4K Handbrake encoding?

[jfharper]

Just wondering if handbrake can handle 4K encoding?

I have a 3D animation project I was thinking of rendering to 4K for the client, even though they will probably only use HD 1080p right now, but because rendering is so time consuming, having the 4K for the future in case they need it would be wise.

I haven't done a 4K project yet, so I was wondering about the process. So pixels are 3840w x 2160h, I assume image aspect 16:9 (or 1.7778) and pixel aspect of 1.00000 is what I use for the rendering. This will be rendered to sequencial image files put in an editing program like premiere, encoded to perhaps an avi uncompress or something, then encoded using handbrake to what, h.264 at same UHD res of 3840x2160? Is there anything I am missing or should look out for or into for this? Thanks for the help.

Oh yeah, what bitrate or quality setting should I use in handbrake, and is the mp4 format the one to use? Also, what media player would be used to play this, media player classic, or do UHD TVs have their own player that I can simply direct the client to use? Thanks.

[sneaker]

HandBrake can encode 3840x2160 pixels just fine. If you want 10 bit HEVC encoding you'll need an extra dll, though. 10 bit HEVC is common for 4k but there is no standard forcing you to do anything specific so you can also encode 8 bit HEVC. Many - but not all - UHD TVs are "smart" and have integrated players for mp4/mkv via WiFi, LAN or USB. It is depended on the TV model.

If you want to work with uncompressed intermediates don't forget these are huge, esp. for 3840x2160. You may want or need to avoid as many intermediate steps as possible.

[jfharper]

Thanks. Is there a giant difference between 8 and 10 bit? If its minor, I'm not sure my clients would be savvy enough to spot the diff. Also, how big are the intermediates? Animation is prolly 3-5 minutes. I could also encode sequencial intermediates and join in handbrake, but if there is audio, which most likely there will be (background music and voiceover) I'm concerned how well the audio will join, or will it "snap" at the seams.

[SameSelf]

There are lots of reasons 10-bit is preferred over 8-bit, especially in post-production workflows.

However, for delivery codecs like HEVC, 10-bit is essential for avoiding banding in smooth gradients like the blue skies found in real world footage, although proper dithering of an 8-bit image can nearly accomplish the same thing. If you know what it looks like, you will often see it in streaming video. It is also used for HDR. However, none of this matters unless you have a 10-bit viewing device. Plus, since you are dealing with animation, unless your footage contains these elements, it wouldn't likely benefit much from 10-bit anyway.

[Selur]

10bit also normally fives an additional compression gain even if playback is 8bit.