Quick start HandBrake takes videos you already have and makes new ones that work on your mobile phone, tablet, TV media player, game console, computer, computer, or web browser—nearly browser—nearly anything that supports modern video formats. This quick start guide assumes you have already downloaded and installed HandBrake. f you do not already have HandBrake, please see !ownloading and installing HandBrake. HandBrake . "et#s get started.
Launch HandBrake "aunch HandBrake by quickly clicking twice $double%clicking& on the cocktail ' pineapple icon. !epending on your system settings, a single click may suffice.
Open your existing video HandBrake calls the video you already have the
Source .
(elect the Open Source button on the toolbar to browse your files for f or a video to open. )ou )ou may also drag your Source video onto HandBrake#s main window.
The *pen (ource dialog allows you to browse your files for a video to open.
The *pen (ource dialog allows you to browse your files for a video to open.
n addition to the *pen (ource dialog, you may also open a video by dragging it to HandBrake#s main window.
Select a title (ome Sources may contain more than one video clip, or a collection of HandBrake#s Title control to select which video clip you want to use.
Titles.
+se
(ome sources may contain more than one video clip. The title control lets you select which video clip you want to use. (ome Sources have only one
Title.
Blu%ray and !V!
Sources often
have multiple
Titles .
Select a preset HandBrake provides a number of settings Presets to make your new video work well with your playback devices and software. or instance, if you have a -laystation , you may wish to select the Playstation 1080p30 Surround preset under Devices. The default Fast most devices.
1080p30 preset
is often a good choice because it#s fast and compatible with
-resets are one%click settings to save you time and help ensure compatibility with your devices.
f the presets list is not visible, select the Toggle -resets button on the toolbar. Presets can
affect compatibility $whether your video will work with your devices and software& and encoding time. "earn more about (electing a preset.
Select a destination
The Destination is where your new video will go. )ou can select the choose a different location and name, or type it directly in the bo/.
!estination is where HandBrake will put your new video.
Browse... button
to
(elect the Browse button to choose a different location and name. -lease take special care to note your destination. *therwise, you won#t be able to find your new video. )ou can move it later if you desire.
Start the encode (elect the Start button on the toolbar to make your new video. HandBrake will report its progress while it#s working and alert you when it#s finished. Then you will have a new video file at the Destination you specified.
HandBrake reports its progress during encoding.
HandBrake shows an alert when finished encoding. 0ongratulations1 )ou 2ust encoded your first video using HandBrake. t#s now ready to watch on your devices.
Next steps f you didn#t get a video file as e/pected, encountered an error, or had some other trouble, you can continue reading to learn more about how HandBrake works or 2ump right to Troubleshooting common issues. 0ontinue to 3bout HandBrake.
Opening a video source *nce you#ve downloaded and installed HandBrake, it#s time to open a video for encoding.
About sources n HandBrake terms, the video you already have is called the Source. *ne of HandBrake#s strengths is its ability to open Sources in a wide variety of video formats, including but not limited to4 • •
• • • •
Videos made by mobile phones, tablets, and many video cameras and !("5s (creen and game recordings, web videos, video editing pro2ects 6, and other computer% related sources -rofessional video production formats including -ro5es and !7/H! !V!, Blu%ray, 3V0H!83V0H! "ite 9, and H!%!V! : discs or disc backups Broadcast TV recordings !igital recordings of VH(, Beta, Video;8Hi;, "aser!isc, and other analog sources
)ou can learn more about (ource formats in the technical documentation. Note: HandBrake does not defeat or circumvent copy protection of any kind. t does not work with video files employing !5<. (ee 3bout HandBrake for more information about what HandBrake does and does not .
Ways to open a video source By default, HandBrake presents the Open Source dialog on launch. t is also accessable from the Toolbar at the top of HandBrake#s main window.
The Toolbar provides easy access to HandBrake#s most common functions.
The *pen (ource button opens the *pen (ource dialog. (elect the Open
Source button
to select the video you want to open.
)ou can also drag and drop a video
Source onto
HandBrake#s main window.
The *pen (ource dialog allows you to browse your files for a video to open.
n addition to the *pen (ource dialog, you may also open a video by dragging it to HandBrake#s main window. HandBrake will scan your selection and after a few moments, the main window will show the file name of the Source you opened along with some additional information.
HandBrake#s main window after sucessfully opening a source. (ome Sources may contain more than one video clip, or a collection of Titles. Blu%ray and !V! Sources often have multiple Titles. +se HandBrake#s Title control to select which video clip you want to use.
(ome sources may contain more than one video clip. The title control lets you select which video clip you want to use. =reat1 3t this point, HandBrake knows which video you want to use.
Next steps f HandBrake didn#t open your video as as e/pected or you had some other trouble, you can continue reading to learn more about how HandBrake works or 2ump right to Troubleshooting common issues. 0ontinue to (electing a preset. 6. Videos made using consumer video editing software such as i
9. 3V0H! and 3V0H! "ite playlists are not fully supported. ndividual files8streams may work.↩ :. H!%!V! playlists are not fully supported. ndividual files8streams may work.↩
Selecting a preset 3 Preset is a group of settings specifically tailored for the software or device you want your videos to play on. (electing a Preset can go a long way toward ensuring your video works where you want it to.
Oicial presets HandBrake includes a number of official
Presets for
specific devices and for general use.
*nce you#ve opened a Source , select the Preset that most closely describes the device you want your videos to work on. or instance, if you want to play your videos on a 5oku that supports 6>;>p High !efinition, choose the Rou 1080p30 Surround preset under Devices.
-resets are one%click settings to save you time and help ensure compatibility with your devices. f your device is not listed, or you wish to play your videos on a computer, the default Fast 1080p30 preset is a good choice. t#s fast and compatible across a wide range of software and devices.
!usto" presets f you#ve previously saved one of your own the official Presets.
Presets,
you may select it in the same way as
)ou can learn more about 0ustom presets in the advanced features section.
Ad#usting $uality HandBrake#s default settings and most of the official Presets use a constant quality encoding method. This makes your new video look consistent from start to finish. 3lways use constant quality unless you have a specific reason not to. )ou can use the default setting for the Preset you selected, or ad2ust the quality control higher or lower depending on your tastes. ncreasing quality will make your new video take up more space on your computer or playback device, whereas reducing quality will typically make your new video take up less space.
%sing the $uality control
3d2ust the quality control toward the right to increase quality, or toward the left to lower it. Begin by making small ad2ustments. -lus or minus 6%9 5 is usually noticeable.
&eco""ended $uality settings 5ecommended settings for x'() and x'(* encoders4 • • • •
5 6;%99 for ;>p8@A?p (tandard !efinition 6 5 6%9: for A9>p High !efinition 9 5 9>%9 for 6>;>p ull High !efinition : 5 99%9; for 96?>p C +ltra High !efinition
5aising quality minus 6%9 5 may produce better results when encoding animated Sources $anime, cartoons&. "ower quality settings may be used to produce smaller files. !rastically lower settings may show significant loss of detail. +sing higher than recommended quality settings can lead to extremely large files that may not be compatible with your devices. Dhen in doubt, stick to the recommended range or use the default setting for the Preset you selected.
+isplay si,e and vie-ing distance mperfections tend to be more noticeable at larger display siEes and closer viewing distances. This is especially true for lower resolution videos $less than A9>p&, which are typically scaled or Fblown upG to fill your display, magnifying even minor imperfections in quality. )ou may wish to slightly increase quality for viewing on larger displays $@> inches 8 69@ cm diagonal or greater&, or where viewing from closer than average distances @. 5educed quality may be acceptable for viewing on smaller screens or where storage space is limited, e.g. mobile devices.
Next steps 0ontinue to -reviewing your settings. 6. (! video has a resolution of A9>/;> or fewer pi/els $A9>/@A? for -3"&. !V!s, small web videos, and most analog sources are (!. ↩ 9. A9>p H! video has a resolution of 69;>/A9> pi/els. Dith three times the resolution of (!, and about half that of 6>;>p H!, A9>p H! is commonly used by consumer video cameras, web videos, and broadcast TV sports.↩ :. 6>;>p H! video has a resolution of 69>/6>;> pi/els—twice the resolution of A9>p and si/ times the resolution of ;>p. 6>;>p H! video is commonly used by mobile phones and tablets, consumer and professional video cameras, and Blu%ray.↩ . 96?>p +H! video has a resolution of :;>/96?> pi/els and is four times the resolution of 6>;>p. C video is used by high%end mobile phones and tablets, consumer and professional video cameras, and C Blu%ray.↩ @. "earn more about optimum viewing distances for high definition TV displays.↩
.revie-ing your settings Video encoding requires a lot of computer resources and can take awhile to complete. HandBrake#s Preview feature allows you to perform a test run on a small portion of your Source , so you can see what your new video will look like without encoding all of it.
Opening the .revie- -indo3t the top of HandBrake#s main window, you#ll see a toolbar with various buttons.
The Toolbar provides easy access to HandBrake#s most common functions.
The -review button opens a window where you can test your settings. (elect the Preview button to open the
Preview window.
Ad#usting .revie- settings
Preview window,
and some controls will appear.
HandBrake#s -review feature lets you test your settings on a small portion of your (ource.
)ou can set the starting position and duration of your -review. (et the starting position by dragging the Position control left or right, and choose how many seconds of video you want to encode using the Duration control.
Starting a .revie- encode Dhen you#re satisfied with your starting position and duration, select patient. HandBrake will report its progress while it works.
!ive Preview and
be
HandBrake will report its progress while encoding your -review.
-layback controls allow you to interact with your -review when it#s ready. Dhen your Preview is ready, the controls are updated to let you play, pause, and rewind your video. )ou can also ad2ust the audio volume, and in some cases, choose which audio track plays. To create a new Preview, select the ╳ button to start over. Dhen you#re finished previewing your work, you may close the
Preview window.
Next steps f the Preview you created was lacking in quality or otherwise not as e/pected, you may need to ad2ust quality or select a different -reset, after which you can create another Preview to see any changes. *nce you are satisfied, continue to (tarting encoding.
Starting encoding
7ow that you#ve got all your settings 2ust right, it#s time to make your new video1
Selecting a destination Destination is
where your new video will go. )ou can select the Browse... button to choose a new location and name, or type it directly in the bo/.
!estination is where HandBrake will put your new video.
(elect the Browse button to choose a different location and name. -lease take special care to note your destination. *therwise, you won#t be able to find your new video. )ou can move it later if you desire.
Starting the encode (elect the Start button on the toolbar to make your new video.
The Toolbar provides easy access to HandBrake#s most common functions.
The (tart button begins encoding your new video. Video encoding requires a lot of computer resources and can take awhile to complete. (ome videos may take minutes to create others may take hours. 6
HandBrake reports its progress during encoding.
HandBrake shows an alert when finished encoding. HandBrake will report its progress while it#s working and alert you when it#s finished. Then you will have a new video file at the Destination you specified.
)our new video is located at the !estination you specified. 0ongratulations1 )ou 2ust encoded your first video using HandBrake. t#s now ready to watch on your devices.
Next steps f you didn#t get a video file as e/pected, encountered an error, or had some other trouble, you can continue reading to learn more about how HandBrake works or 2ump right to Troubleshooting common issues. 0ontinue to
6. Jncoding time depends on multiple factors, including the duration, resolution, and comple/ity of your Source the settings used to make your new video and the speed and computation power of your machine. ↩
/ultiple encodes using the Queue Jncoding videos takes time, and can use a lot of your computer#s computational power. "uckily, you can set up multiple encodes at once by adding them to HandBrake#s
"ueue.
Adding encodes to the Queue Begin by opening a (ource, selecting a Title, and selecting a -reset. Then select the #dd "ueue button on the toolbar.
(elect the 3dd to Iueue button on the toolbar to add your encode to the queue.
(elect the 3dd to Iueue button on the toolbar to add your encode to the queue. (elect the S$ow
"ueue button
on the toolbar to see the queued encodes, or
(elect the (how Iueue button on the toolbar to open the Iueue window.
%obs.
to
The Iueue window lists pending Kobs.
(elect the (how Iueue button on the toolbar to open the Iueue window.
The Iueue window lists pending Kobs. )ou may open additional
Sources and
add them to the
"ueue in
the same manner.
Adding "ultiple encodes si"ultaneously Dhen using the
"ueue,
you may find it beneficial to create multiple
*n
%obs at
one time.
'andBrae menu.
n the (eneral &iles setting is selected and Title is
*pen the -references window using the HandBrake menu.
(elect 3utomatically name output files to ensure unique file names when adding multiple Titles to the Iueue. This ensures that each of your other.
%obs will
be given a unique file name, and not overwrite each
*n Dindows, first open the Pre&erences window using the Tools menu. n the Output Files section, ensure that the #uto)atically na)e output &iles setting is selected. (et a De&ault Pat$ $where your new videos will be created& and make sure Title is part of the File For)at field.
*pen the -references window using the Tools menu.
(et up 3utomatic ile 7aming to ensure unique file names when adding multiple Titles to the Iueue. This ensures that each of your other.
%obs will
be given a unique file name, and not overwrite each
f your Source is a Blu%ray, !V!, or other disc or disc%like format with multiple Titles , you may open it with HandBrake and add multiple Titles to the "ueue simultaneously. 3dditionally, you may open a folder of multiple single% Title videos $e/cluding discs and disc%like formats& as one virtual Source with multiple Titles using the Open Source dialog, and then add multiple Titles to the "ueue6.
The *pen (ource dialog allows you to select a folder containing multiple video files.
The Title control lets you select which video clip you want to use. *n "inu/, select #dd *ultiple from the "ueue menu, then select the Titles you wish to encode using the presented dialog. Be sure to give each a unique file name. *n
Titles you
(elect 3dd Titles to IueueL from the ile menu to open a selection dialog.
(elect the Titles you wish to encode from the 3dd Titles to Iueue dialog.
*n Dindows, select #ll
Selection to "ueue from
)ou may open additional
Sources and
the "ueue menu to add all
add them to the
"ueue in
Titles.
the same manner.
0diting 1obs To make changes to %obs in the "ueue, first open the "ueue button on the toolbar.
"ueue window
by selecting the
S$ow
(elect the (how Iueue button on the toolbar to open the Iueue window.
(elect the (how Iueue button on the toolbar to open the Iueue window. To remove a %ob, select the ╳ button ne/t to the unwanted
%ob.
*n "inu/, if you want to make changes to a %ob already in the "ueue, select the %ob and then select +dit. Jditing a %ob opens the Source in HandBrake#s main window and removes the %ob from the "ueue. *n
0on trol% or right%click the Kob and select Jdit to make changes. *n Dindows, if you want to make changes to a %ob already in the "ueue, select the edit button ne/t to the %ob. Jditing a %ob opens the Source in HandBrake#s main window and removes the %ob from the "ueue.
(elect the edit button, which looks like a sheet of paper, to make changes to a Kob. Dhen you#re finished making changes, again add the encode to the #dd to "ueue button on the toolbar.
"ueue by
selecting the
(elect the 3dd to Iueue button on the toolbar to add your encode to the queue.
(elect the 3dd to Iueue button on the toolbar to add your encode to the queue.
Starting the Queue Dhen ready, select the Start button on the "ueue window or the main window to begin encoding the %obs in the "ueue.
Start "ueue button
on the
The (tart Iueue button begins encoding the Kobs in the Iueue. 6. Dhen opening multiple videos in a folder, HandBrake ignores any additional folders inside.
!usto" .resets HandBrake comes with many built%in presets which cover the most common use case scenarios. However there are many scenarios and devices that many not be covered. )ou can create your own presets by clicking the F3ddG button on the preset pane.
-reset 0ontrols Dhen you#ve pressed this button, you#ll see the following window appear4
-reset 3dd Dindow Dhen you press save, HandBrake will use the default behaviour rules you#ve set and any settings from the main window 2ust before you pressed F3dd -resetG.
Audio and Subtitle +eaults HandBrake does not store 3udio and (ubtitle tracks in presets. nstead, we store behaviour rules for automatically selecting audio and subtitle tracks each time you scan a new source or select a title. n order to configure the track selection behaviour, click the F0onfigure !efaultsG button on the 3udio or (ubtitle !efaults tab.
Audio Defaults
3udio !efaults Dindow Track (election Behaviour o 7one 7o audio tracks will be automatically added. o irst matching selected "anguage The first track that matches the each of the languages in the F0hosen "anguagesG, otherwise the first track will be selected. o 3ll matching selected languages 3ll the tracks that match the F0hosen "anguagesG. 0hoose "anguages o
•
•
HandBrake can pass thru several different audio formats. There are separate options the audio encoder dropdown for these. Dhen you select F3uto -assthruG, it will pass thru any of those supported types. )ou can limit what it will automatically passthru. or e/ample, if you only ever want 30: or !T( passthru, but not any of the other choices, untick the relevant checkbo/es. allback Jncoder o
•
o
Dhen you have a passthru encoder selected, if the source track format does not match this format, HandBrake will automatically re%encode the track. The fallback encoder is the default encoder it will fallback to.
Subtitle Defaults
(ubtitle !efaults Dindow Track (election Behaviour o 7one 7o subtitle tracks will be added o irst matching selected "anguage The first subtitle track for each F0hosen "anguageG will be added, where supported by the output container. o 3ll matching selected languages o 3ll subtitle track$s& for each F0hosen "anguageG will be added, where supported by the output container. Burn in Behaviour HandBrake can burn in 6 subtitle track to an encoded file. There are : behavioural options you can choose from for this checkbo/ to be automatically selected. o oreign 3udio (can o irst Track o oreign 3udio -referred, else first 0hoose "anguages o
•
•
•
0lose captions are te/t based subtitles supported by both <- and
•
&esi,ing 2ideo .icture Settings The picture settings tab is located on HandBrake#s main window and becomes active after you#ve scanned a source.
-icture settings tab
Width and Height These allow you to ad2ust the siEe of the output. Dhen you press the up or down arrows, the number will 2ump by the number selected in the F
Modulus The width and height must be divisible by this number. t#s best left at 9, but if you have a problematic player, you can try setting it to 6?.
Anamorphic Typically recommended that you leave this on FlooseG. f your source is not anamorphic, having this set to an anamorphic option will not affect the output. Thus, it is safe to leave on. or more information on what 3namorphic is, please read our advanced anamorphic guide MT*!* "7CN
%pscaling The HandBrake =+#s do not allow upscaling.
!ropping HandBrake by default will try and detect and crop black bars from the video. Jncoding black bars increases the encode time and the amount of disk space required, so it#s best to let HandBrake remove them. HandBrakes auto%crop is not perfect. t#s giving you a best guess at what the crop values should be. f you find it gets it wrong, which is not that common, you can ad2ust them by selecting the F0ustomG option. )ou can preview the effect of your ad2ustments by clicking the F-reviewG button on the toolbar.
HandBrake toolbar The preview window will then appear and will display in real%time any changes you make on the picture settings screen. f the siEe of the output e/ceeds the window siEe, the preview window will scale it to fit to screen.
-review window
Subtitles Supported Subtitle 3or"ats There are different types of subtitles that e/ist4 • • •
Bitmaps $-ictures&, e.g. !V! V*B(+Bs, Bluray -=( Te/t with markup, e.g. 0losed 0aptions and (5T files. (tyled ((3, e.g. most anime subtitles in
HandBrake can read subtitles from the following sources4 • • • •
rom !V!#s O Jither embedded V*B(+B or 00 tracks. rom Bluray % -=( (ubtitles. +ser supplied (5T files. Jmbedded ((38(5T800 within files $such as mkv or mp&
Supported Output 3or"ats HandBrake has two methods of subtitle *+T-+T4 •
•
Hard Burn4 This means the subtitles are written on top of the image permanently. They cannot be turned on or off like on the !V!. (oft (ubtitles4 This means the subtitles will appear as separate selectable tracks in your output file. Dith the correct playback software, you#ll be able to enable 8 disable these subtitles as required.
The following subtitle types as supported as follows4
•
Bluray -=( (ubtitles o Dith <-, you can burn *7") 6 subtitle track into the video. o )ou can not pass%through -=( into <- as this file format does not support it. o Dith
•
Dith <-, you can burn *7") 6 subtitle track into the video. o Dith ; 0losed 0aptions $!V! and some 3T(0 streams&
•
o
Dhen selected, these will be passed through from your source file to the
•
•
)ou can import multiple (5T subtitle tracks. o )ou can set an offset $measured in milliseconds& to change the start time that the first and subsequent (5T subtitles will appear. +se trial and error encoding a single chapter to obtain the correct offset. o )ou should make sure the correct character code is selected from the F0har 0odeG dropdown. (electing the wrong code, will result in your output file having no subtitle track, and can cause the player to crash when playing that track. (5T -assthru
•
(5T (ubtitles can also be passed through from input video files. o (5T are converted to ((3 for the output. ((3 (ubtitles
o
o
o o
((3 (ubtitles can be passed%thru or burned into the video. Dhen burned into the video, all styling $e.g. fonts, colors, etc& is preserved.
3nimated effects $e.g. fade in8out, karaoke& are not currently supported. $*nly the middle frame of the animation will be used.& Dhen passed%thru as te/t, only bold8italic8underline styles are preserved. (ome players may not support the simultaneous display of multiple passed%thru ((3 subtitles.
o
3orced Subtitles Dith some !V! sources, there is a subtitle track which only displays during foreign language sections of the video. *n some titles this is a unique subtitle track in the same language as the main audio track, on others it uses the standard subtitle track in the same language as the main audio track e/cept marks a subset of the subtitles as forced. n order to select this track, HandBrake can scan the source for subtitles that appear only 6>P $or less& of the time in addition to scanning for the presence of any forced subtitles. To enable this functionality within the HandBrake user interface, from the F(ubtitlesG tab select the Foreign 3udio (earch $Bitmap&G option from the FTrackG dropdown menu and click the ForcedG 0heckbo/. f you do not get a foreign section only subtitle track in your output file, then you may have to manually find and select the correct subtitle track from the FTrackG dropdown menu.
!hapter /arkers !hapters HandBrake can copy 0hatper
0hapters Tab
&ena"ing !hapters4 f you wish, you can re%name these by simply simply altering the names shown in the chapters tab. )ou can also import or e/port the set of chapter markers. HandBrake supports importing of 0(V $0ommand seperated Values& files. 0lick the mport button to choose a 0(V file. The file must be in the following format4 1,-$apter a)e /,-$apter / a)e 3,-$apter 3 a)e ....
inally, you can e/port the current chapter list to 0(V format by clicking the Qe/port# button.
Sources -ithout chapters +nfortunatly, HandBrake can not currently add chapter markers if they did not already e/ist in the source.
2ideo !odecs •
H.9? $/9?&4 or <-J=% part 6>, also known as H.9?83V0.
•
•
o
This is HandBrakes default encoder. t provides e/cellent performance, filesiEes and quality.
o
t is widely supported by players and mobile devices.
H.9? $ntel Iuick(ync&4 or <-J=% part 6>, also known as H.9?83V0. o
3vailable on ntel processors with ntel H! =raphics.
o
Iuick(ync is a hardware based H.9? encoder so is very fast, with significantly lower 0-+ usage than /9?.
o
ntel Haswell or newer 0-+#s are recommended as these offer the best results in terms of Iuality and ilesiEe.
o
)ou can typically e/pect larger $but usually not significantly larger& file siEes and slightly lower quality to an equivilent /9? encode. This is a trade off that is fine for most.
H.9?@ $/9?@&4 3lso known as HJV0 o
o
o
•
•
This is the ne/t generation of encoder that offers even higher quality encodes and better filesiEes over H.9? 7ote, encoding to H.9?@ is a significantly more complicated process, so it is e/pected to be slower than HandBrake#s H.9? encoders. -layback support is rather limited at the moment, particularly with mobile devices but this should improve drastically throughout 9>6@86?
<-J=% $ffmpeg&4 HandBrake offers mpeg#s <-J=% part 9 encoder for fast, low quality encoding. o
Better support from older devices such as !V! players and cheap F<- -layersG
o
"ower quality than the H.9? encode option but typically faster encodes.
<-J=%9 $ffmpeg&4 HandBrake offers mpeg#s <-J=%9 part 9 encoder for fast, low quality encoding. ast Jncoding, but requires larger files than <-J=% for the same quality level. +seful for testing but not much else. V-; $"ibvp/&4 o
•
o
3 free and open video codec which offers significant improvements over Theora.
•
V-: $Theora&4 HandBrake can also encode Theora video. Theora video with Vorbis audio in the
However, Theora has yet to reach maturity when measured by quality at a given bitrate.
2ideo 0ncoding Speed Ho- is encoding speed "easured5 The speed at which your source is encoded is measured in frames per second $fps&. That is, how many still images from your video are encoded each secondR (o for e/ample, if your encode is running at 6>>fps, and your source is a 9@fps -3" !V!, then your encoding at / real time.
What aects encoding speed5 There are many factors what affect encode performance. The hardware you are running on, the encoder settings you choose and source file itself.
Hardware The hardware you run on can have a large effect on performance. HandBrake can scale well up to ? 0-+ cores with diminishing returns thereafter. (o a 0ore 0-+ can be nearly twice as fast as a !ual 0ore equivalent. HandBrake also supports encoding in Hardware with ntel Iuick(ync. This uses dedicated 3(0 hardware on the processor to encode the video which leaves much of the 0-+ free for other tasks. This offers very high performance encoding at a reasonable quality if you have a Haswell or newer ntel -rocessor with H! =raphics on%board. (ee our (ystem 5equirements for details on recommended hardware for running HandBrake.
Settings (ettings play a large part in encoding performance.
HandBrake#s Video Video Iuality (ettings ilters are another thing that has a big effect. -articularly if you use !enoise 7"
HandBrake#s Video Video ilter (ettings
Source )our source will have an effect on performance in several se veral ways. or e/ample, a 6>;>- H! video will take longer to encode using the same settings and hardware than a @A?- file. This is because there are @ times as many pi/els to process in the 6>;>- file. 3nother 3nother aspect that can affect performance is what the format of the input file is. or e/ample the H.9@ decoder is highly optimised but lesser used codecs may not be so well optimised. Dithin a codec, Baseline H.9? will be far quicker and less 0-+ intensive to decode than High -rofile H.9?. This is because the decoding algorithms used are simpler, this, you have more 0-+ time to spend on encoding.
!onstant Quality vs Average Bit &ate HandBrake supports two modes of encoding video. •
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Dith the average bitrate, you control the siEe of the output file but give up control over the video#s quality. 0onstant quality mode does the opposite you specify a quality level and HandBrake ad2usts the bitrate $that is, the siEe& to meet it.
!onstant Quality Benefits over Average Average Bitrate •
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aster Jncoding % 7o need to do 9%-ass encoding $thus almost halving the encode time.& 0onstant Iuality can produce the same quality as a 9 pass encode. 5educed file siEes Videos usually have a mi/ of comple/ and less comple/ frames. $The latter requiring less bitrate to achieve a set quality level& f less comple/ frames do not have bits wasted on them, your overall output filesiEe is reduced without any loss of quality.
Output File Sizes Because it takes a different bitrate to reach a given quality level for any given part of any movie, the output siEe is unpredictable and varies from source to source. J/ample4 =iven 9 sources of the same length, one could turn out to be 6.9=B, the other 6.=B. The difference can be more or less depending on the source. f your source material is consistent, you will get roughly the same file siEes out for each. n particular, grainy sources tend to come out larger as they require a higher bit%rate to maintain all that e/tra detail in the video. n this case, you may try turning on the F!enoiseG filter or reduce the 5 value a few points. )ou should also note that even if a file siEe is significantly smaller than a counterpart encoded with target filesiEe, it does not mean it is any lower quality. t#s t#s simply encoded more efficiently.
!"# $ecommended %ualit& $F 'alues The Iuality slider ranges from $"ow Iuality& @6 to > $High Iuality& or good quality output at reasonable file siEes, the following values are recommended4 5ecommended settings for /9? are4 •
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(tandard !efinition $e.g !V!#s& +se an 5 value of around 9> S8% 6 3s an e/ample using the 3ppleTV9 preset at 59>, with 9> different sources, the average siEe was 9@:86>;>& +se an 5 value of 99 S8% 6 (ince H! sources are typically quality, you can get away with a slightly higher 5 value than (! content without any perceived difference in quality. quality.
)ou should note that the quality slider is not linear for /9?. t is logarithmic $like the 5ichter or pH scales.& This means small movements in the numbers can have large results. res ults. )ou )ou can control the granularity of the slider in the preferences 8 options. )ou can encode a few chapters of a source to e/periment with different quality values if the above recommendations are not suitable. Jncoding a 6>minute sample in the middle of your source should give you a good idea of what to e/pect.
!"# and $F ( 5 > applies no compression. t is lossless4 it compresses the source without throwing away practically any detail. (o should you use 5 > to perfectly preserve the sourceR 7ope. 7ot at all. n fact, you#ll end up with video that#s way larger than the !V!, but doesn#t look any better. (ee, !V!s use lossy compression to squeeEe down the raw video the studios use to make them O sort of like a quality level of 5 9>. t throws away detail. Dhen HandBrake uncompresses the video prior to conversion, the quality lost when the !V! was made is still gone. Dhen you use 5 > quality with /9?, you#re telling it to losslessly preserve the decoded, uncompressed video feed, not to losslessly preserve the !V!. Both have the same picture quality, quality, but the uncompressed uncompressed feed takes up a lot more space. To sum up4 when converting from a !V! source, there is no reason to go above an 5 of U6, which is roughly equivalent to how heavily the !V! is compressed. f you do go higher, your your output will be larger than your input1
$ecommended values for other encoders MT*!*N
Average Bitrate
+nless you really need to aim for a target filesiEe $which we recommend against&, it is highly recommended that you use 0onstant Iuality. Bitrate is the number of bits dedicated to the video in a second. 3nd remember, that gets split between U9%:> frames. Dhen you set an average bitrate, the encoder will vary the number of bits given to any one portion of the video, but try to keep everything at the average you set. • • •
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The video bitrate can be set on the FVideo TabG t is recommended that you use 9%-ass encoding. This will provide better quality and better bit%rate distribution. 3 single pass will lead to sub%optimal results. o The FTurboG checkbo/ will make the first pass quicker at the e/pense of quality.
Source Angles (ome videos or movies have Fmultiple anglesG. This is where the same scene is shot from different camera angles. HandBrake can read multiple video tracks from !V! and Blu5ay sources. +nder the source section, you will see a dropdown with the label F3ngleG if your source type supports it. )ou can choose which angle to encode to your output file. HandBrake does not currently support multi%angle output.
HandBrake#s 3ngle 0ontrol.
3ra"e rate 3 video#s frame rate is how many still pictures are displayed per second. 0ommon frame rates are 9:.A?89 for film, 9@8@> for Juropean broadcast standards, and 9.A8@. or :>8?> for 7orth 3merican broadcast standards.
HandBrake#s frame rate controls. (electing Sa)e as Source allows you to select ariable Fra)e Rate FR2 , which instructs HandBrake to make your new video#s frame rate an e/act copy of your Source frame rate. 7o frame rate conversion is performed. -onstant Fra)e Rate -FR2 makes
your new video e/actly one frame rate throughout. Dhen used with Sa)e as Source, HandBrake will detect the frame rate of your Source and make sure any variable portions are made constant at the same rate. Dhen used with a specific frame rate, HandBrake conforms your entire video to the new frame rate. This method is not recommended e/cept in special circumstances, such as encoding for import into an 7"J or for e/tremely old devices. (electing a specific frame rate allows you to select Pea Fra)e Rate PFR2 , which is the best of both worlds. Think of it as a threshold or limit. HandBrake will leave portions of your
video at or below the peak frame rate you select unchanged, while limiting higher frame rate video to the peak frame rate you select. HandBrake versions prior to 6.>.> defaulted to Sa)e as Source and ariable Fra)e Rate FR2. This was not of a problem with most videos of the past, but the advent of high frame rate video recording for mobile devices, action cams, and more, this method cannot ensure such videos will be compatible with devices having considerable frame rate limitations— including nearly all modern media devices that do not create video. To remedy this, the built% in presets in HandBrake 6.>.> and later use Pea Fra)e Rate PFR2 for broader compatibility.
+yna"ic &ange !o"pression The dynamic range of an audio track is the difference between the softest and loudest sounds. !ynamic range compression reduces the gap between those e/tremes. • • • •
6.>%9.@ are good values to use. >, the default, turns it off completely. 6.> uses the compression hints embedded in the 30: track. Values greater than 6.> compress the range further by boosting the volume of soft sound samples while leaving loud samples as they are. This squeeEes down the range between the softest and loudest parts, but should make the softer ones easier to hear in noisy listening environments.
7ote, this is not the same as a gain or volume boost control.
)ompatibilit& !ynamic range compression only works when the source audio is 30: and you are encoding to another format, like 330. t has no effect on 30: pass%through or on !T( or <-J=%9 audio.
Audio Quality The 3udio Tracks quality settings are controlled via the F3udioG tab on the main window. Jach track can be configured to suit your needs.
HandBrake#s 3udio Track (ettings
There are several different modes HandBrake can operate in.
Average Bitrate HandBrake supports average bitrate for all audio encoders e/cept "30.
%ualit& based *ncoding Iuality based encoding is supported for the following codecs4 % 330 % <-: % Vorbis The scale of the quality if much less pronounced compared to the video quality slider, so changes do not have nearly as big an impact on file siEe.
+ossless HandBrake supports "30 $both 6? and 9bit& when the output format is
30: and J%30: !T(, !T(%H! TrueH! 330 <-: "30
3or"ats 6 containers 0ontainers are files that wrap around video and audio tracks—inde/ing and organiEing the streams for playback—in addition to providing advanced features, like chapters similar to those on !V!s. HandBrake supports two widely supported formats.
3eatures eatures and playback compatiblity varies between
n an <- file, you can store <-J=% video created by ffmpeg or /9?. o (upports H.9?, H.9?@, <-J=%, <-J=%9 video. o t stores audio in the 330 format. t is also possible to pass through !olby !igital @.6 (urround (ound $30:& audio from a !V! in an <- file, although it is a new standard and not widely supported. V"0 can decode it, and the 3ppleTV can pass it through to a surround sound receiver. o <- also supports chapters, for which HandBrake uses 3pple#s chapter format.
<- also is capable of storing MVariablerame5ate Variable rame 5ateN video. o Be aware that chapters and 30: audio can only be seen by IuickTime if you change the file e/tension from .mp to .mv. HandBrake will do this for you automatically when you enable those features, although this can be disabled in the preferences if you really want .mp at the end of the name. o The <- format can also be optimiEed for Ffast startG progressive downloads over the Deb. o t can also include FsoftG te/t subtitles that can be turned on or off, instead of always being hard burned into the video frames. n an
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(upports H.9?, H.9?@, <-J=%, <-J=%9 video and V-: $Vorbis& t stores audio in the 330, <-:, Vorbis or "30 formats. t can also pass through the !olby !igital @.6 $30:& and !igital Theater (ystems $!T(& surround sound formats used by !V!s. t supports chapters, as well as MVariablerame5ate Variable rame 5ateN video. t can include FsoftG subtitles that can be turned on or off, instead of always being hard burned into the video frame. These can either be bitmap images of the subtitles included on a !V! $known as vobsub& or te/t.
/.) vs /)v They are the e/act same file, the only difference is the e/tension. <- vs <v. or <- files, HandBrake will automatically use the e/tension <V when you pass%through audio $30:&, use (5T subtitles or have chapter markers enabled. )ou can simply change the file e/tension between .mp and .mv as the file is e/actly the same. There are no differences in the content or container itself. )ou can disable the option to automatically set this in 1HandBrakes preferences. 7ote4 IuickTime or any IT based application will not be able to play a <- file with these features enabled, unless it has the e/tension F.mvG
Web Opti"ised Deb *ptimised 0heckbo/ f you are encoding for the web and using the <- file format, you#ll want to turn on FDeb *ptimisedG checkbo/. This places the <- container header at the start of the file, optimiEing it for streaming across the web. This is often referred to as <- Fast (tartG.
.oint to .oint 0ncoding %nderstanding your source !V!s, blu%ray discs and video files can be divided into titles and chapters. +sually a title is a whole feature, like a movie or an episode. 0hapters, then, divide the movie8episode up logically. n a !V! or Blu%ray disc menu, if you use F(cene (electionG, you are navigating by chapter.
.oint to .oint options
-oint to -oint controls or a given title, you can choose to encode only part of it unstead of the whole thing. There are three options4 • •
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0hapters, (econds, e.g ?>%6;> means it will encode 9 minutes of video, starting 6 minute into the title. rames, e.g $9@%6@>& will encode @ seconds of video if the framerate is 9@fps. (tarting after the 6st second of video.
Auto"atic 3ile Na"ing HandBrake can automatically name your output files for you based on a number of criteria. f you open the programs -references screen, you#ll see a section that referes to the F*utput ilesG
ile output preferences Here you can define the default path where output files will be stored, and the format the file name will take. By default, it will be sourceW%titleW )ou can add in addition to this4 chaptersW
Source ,ame Handling
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F0hange to Title caseG, This is also known as camel case where the first letter of each word is a capital followed by lower case letters. F5eplace underscores with a spaceG i.e FXG to F G
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F5emove common punctuationG i.e $ !ash % -eriod . 0ommas ,&
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M.# File *tension Handling The last option allows you to choose the <- file e/tension handling. <- and <V are identical files. t#s 2ust a different file e/tension. or <- files, HandBrake will automatically use the e/tension <V when you pass%through audio $30:&, use (5T subtitles or have chapter markers enabled. )ou can simply change the file e/tension between .mp and .mv as the file is e/actly the same. There are no differences in the content or container itself.
x'() .resets and 7unes x'() .resets /9? e/poses a preset and tune system. -resets range from4 •
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+ltraast % Very high speed encoding, but requires much higher bit%rates to maintain quality. This means you can e/pect much larger file siEes. -lacebo % J/tremely slow encoding but provides the best Iuality and8or filesiEe for a given source. % This option is often considered a placebo because it offers diminishing returns in terms of quality and filesiEe.
Typically, it#s recommended to use the Very ast to (low settings range for best results, or one of the slower options if you don#t mind the speed loss.
x'() 7unes The /9? tune options assign some additional options which will optimiEe the encoder for certain types of content. f you are unsure or your content doesn#t really fit into one of the following tunes, you can simply leave this option at F7oneG. •
ilm 5eal life footage, films etc may benefit. $7ot 0artoons or 3nime&. Typically won#t do any harm to if left on for most content. 3nimation o +sed for hand%drawn animated content. =rain o Typically used for very grainy or old content. (till mage o 0an be used for (lideshows, -resentations etc where there is very little moving content. -(75 o +sed for benchmarking quality. (hould not be used for normal use. ((< o +sed for benchmarking quality. (hould not be used for normal use. ast !ecode o *ptimise for faster decoding. +seful for low power devices that struggle to decode the video. o
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.roiles and Levels H4'() proiles
!efine the features 8 capabilities that the encoder can use. HandBrake e/poses : profiles for H.9? Jncodes. )ou can think of the profile as the level of comple/ity required in encode 8 decode. The higher the comple/ity, the more 0-+ power is needed to encode8decode. (etting a profile, constrains the encode to using settings that are allowed for that profile level. Typically, devices will advertise that they are compatible for a particular profile and level, so you can simply set the option that matches your device for the best chance of compatibility. •
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3uto $5ecommended& o This will automatically set the profile based on all the options that have been selected. o t is recommended that you use this option unless you need to set a profile to ensure compatibility for a particular device. Baseline o Baseline encodes are the most basic form of encoding. Dhile decoding is much easier, it may also require much higher bit%rates to maintain the same level of quality.
7ote that setting a profile does not mean your encoded file will end up being that profile. t simply prevents options being used that would breach that profile constraint.
H4'() Levels The levels are another form of constraints that define things like ma/imum bitrates, framerates and resolution etc. The wikipedia article lists the relevant information for each level. https488en.wikipedia.org8wiki8H.9?8<-J=%X3V0Y"evels
8ntel Quick Sync 2ideo Advanced !oniguration
%sing the Advanced Options rom the command line, you can use the Oencopts paramater as follows4 encopts45option14value16option/4value/5
rom the graphical user interface, 2ust set the options in the dedicated te/t bo/4 option14value16option/4value/
Option 7ypes The following value types are supported $each option only accepts one value type&4 • •
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integer 3 number that can be written without a fractional or decimal component. float The finite decimal representation of a real number. boolean > means off $or disabled&. 6 means on $or enabled&.
Available Options
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target%usage $or tu& o (ets the trade%off between quality and speed, from 6 $best quality& to A $best speed&. o !efault4 9 num%ref%frame $or ref&
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7umber of reference frames, from 6 to 6?. o > means unspecified $set at runtime by the implementation&. o !efault4 > $unspecified& gop%ref%dist
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!istance between or - reference frames, from 6 to 6?. o %6 means automatic $ in constant I- mode, : otherwise&. o > means unspecified $set at runtime by the implementation&. o 6 means B%frames will not be used. o !efault4 %6 $automatic& o 7ote4 may be sanitiEed to a lower value in some cases to avoid hangs. gop%pic%siEe $or keyint&
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cavlc
7umber of pictures within the current =*- $aka Fkeyframe intervalG&. %6 means automatic $:9 in constant I- mode, 6 second long otherwise&. > means unspecified $set at runtime by the implementation&. 6 means only %frames will be used. 9 means B%frames will not be used. !efault4 %6 $automatic&
+se 03V"0 instead of 03B30 entropy coding. 5educes compression efficiency. o t may improve encoding performance slightly, especially on older hardware. o 7ote4 you can also use QZcabac#Q $same as #Qcavlc#Q with reversed meaning&. o !efault4 > $03V"0 off, 03B30 on& b%pyramid o
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mbbrc o o o o o
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Jnables macroblock%level bitrate control that generally improves sub2ective visual quality. t may have a negative impact on performance and ob2ective visual quality metrics. !efault4 6 $on& 7ote4 not compatible with 0onstant I- or 1"ook3head rate control methods $ignored&. 0aveats4 requires hardware support $th gen. ntel 0ore processor or equivalent&, and driver support for version 6.? of the
e/tbrc o o o o o o
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Jnables or disables F-yramidal B%framesG which can improve compression efficiency. t may be incompatible with some playback devices $such as the first generation 3ppleTV&. 7ote that this options modifies other parameters $gop%ref%dist, num%ref%frame, gop%pic%siEe&. %6 means automatic $on in constant I- mode, off otherwise&. > means off $disabled&. 6 means on $enabled&. !efault4 %6 $automatic& 0aveats4 requires hardware support $th gen. ntel 0ore processor or equivalent&, and driver support for version 6.? of the
+se e/tended bitrate control algorithms. t generally improves ob2ective visual quality metrics and sub2ective visual quality, but can also lead to violation of H5! conformance and may significantly reduce performance. !efault4 > $off& 7ote4 not compatible with 0onstant I- or 1"ook3head rate control methods $ignored&. 0aveats4 requires driver support for version 6.? of the
trellis o o o o o o
Jnables trellis quantiEation. > means trellis is disabled. 6 means trellis is enabled for %frames only. 9 means trellis is enabled for and -%frames. : means trellis is enabled for all frames $, - and B&. !efault4 > $disabled&
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7ote4 ignored if the target%usage is too low $usually, only works in combination with tu[6&. o 0aveats4 requires hardware support $th gen. ntel 0ore processor or equivalent&, and driver support for version 6.A of the
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+se the 1"ook3head $"3 or "3X0I& bitrate control algorithm. o !efault4 6 $on& o 0aveats4 requires hardware support $th gen. ntel 0ore processor or equivalent&, and driver support for version 6.A $6.; for "3X0I& of the
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f 1"ook3head bitrate control is enabled, number of frames that are analyEed before encoding, from 66 to ?>. o !efault4 > o 7ote4 may be sanitiEed to a lower value in some cases to avoid hangs. o 0aveats4 requires hardware support $th gen. ntel 0ore processor or equivalent&, and driver support for version 6.A of the
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n 0onstant Iuality mode, use 0onstant I- rate control, even if ntelligent 0onstant Iuality is available. o !efault4 > $0I enabled if available& cqp%offset%i \ cqp%offset%p \ cqp%offset%b
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n constant I- $0I-& bitrate control mode, specify offset from the global quality8I- value for , - and B%frames. o !efaults are >, 9 and , respectively. vbv%ma/rate
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(ets the ma/imum rate the VBV buffer should be assumed to refill at, in kilobits per second $Cbps&. o !efault4 > $set at runtime by the implementation& o 7ote4 not compatible with 0onstant I-, ntelligent 0onstant Iuality or 1 "ook3head rate control methods $ignored&. vbv%bufsiEe
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(ets the siEe of the VBV buffer in kilobits $Cb&. o !efault4 > $set at runtime by the implementation& o 7ote4 not compatible with 0onstant I-, ntelligent 0onstant Iuality or 1 "ook3head rate control methods $ignored&. vbv%init
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(ets how full the VBV Buffer must be before playback starts. f it is less than 6, then the initial fill is4 vbv%init ] vbv%bufsiEe. *therwise it is interpreted as the initial fill in kilobits $Cb&. !efault4 > $set at runtime by the implementation&