The HANDJOB Guide

Software: SD/HD Encodes

DVD Rips

SubRipopen in new window

Another option for the creation of text-based subtitle streams. SubRip only works on DVD sources and via the process of optical character recognition (OCR) allows you to transpose DVD subtitles from the image-based format on the disc, to a text (.srt) file which can then be muxed into your finished encode. SubRip is also capable of importing hardcoded subtitles.

HD Encodes

eac3toopen in new window

When working with an HD source, it is often necessary to re-encode the lossless audio to something more compressed. Since Handbrake cannot work properly with lossless audio (except (L)PCM), we need to use eac3to for this purpose.

QAACopen in new window

QAAC (or Quicktime Advanced Audio Codec) is an audio encoder which we use for encoding AAC audio. We will use this for mono and stereo tracks in the case of main audio, and it can also be utilised for audio commentary tracks. It is more efficient than eac3to's built-in encoder and relatively simple to use. Requires Apple Application Support (below)

For more details on how to install QAAC and AppleApplicationSupport, please see Wiki > How to encode AAC with qaacopen in new window

Apple Application Supportopen in new window

Required for AAC encoding with QAAC.

SupRipopen in new window

An older, but extremely useful piece of software which works with .sup files extracted from a Blu-Ray source. SupRip can sometimes prove effective when other solutions let you down.

BDSup2Sub

There will be times when you cannot convert subtitles to text format (.srt) but will still need to be able to resize them to fit a different resolution. This software allows you to convert .sup files between resolutions before remuxing them into your final encode. Java Runtime Environmentopen in new window is required to run this software.