Handbrake/VLC DVD Ripping Help

[Plexiglass]

Hi there,

I am currently new to this forum so please be patient with me as most of this is very new to me.

I have seen a few forum threads that touch lightly on the issues I've been running into but nothing specifically that I've tried has worked out.
My current predicament is as follows;

I am setting up a Plex server for home use and want to upload my DVD's to it. I have had varying degrees of success but keep running into snags. My current problem is that I can get the DVD's to rip just fine with Handbrake, however they all change their output display video from 720x480 to 640x480. If I play the DVD directly it loads to my screen size however after encoding the files and attempting to make them ready for transfer to the server they are all downgraded and have massive black vertical bars on the left and right side.

I've tried messing around with "Cropping" "Dimensions" the "Anamorphic" and the "Modulus" with no success.
I've tried using VLC as well but with no such luck either as it does not have the depth of control that Handbrake gives me and I have therefore deemed it not useful except to check video's after encoding with Handbrake.

I'm making this thread in the hopes of opening a line of communication as any "Guide" I've tried to follow does not run into the specific issues that I seem to run across.

I appreciate your time and understanding in helping me with this project.

[davexnet]

The DVD's are either 16x9 or 4*3, so 640x480 would be 4x3.
Whether there is some letterboxing in the original DVD's that is not being handled correctly,
perhaps you can explain a little bit further and give some details

[DB83]

640*480 would be correct for a 4:3 video from a 4:3 dvd. 720*480 is just the storage ratio on the disk with an aspect ratio flag and non-square pixels that actuslly then display that dvd at 640*480. If the player supports aspect ratio flags you could maintain the 720*480 but many do not.

Also 4:3 material should have those 'massive black bars' otherwise the video is stretched and not displayed correctly

[Plexiglass]

The DVD's are either 16x9 or 4*3, so 640x480 would be 4x3.
Whether there is some letterboxing in the original DVD's that is not being handled correctly,
perhaps you can explain a little bit further and give some details

Sure thing what information can i give you to help clarify?
As far as I have seen there is no letterboxing on the dvd when played. Specifically I am currently trying to rip Office Space the special edition ( I think this dvd was released around 2005?) But as far as I've played it it's Full screen with no leterrboxing.

The same Issue occured when I tried to rip Fifth Element Widescreen ( It had letterboxing and widescreenso it was even smaller) and letterboxing when Ripping Invader Zim.

[Plexiglass]

640*480 would be correct for a 4:3 video from a 4:3 dvd. 720*480 is just the storage ratio on the disk with an aspect ratio flag and non-square pixels that actuslly then display that dvd at 640*480. If the player supports aspect ratio flags you could maintain the 720*480 but many do not.

Also 4:3 material should have those 'massive black bars' otherwise the video is stretched and not displayed correctly

Interesting. What exactly do you mean by aspect ratio flag and non-square pixels. On the back of the Office space dvd box that Im currently trying to rip it says that it has "full screen Modified to fit your screen at 1.33:1"

[davexnet]

According to https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/18325/office-space-special-edition-with-flair/
this dvd is anamophic @ 1.85:1 aspect ratio so there would be a very small letterboxing, this should be cropped
out and the mp4 or mkv you're creating should take this into account.

What was the resolution of your output file for this disk and was the cropping done correctly?

[Plexiglass]

According to https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/18325/office-space-special-edition-with-flair/
this dvd is anamophic @ 1.85:1 aspect ratio so there would be a very small letterboxing, this should be cropped
out and the mp4 or mkv you're creating should take this into account.

What was the resolution of your output file for this disk and was the cropping done correctly?

I've tried it as superfast-super hq 1080p30 and mkv 2.65-2.64 1080p30

The dvd box on the back says it should be "Full Screen, Modified to fit your screen 1.33:1" As far as I have seen the cropping has not been done successfully after encoding.

[davexnet]

open your output file in mediainfo (text view) copy and paste the output here.
Alternatively post a short section of your file.

Are you actually upscaling your standard definition DVD to HD 1080p??

You might be better off, instead of converting, use MakeMKV to create an mkv of the main movie,
and use that in Plex. MakeMKV "rips" (transfers the bits and removes the copy protection)
and does no further encoding, so no loss of quality

[Plexiglass]

open your output file in mediainfo (text view) copy and paste the output here.
Alternatively post a short section of your file.

Are you actually upscaling your standard definition DVD to HD 1080p??

You might be better off, instead of converting, use MakeMKV to create an mkv of the main movie,
and use that in Plex. MakeMKV "rips" (transfers the bits and removes the copy protection)
and does no further encoding, so no loss of quality

Here is the Mediainfo text you requested. It's for a 480p30 rip I just finished ( i deleted all previous 1080p30 I had done but can get a rip if you want to see the mediainfo for one of those as well)
[
General
Complete name : D:\Videos\Invader_Zim-S1E1.m4v
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42 (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size : 278 MiB
Duration : 24 min 23 s
Overall bit rate : 1 594 kb/s
Encoded date : UTC 2019-11-18 09:51:06
Tagged date : UTC 2019-11-18 09:51:06
Writing application : HandBrake 1.3.0 2019110900

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4
Format settings : CABAC / 5 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames : 5 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 24 min 23 s
Bit rate : 1 232 kb/s
Width : 716 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 (30000/1001) FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.120
Stream size : 215 MiB (77%)
Writing library : x264 core 157 r2935 545de2f
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=5 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=8 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=2 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=15 / lookahead_threads=2 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=300 / keyint_min=30 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=50 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=20.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=25000 / vbv_bufsize=31250 / crf_max=0.0 / nal_hrd=none / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Encoded date : UTC 2019-11-18 09:51:06
Tagged date : UTC 2019-11-18 09:51:06
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.601 NTSC
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.601
Codec configuration box : avcC

Audio #1
ID : 2
Format : AAC LC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
Duration : 24 min 23 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 161 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 28.0 MiB (10%)
Title : Stereo
Language : any
Default : Yes
Alternate group : 1
Encoded date : UTC 2019-11-18 09:51:06
Tagged date : UTC 2019-11-18 09:51:06
Fallback From : 3

Audio #2
ID : 3
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Commercial name : Dolby Digital
Codec ID : ac-3
Duration : 24 min 23 s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 33.5 MiB (12%)
Title : Stereo
Language : any
Service kind : Complete Main
Default : Inherited From: 2
Alternate group : 1
Encoded date : UTC 2019-11-18 09:51:06
Tagged date : UTC 2019-11-18 09:51:06
Fallback To : 2
]

I suppose I was trying to upscale? I assumed that ripping at the highest quality would ensure the best quality even if it didnt get to the full 1080p.

I'll give MKV a try in a bit however I am unfamiliar with that program. the only issue I am concerned about is that the Plex server runs on Linux and so far none of the MKV files I've made using VLC or Handbrake have worked on it.

[DB83]

640*480 would be correct for a 4:3 video from a 4:3 dvd. 720*480 is just the storage ratio on the disk with an aspect ratio flag and non-square pixels that actuslly then display that dvd at 640*480. If the player supports aspect ratio flags you could maintain the 720*480 but many do not.

Also 4:3 material should have those 'massive black bars' otherwise the video is stretched and not displayed correctly

Interesting. What exactly do you mean by aspect ratio flag and non-square pixels. On the back of the Office space dvd box that Im currently trying to rip it says that it has "full screen Modified to fit your screen at 1.33:1"

1.33:1 is another way of writing 4:3 (divide 4 by 3 and you will see what I mean)

The pixels on a dvd are not square whereas they will be after you have re-encoded it in handbrake. For a 4:3 NTSC dvd the relationship between width and height is 8/9. So you take your width of 720 divide by 9 and multiply by 8 and you get.. That's right. You get 640.

[Plexiglass]

640*480 would be correct for a 4:3 video from a 4:3 dvd. 720*480 is just the storage ratio on the disk with an aspect ratio flag and non-square pixels that actuslly then display that dvd at 640*480. If the player supports aspect ratio flags you could maintain the 720*480 but many do not.

Also 4:3 material should have those 'massive black bars' otherwise the video is stretched and not displayed correctly

Interesting. What exactly do you mean by aspect ratio flag and non-square pixels. On the back of the Office space dvd box that Im currently trying to rip it says that it has "full screen Modified to fit your screen at 1.33:1"

1.33:1 is another way of writing 4:3 (divide 4 by 3 and you will see what I mean)

The pixels on a dvd are not square whereas they will be after you have re-encoded it in handbrake. For a 4:3 NTSC dvd the relationship between width and height is 8/9. So you take your width of 720 divide by 9 and multiply by 8 and you get.. That's right. You get 640.

Ohhh ok yeah that makes a lot of sense now. So I guess my question to that then is how do I Encode it so that it stretches to fit the screen without letterboxing?

[davexnet]

640*480 would be correct for a 4:3 video from a 4:3 dvd. 720*480 is just the storage ratio on the disk with an aspect ratio flag and non-square pixels that actuslly then display that dvd at 640*480. If the player supports aspect ratio flags you could maintain the 720*480 but many do not.

Also 4:3 material should have those 'massive black bars' otherwise the video is stretched and not displayed correctly

Interesting. What exactly do you mean by aspect ratio flag and non-square pixels. On the back of the Office space dvd box that Im currently trying to rip it says that it has "full screen Modified to fit your screen at 1.33:1"

1.33:1 is another way of writing 4:3 (divide 4 by 3 and you will see what I mean)

The pixels on a dvd are not square whereas they will be after you have re-encoded it in handbrake. For a 4:3 NTSC dvd the relationship between width and height is 8/9. So you take your width of 720 divide by 9 and multiply by 8 and you get.. That's right. You get 640.

Ohhh ok yeah that makes a lot of sense now. So I guess my question to that then is how do I Encode it so that it stretches to fit the screen without letterboxing?

Take a picture with your phone so we ca see how it looks on your screen

[DB83]

Black bars on left and right are not letter-boxing. They are pillar-boxing.

Now if that dvd was created from a wide-screen source but to display on a non-widescreen tv you would inevitably get the letter-boxing bars top and bottom plus the pillar-boxing bars left and right. You end up with a widescreen picture in the middle of a modern widescreen tv.

Your only resource as already explained is to crop the top and bottom bars ensuring you still maintain a 16:9 width and height ratio.

[Plexiglass]

Black bars on left and right are not letter-boxing. They are pillar-boxing.

Now if that dvd was created from a wide-screen source but to display on a non-widescreen tv you would inevitably get the letter-boxing bars top and bottom plus the pillar-boxing bars left and right. You end up with a widescreen picture in the middle of a modern widescreen tv.

Your only resource as already explained is to crop the top and bottom bars ensuring you still maintain a 16:9 width and height ratio.

Ok i misunderstood they are pillar boxing not letterboxing that was my mistake.

[Plexiglass]

640*480 would be correct for a 4:3 video from a 4:3 dvd. 720*480 is just the storage ratio on the disk with an aspect ratio flag and non-square pixels that actuslly then display that dvd at 640*480. If the player supports aspect ratio flags you could maintain the 720*480 but many do not.

Also 4:3 material should have those 'massive black bars' otherwise the video is stretched and not displayed correctly

Interesting. What exactly do you mean by aspect ratio flag and non-square pixels. On the back of the Office space dvd box that Im currently trying to rip it says that it has "full screen Modified to fit your screen at 1.33:1"

1.33:1 is another way of writing 4:3 (divide 4 by 3 and you will see what I mean)

The pixels on a dvd are not square whereas they will be after you have re-encoded it in handbrake. For a 4:3 NTSC dvd the relationship between width and height is 8/9. So you take your width of 720 divide by 9 and multiply by 8 and you get.. That's right. You get 640.

Ohhh ok yeah that makes a lot of sense now. So I guess my question to that then is how do I Encode it so that it stretches to fit the screen without letterboxing?

Take a picture with your phone so we ca see how it looks on your screen

Ok SO it was my mistake I was using the wrong phrasing. It is PILLARBOXING not letterboxing.

Here it is when it's played directly from the DVD
https://imgur.com/a/QjsKvsI Fullscreen
https://imgur.com/a/ouopiG5 Windowed

Here it is after ripping
https://imgur.com/a/RahQTtf Fullscreen After Rip
https://imgur.com/a/XLr1ZXd Windowed After Rip

[davexnet]

Post the mediainfo report of this office space video

[Plexiglass]

Post the mediainfo report of this office space video

General
Complete name : D:\Videos\Office Space Se 4X3-1.m4v
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42 (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size : 332 MiB
Duration : 1 h 29 min
Overall bit rate : 520 kb/s
Encoded date : UTC 2019-11-19 23:16:49
Tagged date : UTC 2019-11-19 23:16:49
Writing application : HandBrake 1.3.0 2019110900

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L4
Format settings : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames : 4 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 1 h 29 min
Bit rate : 353 kb/s
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate mode : Variable
Frame rate : 23.976 FPS
Minimum frame rate : 16.337 FPS
Maximum frame rate : 23.981 FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.043
Stream size : 226 MiB (68%)
Writing library : x264 core 157 r2935 545de2f
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=1 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x1:0x111 / me=hex / subme=2 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=0 / 8x8dct=0 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=15 / lookahead_threads=3 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=1 / keyint=240 / keyint_min=24 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=10 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=24.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=20000 / vbv_bufsize=25000 / crf_max=0.0 / nal_hrd=none / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Encoded date : UTC 2019-11-19 23:16:49
Tagged date : UTC 2019-11-19 23:16:49
Color range : Limited
Color primaries : BT.601 NTSC
Transfer characteristics : BT.601
Matrix coefficients : BT.601
Menus : 3
Codec configuration box : avcC

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC LC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
Duration : 1 h 29 min
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 160 kb/s
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel layout : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 102 MiB (31%)
Title : Stereo
Language : English
Default : Yes
Alternate group : 1
Encoded date : UTC 2019-11-19 23:16:49
Tagged date : UTC 2019-11-19 23:16:49
Menus : 3

Menu
ID : 3
Codec ID : text
Duration : 1 h 29 min
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2019-11-19 23:16:49
Tagged date : UTC 2019-11-19 23:16:49
Menu For : 1,2
00:00:00.000 : Chapter 1
00:03:49.563 : Chapter 2
00:06:49.367 : Chapter 3
00:08:00.105 : Chapter 4
00:10:38.471 : Chapter 5
00:13:30.101 : Chapter 6
00:18:21.434 : Chapter 7
00:20:51.041 : Chapter 8
00:23:36.373 : Chapter 9
00:25:47.004 : Chapter 10
00:27:15.634 : Chapter 11
00:29:43.949 : Chapter 12
00:32:48.592 : Chapter 13
00:34:06.503 : Chapter 14
00:37:46.055 : Chapter 15
00:39:03.299 : Chapter 16
00:41:13.096 : Chapter 17
00:45:07.330 : Chapter 18
00:46:26.075 : Chapter 19
00:48:16.018 : Chapter 20
00:52:12.755 : Chapter 21
00:53:50.185 : Chapter 22
00:55:14.937 : Chapter 23
00:57:58.328 : Chapter 24
00:59:43.057 : Chapter 25
01:01:39.215 : Chapter 26
01:04:49.530 : Chapter 27
01:06:00.476 : Chapter 28
01:09:31.353 : Chapter 29
01:10:24.365 : Chapter 30
01:12:43.837 : Chapter 31
01:15:04.811 : Chapter 32
01:19:42.756 : Chapter 33
01:21:06.006 : Chapter 34
01:22:59.119 : Chapter 35
01:23:49.544 : Chapter 36

[davexnet]

What is your source? Video_ts folder, mpg file, ISO ? The more info you provide about your workflow, the easier and more certain the corrective action.
Clearly, your output file has wrong aspect ratio or the sides have been cropped to make it fit 4:3

[Plexiglass]

What is your source? Video_ts folder, mpg file, ISO ? The more info you provide about your workflow, the easier and more certain the corrective action.
Clearly, your output file has wrong aspect ratio or the sides have been cropped to make it fit 4:3

Ok gotcha, here goes;

-Inserted DVD won't activate properly so I had to download VLC to play it properly (Windows media Player no longer rips or plays dvd's for me)
-I then manually open the DVD RW DRIVE(E In a File Explorer window
- There's a list of Folders as follows
DVD main file https://imgur.com/a/RNwDmVb
VIDEO_TS https://imgur.com/a/b0JTj5r
-I open Handbrake and Choose "E:\ (OFFICE_SPACE_SE_4X3) Open this DVD or Bluray Drive" as my SOURCE SELECTION
-After that is done Scanning Title I choose any preset be it MKV, Super Fast-Super HQ (any quality)
-I move to Subtitles and hit Clear as I currently do not have a want or need for them
-Choose where I want to save it
-I've tried it as *mp4 but that doesnt always finish the file as Mp4 so I've had to manually type .MP4 at the end of the save title
- All default presets I've messed around with some with varying degrees of results but currently leave all as default except where mentioned prior
-Press "Start Encode" and wait

That is it primarily. I have gotten the LIBDVDCSS file like many have recommended to get past the DVD safety features to get a clear picture however the only version of the file that worked on it for Handbrake was LIBDVDCSS-2.dll as LIBDVDCSS1.42.2 (latest version from VLC) didn't seem to work. the first file from a Life hacker page about it https://www.lifehacker.co.uk/2015/10/13/rip-dvd-computer-2
Neither libdvdcss-1.4.2.tar.bz2 or libdvdcss-1.4.2.tar.bz2.sha256 gotten from the VLC download library at https://download.videolan.org/pub/libdvdcss/ worked when transfered into the program files of handbrake.

Note* Pillarboxing occurred before and after LIBDVDCSS was transferred so I don't think that was related just trying to put as much info aout my workflow as I could

Finally I would play the final encoded version handbrake had produced for me to check standard and if it was adequate for what I was looking for hence prompting me to google various ways to fix it leading me to make this forum post.

I don't believe I have left anything out that I am aware of however if I remember something I'll be sure to update you.

[davexnet]

I think it would be easier to do this on a Windows PC. In Windows most of the tools work, you're only limited by your ignorance,
which can soon be put right. I do use Linux myself, but when stuff goes wrong, I'm not always sure if it's a problem
with the tools running in Linux that's the problem or not.
Are you "ripping" the DVD the HDD then using that as a "copy" to the Handbrake encode?
Or encoding direct from the optical media? The advantage of getting it on the HDD first is that you can check that it looks right.
Here are some images to see how things are supposed to be - I'm using VidCoder, a simplified GUI but Handbrake under the covers.

I have a 1.85:1 anamorphic DVD sitting on the HDD. When you open it in the media player, this is how it should look, a very
small lettter box (approx 10 pixels top and bottom), since 1.85 is "wider" than the DVD standard 1.78:1

When you open it in Vidcoder, the first image shows how the small letter box is accounted for and it crops 10 pixels top and bottom.
When the video_ts (or DVD) is played, those 20 pixels are a part of the picture; they're only cropped in the conversion.
You can see in the green output box the finished file will have an actual resolution of 720*460, but a display resolution of
853x460 (1.85:1). Notice the "anamorphic" setting is selected.
In the second image image, anamorphic is turned off and the actual resolution and display resolution are the same,
852x460 (also 1.85:1)
Either of these two choices are OK, but for playing them on an external device the non-anamorphic is better.

I hope these images help; since your movie is the same aspect ratio, perhaps you can use this as a guide.

[Plexiglass]

I think it would be easier to do this on a Windows PC. In Windows most of the tools work, you're only limited by your ignorance,
which can soon be put right. I do use Linux myself, but when stuff goes wrong, I'm not always sure if it's a problem
with the tools running in Linux that's the problem or not.
Are you "ripping" the DVD the HDD then using that as a "copy" to the Handbrake encode?
Or encoding direct from the optical media? The advantage of getting it on the HDD first is that you can check that it looks right.
Here are some images to see how things are supposed to be - I'm using VidCoder, a simplified GUI but Handbrake under the covers.

I have a 1.85:1 anamorphic DVD sitting on the HDD. When you open it in the media player, this is how it should look, a very
small lettter box (approx 10 pixels top and bottom), since 1.85 is "wider" than the DVD standard 1.78:1

When you open it in Vidcoder, the first image shows how the small letter box is accounted for and it crops 10 pixels top and bottom.
When the video_ts (or DVD) is played, those 20 pixels are a part of the picture; they're only cropped in the conversion.
You can see in the green output box the finished file will have an actual resolution of 720*460, but a display resolution of
853x460 (1.85:1). Notice the "anamorphic" setting is selected.
In the second image image, anamorphic is turned off and the actual resolution and display resolution are the same,
852x460 (also 1.85:1)
Either of these two choices are OK, but for playing them on an external device the non-anamorphic is better.

I hope these images help; since your movie is the same aspect ratio, perhaps you can use this as a guide.

So I am indeed using windows 10 to rip the footage and Plex is being hosted on a Linux server. I've been ripping them directly from optical media as I'm not sure how to download it to HDD first. I'll give vidcoder a try. One thing I found was that while on the Windows 10 I was able to use a couple media player setting to change some of the aspect ratio. I was able to get them To fill the screen but haven't had any luck doing that in Plex itself. I then messed around with some other setting and was able to get the Pillarboxing to go away but it still has letterboxing after cropping in the VLC media player, but this is not a permanent fix. Here are some images provided of what I mean.

[davexnet]

One of the differences in Handbrake, it doesn't allow an increase in resolution as Vidcoder does.
So when you turn off anamorphic (because some hardware playback devices don't support it) you'll see:

Vidcoder expands the width, giving 852x460, HB on the otherhand, reduces the height giving 720x388
(both 1.85:1)
If it doesn't work, post the screen shot from the app

[Plexiglass]

I tried vidcoder but for some reason it doesnt want to read the disc that's currently in the Drive. I can get Handbrake to keep the original at 720x480 by using the cropping method. Found that out after some experimenting but I still have pillarboxing when trying to play it through any media player or plex

[davexnet]

Vidcoder will not read from the optical disk directly, it's commercial and therefore copy protected (unless you're running anydvd in the background)

Rip your disk to the HDD with
https://www.videohelp.com/software/DVDFab-Decrypter

Then open the video_ts folder in VidCoder