**SOLVED** Matching MediaInfo to settings / recovering ...

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akalias
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:32 am

**SOLVED** Matching MediaInfo to settings / recovering ...

Post by akalias »

Hi all,

I've searched all the places recommended in the stickied threads, and even turned to google to no avail.

I've been using Handbrake (which is fantastic) to compress a bunch of recorded programs. I'd taken a few weeks off, and when I came back to start up again I noticed that my file sizes had increased by 2-4 times. I pulled up the MediaInfo summary and got the following:

Code: Select all

General
Complete name                            : C:\Users\****\Downloads\2014-02-25.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID                                 : mp42
File size                                : 41.6 MiB
Duration                                 : 4mn 51s
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 1 199 Kbps
Encoded date                             : UTC 2014-08-11 00:12:46
Tagged date                              : UTC 2014-08-11 00:17:12
Writing application                      : HandBrake 0.9.9 2013052900

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile                           : Simple@L1
Format settings, BVOP                    : No
Format settings, QPel                    : No
Format settings, GMC                     : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix                  : Default (H.263)
Codec ID                                 : 20
Duration                                 : 4mn 51s
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 1 004 Kbps
Maximum bit rate                         : 2 869 Kbps
Width                                    : 720 pixels
Height                                   : 436 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 3:2
Frame rate mode                          : Variable
Frame rate                               : 29.970 fps
Minimum frame rate                       : 22.016 fps
Maximum frame rate                       : 29.980 fps
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.107
Stream size                              : 34.8 MiB (84%)
Writing library                          : Lavc54.35.0
Encoded date                             : UTC 2014-08-11 00:12:46
Tagged date                              : UTC 2014-08-11 00:17:12
Color primaries                          : BT.601 NTSC
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.601

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile                           : LC
Codec ID                                 : 40
Duration                                 : 4mn 51s
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 192 Kbps
Maximum bit rate                         : 259 Kbps
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel positions                        : Front: L R
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 6.66 MiB (16%)
Encoded date                             : UTC 2014-08-11 00:12:46
Tagged date                              : UTC 2014-08-11 00:17:11

When I go back and check on the ones previously recorded, this is what MediaInfo shows:

Code: Select all

General
Complete name                            : D:\My Videos\日本の映画\ピタゴラ・スイッチ\ピタゴラ・スイッチ 2014-02-11.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID                                 : mp42
File size                                : 26.4 MiB
Duration                                 : 4mn 52s
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 757 Kbps
Encoded date                             : UTC 2014-07-06 16:42:43
Tagged date                              : UTC 2014-07-06 16:48:34
Writing application                      : HandBrake 0.9.9 2013052900

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : Main@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames                : 4 frames
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 4mn 52s
Bit rate                                 : 592 Kbps
Width                                    : 720 pixels
Height                                   : 366 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Original display aspect ratio            : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Variable
Frame rate                               : 29.970 fps
Minimum frame rate                       : 21.181 fps
Maximum frame rate                       : 30.131 fps
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.075
Stream size                              : 20.7 MiB (78%)
Writing library                          : x264 core 130 r2273 b3065e6
Encoding settings                        : cabac=1 / ref=1 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x1:0x111 / me=hex / subme=2 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=0 / 8x8dct=0 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=3 / lookahead_threads=1 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=1 / keyint=300 / keyint_min=30 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=10 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=20.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=20000 / vbv_bufsize=25000 / crf_max=0.0 / nal_hrd=none / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Encoded date                             : UTC 2014-07-06 16:42:43
Tagged date                              : UTC 2014-07-06 16:48:34
Color primaries                          : BT.601 NTSC
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.601

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile                           : LC
Codec ID                                 : 40
Duration                                 : 4mn 52s
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 160 Kbps
Maximum bit rate                         : 199 Kbps
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel positions                        : Front: L R
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 5.58 MiB (21%)
Encoded date                             : UTC 2014-07-06 16:42:43
Tagged date                              : UTC 2014-07-06 16:48:33
I noticed that the format is different -- "MPEG-4 Visual" vs. "Advanced Video Codec". I can also see that there are a lot more encoding settings in the second one.

I've tried tinkering with the settings in Handbrake to get it back to the old settings without success. Ideally, I'd like to get it back the way it was before (in the second set of code above).

If anyone can give any guidance I'd really appreciate it. Forgive me if the question is silly -- I'm pretty new to all this and am a little lost. Thanks in advance!
Last edited by akalias on Sat Aug 16, 2014 3:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
TedJ
Veteran User
Posts: 5388
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:25 pm

Re: Matching MediaInfo to settings / recovering old settings

Post by TedJ »

Your suspicion regarding video codec is correct - somehow you've started using the MPEG-4 encoder rather than the H.264 encoder used in all the built in HandBrake presets. In particular, the mediainfo output for your earlier file appears to be HandBrake's default "Normal" preset.
akalias
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:32 am

Re: Matching MediaInfo to settings / recovering old settings

Post by akalias »

Got it -- thanks Ted. I wondered if that was the case, but thought that H.264 would make bigger, not smaller, files. I'll give it a shot tonight and report back with my findings.

Thanks again.
Deleted User 13735

Re: Matching MediaInfo to settings / recovering old settings

Post by Deleted User 13735 »

The bitrate, not the codec, determines the file size.
By all accounts, x264 is more efficient at consumer bitrates.
akalias
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:32 am

Re: **SOLVED** Matching MediaInfo to settings / recovering .

Post by akalias »

Thanks musicvid -- I did notice the difference in bitrates and was wondering why I couldn't get the MP4 codec to produce them.

I just tried the x264 codec on "Normal" settings and that fixed it. Simple case of user error. Thanks all for your help, and sorry to have posted a silly question.
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