Handbrake filesize too big (17 GB) for Home Alone 2

[jakobscafe]

Hi I own bluray versions of Home Alone 1 and 2. Using same settings in Handbrake 0.10 RC 1 (High profile, Constant Quality RF 21, one audio track at 192 kbps, 1920X1080, Medium speed)
Home Alone 1 results in a 4 GB file, at about 5100 kbps, which is fine for me
Home Alone 2 results in a 17 GB file, at about 11000 kbs, which I think is way to much, for my liking.

Both files are encoded with the same settings, and I have also make a clean boot, and did Home Alone 2 again, with no difference.
I don't notice any quality difference between 1 and 2

Any Ideas why the filesize is so different - and what to do about it?
I have had many satisfying results using the settings mentioned above for other blurays, typical at 5-8 kbps

Right now I am trying to convert using 'avg bitrate, 2 pass encoding, at 5000 kbps.'

PC is a I7 3.gen, 8 GB ram, SSD drive, Windows 8.1

[jman98]

Perhaps you don't understand what "Constant Quality" actually means. "Constant Quality" means "Give me this quality no matter what size it produces". Different videos give different results. You've just been lucky until now that this setting has given you sizes that you are OK with. If you need a size based encode then you shouldn't use Constant Quality. Some videos do not compress very well under Constant Quality for a variety of reasons and looks like Home Alone 2 is an example of such a video. I don't use Handbrake so somebody else will have to suggest a better setting to give you a smaller file size.

[jakobscafe]

Thank you for your reply - No, I never really wondered too much about CQ - It just seems to work fine. When this one movie differes from the rest I'm getting curios as to why. This particular movie is not super sharp true HD with lots of details I can see - but perhaps the movie contains more data than meets the eye (c:

[Kerry56]

If you need a specific size, you can try VidCoder, which is a different GUI for Handbrake that offers a few additional options, including a two pass encode to a particular size.

[hogger129]

If you need a specific size, you can try VidCoder, which is a different GUI for Handbrake that offers a few additional options, including a two pass encode to a particular size.

EDIT: Found that VidCoder does support QSV same way as Handbrake.

Do I need to have Handbrake installed to use VidCoder? I'm interested in the same things as OP, but I want to have QSV so the process runs a bit faster. Kind of upset that Handbrake developer tore the target size function out.

[Detmek]

No, you only need VidCoder installed to use QSV encoder. VidCoder comes with handbrakeCLI.exe by default.

[jakobscafe]

I have tried using the Handbrake Denoise option with NLMeans set to Ultralight, and Grain.
This is taking a long time (5-7 fps) but it actually helps, the bitrate is reduced by 4mbit.
When watching the movie from the bluray disc there are quite some noise and speckles, which is why I suppose the CQ is struggling.
I still find it odd, that HA1 is about 1/4 size of HA2, using the same options. But nevermind, just glad that all movies aren't like HA2.
Thanks, and best regards.
PS: I have not tried VidCoder, since it uses Handbrake, and thus I must be able to do the same thing in Handbrake GUI as in VidCoder GUI.

[xenokira]

First: sorry to resurrect a month and a half old thread.
Second: OP, what did your final size end up being? I'm trying to rip Home Alone 2 now and was very surprised to see a 17GB file.

[redwudz]

From what I remember of Home Alone 2, there's nothing in the movie to justify a 17GB file.
I would just set the encoder to two pass, at 4GB or at max 8GB and be happy with that.

My backup of the movie is from my DVD with VidCoder at 19.5 CQ and about a 2GB MKV and looks OK to me.

[Meritocracy]

It's not at all surprising considering the Home Alone 2 BD contains lots and lots of grain. Attempting to accurately preserve details with a grainy source means using a higher than average bitrate and thus a corresponding bump in file size. It has nothing to do really with a "super sharp true HD with lots of details" source. In truth, a source containing the latter, has a much higher compressibility rate.

If you want to knock the file size down, do as jakobscafe subsequently did and apply some light denoising.

[xenokira]

Thanks guys, giving jakobscafe's denoising settings a try right now!