Had a client who wanted his 2.5 hour HD video on Youtube. The smallest file with good quality I could manage to create was still 8GB. After some Googling and reading, I downloaded the free Handbrake software. At first glance, all I can say is WOW, it took my 8GB file and compressed to 998MB with no noticeable loss in quality. Anyone else do this? Am I missing anything or is this simply an awesome tool?

I have been using Handbrake for re-sizing and re-coding to mp4 for three years. Handbrake is the best I have found. There is lot's of free video related software out there, and for specific operations, in many cases, the free stuff out performs the popular expensive software. But, it takes time to find the software, and even more time to experiment with it to find the sweet spots. I'm currently looking at AWPro Client. HDCINEMATICS (http://hdcinematics.com/NewWeb/home.html) for batch conversions to Pro Res so I can transfer my video files to Mac users. Seems to work pretty good.

Never heard of it but looks interesting. How long did it take to do the the job?

I use it always for H264 delivery. You can even make BluRays with it.
Quality, file size and speedwise it's hard to beat.

I've been using this: Elgato Systems turbo.264 HD USB H.264 Video Encoder 10020196 B&H

Has a hardware accelerator. Faster than real time. Good results imo. Not free but reasonably priced.

I believe it took 32 minutes to squash 2 hours and 10 minute video.

I use this all lot, I"m still amazed at what speed it manages to convert, even on my i7 950 and the quality is very good.

I've been using handbrake for a long time, it's a great little program for reducing file size. And it works much faster then then realtime, I get 233 fps sometimes.
I wish it could handle Grass Valley (Canopus) files though.
Al

I also have been using Handbrake for years. I use it for resizing and compressing anything that goes on the Internet. The quality of both the resize and the compression, especially at mid to low bitrates is simply superb.

I've been using handbrake for a long time, it's a great little program for reducing file size. And it works much faster then then realtime, I get 233 fps sometimes.
I wish it could handle Grass Valley (Canopus) files though.
Al

I believe Handbrake is actually a frontend for x264. If you want to input Canopus AVI files from Edius try MeGui which is another x264 frontend. It accepts Canopus HQ though I feed it Canopus Lossless files. MeGui outputs separate audio and video files suitable for Blu-ray, otherwise tsMuxer GUI can combine them to a single m2ts file very fast that works nicely from a WD TV Live Hub box.

MeGui can also set a "fake interlaced" flag in progressive files that means you can author them to BD and they play as Progressive segmented frames.

To the OP: Do you have your settings to share?

We use a combination of Compressor 4 and Matrox H.264 MAX encoding. We can get a very nice 720p at 3Mbps, and in very fast encoding speeds (about 1/2 to 2/3 real-time) from 1080i sources.

It's not Handbrake that's doing output to h264 wonders - it's x264! (or ffmpeg, etc, if you can select those)

x264 is a command line encoder, out for years, and probably the best out there.

You can easily create batch file presets and feed x264 files to encode just the same.

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better encodes? Start with their hq default.

For me, set a fixed bitrate lower than the client's player. Vbr can spike and kill media players.

Then, 2-pass, turbo on. This is CRITICAL!! You won't get the best if this isn't on.

No crop, no resize, set the video size to be exactly that of the input (typically 1920x1080) if you are outputting hd. For a DVD, 720x480 anamorphic/16:9.

Set frame rate identical to source.

Only if input is 1080i and output is 480 for dvd, decomb to default (progressive 480 is best downresing).

If client's media play handles it, 1080 with uncompressed audio. Else, convert. Caution, this will significantly increase total encode times! Pass thru when possible.

Pretty much everything in high profile, advanced settings can start, but you may need to adjust based on client's media player capabilities.

For speed, start with normal profile. Add 8x8, optimal adaptive b-frames, subpixel 6 for a touch of quality in exchange for a little slower.

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faster? Either imtoo, mediaespresso thru a fast video card or intel cpu with quicksync.

I never understood why handbrake can be so fast on such low processorload, I wouldn't expect x264 output to be faster then realtime on a i7 950 with just 30-40% processorload but it is.

Confirming what others have written above, it is the x264 encoder that gives Handbrake speed and encoding quality.

A couple other big quality contributors in Handbrake - the Lanczos method for rescaling, and Yadif for deinterlacing... and ffmpeg for decoding the source. All these are state-of-the-art methods.

I use it frequently, and include it in my college internet streaming course, but it does have a couple weaknesses.

Its ability to batch files is rudimentary. It doesn't compete with the big boys in batch workflow management. If you have lots of files or lots of destination formats on a regular basis it is worth it to spend hundreds of dollars on something like Sorenson Squeeze or Telestream Episode. (Squeeze also includes x264)

Doing custom presets to get compatibility for a phone or tablet with limited codec capabilities is geekier than it has to be. Such mobile specs are given as h.264 Profile and Level. Handbrake doesn't use these, instead it gives controls for B-frames, CABAC, and many other indecipherables. You really have to know what's behind the Profile and Level standards to use these powerful but low-level controls.

But it's an awesome product for low-volume h.264 encoding for common destinations... and free!