[gabbott]

One caution with Handbrake, if you set it for strict, it will not generate a video that is modulus 8 or 16 dimensions. The xbmc software scaling will not scale to fit the screen properly if the dimensions are not mod8 or 16. At least in linux anyway. If you run VDPAU, then you don't need to worry about mod8 or mod16, it will scale to the full screen no matter what the dimensions are.

I do all my encodes with strict though I use VDPAU on my 2 XBMC boxes. I just chose it because I wanted to get quality as close to the source as possible. I didn't realize XBMC wouldn't scale non mod16 sources properly when using software for decoding.

[dchurch24]

As far as encoding progs go, I always use mplayer - it's linux, but it might be worth installing a VM for (unless you want to come over to the dark side!).

It's command line, and you can set it recursively so you can just point it at your movies folder, go to bed, and in the morning the whole lot will be recoded.

[wstewart]

As far as encoding progs go, I always use mplayer - it's linux, but it might be worth installing a VM for (unless you want to come over to the dark side!).

It's command line, and you can set it recursively so you can just point it at your movies folder, go to bed, and in the morning the whole lot will be recoded.

You can run handbrake in command line mode also, either in Linux or Windows.

[rodercot]

I played with HB .94 over the weekend with a couple of DVD's no matter how I played with cropping settings. I run my systems at 1920x1080 and all 4:3 is stretched 16:9. If I run strict and autocrop all my images are stretched with large faces, I have to run xbmc in normal view mode and still get the black bars top and bottom.

I tried three settings after following a few separate guides with no luck I also tried hb on windows and on linux with the same results.

It takes a 1.78:1 movie and turns it into a 2.32:1 movie however I crop it or set anamorphic.

rgds,

Dave

[ubuntuf4n]

StaxRip could convert your DVDs to XVID.

[jouster]

I am in the process of doing this as we speak

I use DVD Shrink to rip the DVD with no compression, but remove all of the extras to leave me with just the movie itself, the audio format I require normally DD or DTS or both...and then possibly the subtitles...I then rip this to an ISO

I then use Handbrake to compress this to an H264 MKV....and this currently reduces the file by approx 75% but gives me a perfect picture on a 60 inch Pioneer.....

Ripping of each movie take around 20 minutes.....and the conversion on a 90 minute movie take about 90 mins....

[iso13]

Here you go http://www.makemkv.com 2-3clicks and poof a single mkv file.

[emal011]

So... I was thinking in trying to compress my Movie Library too... I know with the time my HD gonna be full (1.5 TB) but any way, sometimes 4 or 7GB video is too much.

If I use Handbrake, wich option could be the perfect for my video reproduction? I mean, I don´t want to loose quality and I like to have the original audio and others and subtitles..

[moviebuff]

Just use the normal preset with mkv format in handbrake and set cq at 20. Youre good to go leave the rest and youll be fine

[kizer]

Will any of these apps allow you to do the following:
Remove all extras
Remove all subtitles
Remove all of the sound tracks, but the 5.1 you select.

I've been using DVDFab forever and I use it to remove everything, but the Main Video, 5.1 Audio track. I then normally have a 4-6GB iso file that looks great, but if I could get the same with a smaller file size that is compatible on Xbmc then its a no brainer.

I used to convert to Xvid at 1800kbs with the 5.1 audio track and I'd almost swear the picture isn't as sharp as the original so I more or less gave up on ripping Xvids and stuck with Iso's.

[moviebuff]

Handbrake uses the largest file which is usually the movie and puts it into a mkv file or mp4 if you want for youre portable. I like Make mkv to strip down the dvd to only the movie and then use handbrake.