Need help - 1920x1080i @ 29.97fps into Handbrake

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live & Live Plus
1

I have a Blu-ray disc that’s 1080i @ 29.97fps, with PCM audio that I want to convert to an mkv.

When I did, using Handbrake (passthrough), it was unplayable in my WDTV Live Plus.  After doing some investigating here, I think that’s because Handbrake is puttting it out as 1080p @ 29.97fps, which the WDTV Live Plus can’t play.

What settings shoulld I be using in Handbrake to A) allow the file to play on the WDTV Live Plus, and have the best picture quality possible?  Should I change the frame rate to 23.97, should I leave that alone and change the resolution to 720p otr is there a better option?

I’m a real newbie with Handbrake (extreme newbie when it comes to using Handbrake with BR discs).  I would go to that forum, but my primary concern is getting it to a format that I can play thorough the WDTV Live.

FYI - this will be viewed on a 40" TV from ~9 ft away.  So, 1080p vs 720p isn’t really a big deal picture wise.

I appreciate any advice that I can get.

2

I would definitely leave it at at 29.97fps, and change resolution down to 720.

Changes in frame rate have a much broader impact on PQ than a change in resolution…

3

Just for curiousity sake, what blu-ray do you have?  I’ve never once converted a blu-ray (and I own hundreds) using the High Profile preset in Handbrake (but outputted to an MKV file) that the Live wouldn’t play.

4

Published spec says:

  • MPEG2 MP@HL up to 1920x1080p24, 1920x1080i30 or 1280x720p60 resolution.
  • MPEG4.2 ASP@L5 up to 1280x720p30 resolution and no support for global motion compensation.
  • WMV9/VC-1 MP@HL up to 1280x720p60 or 1920x1080p24 resolution. VC-1 AP@L3 up to 1920x1080i30, 1920x1080p24 or 1280x720p60 resolution.
  • H.264 BP@L3 up to 720x480p30 or 720x576p25 resolution. 
  • H.264 MP@L4.1 and HP@4.1 up to 1920x1080p24, 1920x1080i30, or 1280x720p60 resolution. 

Only way to get 1080 with 29.97 is if it’s interlaced and using H.264.  Most “TV” type extras and things are interlaced, but HB won’t work with those, so it’s gotta be something unique here if HB is actually accepting the input…

5

Wasn’t there a thread a couple of weeks ago where we determined that 1080i into Handbrake was found to be unsupported?

Ya, here  Tony’s post (#10): http://community.wdc.com/t5/General-Discussions/1920x1080i-fails-to-convert-in-Handbrake/td-p/65050

6

mkelley wrote:

Just for curiousity sake, what blu-ray do you have?  I’ve never once converted a blu-ray (and I own hundreds) using the High Profile preset in Handbrake (but outputted to an MKV file) that the Live wouldn’t play.

it’s a porn disc (of course it would be the first adult title that I attempt to convert that would be abnormal).

I’ve been using the “Normal” preset.  Based on your reply, I guess I should be using High Profile, correct?  What is the advantage to High Profile over Normal?

7

RoofingGuy wrote:

Wasn’t there a thread a couple of weeks ago where we determined that 1080i into Handbrake was found to be unsupported?

I checked that thread before asking the question.  In that one VC-1 1080i was the problem because it isn’t supported by ffmpeg.  This one is AVC.

8

Ah, ok… wasn’t remembering the details right away.

9

If it’s 29.97 INTERLACED, then it should work.    If it’s 29.97 PROGRESSIVE, then it won’t.

Supposedly.

10

TonyPh12345 wrote:

If it’s 29.97 INTERLACED, then it should work.    If it’s 29.97 PROGRESSIVE, then it won’t.

 

Supposedly.

 

It’s interlaced when it goes into Handbrake.  But, apparently the output of Handbrake is always progressive.

11

True statement.   HB will not create interlaced content.

12

BillB wrote:

mkelley wrote:

Just for curiousity sake, what blu-ray do you have?  I’ve never once converted a blu-ray (and I own hundreds) using the High Profile preset in Handbrake (but outputted to an MKV file) that the Live wouldn’t play.

 

it’s a porn disc (of course it would be the first adult title that I attempt to convert that would be abnormal).

 

I’ve been using the “Normal” preset.  Based on your reply, I guess I should be using High Profile, correct?  What is the advantage to High Profile over Normal?

Definitely don’t use anything other than High Profile (and, of course, don’t use .94 of Handbrake but one of the nightlies or at least a later build – .94 is old old news by now).  HP is just one of those presets that does everything right for the Live (and for blu-ray you don’t want anything less).