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Faster way to convert to Mp4?

LukeAger
Grafter
Posts: 121
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎15-02-2012

Faster way to convert to Mp4?

Currently using handbrake to convert any movies i have from avi to mp4 (simply so that i can add the movie to my itunes and then to ipad.)
Handbrake seems to take a massive amount of time to convert these. About 45-50 mins to convert a 2 hours film.
Does anyone know of a program which may speed up this process?

19 REPLIES 19
CX
Grafter
Posts: 750
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Registered: ‎16-09-2010

Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

I saw the title and was going to suggest Handbrake Grin
What CPU and GPU do you have? Perhaps something that can make use of CUDA (nVidia) or Quick Sync (Intel Sandy Bridge/Ivy Bridge) can help with the encoding speed, but it depends on you having a suitable graphics card. On Windows, I have TMPGEnc Video Mastering Works 5, which does support GPU-accelerated encoding, but the licence method on the software is horrendous - it requires an internet connection just to launch the program (every single time).
Failing that, some other things you can do are try tweaking Handbrake's encoding profile (e.g. try the H.264 Main profile rather than High) or the expensive option of throwing more CPU at it (i.e. more cores and/or faster cores).
Before that though, something worth checking - is your CPU maxed out by the Handbrake processes during encoding?
Strat
Community Veteran
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Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

Have a look at Format Factory http://www.pcfreetime.com
Windows 10 Firefox 109.0 (64-bit)
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
RPMozley
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Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

Mac or Linux Strat (not sure which) and that link is Windoze only.  Embarrassed
That's RPM to you!!
Strat
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Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

Oh well Embarrassed
Windows 10 Firefox 109.0 (64-bit)
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
LukeAger
Grafter
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Registered: ‎15-02-2012

Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

Using 2006 Imac
Processor  2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Graphics  ATI Radeon X1600 256 MB
Memory  3 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM

After a few test runs just now (thanks to cx23880 comment) it looks like the CPU is maxed out by handbrake during the conversion.

CPU at the moment. (almost at idle.)
9% in use by User
4% System
86 Idle
CPU while handbrake is running.
98% User
2%  System

And so the answer to my question is no.  Embarrassed Embarrassed
CX
Grafter
Posts: 750
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Registered: ‎16-09-2010

Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

If you're currently using the "iPad" profile in Handbrake you may be able to reduce encoding time significantly by using the "Normal" profile.
RPMozley
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Registered: ‎04-11-2011

Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

Well not quite a definite no but maybe. On the few times I've used Handbrake it seemed to me rather slow running with transcoding. On Mac OS X I'd usually use MacPorts Mencoder in the terminal but that's rather complicated if you've never used it before. The best thing I would suggest is to use Mpeg Streamclip & install some QuickTime compatible codecs for MP4 , oh and Perian of course (if not already installed).
That's RPM to you!!
dvorak
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Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

Normal is quicker than iPad, I use it to convert stuff for the apple tv profile. Now that takes a while lol
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RPMozley
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Registered: ‎04-11-2011

Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

If iPad is the destination then I'd suggest you look out for AcePlayer app as that should play whatever avi you want without having to transcode. The app is usually free during the time of a new version being released, not sure when that might happen but you may get lucky.
That's RPM to you!!
VileReynard
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Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

It depends more on the physical size of the file than the duration.
I tried a 40 min (100MB) low quality file, source and destination on different disks.
It maxed out both cores and took about 10 minutes.
Significantly it was a conversion from MPEG (divx/aac) to h264/aac
The size doubled to 200MB.  Smiley
BTW The reason for using h264 is that it usually gives good results for the BBC iPlayer.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

For straight conversion from one file format to another, I find that opening a file in Quicktime 10 (10.8.2) and Export the file, does a fairly quick, and high quality conversion.


You can also Export As, direct to iMovie compatible.


It does it in the background, or I just go and do something else, having set Energy Saver to more than the calculated time to export.

Test: Using QT10, I just exported a one minute .avi to .mov (iMovie compatible) ....... it took just TWO seconds.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have tried various software options to transcode from DVD, and have always come back to Handbrake.
These are my Handbrake settings for conversion from DVD to a format suitable for iMovie.
Note, only 5 minutes to convert per 30 minutes on DVD.

shutter
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

You  could try  "AtubeCatcher".....  <   http://atube.me/video/  >
according to the website....
Quote

aTube Catcher works fine on Linux running the last version of Wine, but the installer will raise some errors,
it is normal, just ignore it. If you can't get aTube Catcher working on your Linux box contact me.

here are "some" of the things it can do..... (from the website)
Quote

You can export the multimedia content to your computer or your mobile device, IPAD, IPOD, PSP, GPS devices, MP4 Players, Cell Phone, Android devices, DVD, VCD, MP3, Iphone. Plenty of formats supported including 3GP, 3G2, AVI, XVID, MP4, MP3, MP2, WMA, WMV, GIF, FLAC, WAV, PSP, MPG, VOB, OGG, MOV, AVI. aTube Catcher also can burn in DVD/VCD your videos without use any other third party software.


Almost forgot...... it`s FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeee!
VileReynard
Hero
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Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

Unfortunately this program says "Processor: Any i686 or compatible cpu running Windows 32 bits."
Why not try a firefox plugin e.g. "Download YouTube Videos as MP4"?
BTW If you want software with loads and loads of options, try avconv.  Grin Grin Grin

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

shutter
Community Veteran
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: Faster way to convert to Mp4?

Did you not read the first quote......?
the bit where it says,....
Quote
..... 
aTube Catcher works fine on Linux running the last version of Wine,

and then a bit further down......
Quote

If you can't get aTube Catcher working on your Linux box contact me.

However, that is not.... ME... but the author.... and you contact him via the linky I put in my post......
Wink