Best way to archive my Blu Ray for Plex reading ?

General Discussions
21

Since everybody is tossing in their $0.02… :slight_smile:

Below are the Handbrake settings that work well for me for Blu-ray rips (1080p). No problem playing the resulting mp4 file with Plex on Nvidia Shield TV, Amazon Fire TV gen 2 & stick gen 1, or Nexus 5X phone. Also no problem loading into iTunes for streaming to Apple TV v3.

For Plex, one key is to not exceed the H264 Profile/Level capability of your clients, otherwise you’ll force a transcode. For example, AFTV Stick gen 1 supports max of high@4.0. If I try to play a video with a higher level using the AFTV Stick, PMS will transcode as the video exceeds the capabilities of the device, so I transcode Blu-ray rips to high@4.0. To a certain degree I’m encoding to the lowest common denominator. However, high@4.0 is more than adequate for 1080p material, so it isn’t a problem.

Format: MP4
Web Optimized = yes
Anamorphic: Auto
Modulus: 2
Cropping: Auto
Filters: All off (enable as needed for interlaced media, etc).
Video codec: H264
Framerate: Same as source, Variable framerate (all my media is 30fps or less & this works well)
Constant Quality = 20
Encoder Preset: Very Slow (Yeah, takes forever. Runs ~15fps on my system. I use Medium if I need the transcode to finish in less time).
Profile: High
Level: 4.0

Audio
For movies with AC3 5.1, dts 5.1, or better audio. Adjust as needed for media with 2.0 audio, etc.
First track: AAC Dolby Pro Logic II @ 320kbps
Second track: AC3 Passthru (if exists) or AC3 5.1 channels @ 640kbps (if no AC3 track exists & converting from dts, etc)

Subtitles
I burn in any forced subtitle tracks, otherwise I generally don’t bother with them. Personal preference. Subtitle Edit (free, Windows) works well if you want to extract & OCR subtitles. Can save them in SRT and many other formats.

MediaInfo for a recent encode

! Video #1
! ID : 1
! Format : AVC
! Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
! Format profile : High@L4
! Format settings : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
! Format settings, CABAC : Yes
! Format settings, RefFrames : 4 frames
! Codec ID : avc1
! Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
! Duration : 2 h 4 min
! Bit rate : 11.1 Mb/s
! Width : 1 920 pixels
! Height : 960 pixels
! Display aspect ratio : 2.000
! 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) : 0.251
! Stream size : 9.66 GiB (92%)
! Writing library : x264 core 155 r2893 b00bcaf
! Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=4 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x133 / me=umh / subme=10 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=24 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=2 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=12 / lookahead_threads=2 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=8 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=240 / keyint_min=24 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=60 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=20.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=25000 / vbv_bufsize=31250 / crf_max=0.0 / nal_hrd=none / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
! Encoded date : UTC 2018-02-13 01:45:42
! Tagged date : UTC 2018-02-13 01:45:42
! Color range : Limited
! Color primaries : BT.709
! Transfer characteristics : BT.709
! Matrix coefficients : BT.709
! Menus : 4,5
! tagc : public.main-program-content
!
! Audio #1
! ID : 2
! Format : AAC
! Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
! Format profile : LC
! Codec ID : mp4a-40-2
! Duration : 2 h 4 min
! Bit rate mode : Variable
! Bit rate : 320 kb/s
! Maximum bit rate : 375 kb/s
! Channel(s) : 2 channels
! Channel positions : Front: L R
! Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
! Frame rate : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
! Compression mode : Lossy
! Stream size : 285 MiB (3%)
! Title : Dolby Pro Logic II / Dolby Pro Logic II
! Language : English
! Default : Yes
! Alternate group : 1
! Encoded date : UTC 2018-02-13 01:45:42
! Tagged date : UTC 2018-02-13 01:45:42
! Fallback From : 3
! Menus : 4
! tagc : public.main-program-content
!
! Audio #2
! ID : 3
! Format : AC-3
! Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
! Codec ID : ac-3
! Duration : 2 h 4 min
! Bit rate mode : Constant
! Bit rate : 640 kb/s
! Channel(s) : 6 channels
! Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
! Sampling rate : 48.0 kHz
! Frame rate : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF)
! Bit depth : 16 bits
! Compression mode : Lossy
! Stream size : 570 MiB (5%)
! Title : Dolby Digital 5.1 / Dolby Digital 5.1
! Language : English
! Service kind : Complete Main
! Default : Inherited From: 2
! Alternate group : 1
! Encoded date : UTC 2018-02-13 01:45:42
! Tagged date : UTC 2018-02-13 01:45:42
! Fallback To : 2
! tagc : public.main-program-content
!

Handbrake preset
(started with Apple 1080p30 preset & modified as needed)

! {
! “PresetList”: [
! {
! “AlignAVStart”: false,
! “AudioCopyMask”: [
! “copy:aac”,
! “copy:ac3”,
! “copy:dtshd”,
! “copy:dts”,
! “copy:mp3”,
! “copy:truehd”,
! “copy:flac”,
! “copy:eac3”
! ],
! “AudioEncoderFallback”: “ac3”,
! “AudioLanguageList”: ,
! “AudioList”: [
! {
! “AudioBitrate”: 320,
! “AudioCompressionLevel”: 0.0,
! “AudioEncoder”: “av_aac”,
! “AudioMixdown”: “dpl2”,
! “AudioNormalizeMixLevel”: false,
! “AudioSamplerate”: “auto”,
! “AudioTrackQualityEnable”: false,
! “AudioTrackQuality”: -1.0,
! “AudioTrackGainSlider”: 0.0,
! “AudioTrackDRCSlider”: 0.0
! },
! {
! “AudioBitrate”: 640,
! “AudioCompressionLevel”: 0.0,
! “AudioEncoder”: “ac3”,
! “AudioMixdown”: “5point1”,
! “AudioNormalizeMixLevel”: false,
! “AudioSamplerate”: “auto”,
! “AudioTrackQualityEnable”: false,
! “AudioTrackQuality”: -1.0,
! “AudioTrackGainSlider”: 0.0,
! “AudioTrackDRCSlider”: 0.0
! }
! ],
! “AudioSecondaryEncoderMode”: true,
! “AudioTrackSelectionBehavior”: “first”,
! “ChapterMarkers”: true,
! “ChildrenArray”: ,
! “Default”: true,
! “FileFormat”: “av_mp4”,
! “Folder”: false,
! “FolderOpen”: false,
! “Mp4HttpOptimize”: true,
! “Mp4iPodCompatible”: false,
! “PictureAutoCrop”: true,
! “PictureBottomCrop”: 0,
! “PictureLeftCrop”: 0,
! “PictureRightCrop”: 0,
! “PictureTopCrop”: 0,
! “PictureDARWidth”: 0,
! “PictureDeblock”: 0,
! “PictureDeinterlaceFilter”: “off”,
! “PictureCombDetectPreset”: “off”,
! “PictureCombDetectCustom”: “”,
! “PictureDeinterlacePreset”: “”,
! “PictureDeinterlaceCustom”: “”,
! “PictureDenoiseCustom”: “”,
! “PictureDenoiseFilter”: “off”,
! “PictureDenoisePreset”: “light”,
! “PictureDenoiseTune”: “none”,
! “PictureSharpenCustom”: “”,
! “PictureSharpenFilter”: “off”,
! “PictureSharpenPreset”: “medium”,
! “PictureSharpenTune”: “none”,
! “PictureDetelecine”: “off”,
! “PictureDetelecineCustom”: “”,
! “PictureItuPAR”: false,
! “PictureKeepRatio”: true,
! “PictureLooseCrop”: false,
! “PictureModulus”: 2,
! “PicturePAR”: “auto”,
! “PicturePARWidth”: 0,
! “PicturePARHeight”: 0,
! “PictureRotate”: “0:0”,
! “PictureForceHeight”: 0,
! “PictureForceWidth”: 0,
! “PresetDescription”: “”,
! “PresetName”: “Blu-ray Rips”,
! “Type”: 1,
! “UsesPictureFilters”: false,
! “UsesPictureSettings”: 1,
! “SubtitleAddCC”: false,
! “SubtitleAddForeignAudioSearch”: false,
! “SubtitleAddForeignAudioSubtitle”: false,
! “SubtitleBurnBehavior”: “none”,
! “SubtitleBurnBDSub”: false,
! “SubtitleBurnDVDSub”: false,
! “SubtitleLanguageList”: ,
! “SubtitleTrackSelectionBehavior”: “none”,
! “VideoAvgBitrate”: 0,
! “VideoColorMatrixCode”: 0,
! “VideoEncoder”: “x264”,
! “VideoFramerateMode”: “vfr”,
! “VideoGrayScale”: false,
! “VideoHWDecode”: false,
! “VideoScaler”: “swscale”,
! “VideoPreset”: “veryslow”,
! “VideoTune”: “”,
! “VideoProfile”: “high”,
! “VideoLevel”: “4.0”,
! “VideoOptionExtra”: “”,
! “VideoQualityType”: 2,
! “VideoQualitySlider”: 20.0,
! “VideoQSVDecode”: false,
! “VideoQSVAsyncDepth”: 4,
! “VideoTwoPass”: true,
! “VideoTurboTwoPass”: false,
! “x264Option”: “”,
! “x264UseAdvancedOptions”: false
! }
! ],
! “VersionMajor”: “11”,
! “VersionMicro”: “0”,
! “VersionMinor”: “0”
! }
!

22

@OttoKerner said:
Not necessarily. Tick ‘Peak Framerate’ below and you’re golden. Then the setting only prevents framerates above 30 fps (which might be incompatible with certain devices).

Good to know. Like I said, I seldom use Handbrake, but the “30” thing just concerned me. Even though the program mostly just takes up space on my hard drive, I have recommended it to several friends who don’t want to use the ffmpeg command line. I don’t ever recall a problem streaming from their servers with whatever settings they use. :slight_smile:

23

Thanks everyone for your detailed answers !

@FordGuy61, I am trying your settings right now.

A few newbie questions…

@FordGuy61 said:
Format: MP4

Do you suggest mp4 over mkv ? I like sometimes to have the subtitles as optional in the mkv file and not “burned” inside. But I guess I could try to the software you talk about if it is not too difficult to produce an SRT

Web Optimized = yes
Can you explain to me what that does exactly ? Is it relevant if I am going to play my movies mostly on 1) NUC that displays on a projector via HDMI

Filters: All off (enable as needed for interlaced media, etc).
How do I know if my media is interlaced ? Is that the case in some Blu Rays or not ?

Encoder Preset: Very Slow (Yeah, takes forever. Runs ~15fps on my system. I use Medium if I need the transcode to finish in less time).

Again what will be the difference in quality if I choose “slower” or “medium”, as anyone done the test ? And time to produce the file ?

started with Apple 1080p30 preset & modified as needed)
I have an Android tablet cand I choose Android instead of Apple ? not sure what it will change in the Preset in that case…

Thanks a lot for your answers,

Z.

24

@zorglub2000

MKV vs MP4

I use MP4 because a family member uses iTunes and streams to an AppleTV v3, and iTunes does not work with MKV files. So, after transcoding a movie, one copy goes in my Plex library and one copy goes in the iTunes library.

MP4 files can have SRT subtitles embedded, not burned in. They can also have VOBSUB, the format from DVDs, but that isn’t supported by iTunes so I don’t use VOBSUB. I’ve never tried VOBSUB in a MP4 with Plex.

You can use Subtitle Edit, http://www.nikse.dk/SubtitleEdit/, to convert PGS & VOBSUB to SRT or several other formats.

I have MKV files in my Plex library as well. Usually for the DVD & Blu-ray rips I have not yet transcoded with Handbrake.

MP4 is the most compatible across all Plex clients. You can still use MKV without too much issue. If a client does not like the MKV container, Plex will Direct Stream instead of Direct Play. Basically Plex re-muxes the file from mkv to mp4 on the fly. It hits the PMS CPU a bit, but nothing like transcoding video on the fly.

Web Optimized

Only applicable to MP4 format. I don’t know that I really need it for streaming across my home LAN, but it doesn’t hurt and will probably help if I ever start using remote access, so I check the box.

https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/advanced/web-optimised.html
If you are encoding for the web and using the MP4 file format, you’ll want to turn on “Web Optimised” checkbox. This places the MP4 container header at the start of the file, optimizing it for streaming across the web.
This is often referred to as MP4 “Fast Start”.

Interlaced / Progressive

Use MediaInfo, https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo, after you rip the DVD/Blu-ray with MakeMKV. It shows you a lot of good info, including whether or not the video is interlaced.

The only interlaced videos I have are DVDs of old TV shows, concerts that were broadcast on TV, etc. Analog TV in the US was produced and broadcast in interlaced mode. So any of that old material on DVDs or Blu-rays will generally be interlaced (Apologies if you know this, but I don’t know where you’re based nor if analog TV in other countries is interlaced (NTSC vs PAL vs SECAM)).

Interlaced video is usually quite visible. The edge of something (a car, a person’s shirt, the neck of a guitar, anything)looks distorted with a comb-like effect. You’ll know it if you see it.

Almost any movie will be progressive video, whether on DVD or Blu-ray. Just something to check before you start processing a file.

Encoder Presets

The slower presets produce higher quality video and smaller files. The difference is not dramatic from one step to another, but you would definitely see a difference between very slow and very fast.

Encode a chapter or two of a movie at different settings. See how long it takes and how it looks.

Handbrake defaults to Medium, and that does look very good to me. If I was going to watch a movie the same day I ripped the disc, I would use one of the faster settings. I usually queue up a couple of transcodes and let them run overnight, so I don’t care that very slow takes a lot longer.

There is no right or wrong, just what works best for you.

Android / Apple / etc

I’m not sure there’s too much difference between some of the presets such as Apple 1080p30 vs Android 1080p30 preset (I’m not at a system w/ Handbrake installed, so don’t remember exact names).

You can pick the different settings after loading a movie into Handbrake. You’ll see various things change as you pick the different defaults - video size, video quality, audio bit rate, etc.

Another area where you try a few and pick what works best.

I picked Apple because I have the Apple TV. The Android setting would probably work fine too.

The main thing I looked at was the capabilities of my clients. The ATV v3 supports H264 High@4.0, as does my Amazon Fire TV stick, so I made sure I didn’t encode to a higher level. Same for audio. Apple TV supports AAC at up to 320kbps, so I never go higher.

Hope this helps. Experiment and you’ll find what works best for you.

Cheers.

25

Hello again everyone,
I realize I still have a lot of huge 25gb I havn’t converted yet because didn’t find the time to do it with also not being sure I would use the proper setting to convert it so I kept them this way.
But now I would really would like to get rid of them this way.
So I was wondering:

  1. is there a software other than handbrake that would be maybe easier to use and would still keep an acceptable quality
  2. how to handle subtitles if they are important to me (when I use makemkv, I believe they are inside the file itself, is that okay ?)
  3. if there is really no other solution than handbrake could someone give me a link to a tutorial that you followed and that would be easy for me to try and reproduce.

Again sorry for bumping this topic, but since I havn’t find the proper way to handle this, this is still an important issue for me…

Z.