photonboy :
There aren't any good ones, stick with x264.
I did x265 in DIVX but I could get better quality in Handbrake at the same file size with x264. Since the only real advantage to x265 is file size it was ridiculous that DIVX had a minimum file size that didn't make sense.
Decoding x265 is also problematic since most devices don't have a hardware decoder so it's mainly a PC likely that could decode it in software.
I've tried basically ALL the good video software out there, and I've come back to Handbrake and optimized my profile for the best quality/size.
Here's my basic profile for Handbrake:
Profile-> High profile (MP4)
- anamorphic-> None
- Keep Aspect Ratio
- Cropping (as applicable)
- FILTER-> usually only Decomb for anything interlaced like DVD-Video, or some deblocking for really bad quality anime/cartoon otherwise not used
- Variable framerate (almost always)
- 2-pass encoding
- Bitrate kbps (typical 800 to 2000 for anime/cartoon; 5000 to 10,000 for HD video)
- Optimize Video-> SLOW or MEDIUM (slow for final BluRay compression)
*(the smaller the file size, the more important the Optimize setting but in general more than Medium is overkill)
- audio (as applicable. I tend to use AAC 128kbps stereo or 192kbps Surround, or uncompressed DTS for larger BluRay file)
I also use the following software:
- mkvtoolnix (mux in or remove audio/subs; or join video)
- DVD Decrypter (remove copyright on DVD)
- DVD Fab (only use for DVD or BluRay copyright removal)
- Imgburn (create ISO image of DVD folder for playback on my Western Digital media player)
As an audio engineer, I will only comment on the audio portion of this message.
AAC has the defaults of: quality (-q 100), bitrate (-b 48000), high frequency cutoff (-c 14000) and it is a
lossy format.
Although 24bit FLAC/384k with a compression level of 8 is the audiofile way to go (and .mkv's will support that), but if you want a practical file size use [-q 500 -b 96000 -c 0], that would be maximum quality @ sampling rate of 96k and
"FLAT" with no low-pass-filter, the one option that irritates me most of all. Don't folks know by now that by limiting the top end of the audio spectrum (and beyond) you remove all the transparency of the recording?
Now for those of you that will argue that the audio has already been compromised by the original process and it doesn't matter because you can't hear above 15khz, try these setting and tell me if you don't hear a difference. 48k sampling rate gives you a high-end audio response of 24khz. That means any type of program signal at 12khz+ will have no overtones since the first order of overtones would be 24khz, and that's why response above 20khz is important, even if we don't hear it. It's not our hearing limitations, but the way upper frequencies affect the waveform in the lower frequencies.
-
Glenn
Audio Engineer 1974-present