Getting M2TS files to play well with the other kids?

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bellboy
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 8:43 pm

Getting M2TS files to play well with the other kids?

Post by bellboy »

I'm trying to test out how to best take advantage of the quality without driving my MPC (running Plex) into the ground. Some play ok, but others start dropping frames like crazy making them unwatchable. I figured I could transcode/convert them to an MKV with HB, but then the issue is quality and filesize again.

Would you all recommend sticking to the constant quality setting of around 60-ish% or would going higher (or lower) present better results? I did one test with a 30+ gig file and using 60% CQ brought it down to about 5.5 gigs without a noticeable loss of quality (it's all subjective, eh?) on my 23" desktop screen. I haven't yet tested it out on my 52" TV.

Any other alternatives? I certainly won't miss having 30+ gig files on my drive (I will archive them though), but I want to make sure that I'm not doing a bunch of work for nuthin' :)

Thoughts?
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mkelley
Bright Spark User
Posts: 389
Joined: Fri Dec 25, 2009 2:00 am

Re: Getting M2TS files to play well with the other kids?

Post by mkelley »

If we're talking blu-ray files here, then I use the High Profile (but change to an MKV container) and pass through the DTS or AC3 tracks. This results in a file that averages around 7GB for a two hour film (but can vary from less than 3GB to over 17GB depending on how grainy the film is). Even on my 9' HD projection system I don't notice any quality difference (indeed, in A/B tests my guests pick the Handbraked video as superior at least half of the time).

If you drop down the RF factor to 22 then you get around 25% better compression, but I *did* notice a difference then, particularly on animation films. But some folks say it's just fine (obviously YMMV).
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JohnAStebbins
HandBrake Team
Posts: 5726
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 7:21 pm

Re: Getting M2TS files to play well with the other kids?

Post by JohnAStebbins »

60% quality is a good starting point. What's best is something you really have to decide for yourself. What looks good varies person to person, player to player, and with viewing conditions. Many people go as low as 55% for HD content.
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Deleted User 11865

Re: Getting M2TS files to play well with the other kids?

Post by Deleted User 11865 »

JohnAStebbins wrote:60% quality is a good starting point. What's best is something you really have to decide for yourself. What looks good varies person to person, player to player, and with viewing conditions. Many people go as low as 55% for HD content.
60% being about RF 20, and 55% about RF 23.

If we keep referring to the percentage scale we'll never fully get rid of it ;-)

Besides, the nightlies no longer have it (the scale) and since some Blu-Rays (e.g. some VC-1 BDs) require a nightly, users should get used to the actual x264 quality settings…
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