Handbrake is a free and open source video transcoding (converting video files) program available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux users alike. The program converts most popular video formats such as MP4, MKV, TS, DivX/Xvid FLV WebM MPG AVI ASF 3GP WMV etc into the preferred formats while supporting audio formats like AAC OGG WAV M4A as well.
Software like DVD ripping tools cannot defeat copy protection, meaning if you use this program to rip DVDs you won’t be able to watch them on any of your devices without first purchasing an original disc. This is one major drawback and one reason many prefer different solutions when it comes to ripping.
Handbrake can be very resource-intensive, which may result in longer processing times and slower system performance on older hardware. Furthermore, some editing features found in dedicated video editing applications may not be present here.
Handbrake may not offer every feature that users desire; luckily there are great alternatives like Format Factory available that offer similar services. One such software tool is Format Factory which offers fast conversion between over 1000 file formats – including all major video and audio ones – in minutes; plus it can repair damaged or corrupted videos easily!
Handbrake Online is another highly recommended service, enabling you to upload videos and receive download links once they are processed. There are various presets that make videos compatible with various devices and players; you can still customize output settings though.
To encode video for the web, it’s best to choose one of the Web Optimized presets on the Video tab. These presets have been tailored specifically for high quality output while keeping file sizes at a minimum. While most users should find these default options sufficient, if unsure which setting would best meet your needs you can always test out encoding a small segment from your source video and comparing results against existing output files for further guidance.
Handbrake settings should typically fall somewhere near the middle of its preset spectrum for optimal results. Opting for higher or lower settings will lead to vastly different file sizes and quality levels; as a general guideline, higher quality settings tend to produce larger files and take more time for encoding.
As the encoding process can be quite slow, there are ways to speed it up by altering some settings. For instance, changing Video Quality setting to reduce pixels being processed and increase encoding speed; or try lowering Video Resolution setting which will lower data that needs processing but could potentially lower overall video quality; finally lowering Frame Rate settings may increase speed or file size reduction as well. But bear in mind that such adjustments could result in loss of quality image content resulting in noticeable quality degradations.