StaxRip

[LigH.de]

StaxRip as only a GUI is the least to blame here. Either Nero AAC Encoder makes mistakes, or the used multiplexer for your target container. Running them is (more or less) everything StaxRip does. If you get good results after repeatedly encoding the audio, it's probably the Nero AAC Encoder which does mistakes.

You may want to switch to QAAC, it even has a slightly better quality. To avoid installing iTunes unnecessarily, you can use the "makeportable" batch to extract the CoreAudioToolbox DLL's from the iTunes64 installer and add them to the qaac encoder stub CLI application.

[xxxxx12345]

QAAC works fine, thank you LigH

[RalphYoung]

Hi.
I'm re-ripping my 1080p Bluray files to x265 using StaxRip using the following settings:

--crf 18 --preset placebo --no-high-tier --profile main10 --level-idc 5.1 --output-depth 10 --pmode --pme

Here's my question: isn't it likely I'll lose my keyframes and while new ones are generated from partials?

Shouldn't StaxRip extract a list of keyframes from the source and then force those when encoding the destination? (or am I overthinking it?)

[LigH.de]

Do you really believe to benefit from preset placebo, and from pmode, and from pme? Or do you use parameters without knowing their meaning, only in the belief that they improve anything? (like placebo medics rely on your belief)

And no, every time you re-encode a movie, the encoder will decide on its own where a keyframe may be efficient, it does not know where keyframes existed in the original video. Any converter tool based on AviSynth will feed the encoder with a stream of uncompressed frames. To reproduce keyframes like in the original video, you would have to create as many zones as GOPs... and would you be sure that the choice in the original video was optimal for the new video format of your copy?

[RalphYoung]

Thanks for you reply, and no, if I was certain I wouldn't be asking.

So my question is first academic. If it were possible to ensure the same key frames in a 264 > 265 RIP would that minimize generational loss? The follow-up question is that a worthwhile feature (given the complexity you mention)

as to your other questions, I have a dual 8-core Xeon system (16 total) and --pmode --pme increase my cpu utilization. Second, I don't mind the extra time placebo adds even knowing it's a diminishing return. I'm in no hurry. And yes, PME adds even more time because it bypassing early-outs.

also, I'm working from bru-ray folders so I assume the source files have intentionally place i-frames.

[LigH.de]

Dual socket system ... okay, in this case pmode and pme may help in specific situations. But preset placebo is usually rather wasting time and electric energy than preserving the last little bit of quality. Also it may hurt the compatibility to playback devices. I would in general not recommend presets slower than "slower" for casual use.

Encoders usually encode most efficiently when they are allowed to decide on their own where to put which kind of frame in a GOP. They will usually sync with scene cuts. But HEVC has a more flexible GOP layout than AVC, it may even insert I frames which can be skipped by references (imagine a photo flash). And HEVC has a different quantization scheme than AVC, so the whole content will be quantized differently, anyway. It doesn't matter much whether you could preserve the frame types, there will be additional loss caused by different quantization factors anyway.

The only sensible reason to force GOP starts may be to preserve an exact position of chapters. But trying to preserve all GOPs of an original video for a copy in a different format will not increase quality preservation, the other encoder for your copy will have a different optimum, compared to the encoder used in the original movie (and you can not even be sure that the original movie had optimally distributed GOPs to begin with, e.g. may have been encoded by a fast hardware encoder, just in a generous bitrate, so you won't notice artifacts).

The current versions of x265 provide a better control over the GOP lookahead, which is indeed a good tool to optimize the GOP distribution according to the needs of the video material.

[RalphYoung]

Thanks. I'll eventually get impatient so maybe "slower" is in my future. Couple of other things you didn't comment on. Is "18 - Higher" a quality setting for 1080p or will I see improvements going higher? Second, I'm converting eight-bit to ten but my current display only does eight. I'm told it's a best practice regardless. Thoughts?

[TheFireRed]

Hi, I've spent all day trying to figure this out, but I finally made it.

I was trying to encode a video with Advanced SubStation Alpha vector graphics. Aegisub shows everything correctly. Embedded subs in a MKV container plays everything correctly. But StaxRip won't encode the video. After trial and error, I found out that StaxRip doesn't like encoding vector graphics with floating-point coordinates. Here's a sample. https://www.dropbox.com/s/2i503oczmlium87/pop.7z?dl=0

This is certainly a pity because I use a vector to .ASS converter that only works with floating-point coordinates.

Any suggestions or alternatives?

[LigH.de]

StaxRip is only a user interface. StaxRip does not render. StaxRip only creates an AviSynth script and feeds its output to encoders. AviSynth would render subtitles, if it is able (means, if there is a plugin which supports the desired format).

If you don't see vector subtitles, then the reason may be that there is no AviSynth plugin yet which supports ASS vector graphic subpictures. I don't know if any exist yet, at all... I would ask in the doom9 forum as well, did not yet find any references there.
_

Quick reply by sneaker: VSFilterMod may fail, but (xy-)vsfilter and assrender should support them

[TheFireRed]

StaxRip is only a user interface. StaxRip does not render. StaxRip only creates an AviSynth script and feeds its output to encoders. AviSynth would render subtitles, if it is able (means, if there is a plugin which supports the desired format).

If you don't see vector subtitles, then the reason may be that there is no AviSynth plugin yet which supports ASS vector graphic subpictures. I don't know if any exist yet, at all... I would ask in the doom9 forum as well, did not yet find any references there.
_

Quick reply by sneaker: VSFilterMod may fail, but (xy-)vsfilter and assrender should support them

Video encoding is a new concept to me and I'm still learning how everything functions together. Thank you for the explanation, and for posting about it in the doom9 forums!

[LigH.de]

You could test if a new VSFilterMod build works as well.

[Ozziemate]

Hi everybody,

I am in the need of some assistance.

Since an odd 6 months I am using StaxRip which suits me very well. I made the switch from Handbrake after I start purchasing UHD movies and place them on my NAS for viewing throughout the house (got 5 smart TV's from which 2 UHD). This is the best approach for me as my Internet service still belongs at the start of the 2000's. It is crap. My method of processing the content works great however I bumped in a problem which I struggle to resolve.

The UHD movies which are sourced from original 70mm negatives contain a large amount of grain. It personally doesn't disturb me when viewing but X265 seems to struggle with this and it leads to very large video files. With X264 and Handbrake I simply applied a filter (HQDN3D) at very low settings which removed a bit of the grain and the problem of file size was resolved to acceptable levels.

But how do I reach the same outcome with X265 and StaxRip?
Which filter is the best to select? RemoveGrain or another one?

Some advice is greatly appreciated as trail and error is rather bothersome with encoding times around the 24-30 hours.

Cheers.

[LigH.de]

The x265 encoder has a grain tuning to preserve most of it when desired, but it may cost a multiple of the bitrate; in the opposite direction, you can try the noise reduction (or rather, noise modelling) parameter --nr with an integer value of some hundreds, up to thousand. If you want to filter, though, RemoveGrain is one commonly used filter for this task, but may require some tuning to the specific material for optimal results.

[Ozziemate]

The x265 encoder has a grain tuning to preserve most of it when desired, but it may cost a multiple of the bitrate; in the opposite direction, you can try the noise reduction (or rather, noise modelling) parameter --nr with an integer value of some hundreds, up to thousand. If you want to filter, though, RemoveGrain is one commonly used filter for this task, but may require some tuning to the specific material for optimal results.

Thank you for your brief but very clear outline of the possible options available.

Currently testing the "tune grain" and "nr 500" options, each on one NUMA node. I grabbed the Bridge of the River Kwai movie as the video stream clocks in at 55.8Mbps and 63.0GB.

Cheers.

[EDIT]
Cancelled the "tune grain" encoding, the file size simply becomes to big if I extrapolate.
"--nr-intra 1000 --nr-inter 1000" seems to bring the size back to 17.0GB.
Checked the completed part, still plenty of grain (which is ok) and I can't see a visual difference. Perhaps a winner.

[inspector_plodder]

I'm trying to convert a movie with HEVC video and AAC audio so it'll play on TV thru my WDTVLive Streaming player (wired, not wireless).

I don't think the AAC audio is a problem - its just the HEVC video that WDTV can't handle.

OK, so I run StaxRip and the file now plays OK, but the WD screen says 'Unknown audio'. And, of course, there's no sound.

Checking the newly converted file with MediaInfo, it tells me the video is AVC, but the audio is now OPUS, and it appears that this format isn't playable in WDTV.

How can I get StaxRip to leave the audio in its original AAC format?

Also, re Audio, I have no idea what the two boxes at bottom are for. They say 'right click' but both boxes then populate with data beginning with 'FLAC....'

If these are say, Before and After boxes, I would have expected the current 'AAC' audio to show in one, with the other open for input about the desired audio format. Or just to be left as is, in its original format.

Help, please

[monster75]

You converted also the audio track. You had to select 'just mux'. Now the fastest way i think is to mux the avc track with the original aac one.

[inspector_plodder]

monster75: Thanks for your response. Actually, it's just as easy for me to run the full conversion again. Can you explain where this audio setting is?

Sorry to be dumb, but I find the GUI confusing.

Cheers

[monster75]

monster75: Thanks for your response. Actually, it's just as easy for me to run the full conversion again. Can you explain where this audio setting is?

Sorry to be dumb, but I find the GUI confusing.

Cheers

It's ok! At the beginning staxrip gui can seem not user friendly but after using it a bit, it becomes easy and powerfull. You just drag the file on the source window as you have already done but before starting the conversion take a look at the audio track(s). You should see "Opus" as default. Just click on it and select "copy/mux".

P.S.
Anyway if you try MKVToolnix, you have just to drag the original file (HEVC/AAC) and deselect the video track. Then you drag on it the converted file (AVC/OPUS) and deselect the audio track. Then choose which subs or chapters you want (from original or from converted file) and just mux! It's a lot faster than converting the file once again...

[inspector_plodder]

Monster75: Thanks, I get the copy\mux bit now

What's the second 'Audio' box for?

[monster75]

For the second audio track

[inspector_plodder]

Duh. Why more than one audio track?

[monster75]

Usually movies have original track and the secondary one for the country where it is distributed

[inspector_plodder]

Got it, thanks!

You've been very helpful, cheers

[inspector_plodder]

OOOPs!

It's me again

This time I only want to alter the audio format, which I know how to do, thanks to you

But what's the setting to leave the video format untouched?

[jnn]

Hello. I'd like to duplicate the specs of a loaded video file onto another video file. Is there a standard way to do this? For example, I have a HEVC file, I load it, I somehow save that file's parameters, I load a AVC file, set the conversion somehow to the specs of the preceding HEVC file, and Start. I've been using StaxRip for some time, utilizing Intel QVS hardware encoding for both HEVC and AVC, but the ability to duplicate the codec and parameters of one file onto another has alluded me. Thanks.

[MBlueSky]

Hi
I have problem with resizing in StaxRip. When I change the height and width of my video it gets zoom out! what should I do??? Can you help me plz?

[pauloctavio]

Hi,

this is a support thread for StaxRip, when I'm active it's OK to post bugs and feature requests here, sometimes I'm offline[Audacity Find My iPhone Origin

The official website of StaxRip is on GitHub: https://github.com/stax76/staxrip

I take a PC break for whatever remains of the month, perhaps another person can encourage in the mean time, for posting log documents pastebin.com with auto erase following multi month is helpful.

[Metti]

stax76 have abandoned StaxRip

Hi everybody,

it's time for me to leave StaxRip, shall the gods decide about it's future, I'm out, PEACE!

Source: https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1846737#post1846737

Revan654 is the only active developer now.

Revan654's StaxRip Github: https://github.com/Revan654/staxrip/
Revan654's StaxRip Release Page: https://github.com/Revan654/staxrip/releases
Revan654's StaxRip Issue Page: https://github.com/Revan654/staxrip/issues
StaxRip Support Thread: https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=172068&page=159

[Revan654]

Staxrip76 is long retired from the project.

I started updating the code for my personal use to handle certain source types(Mainily for HDR Content), However there was interest in releasing a public version. I took on the project updating what I can. I honestly don't know what everyone wants added to StaxRip.

I've asked a few times but never get an replies tied to StaxRip directly.

I usually reply faster at Github then the forums.

I really do hope everyone like the changes, Software comments(SMH) I see one person moaning about filesize. I mean really? Is 600megs really that much in this day and age? Allot of these filters requires a bunch of support filters to even work. Plus ffmpeg dll have to be re-used, since each encoder requires a different build version(base ffmpeg is 60megs+). Nothing I can do about that since those encoders are built by someone else.

[VEGA]

I just wanted to thank Stax76 and Revan654 for their work on this awesome project.

On to my issue,
I have templates setup and a I also use file size constraints. When I do a batch of files I open Staxrip and my default template loads I change the file size and load my files. Then in the newer versions of Staxrip 1.9 and 2.0 I am asked to select a template. This is forcing my files size back to the size saved on the template. Is there any way to disable this template selection screen? I read through the documentation and in 6.2.2, it sounds like some switch is being added.

6.2.2 -AddJob: showConfirmation,templateName
templateName: Name of the template to be loaded after the job was added. Empty to load no template.
Adds a job to the job list.

I did a clean install on a new computer and it still does this.

Thanks