Apple’s range of portable video media devices has expanded massively over the last few years. The iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad all feature powerful video playing capabilities, while the Apple TV allows you to watch iTunes content via your television. The iTunes Store features a wide range of video content to purchase and download, but sometimes you want to add video to your iTunes Library from other sources, such as your DVD collection or digital video files in unsupported formats. This is where comes in. This powerful freeware Mac OS X application allows you to convert video from DVDs and a comprehensive range of digital formats into a media file that you can then transfer to your portable Apple device. In this article, we’ll take you step by step through using handbrake to prepare video material either from a DVD or another digital file so that it will play on any Apple product.
Using Handbrake to Convert a DVD to a Video File Firstly, we should note that Handbrake does not possess the ability to convert material from a commercial encrypted DVD without the free video player also being installed in your Applications folder. Once both programs are on your Mac, follow these steps to create a video file from one of your DVDs: 1.) Insert the DVD. If the OS X DVD Player is set to begin automatically upon insertion of a DVD disc, you will need to Quit that application ( ⌘-Q). 2.) Open Handbrake by clicking on it in your Applications folder.
You will be presented with a screen like this: 3.) Navigate to the DVD using the Finder Sidebar, click on the VIDEOTS folder on the DVD and click on Open: 4.) Handbrake will scan the DVD to find video files that are present. Usually it will default to selecting the longest file in the assumption that it is the main feature. You can use the Title drop-down menu in the Source section to choose individual movie files such as DVD extras, or you can elect to convert individual Chapters of a film. In this example, we have chosen to convert the music video that is included as an extra on this DVD: 5.) Handbrake can convert DVD files to a multitude of video formats. Helpfully, the developers have included a selection of Presets configured to give the optimum results for Apple devices. These can be accessed by clicking on the Toggle Presets button on the top right of the interface. In this example, we have chosen the ‘Apple Universal’ Preset: 6.) You can rename the resulting file and choose its destination on your hard drive by clicking and typing in the Destination field: 7.) To begin converting to your selected format, press Start in the top left of the interface.
![Handbrake mac libdvdcss Handbrake mac libdvdcss](http://giovanilicalciosc.com/gallery/handbrake-libdvdcss-64-bit-mac.jpg)
Note that, even if HandBrake can convert video data from DVDs and Blu-ray disks, the app does not have ripping capabilities: it cannot handle encrypted discs, and copying the data to your Mac. Run Osx Uninstaller, select HandBrake and tap Run Analysis button. As all the items pertaining to HandBrake are listed, tap Complete Uninstall button, and click Yes in the dialog to conduct a thorough removal. Click on the Back to Interface button to re-scan your Mac for installed apps. [video tutorial: how to uninstall.
Handbrake will begin the conversion process. Depending on the length of the original video, the chosen Preset and the power of your CPU, this process may take some time to complete. The modern Intel range of processors in Macs dating from the last few years are far quicker at video conversion than earlier models, and any CPU from a Core 2 Duo on will handle the process with ease.
You can Stop or Pause the conversion at any time. When the process is complete, Handbrake will present you with this pop-up window: 8.) The resulting Apple-compatible video file is waiting on our Desktop, ready to be dragged-and-dropped into our iTunes Library and transferred to a portable device: 9.) Handbrake can batch-process several video files in one go if you for instance want to convert several features from a single DVD. At step 7 in the process above, press Add to Queue and repeat steps 3-7 for each file you wish to convert, then click Start. The Queue window will open to show you all of your selected files: 10.) For advanced users, Handbrake features a plethora of options for you to tweak: When you are first starting out with Handbrake, though, we recommend sticking with the in-built Presets. How to Convert Video Files from One Format to Another with Handbrake Handbrake can also be used on a wide variety of pre-existing digital video files to convert them into an Apple-compatible format. To convert a file, simply navigate to it using the Source Dialog Box as you would a DVD’s VIDEOTS folder and press Open: Then proceed to follow steps 4 to 8 as outlined above to convert the file.
Handbrake is an essential tool for any movie fan using a Mac and portable Apple players to enjoy their video content. Make it a part of your Applications folder today.
. Pros Queuing tray for batch conversions. Live preview.
![Handbrake application for mac Handbrake application for mac](/uploads/1/2/5/4/125424083/502657608.jpg)
IOS and Android device presets. Cons Tinkering with settings requires time-intensive trial and error.
Live preview only supports the first four minutes of video. Intimidating interface.
Bottom Line While HandBrake is neither the simplest nor the most versatile video transcoder, this free, open source, and cross-platform utility has benefited from years of development. I first discovered when I used DVDs. A lot has changed since this video transcoder was released some ten years ago.
DVDs are bargain bin cheap, supplanted by copy-protected Blu-Ray disks and high-quality video streaming services such as ($7.99, 4 stars), and users access media from a bevy of iOS and Android devices. While I rarely use my MacBook's disk drive today, I do rely on HandBrake. Instead of ripping DVDs, I use HandBrake to update videos into the latest formats.
From converting.AVI files to QuickTime-friendly.MKVS or downsizing.MP4s for my iPhone, HandBrake has evolved into a dexterous translator of devices and formats. Although its interface, performance, and stability have markedly improved, HandBrake may not match the versatility or simplicity of newer alternatives; however, for users seeking a free, open source, cross-platform video transcoder, HandBrake remains an enticing option. Training Wheels Despite HandBrake's open source pedigree, you needn't be a coder or developer to use it. Installing the application is as simple as dragging it into your Applications folder. When you launch HandBrake, it will prompt you to locate and open a file.
That file can originate as a disk or existing video file. Be advised, HandBrake only supports transcoding DVDs without copy protection. While this has not impeded my testing with DVDs, it does rule out Blu-Ray disks. Once you have selected your file, you can choose from a series of presets, including the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, or Android Tablet. I prefer the Universal format, compatible with all iOS devices.
Click Start and HandBrake will do the rest. On my three-year-old MacBook Pro, coding required between one-quarter and one-half a video's runtime. For example, a twenty-two minute episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia required only eight minutes to convert from an.AVI to an.MP4, whereas ripping the two-hour DVD of The Big Lebowski demanded almost fifty-four minutes.
The good news is threefold: you can do other things on your computer while Handbrake works; Handbrake will notify you of both the time remaining and percent completed via its dock icon; and, using the Queue, you can batch-convert multiple files. HandBrake will alert you to 'Put down that cocktail' when your conversion is complete. Shifting Gears The HandBrake presets will likely satisfy most users. In my experience, video quality is excellent—near indistinguishable from its source—and storage sizes are roughly equivalent between formats.
If you intend to rip a number of DVDs in Universal format, you will likely want to invest in an external hard drive;.MP4 files typically tally north of a gigabyte for a full-length movie. Video-savvy users, however, may choose to fine-tune settings to maximize quality and minimize file size. HandBrake enables users to optimize encodings for the Web, toggle between video codecs, adjust bitrates and framerates, and even import chapter numbers. Tinkering under the hood can blow up in your face. While HandBrake makes it easy to access settings, less clear is what changes will do to your video file.
For example, I could read esoteric information about anamorphic, modulus, and cropping settings, but I could not find an estimated file size. When it comes to evaluating the effects of tinkering, HandBrake does bundle a live preview through which you may preview your video based upon current settings; however, you can only preview up to four minutes—the first four minutes—of your video. Tough noogies if those four minutes are not representative.
Without a clear sense of how settings alter video quality or output size, I had to rely upon time-intensive trial and error and the (admittedly voluminous) expertise of users on the. Moving Forward HandBrake has developed into a sophisticated video transcoder, faster, more stable, or more feature-rich than previous builds. However, the competition has advanced as well. (free) or Aurora (Free) will let you you to rip content from copy-protected DVDs and Blu-Ray disks, respectively. (free) provides real-time output file size estimation, and (Free) offers a simpler, open-source alternative. However, HandBrake continues to strike a balance between the needs of novices and experts alike, and its long development ensures a wealth of support materials.