[Committed]: Constant Quality now QP/RF based

[dynaflash]

So, now that we are concentrating so much on constant quality encoding, jbrjake suggested going to a qp/rf based constant quality indicator as opposed to the much maligned % system the ui's have always used. So with http://trac.handbrake.fr/changeset/2135 the macgui now uses the same values that every other encoder on the planet uses for its constant quality encodes.

The commit notes should pretty much say it all, but basically moving the slider shows the qp/rf value but still retains the corresponding percentage display as well to ease the transition for those that are not as familiar with qp/rf values. Of note, for those uninitiated like in golf, the better the quality the *lower* the value, so as you slide the slider to the right, the percentage display goes up as the qp/rf value drops.

Presets: note that the slider has a "granularity" to it. So there will be some inaccuracy for % based presets depending on the granularity (0.25 for x264 by default). All new presets will store the actual qp/rf value instead of the percent value.

Example, my 62% presets use an rf of 19.5 which come out to an equivalent precent of 61.76.

[dynaflash]

So, after the commit it was brought to my attention that Theora is the only encoder that raises the qp value as the "quality" increases. Fixed as of http://trac.handbrake.fr/changeset/2139

[eddyg]

And so we progress - or do we?

Without colour coding or text for Crap, Good, Better, Best quality etc I don't see how this helps much.. the user will still be selecting silly quality levels without realising it.

Personally I think a text box so you can enter an RF/quality setting and reducing the width of the slider would be good - that's one hell of a big slider.

Cheers, Ed.

[dynaflash]

Weeeeelll, while it doesn't make it any more intuitive to the quality based encoding uninitiated, it does at least make the key values it uses and displays consistent with the norm for constant quality encoding. Afaik the % values were unique to HB only. In other words, its a step in the right direction, at least imo. As well, no one ever said some type of "sanity" indicators weren't forthcoming. Plus, I am a bit confused how a text box to enter random floats would make it any more intuitive to an unfamiliar user, if anything it would seem more random and confusing, to me at least.

[jbrjake]

This wasn't meant to address that, Ed. I've got several ideas for how to portray how the scale works to the user, but this isn't that. This is "Finally HandBrake can use whole rate factor values like everyone else does instead of crazy fractions that get screwed up in conversion to the plist for storage and make people think they're percentages of the source's quality." It means I can do the built-in presets for the next release at a nice round value of 20.

It's still confusing now, yes. But it's confusing in a way that says right up front that it's confusing instead of pretending to be something it's not. So yeah, I definitely consider that progress ;>

I agree, though, the slider ended up being rather long in order to support fine granularity.

[dynaflash]

I agree, though, the slider ended up being rather long in order to support fine granularity.

which imo isn't a bad thing considering : A. Our current focus on constant quality encoding B. x264 being likely the encoder most predominantly used and it's ability to use fractional rf values giving the ability to "fine tune", if you will.

[eddyg]

Fair enough. I guess at some point the widgets will go through a tidying up process, at the moment the focus is on functionality.

To be honest I don't mind using RF values - I'm just not used to them - and have no idea what is good and what is bad.

Cheers, Ed.

[dynaflash]

To be honest I don't mind using RF values - I'm just not used to them - and have no idea what is good and what is bad.

Same here, which is precisely why I kept the percent readout as well, they correspond to each other.

[cvk_b]

Has anybody seen the hidden temporal adjustment in the quicktime export? It's a slider that changes form when you hold the option key. Kind neat. We could have a 3 tick "good" "better" "best" slider that turns into a full RF scale when you hold down 'option' key. Doubtful it could work on other OSes, though, so... forget I said anything

[mnanda]

Somehow my % equivalent sign has disappeared - I could have sworn it was there when I upgraded a few days ago, and now it's gone. Couldn't find it in settings.

Can anyone tell me a) how to bring it back or b) what's the equivalent of 70%

Thanks!

[s55]

a) you can't. It's removed since it was mis-leading and wrong. b) use around RF20 for SD, 22~23 for HD