Some encoding questions

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JSW
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 11:54 am

Some encoding questions

Post by JSW »

Hi,

I have some questions on encoding. I've done a number of discs already, but so far I've had room to keep the rips, so I'm not at the point of starting completely over if need be, but I'm getting close. I've researched all these issues on this site, so if anything, my confusion comes more from information overload than not looking first!

1) Anamorphic - In general, is it better to use the strict or loose setting? I have been using strict, but the more I read, it sounds like loose may work on more devices and possibly generate a smaller file size. So, should I be using loose instead?

2) Audio - I've been putting two audio tracks on each file. I have set the first track as ACC passthru and the second track as a downmixed AAC. I set the first track as passthru as that is the track that I would like used whenever possible. Looking through the online manual, it says set the first track as ACC and the second as passthru - does the order really make any difference? It also says to use the same audio source for both, I've been using the 5.1 source for passthru, but the 3/2 source (I think this is the correct name, I'm at work right now) for the ACC. Is that OK, or should I be using the 5.1 source for both tracks? The reason I'm adding the ACC track is that I don't get sound on my Windows PCs if I only have the 5.1 passthru. Is that a limit on Windows PCs (I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium) or do I just need to update a codec? I assume my files would be smaller (if only marginally) with only one track.

3) Subtitles - Other than foreign films, is it worth bringing these over when you rip a disc? I have been unselecting everything except the primary English one, but I wonder if that is even necessary? From what I've read, it appears to be a good practice to use the forced setting while encoding. Is that correct? Again, I assume leaving out the subtitles would result in a slightly smaller file size.

4) 2-Pass Encoding - Is this option available, or of any use, if I use the Constant Quality option? I know the manual says there is no need to use it with Constant Quality, but I was just wondering if the two would result in a better quality and/or smaller file? If there is an advantage to running both, is it possible from the GUI interface (it is grayed out for me) or do you have to use the command line version?

5) Blu-Ray - If I want to encode at 720 instead of 1080, I assume I set the width to 1280 and let it calculate the height? As long as I have an anamorphic option on, the height setting always seems to be grayed out.

I realize this is a lot of questions, but I've been messing with encoding my DVDs for several weeks now, and I want to make sure I'm using the best practices before I really dig in and get this job finished.

Thank you very much for all the help!
hunterk
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Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:27 pm

Re: Some encoding questions

Post by hunterk »

I'll try to field some of these, but anyone is welcome to chime in and correct/expand on anything I say:

2. You want AAC as the first soundtrack because it is more compatible with playback devices, as you've found. AC3 passthru is nice to have in case you ever get a 5.1 system, but if you're happy with AAC only and never use that other track, you could get rid of it entirely. Your problems playing the AC3 audio are not a Windows limitation and are probably just a missing codec problem. Try playing a file in VLC to see if that helps (you may have to select the desired audio track from the right-click menu).

3. You can keep them if you want them. Some completionists like to keep them just to make it as close to the original DVD as possible, and they take up very little space (a couple of MB each at most). 'Forced' refers to the subtitles that pop up occasionally in native-language films when someone speaks another language (think: Jabba the Hut's dialog in Star Wars). If you want to be sure and capture these subtitles--I would imagine you do--then check the 'Forced' box.

4. It is of no use with constant quality. It only helps with avg. bitrate and the now-deprecated target filesize options.

5. Set anamorphic to 'loose' and adjust the height to 720, with the box to 'keep aspect' checked and the one for 'optimal for source' unchecked.
JSW
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 11:54 am

Re: Some encoding questions

Post by JSW »

Hi hunterk,

Thanks for your input. Regarding # 2, I am mainly playing these back on our home theater system, which is 5.1. That's why I was making that my first track. If I don't make AAC the first track, will other devices still be able to find it? Right now the only other device I'd have to play them on would be a Zune, but I haven't tried one on there yet.

Thanks again!
jamiemlaw
Veteran User
Posts: 536
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:52 pm

Re: Some encoding questions

Post by jamiemlaw »

1) Device compatibility used to be an issue, but as devices improve, strict is becoming the most recommended choice, if you don't want to resize your video.

5) Or anamorphic: none if your source is Blu-Ray.
hunterk
Bright Spark User
Posts: 179
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:27 pm

Re: Some encoding questions

Post by hunterk »

Many devices don't have any way of selecting a secondary track, so putting the most compatible track (AAC) first is a good idea if you plan on using devices that don't support AC3. Everything defaults to using the first track, so you can either put AC3 passthru first and risk borking sound on devices (unless you use MP4Box or something similar to reorder the tracks before you put the video on your Zune) or you can put AAC first and select the secondary AC3 track manually each time on your PC to get 5.1.

btw, by 'home theater system,' do you mean a PC attached to a receiver? If so, what kind of connection do you have? SPDIF/optical? If it's just a simple 1/8" cable plugged into the headphone jack from your sound card, you won't be able to pull true 5.1 through it no matter what.
Deleted User 11865

Re: Some encoding questions

Post by Deleted User 11865 »

While it's not set up this way specifically, the end result of a 2-pass encode is basically the same as if the first pass were only used to find which RF will give you the requested ABR. Since in CRF mode, you target a quality rather than a bitrate, that first pass becomes unnecessary.
JSW
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 11:54 am

Re: Some encoding questions

Post by JSW »

hunterk wrote:btw, by 'home theater system,' do you mean a PC attached to a receiver? If so, what kind of connection do you have? SPDIF/optical? If it's just a simple 1/8" cable plugged into the headphone jack from your sound card, you won't be able to pull true 5.1 through it no matter what.
No, our PC's just have a pair of speakers (one has a subwoofer). The only time I'd play a movie there is if I'm working in my office.

I'm talking about our home theater with a Samsung LCD, Denon receiver, 5.1 speakers, everything through HDMI. I'm streaming the movies through a Roku via Roksbox. I'd prefer to not have to switch the audio track each time we play a movie. I should probably re-encode a movie I've already done and see if the Denon still defaults to 5.1 even if it's the second track. I'd hope an A/V receiver would be smart enough to select the best audio track. I've noticed the 5.1 and DTS tracks always seem to be first on DVDs though.

Thanks again!
hunterk
Bright Spark User
Posts: 179
Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:27 pm

Re: Some encoding questions

Post by hunterk »

Ah, you seem to be in luck, then, according to this post:
http://forums.roku.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 65#p235740

It seems Roku/Roksbox will grab the 5.1 AC3, even if it's the second track. This behavior seems to be causing issues for that poster, but it's exactly what you would want to happen. :)
JSW
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 11:54 am

Re: Some encoding questions

Post by JSW »

jamiemlaw wrote:5) Or anamorphic: none if your source is Blu-Ray.
Hi jamiemlaw,

I hadn't even thought about it, but after doing a little on-line research, it appears that most (if not all) Blu-Rays are NOT anamorphic? I guess it makes sense that when you are after the best picture possible, you don't want to be altering the image.

Thanks to everyone for their input! It looks like I have some items to work on this weekend. :D
Deleted User 11865

Re: Some encoding questions

Post by Deleted User 11865 »

JSW wrote:
jamiemlaw wrote:5) Or anamorphic: none if your source is Blu-Ray.
Hi jamiemlaw,

I hadn't even thought about it, but after doing a little on-line research, it appears that most (if not all) Blu-Rays are NOT anamorphic? I guess it makes sense that when you are after the best picture possible, you don't want to be altering the image.
Anything HD shouldn't be. Bonus features in SD will be anamorphic like DVDs.

In any case, using Strict isn't a problem - it won't magically make your source anamorphic if it's not* (it will write a PAR of 1/1 - players that don't support anamorphic just ignore this and use 1/1 regardless of the actual PAR - so, here, same result).

* If the source dimensions don't divide cleanly by 2, it will change them to mod2 dimensions and adjust the PAR to maintain the aspect ratio. But most sources are mod 2 to begin with.
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