Blackndsky.net

Handbrake

Installation

Windows: Get installer from website

• https://handbrake.fr/downloads.php
• https://ninite.com

Linux: sudo apt install -y handbrake

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Configuration

Open Handbrake and cancel the source selection dialogue

Click Tools > Preferences

General

• On Startup
  • Uncheck Check for Updates
• When Done
  • (Optional) Play a sound when (each encode or the queue) completes

Output Files

• Check Automatically name output files
• Set a Default Path e.g. “C:\Users\John\Downloads”
• Set File Format to {source}
• Set MP4 File Extension to Always use MP4

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Media Conversion

• Click Open Source
• Select single media or media folder
• Presets > Devices > Roku XXX Resolution
• For single media - Click Start
• For batch conversion
  • Click the down arrow next to Add to Queue > Add all
  • In Handbrake or the Queue windows, click Start

Convert MKV with Subtitles

• Select the preset you want to convert the video to
• On the “Summary” tab, change the container to MKV
  • Optionally on the “Video” tab, change the “Encoder Preset” slider to “Very Slow”
• On the “Subtitles” tab, change “Foreign Audio Scan” to the English subtitles track
• Uncheck Forced Only and Burn In
• Start the transcode

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Optimized Encoding

In order to create the highest quality file without wasting any space, it’s best to utilize Multi-Pass encoding. Multi-pass encoding in HandBrake optimizes video compression by analyzing the video in multiple passes. The first pass gathers data to improve bitrate distribution, while the subsequent pass ensures higher quality and better file size efficiency.

• Preset
  • Roku 720p30 Surround or Roku 1080p30 Surround depending on source file
• Summary
  • Format: MKV
  • Leave “Passthru Common Metadata” checked
• Video
  • Video Encorder: Leave H.264(x264) as it maximizes compatibility
    • If compatibility isn’t a concern, select H.265(x265) instead for better compression
  • Encoder Preset: Very Slow *Use for best results
  • Avg Bitrate (kbps): 2000
  • Check: Multi-Pass Encoding and Turbo analysis pass
• Subtitles
  • Change “Foreign Audio Scan” to any available English subtitles track, otherwise click the X on the far right to remove it

Click Start Encode to begin

Note: Multi-Pass Encoding takes a very long time to process. Expect transcoding sessions to last 4-6 hours per title.

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DVD Ripping

Download and Install libdvdcss-2.dll

Windows

32-Bit

• http://download.videolan.org/pub/libdvdcss/1.2.12/win32/libdvdcss-2.dll
• Install to: C:\Program Files (x86)\HandBrake

64-Bit

• http://download.videolan.org/pub/libdvdcss/1.2.12/win64/libdvdcss-2.dll
• Install to: C:\Program Files\HandBrake

*Please note this .dll will need to be reinstalled after Handbrake updates on Windows systems

Debian Linux

Install from videolan

• Download from: http://download.videolan.org/pub/debian/stable/
  • 64-Bit libdvdcss2_1.2.13-0_amd64.deb
  • 32-Bit libdvdcss2_1.2.13-0_i386.deb
• Install sudo dpkg -i libdvdcss2_version_arch_.deb

Or build from source

• Add contrib and non-free packages to apt
  • Edit sources.list sudo vi /etc/apt/sources.list
  • Add contrib non-free to the end of each deb and deb-src line
• Update apt sudo apt update
• Install the package sudo apt install libdvd-pkg
  • Select Yes to enable automatic upgrades with apt
• Configure with sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg
• Select Yes to start the build.
• Wait 15 - 30 seconds for the build to complete

Enable libdvdcss

Tools > Preferences > Advanced >   DVD Reading

• Check the box next to Disable LibDVDNav
• This allows libdvdcss to bypass disc protection

Create or Import DVD Rip Preset

Import the preset

• Download the preset file Handbrake-DVD-Rip.json
• Open Handbrake and select Cancel in the bottom left corner
• On the top toolbar select Presets > Import from file
• Navigate to the downloaded preset file and click Open
• Select the preset by going to Presets > Custom Presets > DVD Rip

Manually create the preset More information

• Open Handbrake and select DVD drive in source selection
• Presets > Devices > Roku 480p30
• Summary tab
  • Format - MP4
  • Check - Align A/V Start
• Dimensions tab
  • Cropping - Automatic
• Filters tab
  • Detelecine - Off
  • Interlace Detection - Default
  • Deinterlace - Decomb Preset - Default
  • Denoise - hqdn3d Preset - Medium
  • Sharpen - Off
  • Deblock - Off
• Video tab
  • Video
    • Video Codec - H.264 (x264)
    • Framerate (FPS) - Same as source > Constant Framerate
  • Quality
    • Constant Quality - 18
    • If the output file is too large, increase the setting to 20. This lowers the quality and lowers the output file size.
  • Optimise Video
    • Encoder Preset - VerySlow
    • Encoder Tune - Film
    • Encoder Profile - High
    • Encoder Level - 3.1
    • Extra Options - ref=5:bframes=5
• Audio tab
  • Single track
  • Codec AAC (avcodec) Bitrate 160
  • Mixdown Stereo
• Subtitles tab
  • Foreign Audio Scan - Check Forced Only, Burn in
• Chapters tab
  • Chapter Markers - Uncheck Create chapter markers
• Presets - Save New Preset
  • Name: DVD Rip

Rip DVD

• Open Handbrake and select DVD drive in source selection
• Presets > Custom Presets > DVD Rip
  • (Optional) Disable subtitle scan - Subtitles tab - click red X on Foreign Audio Scan
  • If you really don’t want subtitles, this will save some time.
• Click Start Encode