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  1. Hello Guys,

    i m struggling with the best settings for Handbrake, i m starting from a 720p .MKV, which i would like to hardsub (.srt) to MP4.
    my goal is to keep at least as possible the same video/audio quality and spend like 30 minutes for processing (original filesize is 1.5gbyte, destination can be 1.6-1.7).

    can you tell me which are the best settings for Handbrake?
    (in the end you can see mediainfo of the original video)

    - for hardsubbing it's better to use mp4 or .mkv format?
    - which presets should i choose? (fast 720p30 is ok in this case?)
    - Summary/ Align A/V Start (yes or no) - Web Optimized?
    - Dimensions/ (source is 720x480, so i keep as it is?)
    - Filters/ (everythings to OFF since video is Progressive, it is correct? when should i use Deinterlace+Decomb)
    - Video/ Video Codec -> h264? Frame rate: Costant framerate+same as source? (what about 2-pass and Turbo first pass)
    Quality, RF=18 (or it's better to set AVG bit rate?)
    Optimise Video: Fast? Tune:None? Profile: High@L3.1 (same as mediainfo original?)
    - Audio/ i can see Handbrake always set it to AAC@160 kbit/s, i guess putting 192 kbit/s should be fine to size/quality, or it's better to use MP3?
    - Subtitle, select burn in (the easiest setting part)

    thanks for any help, please keep at mind initial request which is to just hardsub a video, keeping the same video quality "at least as possible".
    Any Help is appreciate, Thanks.


    ORIGINAL VIDEO MEDIAINFO

    Video
    ID : 1
    Format : AVC
    Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
    Format profile : High@L3.1
    Format settings : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
    Format settings, CABAC : Yes
    Format settings, Reference frames : 4 frames
    Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
    Duration : 1 h 20 min
    Bit rate mode : Constant
    Bit rate : 3 699 kb/s
    Nominal bit rate : 6 000 kb/s
    Width : 1 280 pixels
    Height : 720 pixels
    Display aspect ratio : 16:9
    Frame rate mode : Constant
    Frame rate : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
    Color space : YUV
    Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
    Bit depth : 8 bits
    Scan type : Progressive
    Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.167
    Stream size : 2.07 GiB (85%)
    Default : Yes
    Forced : No
    Color range : Limited
    Color primaries : BT.709
    Transfer characteristics : BT.709
    Matrix coefficients : BT.709

    Audio
    ID : 2
    Format : E-AC-3
    Format/Info : Enhanced AC-3
    Commercial name : Dolby Digital Plus
    Codec ID : A_EAC3
    Duration : 1 h 20 min
    Bit rate mode : Constant
    Bit rate : 640 kb/s
    Channel(s) : 6 channels
    Channel layout : L R C LFE Ls Rs
    Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
    Frame rate : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF)
    Compression mode : Lossy
    Delay relative to video : 16 ms
    Stream size : 367 MiB (15%)
    Language : English
    Service kind : Complete Main
    Default : Yes
    Forced : No
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  2. Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    i m struggling with the best settings for Handbrake, i m starting from a 720p .MKV, which i would like to hardsub (.srt) to MP4.
    my goal is to keep at least as possible the same video/audio quality
    You can only decrease the quality using lossy codecs. The idea is to find a compromise setting that reduces the quality by only a small, non-noticeable amount.

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    and spend like 30 minutes for processing
    Then you won't be getting the "best" quality.

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    can you tell me which are the best settings for Handbrake?
    There is no "best" setting, only the compromises you choose.

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    - for hardsubbing it's better to use mp4 or .mkv format?
    Is a cake in a cardboard box better than a cake in a plastic box? The quality of the cake isn't determined by the box it comes in but rather the ingredients and process used to make it. Likewise, the quality of the video isn't determined by the container but rather by the codecs and settings used. Choice between MP4 or MKV has to do with playback compatibility. MP4 is more restrictive as far as what it can contain but has wider compatibility with playback devices (mostly because Apple uses and controls it).

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    - which presets should i choose? (fast 720p30 is ok in this case?)
    Any of the presets can be tweaked with whatever settings you want but you may as well start with one that's close to what you want. What you want depends on how much you want to compress, how much time you are willing to spend, and any playback restrictions you may have.

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    - Summary/ Align A/V Start (yes or no) - Web Optimized?
    Align AV is safest (least likely to have A/V sync errors). Web Optimized places the metadata near the start of the file rather than at the end. There's no difference in quality but it makes the file easier to stream.

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    - Dimensions/ (source is 720x480, so i keep as it is?)
    Your source is 1280x720, not 720x480. Reducing the frame size will decrease the "quality". Though it will encode faster.

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    - Filters/ (everythings to OFF since video is Progressive, it is correct?
    Yes.

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    when should i use Deinterlace
    When you have interlaced video.

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    +Decomb)
    When you have telecined video.

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    - Video/ Video Codec -> h264?
    The choice of codec depends on the quality, encoding time, and playback restrictions. h.264 is faster to encode and decode and has wider support. h.265 is slower to encode and decode, less wide support, but better quality at the same size (assuming appropriate settings).

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    Frame rate: Costant framerate+same as source? (what about 2-pass and Turbo first pass)
    Constant frame rate is safest. Same As Source -- you don't want to lose frames by using a lower frame rate, or duplicate frames (making jerky video) by using higher frame rates.

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    Quality, RF=18 (or it's better to set AVG bit rate?)
    Use bitrate based encoding when you need a file of a specific size (but unknown quality). Use (C)RF encoding when you want a file of a specific quality (but unknown size). RF is faster as it can be done in a single pass. To get the best quality with bitrate based encoding you need to use two passes. RF around 18 will look pretty close to the source at normal playback speeds but you will see differences if you look at enlarged still frames. Use lower values to get higher quality (and larger file sizes) or higher values to get smaller files (and lower quality).

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    Optimise Video: Fast? Tune:None? Profile: High@L3.1 (same as mediainfo original?)
    I wouldn't use anything faster (lower quality) than Medium (unless you're just looking to make a quick conversion to watch on the road or something like that). Use the slowest preset you can stand (or that your playback device supports). Tuning depending on your source. For cartoons use Animation. For very grainy sources use Grain to retain grain (and reduce posterization). For most other sources use Film. Profile#Level depends on playback restrictions. Most devices can handle h.264 High@4.1 these days.

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    - Audio/ i can see Handbrake always set it to AAC@160 kbit/s, i guess putting 192 kbit/s should be fine to size/quality, or it's better to use MP3?
    It's best not to reencode the audio unless you have to. Use passthrough unless you have playback restrictions.

    Originally Posted by coderkidz View Post
    - Subtitle, select burn in (the easiest setting part)
    Burning them in is usually the least desirable option. Some people may not want to see your stinkin' subtitles. But if that's what you choose to do...
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  3. As a general rule of thumb, x264's "very slow" preset is considered "mastering" quality and CFR15 is considered visually transparent to the source. If playback is only going to be on a pc then this is what I would use with Handbrake, though I doubt you will be able to process a 90 minute 720p file in 30 minutes (3x encoding speed), but I don't know what kind of system you have.

    Honestly I think you're wasting your time, it's obvious from mediainfo specs that this is a video downloaded from a torrent and probably a poor encode in comparison to the original, I see no reason to waste anymore time with it.

    Take it from someone that spent years torrenting like a madman, get yourself a Netflix or Hulu subscription, they're very cheap and you're going to get much higher quality than what you will find via most torrents and you can legally share the Netflix subscription with up to 5 people, meaning you and a buddy or 2 can split the cost of the subscription for a couple of bucks a month.

    Stop wasting your time with the crap you're doing.
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  4. Thanks to jagabo, for really precious and detailed "step by step" intructions (looks like you are a pro senior on this forum).
    Btw i am trying with these new directives and i hope to get a better result.

    Thanks to sophisticles as well, for ur time, despite i may argue about extra content you added on this topic.
    Since you actually don't know what i need to do with this video, you may consider to hold your judgment, btw i have active subscription of both prime video and netflix (for the records).

    Have a nice days guys, thanks again.
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  5. Torrenting content may seem to be a complete waste for video converting enthusiasts but it's not always that black and white. Many (likely most) enthusiasts have all the common subs, own quite a bit of the content on various media, etc, but sometimes we're just lazy and choose to collect some titles from a simple click before we're leaving on a trip.

    If you're familiar with the settings and how to spot a good quality encode, it is not hard to get files you're quite content with. It may not be as perfect as mastering it yourself through trial and error to get everything spot perfect, but often enough for many people. For example I have purchased a huge amount of Anime collections many years ago that I've personally encoded to various high quality formats, but through the years encoding technology has continued to get better and better and rather than go back to stacks of DVD's in my storage boxes, if a certain group has the same collection I legally own but with a new encode using settings that I personally would've chosen anyways, this is a lazy way to save a lot of time redoing it. I've replaced some of my archives doing things like this and when I travel and want a portable copy I just run my own custom profile to make another small file size set.

    Is this considered illegal if I have proof of purchase that I own the videos I'm downloading?
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  6. Originally Posted by gglaw View Post
    Is this considered illegal if I have proof of purchase that I own the videos I'm downloading?
    It may depend on what country you are in. In the USA, according to the MPAA and the Library of Congress, it's illegal. You don't have the right to "back up" your DVDs. You don't even have the right to decrypt them other than for viewing with a licensed player (there may be some exceptions that fall under "fair use"). (This is why you can't easily buy DVD duplicating software that works with commercial DVDs in the USA.) If the copyright holder found you and decided to sue you for copyright infringement you would go bankrupt long before getting to court. In reality they they aren't likely to find you and even if they did they wouldn't sue you unless you were doing it for commercial reasons or otherwise distributing your "back ups".
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  7. Originally Posted by gglaw View Post
    Is this considered illegal if I have proof of purchase that I own the videos I'm downloading?
    This is not simple yes or no answer, in the U.S. the Copyright Act states copyright exists from the moment an "original work or authorship" is created, however if someone wants to sue they must register it with the U.S. Copyright office. The registration requires that 2 copies of the highest quality of the work be filed with the U.S. Copyright Office, which in term archives them in the Library of Congress and issues a registration number. The Act has a 90 day "grace" period, so assume you create a "work" and but you do not file it for 90 days and someone uses said work without your permission within that 90 day time frame, so long as within the 90 days you obtain a registration number you can enforce your copyright in Federal Court.

    As far as criminal liability, U.S. Copyright Act and most state laws say that if the retail value of "pirated" work is less than $1000 then it is not a criminal act.

    In case anyone is wondering if the above can be trusted, I am not an attorney however I was recently caught up in one of those Malibu Media lawsuits that have been going around the U.S. for nearly a decade and I was able to win the case via dismissal and I didn't hire an attorney to do it. I tried to find a lawyer but the cheapest one wanted $9000 to represent me and he still said "we may have to settle". I tried to hire a well known attorney group that is famous for having beaten these copyright trolls but they told me that they "were not taking any non-settlement cases at this time", meaning I could hire them to negotiate a settlement but they would not fight on my behalf.

    I decided to research how to draft and file an Answer to the Complaint, as well as Motions, in Federal Court, I studied state and Federal evidence collection laws, Rules of Civil Procedure, and anything related and decided to fight the lawsuit myself.

    It cost me less than a hundred dollars and 2 phone conferences with the assigned judge and opposing attorney to get the case dismissed and they were asking for statutory damages amount to 1.9 million dollars.

    I am only sharing this to help anyone else that may find themselves in a similar situation, I have put together a website:

    www.torrentlawsuit.com

    Anyone reading this is free to use any of the documents I have provided as a template, you are free to share the website and you are free to share the documents so long as you credit my site as the source.

    If anyone runs across this post either by searching this forum or via google, is in similar situation and needs help, feel free to reach out to me and I will help any way I can.

    I the mods feel this violates the rules of this forum, feel free to delete or if they feel it would be better spun into it's own thread, feel free to do so.
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