HandBrake

I can't seem to get the program to actually use the average bitrate that I set (or perhaps I don't understand how it works).

If I choose to set the Average Bitrate to 1500 kbps it gives the same result in Quicktime as if I choose 3500 kbps. I can't see why it's so?! The average bitrate will be 1500 kbps i both cases.

So, is there a way to use fixed bitrate (constant bitrate?) and force handbrake to use the bitrate I choose?

Sure, I can use Target Size or Constant Quality, but that's not what I want to do.

Thanks in advance.

what do you mean "gives the same result in quicktime" - quality wise? it is possible that 1500 is very very close to 3500 (VERY long story short, the crappier the source, the lower bitrate you need). you will never gain quality.

add your audio bitrate to 1500. divide that number by 8. this will be your KiloBytes per second. find the length of the clip you are encoding in seconds, then find your file size in MB. multiply this by 1024. that is your file size in KB. you have KB/s, seconds, and KB. you see how this should work... if it comes close, then your average bitrate is being upheld.

example: 1500 kbps video and 320 kbps audio for a 5400 sec movie (hour and a half) should be ABOUT 1200MB