Found this interesting...

General Discussions
1

Something interesting I found after doing research for file size vs quality post I saw.
So, some internet searching, cross referencing and a few cups of coffee later I came across this program to compare video files. https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo

Side note: Right after installing the program (I did full 10 MB install) there was a popup that you could select settings. I chose to enable adding it to my Right Click menu; makes it much easier. You can also open several different windows simply by Right Clicking the files.

cketgv8dfp0v.png1675×834 49.8 KB

This is a screenshot from a side by side comparison AFTER encoding the same source file. This source file is a direct snip from a 12.5 GB Blu-Ray .MKV Ripped movie of RENT. I used Handbrake to convert the file. Chose this file, because it is only 645 MB and I could convert fast for test purposes. I ran probably 10 different files just with little tweaks.

The ONLY setting I changed between the two encoded files pictured is the speed at which I chose to process the file (UF on the file name). I changed the speed from “Faster” to “Ultrafast.” the Ultrafast file was over TWICE the size…
Anyway, found this interesting. Glad I ran all my BR movies at Faster speed. Now I will test .MKV vs .MP4.

2

I consider mediainfo an essential tool for any video enthusiast.
I have it in my toolbox since a long time already.

Regarding the encoding speed and the influence on the file size:
That is very well expected.
The AVC(H.264) codec supports quite a few encoding “approaches”.
When you allow the encoder to run at a lower speed, it simply makes more encoding attempts with different parameters. Then it uses the smallest/best.
For “archival” purposes, I recommend you to at least use the default ‘Fast’ preset.

As a rule of thumb: use the ‘slowest’ preset you can ‘bear’/‘have the patience for’.

I, for one, use the ‘VerySlow’ preset, which can give even more space benefits - although admittedly only with some source material.

I don’t expect the results to be very different when you compare MKV to MP4.
Both are just ‘containers’ which can have the same codecs inside.
That’s why it is in many cases possible to convert MKVs to MP4 without loss.
(You can always convert MP4 to MKV without loss, btw.)