I recently downloaded Handbrake 0.9.1 and am using Mac OS X 10.4.10 and Perian 1.0. I noticed some unexpected behaviour after some test encodes.
For my test I'm using Little Miss Sunshine (wide screen), chapter 1.
1. The first encode I start with AppleTV presets. This creates an MP4 file using h.264 video and AAC audio streams.
2. The next encode I start right after #1 and only change the codec to create an mpeg4 video and AAC audio streams (still using mp4 file format)
3. The next encode I start right after #2 and change the format to AVI with mpeg4 video and mp3 audio streams.
4. The last encode I start right after #3 and change the codec to create h.264 video and mp3 audio streams.
When using Quicktime to play the files, the AVI and MP4 files display differently.
#1 and #2 (MP4 files) play larger (I ensure it's at actual size). QT movie properties show normal size as 720x360 and display size as 853x360.
#3 and #4 (AVI files) QT movie properties show normal size and display size as 720x360. When playing at normal size they are smaller (not as wide) as the MP4 files.
When playing in VLC all display at the same resolution (853x360) as expected.
At first I thought this may have been an issue with anamorphic support with QT (maybe it still is), however, it seems to only be an issue with QT and AVI file format.
Any thoughts? Is there a problem with Handbrake encoding AVI files to support anamorphic video?
AVI and anamorphic video bug?
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The problem would be with Perian, not HandBrake. It's not correctly applying the SAR in the video track.
You're conflating the two different methods of signalling display dimensions that HB uses -- it inserts it into the video track, but also adds a QuickTime-specific transformation matrix to the .mp4 container. Perian is only obeying that, not the video track SAR.
Next time, try using more than one decoder before accusing HB of having a bug. This is trouble-shooting 101: you can't say the problem is with one variable until you've isolated for the others. It's also annoying to people who actually work on the code and know what parts are and aren't buggy.
You're conflating the two different methods of signalling display dimensions that HB uses -- it inserts it into the video track, but also adds a QuickTime-specific transformation matrix to the .mp4 container. Perian is only obeying that, not the video track SAR.
Next time, try using more than one decoder before accusing HB of having a bug. This is trouble-shooting 101: you can't say the problem is with one variable until you've isolated for the others. It's also annoying to people who actually work on the code and know what parts are and aren't buggy.
A workaround to the Perian problem is to manually change the display resolution in the "Movie Properties" window in Quicktime, leaving the vertical as it is but setting the horizontal to ~1024. You can then save it as a standalone or reference MOV and it'll play right (and you can stick it in iTunes/Front Row). You might need Quicktime Pro to do this, I'm not sure.
Other players display anamorphic AVIs fine.
Other players display anamorphic AVIs fine.