-
OT: @ Poisson re: Handbrake
from a couple threads down:
“Oh, and OT, I read your profile, Handbrake? That’s an awful, potentially illegal program. Run away!”
Respectfully, I think this is terrible advice. Handbrake works very well for what it does. Almost any piece of software, from FCP to Internet Explorer falls under the “pontentially illegal” catagory.
Heck, one could be bludgeoned to death with a C-stand, does that render that lighting support “pontentially murderous”?
I understand that more often than not, Fair Use is grossly misinterpreted, and that a large number of users probably operate Handbrake in an illegal fasion.
But why demonize the software?
Cheers – Bill
-
4 Replies
-
The legal issue I just threw in I guess, heck, FCP can be used to copy any DVD from anywhere, so you are right about that.
My one experience with Handbrake was awful, the files look fine raw but are horribly compressed, and have to be converted to edit, (I tried 8 bit, and motion JPEG) and look terrible in a standard def project. Put color correction on them and the problem is magnified, borderline unusable. I about rejected them but my client insisted I use them, never again. Note: my project was Standard Def for a DVD to be projected on a large screen. While Handbrake might be fine for web work and small QT’s it is NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME. So I guess I could qualify my criticism by saying, If it’s for broadcast, Handbrake is not the best way to copy from DVDs.
If I missed something the software can do, I stand ready to be corrected, but up till now, I am vastly underwhelmed.
Have a wonderful day.
-
Yeah, your assessment of the quality that you can expect from Handbrake is right on.
The quality hit taken by ripping media off DVD into a timeline is not ideal. When I can, I like to dub DVDs to tape. A few months ago, I was working on a doc where a lot of the footage was submitted by amateurs. Much of it was on DVD, and many of those DVDs didn’t play in a set-top. Handbrake was the difference between having the shot and not having it – that’s why I have fond memories of it.
Have a great weekend everyone! – Bill
-
[Bill Dewald] “The quality hit taken by ripping media off DVD into a timeline is not ideal.”
I don’t know how they do it so well, but both DVDxDV and Streamclip do a phenomenal job or DVD ripping to any QT format.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
-
Well, I’m a huge fan of Mpeg Streamclip, incredible app, in fact, that’s what I used to turn those Handbrake files into something I could use. Faster than Compressor with about as many options. But, my preferred way of capturing from DVDs is still FCP via component connection from a good player through my Kona LH to 8bit. You just can’t do better than that.
Have a wonderful day.
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up