smallest file possible in DVD quality

[spiked4life]

I want to convert my DVD collection to a format that I can stream to my PS3. I have been experiencing with different settings in Handbrake and the default PS3 settings produced a file with really good quality, but it's just a tad too big for my liking. So what I would really appreciate some insight on is what format, (if I only need the main movie (subtitles would be great but not a requirement)), I can convert my DVD into if I want to keep the quality as good as possible, but with the smallest file-size possible.

[Baldrick]

What is the default PS3 settings in Handbrake? Like what video and audio codec, encoding mode, video frame size/resolotuin

I would use h264 video and try different one pass constant quality encoding settings(lower value=bigger file size). It should work fine to use handbrake for that or use ripbot264 or fairuse wizard.

Or just buy more HDD and don't shrink it all...

[guns1inger]

I convert them to MP4 files using Xvid4PSP and can get a DVD down to 1.5 - 2 GB with DVD quality, less depending on the movie.

[SCDVD]

@ guns1inger. How would you compare MP4 to XVID given similar files sizes? I use XVID files generated by Fair Use Wizard. The video quality is quite good with a 1.5 GB files size, 2-pass encoding. I haven't compared it with other file formats and I'm curious about the comparison.

[guns1inger]

Less blocking in dark or high action scenes, and it doesn't seem to have the same artifacting issues that Xvid has when encoding large areas of similar tonal values. Even at high bitrates, Xvid has blockiness and pulsing in areas of similar colour, such as plain walls or large expanses of sky. Give Xvid details and the issue goes away, but if the scene doesn't have those details, there is nothing you can do about it.

I generally find that what I can do in 1.5GB Xvid I can do without the artifacts in 1.2GB H264.

[spiked4life]

What is the default PS3 settings in Handbrake? Like what video and audio codec, encoding mode, video frame size/resolotuin

I would use h264 video and try different one pass constant quality encoding settings(lower value=bigger file size). It should work fine to use handbrake for that or use ripbot264 or fairuse wizard.

Or just buy more HDD and don't shrink it all...

Default handbrake is an MP4 file with H.264 (x264) average bitrate 2500. Audio is AAC with Dolby Pro Logic 2.

Doesn't ripbot and handbrake use the same x264 codec? So shouldn't the file come out the same if the same settings are used.

Anyway, am I correct in assuming that the general consensus is that the superior codec for this operation is H.264?

I used Fight Club as a test for the runs I did. It is a very dark movie. The default settings gave me a file that was about 2.6GB in size. I then forced Handbrake to produce a file that was only 1GB in size. I used VLC and MPC Home Cinema to play the files simultaneously on my screen. The largest file was played in MPC and the smallest file was played in VLC. The smallest file lacked a lot of detail and the colors looked really washed out.

But here's the really funny thing. I decided to switch the players around so that I played the smallest crappy wile with washed out colors in MPC and the biggest file with good colors and good detail in VLC. Guess what! The small crappy file no longer looked washed out. The colors looked just fine in MPC. The details still weren't' there but the colors looked just fine. The big file looked mostly the same in VLC but the colors didn't seem quite as strong as they did in MPC.

[jagabo]

But here's the really funny thing. I decided to switch the players around so that I played the smallest crappy wile with washed out colors in MPC and the biggest file with good colors and good detail in VLC. Guess what! The small crappy file no longer looked washed out. The colors looked just fine in MPC. The details still weren't' there but the colors looked just fine. The big file looked mostly the same in VLC but the colors didn't seem quite as strong as they did in MPC.

You can't compare two videos side by side using media players. One media player will use your graphics cards video overlay feature, the other will display on the desktop using Windows GDI. Video Overlay has separate video proc amp and scaling settings. The two will usually look different. If you must use media players use three. Start on playing some video you don't care about (this one will get video overlay). Then start two for the comparison.