Re-encode HD video to smaller size

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Re-encode HD video to smaller size

rlevis

355 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 33

#41700 21-Sep-2009 16:23

Perhaps slightly off-topic, but I've put a few blu-ray titles (that I purchased) on my HTPC so I can view them without having to insert the discs. I used MakeMKV to do this for me, but the file sizes are large at around 20GB.

I only need the video at 720p as my TV's native resolution is roughly that size and doesn't gain anything from 1080p. So I would like to resize/re-encode them to reduce the size.

Does anyone know of any free utlities that can do this for me while keeping the quality as high as psosible?

Thanks.

eXDee

4033 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1070

Trusted

#257371 21-Sep-2009 16:33

MKV can be a rather annoying container to work with - there aren't that many programs which support cutting, demuxing, editing etc.

However i believe handbrake (www.handbrake.fr) supports transcoding of mkv based files. Ideally 720p using x264 with a good CRF value should do the trick.

rlevis

355 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 33

#257422 21-Sep-2009 19:51

handbrake doesn't appear to have an option to change the resolution, at least in the gui version. Do you know of any x264 front-end that I could use?

Thanks.

rlevis

355 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 33

#257423 21-Sep-2009 19:54

Hang on, I didn't try the Anamorphic option. This seems to do the trick, thanks.

eXDee

4033 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1070

Trusted

#257439 21-Sep-2009 20:32

Yeah, go to anamorphic and choose 'none' for non DVD sources. Then simply put in 1280x720.

Note working with large and lengthly x264 based HD content takes a VERY long time. It takes longer to encode 1 30min TV3 recording than it does to do an entire DVD movie.

Note that this can do Freeview HD recordings as well if you're inclined to do so, just remember to tick 'decomb', as this is an intelligent deinterlacer and only deinterlaces where necessary, so a progressive input isn't touched, so it can be left ticked all the time.