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  1. Hi all, I would like to convert some videos in 1080p H.264 format to 480p H.264 format

    I would like to know what the equivalent of hanbrake's fast480p 30 preset on XMedia Recode
    because Handbrake on my pc is slow.

    I would like to get a DVD quality obviously compressed (480p H.264 format)
    Also it is better to use Constant Quality or Average Bitrate two-pass encoding?
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    Try starting with constant quality (21), preset medium, Tune - none (although some like the look of "film')
    Do a test encode and adjust as necessary

    Average bitrate is really intended to be used when you need to be able to predict the output file size.
    (Like 20 years ago when they produced 700MB movie rips to be copied to a CD)
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  3. In filters/preview in resolution where there is width and height beside there are some parameters: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. What do they mean?
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    Originally Posted by anet88 View Post
    In filters/preview in resolution where there is width and height beside there are some parameters: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. What do they mean?
    If you change the resolution, those small numbers allow the program to round it off to a value cleanly divisible
    by the number. For example, if you choose 614 as the width but you choose mod 4, the program will force it up to 616.

    In other words it's a quick and dirty way of enforcing a specific "mod" size (important for some color spaces)

    Best to stick to mod 4 or greater
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  5. Originally Posted by davexnet View Post
    Originally Posted by anet88 View Post
    In filters/preview in resolution where there is width and height beside there are some parameters: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. What do they mean?
    If you change the resolution, those small numbers allow the program to round it off to a value cleanly divisible
    by the number. For example, if you choose 614 as the width but you choose mod 4, the program will force it up to 616.

    In other words it's a quick and dirty way of enforcing a specific "mod" size (important for some color spaces)

    Best to stick to mod 4 or greater
    So if I choose a 720x480 resolution is the value 2 okay or should I go to 4 and above?

    Does it have any influence on the final quality?
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  6. I made a screenshot of the same video converted with both handbrake and xmedia recode I noticed by zooming in on the image that the xmedia recode image is more opaque and blurry, maybe I have to set some other settings to get a video quality similar to Handbrake?
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    Originally Posted by anet88 View Post
    I made a screenshot of the same video converted with both handbrake and xmedia recode I noticed by zooming in on the image that the xmedia recode image is more opaque and blurry, maybe I have to set some other settings to get a video quality similar to Handbrake?
    Best place to start is comparing the x264 settings within each program. For example , the preset and quality value.
    Or if you still have the files, open them with mediainfo, put it in text view, and post the info here.

    Or you can post a short clip taken from the files themselves.
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  8. Originally Posted by davexnet View Post
    Originally Posted by anet88 View Post
    I made a screenshot of the same video converted with both handbrake and xmedia recode I noticed by zooming in on the image that the xmedia recode image is more opaque and blurry, maybe I have to set some other settings to get a video quality similar to Handbrake?
    Best place to start is comparing the x264 settings within each program. For example , the preset and quality value.
    Or if you still have the files, open them with mediainfo, put it in text view, and post the info here.

    Or you can post a short clip taken from the files themselves.
    With Handbrake

    Format : MPEG-4
    Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
    Codec ID : mp42 (mp42/iso2/avc1/mp41)
    File size : 43.9 MiB
    Duration : 3 min 55 s
    Overall bit rate : 1 565 kb/s
    Encoded date : UTC 2021-09-19 07:08:30
    Tagged date : UTC 2021-09-19 07:08:30
    Writing application : HandBrake 1.4.0 2021071800

    Video
    ID : 1
    Format : AVC
    Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
    Format profile : Main@L3.1
    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 : 3 min 55 s
    Bit rate : 1 430 kb/s
    Width : 720 pixels
    Height : 480 pixels
    Display aspect ratio : 16:9
    Original display aspect ratio : 16:9
    Frame rate mode : Variable
    Frame rate : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
    Minimum frame rate : 23.974 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) : 0.173
    Stream size : 40.1 MiB (91%)
    Writing library : x264 core 163 r3059 b684ebe0
    Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=2 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x1:0x111 / me=hex / subme=6 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=0 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=3 / lookahead_threads=1 / 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=30 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=20.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=14000 / vbv_bufsize=14000 / crf_max=0.0 / nal_hrd=none / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
    Encoded date : UTC 2021-09-19 07:08:30
    Tagged date : UTC 2021-09-19 07:08:30
    Color range : Limited
    Color primaries : BT.709
    Transfer characteristics : BT.709
    Matrix coefficients : BT.709
    mdhd_Duration : 235318
    Codec configuration box : avcC

    Audio
    ID : 2
    Format : AAC LC
    Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
    Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
    Duration : 3 min 55 s
    Source duration : 3 min 55 s
    Bit rate mode : Constant
    Bit rate : 129 kb/s
    Channel(s) : 2 channels
    Channel layout : L R
    Sampling rate : 44.1 kHz
    Frame rate : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)
    Compression mode : Lossy
    Stream size : 3.61 MiB (8%)
    Source stream size : 3.61 MiB (8%)
    Title : Stereo
    Language : English
    Default : Yes
    Alternate group : 1
    Encoded date : UTC 2021-09-19 07:08:30
    Tagged date : UTC 2021-09-19 07:08:30
    mdhd_Duration : 235381


    With XMedia Recode

    Format : MPEG-4
    Format profile : Base Media
    Codec ID : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
    File size : 44.2 MiB
    Duration : 3 min 55 s
    Overall bit rate : 1 575 kb/s
    Encoded date : UTC 2020-07-21 15:20:30
    Tagged date : UTC 2020-07-21 15:20:30
    Writing application : Lavf59.5.100

    Video
    ID : 1
    Format : AVC
    Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
    Format profile : Main@L3.1
    Format settings : CABAC / 2 Ref Frames
    Format settings, CABAC : Yes
    Format settings, Reference frames : 2 frames
    Codec ID : avc1
    Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
    Duration : 3 min 55 s
    Bit rate : 1 442 kb/s
    Maximum bit rate : 2 400 kb/s
    Width : 720 pixels
    Height : 480 pixels
    Display aspect ratio : 16:9
    Original display aspect ratio : 16:9
    Frame rate mode : Constant
    Frame rate : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
    Color space : RGB
    Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
    Bit depth : 8 bits
    Scan type : Progressive
    Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.174
    Stream size : 40.4 MiB (92%)
    Writing library : x264 core 164 r3059
    Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=2 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x1:0x131 / me=hex / subme=7 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=0 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=3 / lookahead_threads=1 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=0 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=0 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=239 / keyint_min=23 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=20.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=2400 / vbv_bufsize=14000 / crf_max=0.0 / nal_hrd=none / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=3:1.00
    Encoded date : UTC 2020-07-21 15:20:30
    Tagged date : UTC 2020-07-21 15:20:30
    Color range : Limited
    Matrix coefficients : Identity
    Codec configuration box : avcC

    Audio
    ID : 2
    Format : AAC LC
    Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
    Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
    Duration : 3 min 55 s
    Source duration : 3 min 55 s
    Bit rate mode : Constant
    Bit rate : 128 kb/s
    Channel(s) : 2 channels
    Channel layout : L R
    Sampling rate : 44.1 kHz
    Frame rate : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)
    Compression mode : Lossy
    Stream size : 3.59 MiB (8%)
    Source stream size : 3.59 MiB (8%)
    Language : English
    Default : Yes
    Alternate group : 1
    Encoded date : UTC 2020-07-21 15:20:30
    Tagged date : UTC 2020-07-21 15:20:30
    mdhd_Duration : 235381
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    You could try setting video/b-frames/B-pyramid = normal,
    that's the only thing I see that deviates from the "medium" preset.

    I can't see a difference during normal playback speeds.

    If you want to pursue further, you'll have to post some sample of the source and output videos
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  10. (Like 20 years ago when they produced 700MB movie rips to be copied to a CD)
    Whoever “they” are, “they” are still doing it, those godforsaken bastards, no matter how nonsensical it has become.
    And there's demand for that kind of crap. Some people think that a movie rip “should” be a 700MB file, just because.
    (Reminds me of a long lost friend who was convinced that a good movie “should” have black bars — referring to letterboxing — and the better the movie, the thicker the black bars.)

    You could try setting video/b-frames/B-pyramid = normal,
    that's the only thing I see that deviates from the "medium" preset.
    Don't know what is the default with “medium” preset for that parameter, but one has “reference frames = 2”, the other “reference frames = 4”. (Unless that's precisely what the “b-frames/B-pyramid” setting is about ?)
    Also XMediaRecode seems to be using a more recent version of x264. (But normally that should result in a better efficiency.)
    Last edited by abolibibelot; 20th Sep 2021 at 02:14.
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  11. Originally Posted by davexnet View Post
    You could try setting video/b-frames/B-pyramid = normal,
    that's the only thing I see that deviates from the "medium" preset.

    I can't see a difference during normal playback speeds.

    If you want to pursue further, you'll have to post some sample of the source and output videos
    Here are the pictures zoom in at 150% to see the differences


    This with handbrake

    Image
    [Attachment 60827 - Click to enlarge]




    This with xmedia recode


    I used the setting you suggested then I changed the reference frames = 2 to reference frames = 4 and I also set this Color primaries : BT.709
    Transfer characteristics : BT.709
    Matrix coefficients : BT.709

    With bilinear scaling mode

    Image
    [Attachment 60828 - Click to enlarge]


    This always with xmedia recode

    Same settings as above but I tried changing the scaling mode to bicubic spiline, and it seems that the quality is close to that of handbrake even if it is a bit slower to convert and the final file is bigger than the first two. So at this point I think the problem is in the scaling mode but I'm not an expert, what do you think? What do you suggest?

    Image
    [Attachment 60829 - Click to enlarge]
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  12. vbv_maxrate 2400 vs. vbv_maxrate 14000 may be an issue.

    But both programs are using the same encoder so they will encode at the same speed with the same settings.
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    Originally Posted by jagabo View Post
    vbv_maxrate 2400 vs. vbv_maxrate 14000 may be an issue.

    But both programs are using the same encoder so they will encode at the same speed with the same settings.
    I don't know how this program is setting this value, especially with CRF encoding.
    Is it based on the profile/level? VBV buffer size seems related to the level.
    x264 default is 0, and if it's not specified nothing shows up in mediainfo
    Last edited by davexnet; 20th Sep 2021 at 15:33.
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  14. So how do I proceed?
    It's been almost two weeks and I still haven't figured out how to proceed.
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  15. I don't use the program but this post mentions how to set vbv_maxrate in XMedia Recode:
    https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/384150-encoding-blue-rays-with-xmedia-recode#post2490095

    And this site appears to show a dialog where it's set:
    https://www.xmedia-recode.de/hilfe/vcodec/h264_bitratensteuerung.php
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    I sent a message to the author reporting the somewhat odd behavior of VBV maximum bitrate, the VBV bufsize
    is set from the level.
    You could set VBV max bitrate to 0 on the "rate control" tab and x264 will use defaults.
    Why don't you try some test encodes and see if it does what you want?
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