Tips Using HandBrake to Convert MOV to H265?

[KermitJ]

Appreciate any tips/suggestions for converting a MOV video to H265 with little or no loss of quality. Time taken and Size is not a problem because the MOV video is short.

Will add have searched using both Google and Youtube for tutorials but to date have not found any.

Used keywords HandBrake to Convert MOV to H265 G got 54.7K results but quick check top ones nothing relevant. Changed to "..." got No results.
Same thing searching YouTube.

[mduell]

MOV is a container that can contain many types of video, audio, and subtitle streams. An activity log, detailed in bold underlined red text on a pink background at the top of the page for a reason, would provide us a good starting point to see what you're working from.
H.265, on the other hand, is a video codec. You probably want more than just the video in an elementary stream, so it would be a great idea to tell us about what container/audio/subtitles you want.

From the extremely limited information you've provided so far, I'd say the Apple 2160p60 4K HEVC Surround preset would be a good starting point.

[akyhne]

Look at containers like MOV, MKV, MP4, AVi etc. as a kind of .zip file that contains other files (streams), e.g. ac3 h.264, h.265, aac, .srt, .mp3 audio, video and subtitle files.

Before even considering re-encoding the file, you should check what the MOV file contains. If it already contains a h.265 video stream, there's no reason to re-encode. You can just extract the h.265 file and any audio stream you want (h.265 is video only!!!).
You can use MediaInfo to see what's in the MOV file.

But what do you want to do with the h.265 file? It needs to be in a container anyway, to be played and treated as an audio/video file on a filesystem.
So if your file is a .mov file with a non h.265 video stream and any audio and you want to convert to any container format with h.265 video and audio pass through, then there's a reason to re-encode.

Sounds like you are confusing container formats with streams.

[KermitJ]

mduell & akyhne Thanks for your comments.

That is true I am confused about this subject.

DL & open MediaInfo for MOV (attach) How do I attach a JPEG? Did not work?

MOV is MPEG4 Video Stream is AVC Checked AVC wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Video_Coding same as H264.

So would like to convert H264 to H265 with little or no loss of quality.

[KermitJ]

As mentioned by attempt to attach a JPEG Screen Capture of MediaInfo did not work.

Please tell how to attach JPEGs

[mduell]

We don't need or want an image of MediaInfo.

If you're not going to follow the directions in bold red underlined text on a pink background at the top of the page, I've already provided all the advice we can on what settings you should use in my very first response.

[akyhne]

We don't need or want an image of MediaInfo.

If you're not going to follow the directions in bold red underlined text on a pink background at the top of the page, I've already provided all the advice we can on what settings you should use in my very first response.

What do you need a log for?!

DL & open MediaInfo for MOV (attach) How do I attach a JPEG? Did not work?

You can just in MediaInfo click View -> "Text", copy by dragging over the text, then paste the info here, but please in a code tag - the icon "</>" when you go to full editor in the forum.

So would like to convert H264 to H265 with little or no loss of quality.

You can also just try yourself and look at the bit rate and max bitrate for the video stream in MediaInfo. It should look something like:

Code: Select all

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L4.1
Format settings                          : CABAC / 4 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 4 frames
Codec ID                                 : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration                                 : 57 min 59 s
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 19.3 Mb/s
Maximum bit rate                         : 35.0 Mb/s
...
etc. etc.

H.265 takes roughly half the bitrate for the same quality as H.264. So if you don't want to loose quality, you'd need to find a setting in HB that will cut the numbers in half.
As HB recommends using "Constant Quality" under [Video], it can be tricky, cause you never know exactly what you get. You can do some tests by encoding 1 minute of your video, by changing Range: Chapters to Range: Seconds and change the times, so that you get one minute render.

The easier way is to use "Avg. Bitrate" and provide a number in kb (1000 x Mb/s).

Max bitrate - "Encoder Level" can be a bit tricky. Depends on the player that needs to be able to play the stream. You can see the max. bitrate levels here.
For example level 4.1 supports up to 20,000 kb/s. Your level should be around 4.0 to 5.2.

You can also use encoder level "Auto", but it doesn't always work.
For the video file itself, it doesn't matter to much, it's just for player compatibility. However Max Bitrate can be affected by your choice.

[Woodstock]

Logs tell us what settings you ACTUALLY used (not just what you "remember" using). Logs tell us what handbrake saw when it opened your source.

In other words, logs tell us what happened, rather than what you read in Wikipedia.

[akyhne]

But the guy is looking for tips on quality settings, not support.

[s55]

But the guy is looking for tips on quality settings, not support.

That's literally asking for support ...

Regardless, knowing exactly where a user started and understanding what happened with existing settings allows one to better derive changes that would improve things.

[BradleyS]

https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/hel ... y-log.html

Please read Why Activity Logs are required for support.

[mduell]

We don't need or want an image of MediaInfo.

If you're not going to follow the directions in bold red underlined text on a pink background at the top of the page, I've already provided all the advice we can on what settings you should use in my very first response.

What do you need a log for?!

All the questions specifically listed in the bold link in the pink header, and so many more!

[KermitJ]

Everyone,

Seems I did not explain things very well.

I am a beginner and have never tried anything like converting one video to another.

mduell "If you're not going to follow the directions in bold red underlined text on a pink background at the top of the page, I've already provided all the advice we can on what settings you should use in my very first response."

I have not even tried to use HandBrake for this so have No Activity Log to send.

Also "MOV is a container that can contain many types of video, audio, and subtitle streams. An activity log, detailed in bold underlined red text on a pink background at the top of the page for a reason, would provide us a good starting point to see what you're working from. H.265, on the other hand, is a video codec. You probably want more than just the video in an elementary stream, so it would be a great idea to tell us about what container/audio/subtitles you want."

Thank you for the explanation. For my 1st test all I want is H.265, No container/audio/subtitles.

Have been looking for video or print tutorials for this but to date have not found any.

[rollin_eng]

Could you please post a log of the HB scan of your source.

[KermitJ]

akyhme Thanks very much for your detailed explanation of MediaInfo and info it provides. Also you are correct when posted "But the guy is looking for tips on quality settings, not support" Guess one problem here is definition of support.

"As HB recommends using "Constant Quality" under [Video], it can be tricky, cause you never know exactly what you get. You can do some tests by encoding 1 minute of your video, by changing Range: Chapters to Range: Seconds and change the times, so that you get one minute render."

Want to keep my 1st conversion as simple as possible.

"The easier way is to use "Avg. Bitrate" and provide a number in kb (1000 x Mb/s)."

Used your link to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Effi ... and_levels Interesting before posting I checked this website but was overwhelmed by info.

Max bitrate you suggest "4.0 to 5.2"

Question: For Average and Max Bitrate from your experience what number for each would you suggest to ensure No loss of quality?

Also since the 1st video conversion is only 6 minutes time to do this should not be a problem.

[KermitJ]

rollin_eng "Could you please post a log of the HB scan of your source"

I have never made a "HB scan of your source"

As previously mentioned as a beginner am trying to do my homework before even trying to do the conversion.

Would be nice if there was a video covering this topic but to date have not found any.

[rollin_eng]

If you download HB and open your source you will get a log, no conversion necessary.

This will tell us what HB sees and thus help recommend settings.

[mduell]

I am a beginner and have never tried anything like converting one video to another.

mduell "If you're not going to follow the directions in bold red underlined text on a pink background at the top of the page, I've already provided all the advice we can on what settings you should use in my very first response."

I have not even tried to use HandBrake for this so have No Activity Log to send.

Great, then fire it up, open your source, and post the activity log!

For my 1st test all I want is H.265, No container/audio/subtitles.

Handbrake won't do that, it always puts your video stream in a container.

tl;dr my advice from my first post remains:

From the extremely limited information you've provided so far, I'd say the Apple 2160p60 4K HEVC Surround preset would be a good starting point.

[akyhne]

Question: For Average and Max Bitrate from your experience what number for each would you suggest to ensure No loss of quality?

We can all give you some numbers to use, but it won't help you. A "high quality" video can be anything.
Some people believe you can compress a 4K video 90% to 1mbit bitrare and have "no loss of quality.
Others believe it can only be high quality in 60mbit bitrate.

The main reason to use h.265 over most other formats, is smaller file size and the better compression, without loss of quality. If we just throw some numbers for you to use, you won't gain anything.

Therefore:
What's the resolution, the avg. bitrate and encoder level of your file?
If you don't know, post the MediaInfo or the HB log. The HB log can be achieved, by just dragging your original file into HB, then click the "Activity Log" button. Click "Copy to Clipboard" in the Log Viewer, then paste it here. Noone can help you, before you do, for the simple reason that we can't give an answer to your question.

We need numbers to give you the average bitrate and the encoder level (max. bitrate) to use.
We also need to know what the intend of the video is. If you want to play it on any unit, or just for later editing purposes.

You *cannot* play a H.265 file on *any* player and it won't have sound. You can only use it to import to a video editing software. The same goes for most audio, video and subtitle formats, that are not in a container.

Using HB *cannot* provide you a h.265 file. It can only provide you a h.265 file in a container of the types MKV, MP4, M4V or WebM.
You can extract it later from the container, but it will be video only, no matter what.
If you need video and sound, you need to keep it in a container, where there will be two files - the h.265 file and the audio file. It's just the way it works for h265, h.264 and just about any other video format.