HandBrake

Hello, I am a newbie and I am just a beginner regarding converting videos.

I have lots of AVI files, which have been made from VHS or VHS-C cassettes. They are stored on a Synology NAS (DS118) and we would like to watch them via our network e.g. on a Samsung TV or on an iPad.
That doesn't work with avi. MP4 will work. I have just tried a conversion avi->mp4 using HandBrake.
But: I am overwhelmed with the variety of setting options.
What settings would you recommend for converting AVI files to MP4? The quality should not get worse if possible. The size of the new file is is not very relevant.
The settings should be as generally applicable as possible, which will also work in the future, for example with a different TV. If it is possible.

Thanks a lot

HB-Log of one of my avi-files:

HandBrake 1.4.2 (2021100300)
OS: Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.19043.0
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4460 CPU @ 3.20GHz
Ram: 8134 MB,
GPU Information:
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti - 30.0.14.9613
Screen: 2560x1440
Temp Dir: C:\Users\...\AppData\Local\Temp\
Install Dir: C:\Program Files\HandBrake\
Data Dir: C:\Users\...\AppData\Roaming\HandBrake

-------------------------------------------

[09:18:15] hb_init: starting libhb thread

# Starting Scan ...

[09:18:15] CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4460 CPU @ 3.20GHz
[09:18:15] - Intel microarchitecture Haswell
[09:18:15] - logical processor count: 4
[09:18:15] Intel Quick Sync Video support: no
[09:18:15] hb_scan: path=X:\Videos Familie\Videos\Videodateien\1996 05-09.AVI, title_index=0
udfread ERROR: ECMA 167 Volume Recognition failed
src/libbluray/disc/disc.c:333: failed opening UDF image X:\Videos Familie\Videos\Videodateien\1996 05-09.AVI
src/libbluray/disc/disc.c:437: error opening file BDMV\index.bdmv
src/libbluray/disc/disc.c:437: error opening file BDMV\BACKUP\index.bdmv
src/libbluray/bluray.c nav_get_title_list(X:\Videos Familie\Videos\Videodateien\1996 05-09.AVI\) failed
[09:18:15] bd: not a bd - trying as a stream/file instead
libdvdread: DVDOpenFileUDF:UDFFindFile /VIDEO_TS/VIDEO_TS.IFO failed
libdvdnav: vm: vm: failed to read VIDEO_TS.IFO
[09:18:15] dvd: not a dvd - trying as a stream/file instead
Input #0, avi, from 'X:\Videos Familie\Videos\Videodateien\1996 05-09.AVI':
Duration: 00:48:59.60, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 30519 kb/s
Stream #0:0: Video: dvvideo (dvsd / 0x64737664), yuv420p, 720x576 [SAR 16:15 DAR 4:3], 28800 kb/s, 25 fps, 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 25 tbc
Stream #0:1: Audio: pcm_s16le ([1][0][0][0] / 0x0001), 48000 Hz, 2 channels, s16, 1536 kb/s
[09:18:15] scan: decoding previews for title 1
[09:18:15] scan: audio 0x1: pcm_s16le, rate=48000Hz, bitrate=1536000 Unknown (pcm_s16le) (2.0 ch) (1536 kbps)
[09:18:16] scan: 10 previews, 720x576, 25.000 fps, autocrop = 2/0/6/0, aspect 4:3, PAR 16:15, color profile: 5-1-6
[09:18:16] Title is likely interlaced or telecined (7 out of 10 previews). You should do something about that.
[09:18:16] libhb: scan thread found 1 valid title(s)

# Processing Scan Information ...


# Scan Finished ...

[09:18:16] decomb: deinterlaced 1 | blended 0 | unfiltered 0 | total 1

Try one of the Apple presets and see how it looks.

The question would be, what the problem is. The container format AVI or the codec (dvvideo I can see).

If it's just the container, you can try to mux the video file to a MKV with MKV Toolnix. Then there is no more quality loss for a reencode.
If it's the codec, then using one of the 720p presets could be the easiest way.

DV is a bit of a waste of space in any case, usually worth re-encoding (at least, *after* editing, if these are home movies or the like)

Trank you, I will try it.

Rodeo wrote: ↑Fri Nov 19, 2021 7:46 pm DV is a bit of a waste of space in any case, usually worth re-encoding (at least, *after* editing, if these are home movies or the like)

Hi Rodeo,

I'm in the same boat as OP. Can you please suggest a preset for re-encoding DV AVI files to MP4?

Thank you

HQ 480p is a very reasonable starting point.