Handbrake settings for Quicktime (Mac)

[flips01]

Hi!
I was just converting one of my video files to a .m4v file, using what I thought was settings I've used before.
I opened Handbrake, selected the input and then the preset "Universal".
Then I modified slightly the quality, defined average bitrate (to 2300 or something). Then I selected some subtitles tracks.
I selected two languages, one as "Default" and the other just added. None of the (vosub) tracks as "burned in".

The resulting file does not open in Quicktime on Mountain Lion or Lion. It complains that it doesn't know the format. It works well in VLC, of course, and when I compare with other files I created earlier (that works well in Quicktime), I fail to spot the difference in codec and such.

Is it the subtitle settings that throws Quicktime off? If so, could I separate subtitles to a separate .srt/.vosub file or something to make the subtitles optional, but still available?

Or is it other settings that causing the trouble?
(I'm not sure if Universal is good, it just sounded kinda nice ... )
I will mainly be playing the video files on my iMac, but also some of them on my iPad or even iPhone ...
(I'm considering getting an iPod classic, not sure if I have to reencode lots of video files to make it work on that ...)

[johns0]

Thread moved to the mac forum where you can get more help.

[flips01]

Thread moved to the mac forum where you can get more help.

Oh, ok ...
The reason I did not post in the Mac forum in the first place, was that I assumed it was more of Quicktime format issue than a Mac issue. (And Quicktime is also available for Windows ...) But I don't know ... Maybe even the subtitle forum would be the best place, if subtitles is the issue ...

[Case]

Is it the subtitle settings that throws Quicktime off?

Yes, QuickTime Player does not like embedded VobSub subtitles. Rather than ignoring those streams, it gives an error and won't play the file.

If so, could I separate subtitles to a separate .srt/.vosub file or something to make the subtitles optional, but still available?

Yes, this would be a good option for VLC playback.
Using .srt susbtitles embedded by HandBrake should result in selectable subtitles on iOS devices (TechTouché).

I'm not sure if Universal is good, it just sounded kinda nice ...

The HandBrake Guide lists specifically what the Universal preset does: settings for all current Apple devices: iPod (6G and up), iPhone, AppleTV, and Macs.

I will mainly be playing the video files on my iMac, but also some of them on my iPad or even iPhone ...

The Universal preset can make movies compatible with all those devices.

I'm considering getting an iPod classic, not sure if I have to reencode lots of video files to make it work on that ...

The iPod Classic 6G video capability is covered under the Universal preset, as mentioned above. The screen is only 320 x 240 px, so that limits the viewing experience quite a bit. The movie itself shouldn't be larger than 640 by 480 px.

[flips01]

Thanks!
I was about to ask a couple of more questions on Constant Quality vs. Average bitrate and 2-pass, but the docs on the Handbrake Wiki is great.

If so, could I separate subtitles to a separate .srt/.vosub file or something to make the subtitles optional, but still available?

Yes, this would be a good option for VLC playback.
Using .srt susbtitles embedded by HandBrake should result in selectable subtitles on iOS devices (TechTouché).

I guess the VobSub format is in my mpeg2 source file. It's probably no easy way to export that to SRT or something? It's probably easier to search for a working .srt online ... (Unless the the source contains embedded CC or something.)

The iPod Classic 6G video capability is covered under the Universal preset, as mentioned above. The screen is only 320 x 240 px, so that limits the viewing experience quite a bit. The movie itself shouldn't be larger than 640 by 480 px.

I think most of my video files is 720x576 or something like that, so I should reencode, then ... The classic iPod is probably not the best video viewing device, but the HD size is compelling, searching a handful of stores last night, I couldn't really find any alternatives ...

[Case]

I guess the VobSub format is in my mpeg2 source file.

Sort of. The same images (of text lines) used on the DVD or MPEG-2 source file subtitles are used in the VobSub files, but VobSub refers to the extracted subtitles, not the DVD subpicture stream. I don't think professional DVD authoring people use the term VobSub for what is in the MPEG-2/VOB files.

It's probably no easy way to export that to SRT or something?

That would require a conversion using OCR (images to text). There are apps that do this, but most require some user help, to recognize the various characters. After that comes the manual clean-up to fix mistakes, e.g. I/l/1, rn/m, o/O/0.

It's probably easier to search for a working .srt online ...

That sure is easier.

The classic iPod is probably not the best video viewing device, but the HD size is compelling, searching a handful of stores last night, I couldn't really find any alternatives ...

160 GB on an MP3 player is more than enough for most of us... For even more storage, I think the Archos tablet (Android) comes with 500 GB capacity, but there are some who complain about the sound quality and dated browser.

[flips01]

The classic iPod is probably not the best video viewing device, but the HD size is compelling, searching a handful of stores last night, I couldn't really find any alternatives ...

160 GB on an MP3 player is more than enough for most of us... For even more storage, I think the Archos tablet (Android) comes with 500 GB capacity, but there are some who complain about the sound quality and dated browser.

Thanks for clarifying answers!
As for iPod, my main use would be music, so the Archos is a little too big. 160-200 GB would be perfect. (I have ~120 GB of music ...)
Maybe some of the small players from Samsung, SanDisk, Cowon, Creative or something with expansion slot for SD would work ...
Any recommendations?
(Or maybe videohelp.com is the wrong forums, as watching video on the device will be secondary to me?)
It would be nice to be able to watch some startrek or simpsons on the device while commuting, though, and I have most of my video in apple compatible MP4 ...

[flips01]

A quick question: I just encoded a file using the Universal preset in Handbrake. The original was 720x480, the compressed .m4v file displays as being 720x400 (in Quicktime) ... I'm trying to understand why it's lower resolution ...
(And BTW, getting CC's as optional subtitles seems to work.)
Update: My bad, or maybe some weirdness on Handbrake's behalf. (Even if I set universal to be the default preset, I need to manually select it for each new source I choose.)