Encoding for top quality (big files are fine)

[Darth Meatloaf]

[reposting here since my first post was in the wrong forum]

I have the original XBox running the T3CH XBMC 2008-10-06 SVN rev15805-BETA2 release

I'm using AnyDVD to rip the files off of my DVDs, and using Handbrake to encode.

Can anyone recommend what settings to use for encoding using the least amount of compression? An uncompressed version sitting in the best possible package would be ideal.

Also, any recommended changes to cache settings in XBMC...


File size is of no concern to me whatsoever. I had tried a different program and got really good results (but had other issues that forced me to switch encoders) that ended up in the 390-430MB range for each episode (@24 minutes each). Even if the individual episodes were larger than that, it wouldn't likely bother me.

In case it matters, the file server that the files will be streamed from is running Windows Home Server.


Thanks,

Darth Meatloaf


EDIT: In case this matters as well, this question only applies to episodic video - all of my movies are being streamed from .iso stored on the server.

[jmarshall]

Do not recompress at all. Simply rip the episodes to separate ISO files with no audio or video recompression.

[Darth Meatloaf]

Originally Posted by jmarshall

Do not recompress at all. Simply rip the episodes to separate ISO files with no audio or video recompression.

Well, I currently use AnyDVD to rip whole disk images for my movies or pull the file structure from the DVD for things I end up encoding. I'm using Handbrake to do encoding...

What do you use to separate out the episodes into their own ISOs?

[matt_cyr]

You can use dvd decryptor. You can probably follow the parts from this guide about ripping the series out.

[Darth Meatloaf]

Originally Posted by matt_cyr

You can use dvd decryptor. You can probably follow the parts from this guide about ripping the series out.

Ok, that's a bit of a read...

Not that I'm afraid to do that much reading, but it may be possible to simplify this - I already have the VOB files ripped to my hard drive. I just need to know how to convert each of them into an ISO.

[jmarshall]

DVDShrink is an alternative as well - just rip them one episode at a time. No audio or video recompression. There's scripted front ends for DVDShrink that allow you to setup the episodes to rip off the disc and then do it all in one go. KidKiwi on these forums has mentioned this in the past - try a search on his username.

[Darth Meatloaf]

Got it.

DVD Shrink has saved me.

Now I can't wait for my Newegg order to be delivered - my server is about to jump from 432GB to @3TB.

will be 21TB by next Christmas.


That's alot of media...



EDIT: HURR... Forgot to say thanks for the help.