Handbrake settings?

[netmask56]

I would like to down convert an existing MKV file that is 1080p to 1080i or 720p using Handbrake. What would be the appropriate settings ?


General
Complete name : K:\MKV_1080p\Wedding reception
Format : Matroska
File size : 7.90 GiB
Duration : 2h 00mn
Overall bit rate : 8 472 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2007-09-04 19:11:39
Writing application : mkvmerge v2.0.2 ('You're My Flame') built on Feb 21 2007 23:40:55
Writing library : libebml v0.7.7 + libmatroska v0.8.1

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L5.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 8 frames
Muxing mode : Container profile=Unknown@5.1
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 2h 00mn
Bit rate : 7 920 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 8 338 Kbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 816 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 2.35:1
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.202
Stream size : 7.43 GiB (93%)
Writing library : x264 core 56 svn-667C
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:-4:-4 / analyse=0x3:0x133 / me=umh / subme=6 / brdo=1 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=2 / deadzone=4,6 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=3 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=1 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / wpredb=1 / bime=1 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40(pre) / rc=2pass / bitrate=8338 / ratetol=1.0 / rceq='blurCplx^(1-qComp)' / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ip_ratio=1.40 / pb_ratio=1.30 / zones=186543,195312,b=0.18 / aq=1:0.3:15.0
Language : English

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 2h 00mn
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 384 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Stream size : 369 MiB (5%)
Language : English

Text
ID : 3
Format : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Language : English

[edDV]

Convert to what?

And why? It is already over compressed.

[netmask56]

Their (my friends) media player will not play mkv files that have been encoded to 1080p but will handle 1080i or 720p ok - so as I said in my post I wish to use Handbrake to downscale this file to 720p or 1080i - same encoder etc. In other words if they had been given a 720p version to start with there wouldn't be a problem. The original no longer exists (freelance cameraman) so this is what I have to work with. Above all content is more important than whether the file is "over compressed" or not - actually it looks very good with professional lighting and exposure and when played on studio quality gear no obvious artifacts etc.. If you haven't actually got some positive suggestions don't bother replying.

[edDV]

Do you know what camera the (freelance cameraman) was using? 1080p/25 is not common unless transferred from film.

And no professional would offer a delivered product in an mkv wrapper. That is unless he/she was trying to prevent copies. Didn't you get a Blu-Ray? There must be a camera original somewhere. Maybe a lawyer would be more effective.

[poisondeathray]

2:35:1 AR and 1920x816 wouldn't be very common shooting formats either...

But anyways, what media player ? Some have specific restrictions, and you may have to some extra stuff

[netmask56]

I'm not in the USA where suing is common and besides he was a friend of the people (works in the industry) and not sure what camera maybe a RED? but I think it was a special arrangement. Anyhow I don't care about a deep analysis of the origins just interested in a solution. So if anyone knows the appropriate settings in Handbrake to downscale it that's what I'm interested in finding out. I'm a task driven person so if someone asks me how to do something I simply answer with the facts if I know them, I don't try to conduct 20 questions that's not the purpose of a video forum. If you don't know then consider the discussion closed.

[netmask56]

2:35:1 AR and 1920x816 wouldn't be very common shooting formats either...

But anyways, what media player ? Some have specific restrictions, and you may have to some extra stuff

Just found out the camera was a RED http://www.red.com/cameras/

[edDV]

Since the file is titled "Wedding Reception" I thought you were being gamed by a wedding videographer.

A Red can shoot 2.35 aspect 1920x816p at 25 fps. Few other cameras can.

For 1080i, you want to letterbox out to 1920x1080 (add 132 lines top and bottom), then recode 1080i/25 interlace, or for 720p, resize 1920x1080p to 1280x720p, then encode.

Handbreak is normally used to crop out letterbox rather than add it. I'll have to look closer at the settings to see if this is possible.

Maybe if you simply recode the 1920x816p to MPeg2 or xvid, the player might add the letterbox.

[aedipuss]

afaik handbrake will only make progressive mp4 or mkv. also it doesn't have an add borders feature only cropping. vegas, pp, an avisynth script, or maybe virtualdub might be able to do it.

can you cut and post a sample for people to test?