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Once and for all: MKV to MP4

I have a few dumb questions:

1) What happens if you rip a 3D BluRay? I have a 3D TV, will it show up 3D or is the movie actually 2D?

2) Is there an ideal bitrate for HD? In handbrake Im using the default AppleTV2 preset and a movie like Dark Knight was a 2500 bitrate, but kiddie movies that I dont necessarily need the highest quality of (High School Musical 3, Chipmunks: Chipwrecked) were default encoded at 4800. Both "look" okay but Dark Knight is the lowest bitrate in my entire collection so far which seems odd so im wondering if I should do it again and force a higher bitrate. (Obviously im not understanding what bitrate means to the overall quality)

Thanks again. Im afraid im going to wear out my mini because its been chugging away at my collection for 3 days straight. :D
 
I took a look at IVI. It produces a file twice the size of an MVK processed with Handbrake using the Apple Universal setting. I'm very pleased with the Handbrake settings. Am I missing something?
 
charlien said:
I took a look at IVI. It produces a file twice the size of an MVK processed with Handbrake using the Apple Universal setting. I'm very pleased with the Handbrake settings. Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

If you like the video quality, then no, you're not missing anything. We all want the smallest file size possible with the best quality possible...right? HB's h.264 compression is very good and that's why we put up with the less than fancy GIU compared to other products. And did I mention...free?
 
charlien said:
I took a look at IVI. It produces a file twice the size of an MVK processed with Handbrake using the Apple Universal setting. I'm very pleased with the Handbrake settings. Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

IVI uses the HandBrake CLI for compression (albeit outdated). So my presumption would be different settings.

----------
mic j said:
HB's h.264 compression is very good and that's why we put up with the less than fancy GIU compared to other products. And did I mention...free?
Click to expand...

HB's GUI's are the way there are for a reason. Not fancy as you pointed out but imo very functional, which in the end is the main thing. They offer total transparency as to what you have chosen as opposed to hiding things in a simple one click interface. The presets should allow basically one click encoding but with that convenience ... you can still always see every single thing that HB is doing at any point.

With iVI I have no clue what settings are being passed to the HB CLI when it transcodes ... UI does not translate that to the user. Hence my previous statement about settings.
 
dynaflash said:
HB's GUI's are the way there are for a reason. Not fancy as you pointed out but imo very functional, which in the end is the main thing. They offer total transparency as to what you have chosen as opposed to hiding things in a simple one click interface. The presets should allow basically one click encoding but with that convenience ... you can still always see every single thing that HB is doing at any point.
Click to expand...

Said like a true scholar! ;) And that's exactly why I use it!!
 
mic j said:
If you like the video quality, then no, you're not missing anything. We all want the smallest file size possible with the best quality possible...right? HB's h.264 compression is very good and that's why we put up with the less than fancy GIU compared to other products. And did I mention...free?
Click to expand...

I'm always looking for the next great app. Handbrake + Identify are still my favorites.
 
Maybe this will let you look in, it does me......

dynaflash said:
IVI uses the HandBrake CLI for compression (albeit outdated). So my presumption would be different settings.

----------





With iVI I have no clue what settings are being passed to the HB CLI when it transcodes ... UI does not translate that to the user. Hence my previous statement about settings.
Click to expand...

I discovered that mediainfo, purchased off the mac store for .99, NOT TO BE CONFUSED with mediainfo Mac, lets me really look into all manner of files. In particular you can look into files created by iVI and many Video apps and see the HB string. I discovered that no matter the quality level I specified, iVI was using CQ20...I THINK it is varying the bit rate though, MDRP shows as using a CQ20 also...... Just find that interesting.
 
Hb cli

dynaflash said:
IVI uses the HandBrake CLI for compression (albeit outdated). So my presumption would be different settings.

----------



HB's GUI's are the way there are for a reason. Not fancy as you pointed out but imo very functional, which in the end is the main thing. They offer total transparency as to what you have chosen as opposed to hiding things in a simple one click interface. The presets should allow basically one click encoding but with that convenience ... you can still always see every single thing that HB is doing at any point.

With iVI I have no clue what settings are being passed to the HB CLI when it transcodes ... UI does not translate that to the user. Hence my previous statement about settings.
Click to expand...


Hey dynaflash, is there a way to replace the HB CLI within IVI by showing package contents or something? Would that break IVI.

I use handbrake for my own rips but every once in awhile I need to convert a WMV or AVI, don't care about the quality but like the drag and drop interface of IVI and iFlicks. Is there anyway to get better quality out of IVI by replacing the HB CLI?
 
spacepower7 said:
Hey dynaflash, is there a way to replace the HB CLI within IVI by showing package contents or something? Would that break IVI.

I use handbrake for my own rips but every once in awhile I need to convert a WMV or AVI, don't care about the quality but like the drag and drop interface of IVI and iFlicks. Is there anyway to get better quality out of IVI by replacing the HB CLI?
Click to expand...

Using iVI should give you a new file with more or less the exact same size as the source. If you want to use it to reduce file size, you'll need to reduce the quality (like from HD to SD, or to make it playable on iPods).

If you want to maximize the quality to size ratio, you're pretty much stuck with using HB.
 
hafr said:
Using iVI should give you a new file with more or less the exact same size as the source. If you want to use it to reduce file size, you'll need to reduce the quality (like from HD to SD, or to make it playable on iPods).

If you want to maximize the quality to size ratio, you're pretty much stuck with using HB.
Click to expand...

I think you missed what I was saying :)

IVI actually uses the Handbrake Command Line Interface ( HB CLI ) but like dynaflash ( one of the coders of Handbrake ) said, it uses an outdated version. I was just wondering if their is a way to get IVI to use the newer Handbrake engine.
 
spacepower7 said:
I think you missed what I was saying :)

IVI actually uses the Handbrake Command Line Interface ( HB CLI ) but like dynaflash ( one of the coders of Handbrake ) said, it uses an outdated version. I was just wondering if their is a way to get IVI to use the newer Handbrake engine.
Click to expand...
I know it does, but I I reckoned you thought that with just changing the engine, you would be able to get the same size/quality ratio with iVI as you would with HB (since you were talking about the difference in file size when the engine discussion started). My bad :)

But if I remember correctly, the first time I installed iVI I had to have HB installed already (or download it and install it) so that the engine would be present on the computer. Maybe my memory is way off, or they're now including the engine in iVI...

Maybe it's possible to edit the contents of iVI and add your own commands as standard? That way you could achieve better size/quality ratio without even touching the engine.
 
rgomes said:
Just wondering why people generally "rip" their Blu-ray collection. Isn't it better to always watch the BD as opposed to a "rip"?
Click to expand...

I mainly do it on principle. I've purchased many DVDs and Blu-rays, yet every time I pull them out to watch in a player, I have to sit through ads... and trailers... and FBI warnings... and menu loading screens... etc.

With a ripped version: you push play and the film begins. Perfect.
 
MacinJosh said:
You wanna walk in the park? Get the latest iFlicks. Ever since ATV3, I haven't re-encoded anything. Just throw in an MKV to iFlicks and it'll re-mux it super fast. It's got awesome tagging and 1080P tag support as well. Much faster and stabler than Subler. Subler is superior when you want to get into the nitty gritty which I seldom do.

I mean, iFlicks will take any XVID AVIs and remux them without re-encoding if you like!

MKW? Must be from Finland, lol.
Click to expand...
This. :)
 
brack said:
iFlicks for $ 1.99 today only! :D
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iflicks/id408937559?mt=12&ign-mpt=uo=4
Click to expand...

Thanks...for $2 I bought iFlicks it to try out.

As for programs to remux, I've been having the best luck with the combo of MP4tools and Identify. iVI seems to take much longer than MP4tools. And I am not comfortable with the Subler workflow.

I am still debating about converting my entire collection (95% MKV) over to M4V so that I can dispense with my Jailbroken Apple TVs (with old firmware).
 
jdag said:
Sure...but now I "own" it for $2...the price of a cup of coffee!
Click to expand...

I'm not saying you're wasting your money, I just felt it was weird buying it to try it when you could try it for free :)
 
hafr said:
I'm not saying you're wasting your money, I just felt it was weird buying it to try it when you could try it for free :)
Click to expand...

Understand...but in some way/shape/form I am very likely to use it at some point. I thought that the $2 spend (and purchase via the App Store) trumps the demo download (and presumably separate purchase process).

Besides...Apple stock is struggling and I thought I'd help them out of this funk their in! ;-)
 
I've tried iFlicks, iVI, mp4Tools, iDentify, metaZ, Simple Movie...you name it, and I have given them all a fair shot.

I always end up back at: MakeMKV (free), Handbrake (free), and Subler (free).

I do use mp4Tools($9)and MkvToolnix (free) for some specific tasks. I think the mp4Tools is going to be worth the $9 once it gets out of it's current beta phase. It's in the process of being re-written and changing encoders.
 
My favourites would be:

Magic Media Marker, iVI Pro, iFlicks, Subler. All of these allow moving mkv tracks to m4v (i.e. remux). Of course Handbrake is also great when transcoding.

Philip
 
rgomes said:
What's the best tool to convert MKWs to MP4s (to be played on ATV2)?

I've used Handbrake for years and it works well but it seems long to encode.

I tried MP4 Tools and that was quicker but not sure if I am choosing the correct settings.

From MP4 Tools:

Should I be choosing "Pass-Thru" under the audio section even though it is solid Red? "If Red, the option is not recommended".

If I choose AC3 5.1 I don't get an audio.

I've been selecting Pass- Thru and it seems to work okay but just wondering if I am losing any sound quality....

Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...


I'm still using VisualHub on Lion and ML.
 
I'm using Subler. I have about a terabyte of TV and Movies I've converted from MKV to M4V to stream to my Apple TV, and it's been great. I've only had a couple files it seemed to have issue with, but 99% of it has converted flawlessly.
 
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