[tech] Encoding/Re-enoding videos (decryption ripping FAQ guides settings)

[ding73ding]

Recently I come across a number of technical issues on encoding and ripping, and noticing others are doing similar tasks, I thought I'd like ask some questions and maybe share some of my experience. E.g. compressing ISO (DVD) to MP4 files of about 1.1~1.8 GB. Also sometimes I re-encode an HD or FHD file to a more manageable 2-3 GB file for "day-to-day" watching and keeping the big file in an archive/backup.

Q1: How to rip a Blu-ray disc? I'm going to order some DVD's from Amazon.jp and/or DMM, and I notice some Blu-Ray disc of the same title might be available, so that's a way to get a legit, HD (probably 1080i?) copy of a film which is (hopefully) DRM-free or more accurately de-DRM-able. Actually I don't even own a BD player (still hesitating to buy a PS4) or BD drive. Hopefully someone can tell me definite experience a Blu-Ray disc (from Japan) can be ripped (decrypted) without too much difficulty. What drive and software do you use?

Q2: Is there a good way to get rid of the interlaced motion artifacts when encoding from DVD, which is typically 480i. When using Bigasoft Total Video Converter, there are some options for Interlaces Motion Estimator etc, so when I turn them on, it doesn't seem to remove the motion effects so much. Wonder if anyone has looked into it. For many JAVs, often with highly repetitive motion, the interlace effect is pretty obvious. (some frame grab will make it clear, which I will upload soon)

The process interpolates the input basically creating frames between each original to create a far more fluid and crisp motion. On a title like this with a bunch of head bobbing. ..hell, even I can't wait to see it!

About the "60-fps treatment", I am afraid I don't buy it. I think re-encoding a vid with a higher fps cannot possibly improve its quality, just like you can't take a crappy webcam video and re-encode it to FHD quality. What do you think?

 

[Blade Runner]

How to rip BD-Ray disc?
A BD decryption software is needed because Japan and US have been Region 1 so expect identical encryption. AnyDVD/HD was the preferred decryption program for BD however their status is undetermined. Second option is DVDFab Passkey for BD. IMO this program was reverse engineered from AnyDVD/HD and has its warts. Clarification 1080i content has been converted to HD from DVD (or lower) resolution. HD content usually means 1080p.

 

[Casshern2]

MeGUI handles deinterlacing just fine from my experience. About 60fps, it doesn't improve the quality, it improves the experience. If you've been able to get physical DVDs, and it seems like you do going by your comments, you'll see that playing a DVD on a DVD player on your TV looks completely different than what you can download digitally. Almost all DVDs are interlaced video which your player and/or TV interprets and displays correctly. All of the rips you'll find around here and elsewhere have been deinterlaced, so you lose the fluid motion. 60fps introduces that fluid motion back into the picture by adding "in between" frames, it isn't copying frames. If you want I can put up an example in the event you don't have a 60fps title so you won't have to download anything huge.

 

[Inertia]

We use DVDFab at work. It's not free, but works great and supports CUDA technology so Blu-Ray encoding from optimal disc goes at 100-200FPS without any noticeable CPU lag. The only negative is files are a bit larger than when using the same encoding settings with non-CUDA programs.

 

[ding73ding]

Welcome back to TechTalk.

I think I've finally found a good settings to encode DVD (or ISO) into a compact high quality file. Before, we were (at least I was) messing around with Interlacing (DVD's are 480p encoded with outdated Mpeg-2 technology). All I want is to retain the A/V quality and improved the file size a bit. A slightly bloated file is tolerable but keeping huge ISO (3.5GB / 90~120 mins is typical for JAV) file is nuts.

I want to make these 1.2 GB / 120 mins files ("yellow watermark" being the "industry standard") that's commonly found. But when I try my hands at encoding I always detect motion artifacts, interlacing effects etc when comparing encoded vs. the DVD/ISO. Of course after a while my eyes also become sensitive to less-than-ideal quality of "yellow" releases. So the problem still is, I either paid for the DVD, or (sometimes) downloaded the ISO, but I don't even have a life DVD player and want to watch them as a mobile compressed format.

Finally I found it. I was messing around with "Interlaced DCT" and other settings related to interlacing and motion (I could explain what they are, but I won't). Finally I said screw it, turn off those settings and just up the bitrate to more than double of "yellow" releases, I end up with a file only compressed by a factor of 2 (compared to the DVD) but it works out to say 1.7 GB (my way) instead of maybe 1.1 GB ("yellow"). A bit bloated but hey it looks better to my eyes, which matters.

So here are my (main) settings:
Video:
720x480
FR = 29.97 fps
Bitrate: 2500k
Codec = H.264 (VBR)
2-Pass = On
Preset (encoding speed) = Slow
rest are default or auto

Audio:
AAC or FDK AAC
Channels: 2
Bitrate: 128k
Sample Rate: 44.1k
rest are default or auto

I am being stingy on the audio, for AV or scifi/fantasy anime, there's little need for perfect fidelity. For movies with great sounds (moody scifi or musical) I'd keep the surroundsound channels and high bitrates, but I never need to do my encoding for those type of vids.

I have't tried tinkering with the variable bitrate setting to get better compression ratio yet. Seems like a waste to use 2500k bitrate on SD vids considering 4500k for 1080p looks amazing. Anyway... this is the setting I am settling on now. I will be (gradually) ripping all the DVD's I have, a scary big project I've never got started due to unsatisfying encoding result.

 

[pikuseru]

Handbrake has deinterlacing. I use the "Slower" option. Encoder speed set to "Slow".

Some DVDs have newer encryption so I can't convert them, yet.

I also like 720p/1080p 6000kbps WMVs for archival purposes and have smaller 480p MP4 for watching and sharing. I find WMV to not be efficient so MP4 is better.

When I reencode files that are MP4/MKV, they are already heavily compressed, so I have to increase quality in Handbrake, otherwise the encoding adds too much more compression.

You shouldn't use an average bitrate (2500kbps + 2pass), you should use a constant quality (e.g. 19, 20, 21, etc.) as it will be much faster and look better. Average bitrate should only used if the file needs to be certain size (e.g. to fit on a disc). Otherwise constant quality is better. With constant quality, the encoder with determine what bitrate is needed, and no need for 2-pass. File size will be unpredictable but that shouldn't be a problem for you.