Encoding iPhone-friendly 640x480 Anamorphic 853x480

[TinkerTenor]

Hello-

In encoding some of my film projects, I have been trying to accomplish the same dimensions that iTunes uses, for quality reasons and also just to feel special. The projects are in a 16:9 format. But the files that iTunes encodes for its store these days are 640x480 with a flag set to anamorphic widescreen - the virtual output is 853x480. I figured out how to encode to 640x480 in HandBrake, and then set the display PAR to 853x480 in Quicktime Pro. So far so good. The files play correctly in iTunes, AND they will sync to my iPhone but the iPhone does not play them at the proper aspect ratio. So perhaps there is something inherently different about the flag Quicktime sets and the one the iPhone is prepared for...? I know the darn thing can do it cuz every TV show I pay for is encoded that way (i checked the stream properties in Streamclip to be sure and they are definitely 640x480, not 853x480, but show up as such in iTunes).

Any ideas how to set the flag so that my iPhone 3G will play the files in the adjusted 16:9 ratio? I'm getting frustrated trying to be as cool as iTunes here...


TT

[TedJ]

Handbrake allows you to set custom PAR values in current code, which is available in the last development snapshot.

[jbrjake]

HandBrake sets anamorphic by both setting in the MP4 container the proper PAR in the PASP (pixel aspect) box and setting the video track width in the TKHD (track header) box to the display rather than encoded resolution.

Using the same dimensions as Apple is just pointless. Apple is stuck with those dimensions because of their legacy support. Unless iPod 5G playback is key to you, there is no reason to limit yourself like that when you can have full DVD resolution. Explaining it as being for "quality" reasons doesn't make sense unless the quality you're trying to achieve is "bad, with less detail."

[TinkerTenor]

LOL you made me laugh - this is completely true and I have very little interest in achieving quality that is "bad, with less detail." Until last night I didn't realize I could sync a higher resolution file. The old program I used when I had a PC wasn't Handbrake and I couldn't sync anything higher than 640x480 to my iPhone using it (probably because I was hacking the program for more options in the first place). You should have seen me when I successfully synched a bigger file yesterday...I kept re-encoding at slightly higher and higher res until I reached 720x480. Didn't realize it was possible so I guess that's why I'm a nube.

So I heartily agree - no need for 640x480 when I can do 720 instead. Thx for the replies!

TT

PS - I hope there's something my $30 QT Pro license is good for now...

[jailbreak]

Ive been reading this forum for a while now and love using handbrake to rip my dvd's however I am using an original iphone, appletv, and sadly ipod 5g. I stumbled across this post and was wandering how to go about setting the proper PAR values while retaining the 853x480 dimension. I've set it in par width and height as 640 and 480 respectively. Also In the dimension for the width and height and then display width read 853. So handbrake reads it as Source: 720x480, Output: 640x352, Anamorphic: 853x352 Custom. Rips fine but won't sync to the ipod 5g...what am i doing wrong? Also I'm just ripping one chapter as a test, thanks for the help in advance.

Edit: Nevermind I found the answer I was looking for.

[Deleted User 11865]

We need to see an encode log.