use VLC to open the TS folder and watch it that way. I have just discovered front row, and I can play MP4 / H.264 Movies with that, and I like it.

Then, I handbrake the movie into 1 file, no menus or anything, just the movie into MP4 - H.264... my questions are.

When I select 100% quality, I get a all white screen... no picture

I am un sure weather to use H.264 Main profile, or baseline (whats the DIFF?)

I am using 10000 kpbs as the quality of file, is this enough? Should I increase? Decrease?

I am using 2-Pass... i assume this gives better quality of the file.

is the H.264/MP4 better quality than the xVid/MP4? The xVid file is a larger size.... however I dont know if larger size = better quality.

Lastly, any information you can give to help would be appricated. I am just going for the best quality, size not too much of a concern as long as its not crazy. I just need this in 1 file, thats why i am not keeping the TS folders.

The only thing i have noticed (I dont know if my eyes deceive me) the H.264 looks better than the original DVD? I dont know if this is my perception or if it is reality... any input?

Someone mentioned to Rip the file I want into MP4 at 100% quality, then use QT Pro to convert it to H.264... your thoughts?

Thanks alot all, sorry for the long post

Semper Fi

 

[mahashel]

I use Handbrake to rip directly from DVD to H.264. I'm not sure if there's a benefit to using MacTheRipper first, then QT for encoding. Maybe someone else can speak to that.
Here's what I can tell you about Handbrake: 2-pass encoding is indeed best.
I encode to mp4: H.264 rather than AAC. Not a huge difference, aside from my (mis)conception that mp4 is a little more flexible regarding number of platforms I can view the movie on (windows, mac, linux).
I use the default H.264 profile, and leave the 10000 kbps the same.
The one thing I do change is the audio. I usually set it to the highest-level mp3 that I can. (I notice the compression at the default setting)
That's what works for me. I think it looks every bit as good as the original DVD except for very black scenes where the compression artifacts are visible.
Good luck!

EDIT: Missed a couple of the OP points.
I've not encountered the white-screen issue with Handbrake. However, I'm not using any other software. Perhaps that's causing the problem
Handbrake takes the main movie title off the DVD and makes one large file, which is nice. The only time I've needed other software (MacTheRipper, etc) is when ripping VCD's. Handbrake chokes on VCD's.

 

[TAV]

I am unfamiliar about all of this, I love that my mac can do these things, so I am playing with it... I am trying to rip all my DVDs into high quality videos, that I can store on my 1TB external HDD. I am not so worried about the size of the file, since I have alot of space. This is what i am doing so far...

First, I am ripping the DVD with MacTheRipper to my HDD. In full quality. I would normally keep this just like this, however I dont want to use VLC to open the TS folder and watch it that way. I have just discovered front row, and I can play MP4 / H.264 Movies with that, and I like it.

Ripping from the MTR'd Video_TS is a smart move. Encoding directly from DVD to Handbrake will put wear and tear on your drive over time.

Then, I handbrake the movie into 1 file, no menus or anything, just the movie into MP4 - H.264... my questions are.

When I select 100% quality, I get a all white screen... no picture

Not uncommon at 100% constant quality and H.264. Very common in fact, and big-time overkill.

I am un sure weather to use H.264 Main profile, or baseline (whats the DIFF?)

Main profile for movies at full-screen; baseline for things like video Ipods.

I am using 10000 kpbs as the quality of file, is this enough? Should I increase? Decrease?

10,000 kbps? Big-time overkill. You're going to end up spending a ton of time doing the encoding, only to get a file that is as large as the source Video_TS. I realize size is not a concern, so if you want to experiment this way, select constant quality and move the bar to 85%

I am using 2-Pass... i assume this gives better quality of the file.

Yep - good call.

is the H.264/MP4 better quality than the xVid/MP4? The xVid file is a larger size.... however I dont know if larger size = better quality.

Nope - stick with either MPEG-4 (using ffmpeg which is much faster on the Mac) or H.264 in this case - which is your preference.

Lastly, any information you can give to help would be appricated. I am just going for the best quality, size not too much of a concern as long as its not crazy. I just need this in 1 file, thats why i am not keeping the TS folders.

The only thing i have noticed (I dont know if my eyes deceive me) the H.264 looks better than the original DVD? I dont know if this is my perception or if it is reality... any input?

Someone mentioned to Rip the file I want into MP4 at 100% quality, then use QT Pro to convert it to H.264... your thoughts?

Without getting technical, the bottom line is that encoding twice as someone suggested to you is not only unnecessary, it will simply degrade the source file even further. As well, the QTPro encoding process takes forever.

The advantage of H.264 is better quality at lower bitrates (as opposed to high bitrates, where you might actually think a MPEG-4 encode looks better than one in H.264. Try a Video_TS encode via Handbrake at 1700 avg. bitrate, 2-pass encoding using X264 Main Profile and outputting to AVC/H.264 Video AAC Audio in a MP4 file format. I believe you will find those settings sufficient for your needs. FYI: be sure to check your source file for horizontal artifacts and such by selecting Picture Settings option in Handbrake. Depending on the DVD, you may want to deinterlace as well.

 

[vniow]

See this guide.

 

[TAV]

vniow - that's a guide for ripping to iPod Video - not what the poster was looking for.

ibunny - I also just ripped Forrest Gump as a MPEG-4 file and had excellent results on my 20 inch imac duo with the following settings (just in case you want to experiment versus H.264):

MPEG-4 Video, 720X304, AAC 44.100 kHz

Data Size: 2.92 GB

Data Rate (avg.) 3000 kbps

Duration: 2:21:57.30

 

[iBunny]

Thank you, I appricate all the good advice.

Thank god there is a good program like handbrake for free

Now only if we could get a program like Popcorn/Toast for free too