CHRISTIANS  Although I like this new version it is a pity avi/divx support has been dropped. :-/

Also, they say it is 10% faster with 64bit. This is very hard to believe because every video codec en/decoder only uses small chunks of memory which is mostly a bit faster with 32bit floating point calculations.

Just for the sake of it I did some tests with the previous 32bit version and this 64bit version.

5 tests - converting the same file to mp4. All tests shows this new version is even slower (not much but it was slower) on my Macbook Pro.

Anyway, I still like this for ripping DVDs. But I use iVideo Converter now for general converting.  
(Version 0.9.4)

VGOKLANI  The new build of Handbrake is awesome! Just curious, is there a way to get this to work via xGrid? I have three macs, I would like to split the workload...  
(Version 0.9.4)

BOUSOZOKU  64-bit version complained that I didn't have a 64-bit version of VLC. When it directed me to the VLC downloads page, there was no 64-bit version of VLC (that I could find) anyway.  
(Version 0.9.4)

ROBACKJA  Love Handbrake. The presets are super nice. Easy way to get videos on my iPod for travel and airplane rides. Handbrake is definitely one of those high-quality open-source applications that stand above the rest.

One thing I would like to see [in all these encoding apps] is a preference to set the process nice value automatically when the program starts. It doesn't have to be cryptic, like -20 to 20 values, but it could be some simple values like High, Normal, Low. That way every time you want to have encoding jobs going without really effecting your computer's responsiveness, people won't have to drop to a Terminal, find the Handbrake process, and renice it. :)  
(Version 0.9.4)

MILA06  RIP Avi...  
(Version 0.9.4)

ROBOTANK  I think this is a fantastic update to HandBrake. It includes numerous improvements and updates to HB's encoding libraries and features. I think many users will especially appreciate the improved options for handling subtitles. The absence of XviD/AVI isn't an issue for me, since I never used HB to output to those formats anyway. I much prefer x264 in an MP4 container, and HB is the perfect tool for these encodes. While I understand that some people still have uses for XviD/AVI, I don't think there's much point in lamenting their disappearance from HB--the developers have made it pretty clear that they won't return. There are still plenty of video conversion tools out there that support these formats (VisualHub, iVideo Converter, etc.). I don't think that HandBrake has ever aimed to be a do-everything utility like VisualHub. It's clear in this version that it has a particular focus, x264 encoding, and it does it very well.  
(Version 0.9.4)

KKNOPP  Went to get the PPC version and got this

Warning: mysql_connect() [function.mysql-connect]: Lost connection to MySQL server at 'reading initial communication packet', system error: 111 in /www/handbrake.fr/site/rotation.php on line 9

Lost connection to MySQL server at 'reading initial communication packet', system error: 111  
(Version 0.9.4)

TRANCE  Xvid has been removed!

Very dissapointing since Xvid gave the best tradeoff between quality and speed, with high quality rips in 25% of the time h264 takes.

I don't care how many improvements are in the new version, i'm sticking with the old one until it doesn't work anymore.  
(Version 0.9.4)

PENNYHEAD1  Improvements are really nice specifically preview and angle support. The preview window shudders when making it larger or smaller. I don't know if it's my machine (2009 17" MBP) or not. Tanks for a great free app!!!  
(Version 0.9.4)

ORION MK. V  Continues to work well for most DVDs for me. Great for times when I need to pull files from client event DVDs -- since they don't seem to know how to provide me the original .mov, .avi or .wmv files -- and make them portable for web or computer.  
(Version 0.9.4)

1000STYLES  New to this, please forgive the discussion of multiple software apps here - I'm using Mac DVD Ripper Pro to rip, then using HandBrake to encode, everything seems to work great (so far I have both programs set to default settings, I have HandBrake outputting to a H.264 MP4 file) - then I have Roxio Toast to burn the backup DVD. Ripping and encoding seem to progress quick enough, but the Toast program is now telling me it's 'encoding' as well, and taking forEVer. Isn't 'encoding' what HandBrake already did? Why is Toast telling me it's also encoding? Any recommendations, or is this correct?  
(Version 0.9.3)

BDKENNEDY1  The dev team has no way to test this old technology themselves and users aren't willing to test it for bugs, so they dropped it.

The dev team is not a brick and mortar building with 100 employees and unlimited resources. The dev team is several software developers donating their spare time from their homes to keep this software going.

No one is going to spend dozens of hours writing and testing code that 4 people are going to use.  
(Version 0.9.3)

LMP  I just found out that according to the dev team, this will be the last version of Handbrake that will support AVI and XviD (http://forum.handbrake.fr/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12464).

I find this very disappointing, because my main use for Handbrake was to create backups of my DVDs in XviD/AVI files which were compatible with my DVD player. Without further development on this front, Handbrake will become useless to me, and I will have to look for a more clunky and/or commercial solution, like FFmpegX.

If you also feel that there should be some support for XviD/AVI in future versions of Handbrake, I suggest you contact the dev team, or post your comments here.  
(Version 0.9.3)

CORPSECORPS  File dialogs don't activate the latest Default Folder.  
(Version 0.9.3)

XBOXSUMO  Works very good just got to know your way around. Takes along time sometimes.  
(Version 0.9.3)

JSTEWARD  I just used Handbrake in Snow Leopard and it crashed on me a couple times, then I switched to the Quicktime preset and it has worked several times in a row.  
(Version 0.9.3)

DASH77  Opening files from EyeTV (2.5.3) fails on Snow Leopard ("no valid source" it says).

However, besides that one of the best apps!  
(Version 0.9.3)

MACMAXPR  Is it just me... or is it crashing with Snow Leopard?  
(Version 0.9.3)

PENNYHEAD1  Wonderful software! Great for converting your DVD library, and it's free too. NEEDS ANGLE SUPPORT.  
(Version 0.9.3)

APPLEJACK78  After trying videovangelist I found this with the 'other people suggest' link.

- Interface is out dated.

- Good amount of settings to dig into.

- Quality is from average to very good

- PSP preset only plays well with H264. The default MPEG4 settings doesnt work with PSP3000

- 2pass encoding works like it should.

- Couldnt select aspect ratio.

- Not a real preview. Only a frame-shot of the source. This should be at least a shot of the destination result.

In the end it actually works very well. Good tool  
(Version 0.9.3)

M85  Can't believe how fast this program is. Had to convert some mov files to mp4 and was using MpegStreamclip which was taking forever. Thought I'd try and do a file at the same time in Handbrake (2-pass, turbo first pass). A 400mb file finished in Handbrake in under half an hour while MpegStreamclip is in it's third hour! Quality is on a par

i love MpegStreamclip for certain things, but Handbrake really rocks for speed.  
(Version 0.9.3)

JILL PAT  I needed a converter some small mp4 movies to my iPhone.

Did the job nicely. Although the quality wasn't very good and sound was a bit harsh I could convert the all the movies for free. :)

Thx for this app  
(Version 0.9.3)

MAC ADAM  I wonderer see fixed aspect ratio outpout

Thanks for this nice and powerfull app  
(Version 0.9.3)

FALKNERX  Funny how all these new video encoders are coming out trying to cash in on visualhub's disappearance. This long-developed app is still the app to beat b/c of its presets, flexibility of output control, and because its freely distributed by an active developer community. btw, its also one of the best mac apps to rip dvds, if anyone still buys those anymore.  
(Version 0.9.3)

ALASA  HandBrake is very popular, I can see it on many website, this is benefit from free, on the other hand, it is difficult to use for many beginner. HandBrake attend technology and ignore interface, I consider iFunia Video Converter is better than it.   
(Version 0.9.3)

NACHOPOLEAN  HandBrake is a great way to get your DVDs to your iPod, but it's a little confusing, so it takes a little while to set it up.

A better way to do the same thing, is to use HandBrake Lite. HandBrake Lite does the same thing as HandBrake, but does everything automatically, so you don't have to set everything up. It will immediately fix the settings for your iPod!

The only problems with HandBrake is the difficulty in setup, how long it takes to do it's job, and how hard it runs your computer. Besides that, I recommend getting HandBrake, or HandBrake Lite  
(Version 0.9.3)

ARCHAEOGEEK  Fairly good application, supports a good number of formats and seems to have little issues with encryption - however I consider two main issues:

- Someone already mentioned it, the expectation of VLC being in /Applications instead of a subfolder. I, too, tend to be a bit obsessive about that stuff - minor quibble though.

- The lack of support for ripping closed captioning tracks. It's been fairly frequent for me to find french, spanish and english DVD in Region 1 lacking them - I'm fairly fluent in all three, the big issue is that I'm Deaf, so it's not like I can seriously do without. It feels pretty ironic to have a rip of something like Through Deaf Eyes where the spoken parts are incomprehensible due to the captions being gone. Any app that rips CC and converts properly to less meaty formats than full-size DVD will get wads of users, and not just the geeky Deaf.  
(Version 0.9.3)

MAC ADAM  I noticed some more "sacades" from 0.93,

I wonderer a fixed aspect ratio function ;)  
(Version 0.9.3)

DBAGDADI  The download I get for 0.9.3 is only an Intel binary (no PPC). Is this app no longer supported on PPC systems?  
(Version 0.9.3)

MICHAEL CEO  I travel a lot and needed an app to rip my DVDs onto my iPhone -- Handbrake did this beautifully.

Thanks a lot for making this great app!  
(Version 0.9.3)

FRONTPORCH  Always been a big fan of Handbrake. When I upgraded to 0.9.3, I was having the problem with scrambled videos. I was about to give up, but I discovered that I had to had the latest version of VLC PLayer on my machine. Once I updated VLC, the scrambling problems went away. Keep on rippin!  
(Version 0.9.3)

LUWEN  Handbrake is always the best tool to rip DVDs.

How to Rip DVDs to iPod, iPhone, etc. with Handbrake.  
(Version 0.9.3)

EDSTATE  Also, one thing I've noticed, as observed by others: this version seems to SKIP chapter titles for some reason.

I put in a DVD w/ FIVE 30-minute "episodes" on it, but this version of handbrake only gave me ONE, TWO and FOUR.

?  
(Version 0.9.3)

EDSTATE  This upgrade is working for me on DVDs that previously would "suddenly quit" during encoding.

2 minor quibbles:

• Why the .m4v default?

I have a custom setting for H264 MP4 that produces a small, but gorgeous file, that I use on my XBox 360. And while the preset name, and settings are still there, it seems to always want to save the file as an m4v instead of an mp4. I've tried outputting the same file and just changing the extension... which works on my Mac, but not on my 360, which only wants to read .mp4s.

• VLC placement choices!

The piggybacking on VLC seems to be helping w/ my previously un-encodable DVDs, however, the fact that you have to have VLC in your ~/Applications folder is annoying. To keep my Applications folder clean and tidy, I have all of my "video stuff" in a ~/Applications/Video. It would be great if you could simply "point" Handbrake to VLC, wherever you want to keep it in your system.

Other than those two minor quibbles, it seems to be a decent upgrade for me, a "non-power user".  
(Version 0.9.3)

OZZPOT  This 0.93 update is also causing major issues for me. It now takes more than 10 minutes to even scan a DVD. 0.92 took no more than 10 seconds...

...and when it does finally finish scanning, it only seems to recognize a fraction of the titles on the disc.

I will have to revert to 0.91 as 0.92 is no longer available, and I have no backups.

Please sort this out!!! BTW by system is a 24" C2D iMac 2.8ghz, 4gb RAM, 10.5.6.  
(Version 0.9.3)

SAM ROWLANDS  Sadly 0.9.3 is broke for me. I tried to find somewhere on the website to submit a bug report, but it appears that the only support is the forum. 0.9.3 sits on 0.01% and never processes the movie file. I get a single entry in the console.

'12/10/08 2:04:04 PM [0x0-0x6e56e5].org.m0k.handbrake HandBrake(41890,0xb05ea000) malloc: *** error for object 0x1ddde10: double free '

I also tried to download a previous version, but could only find 0.9.1 not 0.9.2, a bit uncomfortable downgrading 2 versions, but at least I can continue to convert my DVDs so work on the iPhone.

I hope they figure this out and correct it as Handbrake has been reliable and I've been very happy with it the past.  
(Version 0.9.3)

ETERNUS  Disappointed in the upgrade, doubly so for not saving 0.9.2. I can no longer save to .mp4 and the output I just did from DVD is full of noise and unviewable. I did the same export yesterday and everything worked fine. Would love to see where I can download 0.9.2 until this is resolved, anyone know a good archive?  
(Version 0.9.3)

BOSIE  0.9.3 hasn't been very successful for me. Decrypting DVDs with files from VLC Player gives really poor results. Encoding mpeg content from EyeTV produces scratchy sound.  
(Version 0.9.3)

BUCHO  Well, I welcome the new changes, but so far, have been unsuccessful at converting anything to an AppleTV compatible format. Program crashes less than a quarter of the way in.  
(Version 0.9.3)

AVV3LENATO  Real VisualHub Competitor! AND FREE!!!  
(Version 0.9.3)

L008COM  The new feature-set is great. Handbrake's ability to only work on DVD-like, non HD sources was really making it more and more obsolete. They've fixed that in a very big way. This new version has great features that work great when they work.

BUT

The app is very crashy. Certain .mkv files seem to make handbrake cash for no apparently reason. I hope they fix this bug soon.   
(Version 0.9.3)

MAC ADAM  Nice Update, Thanks,

Just one thing to say;

better resize could be perfect ;)  
(Version 0.9.3)

DIVEMATERZA  Brilliant! especially now that sources are not restricted to DVD's. It is filling the gap left by the departure of Visualhub from the scene

Merci  
(Version 0.9.3)

JPSCHUCK  Handbrake seems to refuse MPEG-1 sources with an .mpg file extension, although they're accepted if the extension is changed to .mpeg.  
(Version 0.9.3)

IG88IG88  ok, figured out the problem with the que. i have a preset i made that has "force subtitles only" checked, and in .92 it would always grab english. now it goes to none, and it will not add it to the que, but if i simply choose "autoselect" or a language, it will work just fine.  
(Version 0.9.3)

PIRX  Brilliant, just simply brilliant. Does what it says, says what it does, flawless encoding. Brilliant.  
(Version 0.9.3)

IG88IG88  love that it will take any source now! having trouble with loading multiple movies into the que. it will not load some of my dvds in. choose add to que and it just wont add it. hopefully it will be an easy update or something.  
(Version 0.9.3)

ZWILLIAMS  Great software getting better, now if only it had softsub support it would be the end all solution.  
(Version 0.9.3)

SWORDFISH  "Universal input: HandBrake is no longer limited to DVDs" This is so awesome, thank you very much!  
(Version 0.9.3)

MISHA  Awesome upgrade... glad to finally see this out. Some of the new presets are solid, and performance seems improved... only takes 40 minutes to encode a 90 min movie at the "High Quality -> Film" setting on my 8-core Mac Pro.  
(Version 0.9.3)

ZUULITO  Hi !

first of all, this software is really great.

I tried converting a .wmv to .avi, and the

CPU monitor shows only one CPU being

maxed out, where the other 7 are barely

utilized...

Is this normal ?  
(Version 0.9.3)

CORPSECORPS  I started exploring this recently after not having seen it since much earlier days.

VERY impressive interface and features. Excellent output and FAST!

Anybody wondering about the intricacies of digital video should read the HandBrake guide. I learned LOADS of stuff i've wondered about that i hadn't seen concisely elsewhere. Good links in there, too.

http://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/HandBrakeGuide

It's unfortunate few if ANY other OS X video apps that don't cost big buck$ and which do other kinds of format conversions are this excellent.

My one question is: Where's "Decomb"? I don't see it in the GUI  
(Version 0.9.2)

FORAGING FERRET  For those having trouble with version 0.9.2 and Xvid encoding, revert to version 0.9.1

This previous version works fine for me on a MBP 2.16 (late 2006)  
(Version 0.9.2)

JAMSOFT  Download the latest developer build snapshots here:

http://handbrake.fr/?article=snapshot  
(Version 0.9.2)

MACHSPEED5  crashes at the end of mp4 encode but works fine with mkv. 10.5.5, MBP 2.5

what's up?  
(Version 0.9.2)

ARMELLE8  my videos stop converting at 38 minutes...not sure why. it works fine other than that.  
(Version 0.9.2)

CREATIVE NATIVE  I have had Harbrake for a couple of years and recently it says that no new source is found when I click on the disc yto open it, so now it has a 20% sucess rate, why is this what can I do  
(Version 0.9.2)

GDS  Latest version crashes very often on Intel machines (same DVDs work fine on Handbrake for PowerPC.)  
(Version 0.9.2)

BERTH  Handbrake doesn't work at all with my MacBook and Tiger. I don't know why...  
(Version 0.9.2)

MAC ADAM  XviD Encode Crah on All Intel I've tested, Must use rosetta, but please fix :)  
(Version 0.9.2)

MAC ADAM  The XviD Crash my Mac mini on 10.5.2, please fix :(  
(Version 0.9.2)

MAC ADAM  Nice & Thanks

• When I wanna save (replace) my active preset in one in Preset manager; i cannot not !?

• Could you add in Complete Encoding Message the Time elapsed to encode ?

• I wait for flv encode feature ;)  
(Version 0.9.2)

LMP  Consistently crashes when you press the Start button on a quad-core MacPro (early 2008) with 10.5.2.  
(Version 0.9.2)

GAVIN CUTSHALL  HB is a must have, but this most recent version almost invariably crashes when working from the queue. I think I'm going to head back to a more stable release.

I'm currently running on a MB 2.0 and an iMac 24.  
(Version 0.9.2)

JOHNNY ROCKET  does this support blu-ray or HD-dvd and conversion to the HD Apple TV format? or will it?  
(Version 0.9.2)

AGRAZZO  won't start in my iBook G4 1.33 Ghz.  
(Version 0.9.2)

JUBEI_KIWAGAMI  This latest revision to HB with DD 5.1, much improved x264, iPhone Anamorphic, Variable Frame Rate support and boatload of improvements is a must have if you have an Apple TV.

The files produced works perfectly with MetaX for tagging and the 5.1 DD sounds is just awesome. Hats off to the HB team.  
(Version 0.9.2)

GARY WHITE  no i don't mean mac the ripper? we are talking about 2 programs that create mp4 and various other video formats, not dvd ripping software!  
(Version 0.9.2)

GARY WHITE  Great application, shame the developers are damn rude!

jrbrake the main developer is so rude and arrogant, i have given up posting on his forum.

I am not sure why he feels he needs to be rude to the people who actually want to use his application, maybe he has small person syndrome.

Good application let down by terrible support, if you want a good app, and friendly responsive developer get Visualhub.  
(Version 0.9.2)

JOSDANS  Handbrake 0.9.2 won't start on my G5 4x2,5 GHz. 0.9.1 worked!  
(Version 0.9.2)

MAC ADAM  The most important reason why I do not use your App, is the quality resizing, and the color respect.

When I play a HandBrake encoded movie in fullscreen,

the video look less sharp and contrasted than other ripper.

I am the first unhappy about this, because handbrake is so easy to use…  
(Version 0.9.2)

LORD_JEREMY  I love this program! Ever since I got my MacBook, I can rip DVDs faster than it would take to watch them. And for those users who aren't at all familiar with the advanced video encoder settings, HandBrake has a large collection of output presets. My only gripe is that the program sometimes has trouble detecting DVDs and accessing their title list. I also had great difficulty explaining the DVD selection system to a less advanced mac user. It would be great if there was an optional simple selection system...  
(Version 0.9.1)

MAC ADAM  Nice App,

what need little more finest

• add XviD Quarter Pixel Estimation (and Trellis)

• Save selected audio output method in Presets

• Allowing Costuming Output Size Pixel by Pixel

• Allow Remove the Dock Progress Bar what suck CPU  
(Version 0.9.1)

TOURNESOL  Hmm, the audio drops sporadically through my rip. Version 0.85b did not do that. Sad!  
(Version 0.9.1)

BRUCEA001  I have used HB since day-one and I have had many small issues, concerning basic coding information, because I'm a big tinker'er. I can never leave well-enough alone. With that being said, I can honestly say that HB is an excellent program right out of the virtual box!

I have given 4 stars because HB developers have left some of us underprivileged Mac users behind. I am still running 10.3.9 for reasons that have more influence than converting DVD's.

I love the program, and I'm sad that I cannot experience the later versions... They look pretty cool!

I also use the (dare I say) Windows version. It's not as stable and seems to be much slower. LOL, duh!

I do love them both!  
(Version 0.9.1)

DRDUL  HandBrake 0.9.1 crashes at the start of a rip on two different Intel machines (Mac Pro, MacBook Pro). I tried every combination of settings, but every time I pressed "Start" or "Start Queue," it crashed.

So I downloaded MacTheRipper 2.6.6, and it ripped the DVD flawlessly. MTR 2.6.6 is a PPC app, but it ran problem-free on my Mac Pro. Highly recommended!  
(Version 0.9.1)

COUGARBLUE  It's very difficult to understand what you're doing without any documentation. The previous versions had fewer choices, and no "sets". For me it was very easy. I don't like the bitrate image quality set so high at 1000. Keep it in a set down to 700-800 and you'll be a happy camper with great images and have more space. Before 700 was the recommendation.

The developers have given us an incredible gift. This is the most important iPod related software I use. A HUGE Thank You to the developers. When you figure out all the nuances, you'll get great mp4 copies of all your Simpson, Seinfeld, Frazier, shows as well as the movies you own and wish to see on the iPod.

Take a look at the linked tutorial to learn terms and methods. Even if the author isn't using the newest version, you'll get all the info you need. The second is the developer info, also very valuable.

http://www.methodshop.com/gadgets/tutorials/handbrake/

http://handbrake.m0k.org/  
(Version 0.9.1)

SJJ_PUBLIC  Handbrake 0.9 is fantastic. It use to be a difficult program to use and the results weren't always great, but now it's quite easy to use and to get great results. To rip and convert for the iPod touch just select the iPhone preset and start the conversion. The results are spectacular. There is one catch though - while the program is quite fast on my 2 GHz MacBook CoreDuo, it is unbelievably slow on my Dual-533 G4 tower. It took over 24 hours to convert a DVD on the Dual 533 G4, while taking less than 2 hours on my MacBook. So if you don't have an Intel processor Mac you probably won't be getting much satisfaction from this program.  
(Version 0.9)

TOURNESOL  It crashes while fiddeling with the picture size and crop settings.  
(Version 0.9)

FEDESARTORIO  Handbrake is a terrific little app. I used the previous version to rip all my dvds and it has never failed me. Very good picture quality and very stable. My only complaint was the slowness of the h264 encoding.

I just got the new version and it looks vastly improved, with far more options and apparently faster encoding. The problem is it crashes sometimes, mainly when changing the resolution or deinterlacing settings in the image screen. Too bad! Let's hope this gets fixed in 0.9.1

Still, keep up the great work developers because this app is very nice and useful  
(Version 0.9)

YESUAINI99  Anyone having problem playing on iPhone with video ripped with Handbrake?

I copied a video to iTunes/Movies and sync with iPhone, but end up having only sound but no video.

Help, anyone?  
(Version 0.9)

AQTINC  Mine keeps crashing continually as well, but it's happening in the picture settings. 3/4 of the time when resetting the resolution, HB just quits. Other times, it crashes when trying to set deinterlacing.

I know I shouldn't whine about a free app, but I've never had so much trouble with this app before. I know it's still only 0.9, but stability is a big step backwards. I'm going to look for an older rev to use for now too.

Thanks for pushing along though, we just hope to see next rev soon. :tup:  
(Version 0.9)

L008COM  Very buggy. Just this version. The older versions have never had crashing issues since I've been using it. But 0.9 is brutal. Ditching it now and trying to find someplace I can download an older version.  
(Version 0.9)

JEFF H.  Not working very well here either.

I know that the comment/review area tends to be the emergency room when things go bad, so-to-speak, so that being said, this has been a GREAT app in the past.

But this version sure is buggy! Crashes alot...I would choose a file to be, say 1500 MB, and after an hour it says the burn is done and the file has been compressed to 700 mb (and looks like doo-doo!).

Have already gone back to 0.7.1...that one ALWAYS worked for me.

Keep up the GREAT work though...when the bugs get worked out it'll be GREAT!  
(Version 0.9)

WHYATT THRASH  I get the same problem as Kosovar1, I choose a source, and then it says "scanning chapter 1, scanning chapter 2..." and after the last chapter, the progress bar stops but the "scanning chapter" text stays and all options are greyed out, no way to change encoder settings or start encoding...  
(Version 0.9)

KOSOVAR1  To the developer: I forgot to mention that when I choose "Add to Que, HandBrake 9 also crashes. I've tried this with many DVDs, so it's not the DVD. I also did the usual troubleshooting stuff, like delete old preference files, to no avail. My laptop is a MacBook Pro 17" running 10.4.10.   
(Version 0.9)

KOSOVAR1  HandBrake 9 doesn't work at all for me: All settings are greyed-out after I've chosen a DVD. Plus, if I go up to the "File" menu and choose "Start Encoding," Handbrake simply crashes. Well, at least MacThe Ripper hasn't let me down.  
(Version 0.9)

SAM ROWLANDS  This program is a lifesaver, I do a fair bit of traveling and watch DVDs when I get the opportunity. As you can imagine 5 region changes as about as useful as an umbrella in a Typhoon. Using HandBrake I am able to watch DVDs from anywhere.  
(Version 0.9)

MSAYER  The problems with chapter are still in this release..

The encoded movie have the chapter at the right time but the ipod "react" at the chapter change with almost 3 seconds late....

:-(  
(Version 0.9)

JAZZADDICT  DMG will not mount. I get a dialog saying "the following disk images failed to mount." I re-downloaded the 10.4 version from the developers website, but same issue occured. Anyone else with this issue?  
(Version 0.9)

MISCHIVO  I'm liking where the new user interface is going. This program seems like it's really matured.  
(Version 0.9)

IMI  I have downloaded handbrake on to my G4, have inserted the dvd and it reads it but when it comes to the pane under that one everything is faded, so cannot perform any further instructions!!

I have deleted the app and downloaded it again but am getting the same problem.

Would be really grateful if someone can be of assistance?  
(Version 0.8.5b1)

JAMESKITTY  I am loving the addition of presets, but unfortunately the bug that made Mediafork unusable exists in this new build of handbrake as well... namely that the audio drops a couple of minutes into *some* cds.

I just ripped Face/Off twice with the same results: the H264 encoding slows wayyyyy down (from ~27fps on my system to ~7fps) and the audio stops 23 minutes into the file.

Thankfully, I kept 0.7.1 archived on my system.  
(Version 0.8.5b1)

MARTIN KELSEN  Every time I run Handbrake it creates massive log files at /library/logs/console/50X (X can be 1 or 2 I believe). There is a discussion of this on the Handbrake forums at http://handbrake.m0k.org/forum/viewtopic.php?=&p=2617.

On my system one of these files was over 20 GB in size. This led to messages telling me my hard drive was full. As every mac savvy user knows you need to leave at least 10% of your hard drive empty to avoid problems. The people who dismiss reported problems with Handbrake as 'concidences' are idiots who should listen more carefully to those who have posted their comments.

Although I think Handbrake is potentially a great program, producing the highest quality output, I think that versions of Handbrake that exhibit this hard drive eating problem should be withdrawn until the problem is fixed!  
(Version 0.8.5b1)

ARGLBORPS  Now if you could put your project onto sourceforge.net or any other place where downloading it doesn't suck a banana we'd be most in your debt.

But anyway great app! Way to go!  
(Version 0.8.5b1)

TICE  Great Tool! Now I have a copy of Grey's Anatomy Season 1 and 2, on one DVD each, to use it in my summer cottage. MacTheRipper or Yade doesn't get this encryption.

One feature would be great: The rip all (or a selection) of the chapters in one step.  
(Version 0.8.5b1)

XARIK  Weird. It says 0.8.0b1 in the Get Info panel but 0.8.5b1 in the About box. Also, I'm having problems with audio dropping off after a few minutes with newly encoded files. The previous version seems to work fine.  
(Version 0.8.5b1)

SCOTT WILLIAMS  My version says Version 0.8.5b1 in the about box. I found it floating around on bit torrent. See and people say there is no legal use for Peer2Peer  
(Version 0.8.5b1)

FLYBOY  I have downloaded it twice and each time Get Info shows it to be 0.8.0b1.

Can anyone verify theirs and see what they get?  
(Version 0.8.5b1)

JJBARI  Its a great app except it does hang at the end of the encoding step for some DVDs.   
(Version 0.7.1)

MATHIAS  MediaFork 0.8.0 beta 1

We proudly present the first beta release of MediaFork, our enhanced version of HandBrake (and the first new release in very nearly a year!). Sorry, no Instant MediaFork for the first beta.

http://mediafork.dynalias.com/blog/?page_id=8  
(Version 0.7.1)

JAMESKITTY  so is it dead now?

no updates since February, and no shortage of things that needed fixing....

no hope of getting a 64-bit compatible version?

maybe a version that had metadata tagging built in?

maybe a version with programable presets?

or even a version that wouldn't loose the format selections when you clicked the browse button?  
(Version 0.7.1)

JAZZADDICT  I have some DVDs (NTSC) I want to convert to h.264 using Handbrake. Could somebody tell me what bitrate I should use to get the maximum quality without overdoing it so much that the enhanced bitrate isn't making the quality better? Does handbrake have a setting to just produce the maximum quality? I don't want to import my DVD collection only to find out I could of done something to make the quality better, so I'd rather get it right the first time. I tried asking in the forums, but I didn't get an answer. Thanks!  
(Version 0.7.1)

WEIBESHERZ  Nice App, Easy and ready for Use.  
(Version 0.7.1)

FRUIT  Works great. Just ripped a couple DVD's to XviD, was easy and quick.  
(Version 0.7.1)

JORGEHP  Needs to be update to support the new compression scheme of new and updated (firmware) video iPods, namely 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Low-Complexity Profile with AAC-LC audio.

Hope the developer adds this soon, hint, hint ;) hehe  
(Version 0.7.1)

TEMUJIN  The thing worked great, but i cannot get my movie onto my iPod. I got it into iTunes just peachy, but cannot for the life of me get it on me iPod. WTF? any help would be great, thanks.  
(Version 0.7.1)

JAMESKITTY  handbrake is wonderful, but it needs improvement in 3 areas:

1. h264 is a third as fast as mpeg-4. i realize this is probably codec related, but seriously, i get ~65 fps with mpeg-4, and ~22 fps with h264.

2. metadata input. can't we have some sort of AtomicParsley ui built in? it's so 20th century to have to rip, then tag in a separate application.

3. universal preferences. i hate having to set the same settings over and over. i want to set my defaults and have them applied unless *i* change them.

and why a LITE version now? do you really have that much time on your hands that you needed to create a second version? why not just a preset?  
(Version 0.7.1)

OKTO  When I tried to batch-process several files, I dound a delightful misfeature: HandBrake does not number output files, instead choosing to clobber them over and over, resulting in one file where there should have been 8.   
(Version 0.7.1)

NEURALGIA  Love Handbrake but every few times I run it, it processes the file, gets to 100%, then stops. Never finishes writing the file, never reports being done, file is not useable. Odd. Any ideas?  
(Version 0.7.1)

JANKROD  Great App. I am extremely happy.

wanted to comment on a few minor things I noticed on my computer.

I have a G4 12in PowerBook with OS 10.4.6

Im running version 0.7.1 (2006022400) of HandBrake

1) if I am processing one job I can check the enable queue button but all the options are gray so i cant change anything. NOTE: setting up the queue before processing a job is fine, but i started one an then wanted to queue another and could not

2) When I do 2-pass encoding Running:

File Format: MP4 file

Codecs: MPEG-4 Video / MP3 Audio

Encoder: either ffmpeg or Xvid

2-pass checked

The video processes the whole time but when it is done I dont get a file.

3) I personally would like it if the show-queue box was a bit wider and had all the configuration information on it.  
(Version 0.7.1)

KRYSTOF VASA  It's a really great (and FAST!) program. It's easy to understand and everything, but it lacks one thing. This application is meant to be for back up. Therefore there should be a feature to burn a DVD from an avi or mp4 file...  
(Version 0.7.1)

ABATES25  I've been using Handbrake for almost two years now and it keeps getting better. Using it now as a Universal app on my MacBook, it is incredible. On my 1Ghz PowerBook, I was happy with a 15fps rip rate; now I am getting 58fps average on my rips. Awesome!  
(Version 0.7.1)

BRYANDERSON  I ripped an episode of 24 (bought the first 4 seasons) When I dropped MP4 into my Itunes Library it said it could not play on my brand new IPOD 60g without first going to advanced and running the conversion. Is this really required? I thought maybe I got a setting wrong.  
(Version 0.7.1)

LEXILOO  I have downloaded Handbrake .7.1. It converted the first file in my folder, "Video_ts.VOB, but won't convert the rest of the files in my folder, namely, VTS_01.vob etc. What have I done wrong?

I keep getting the message No Valid Files/  
(Version 0.7.1)

S_KALB  I just don't understand the app's icon...  
(Version 0.7.1)

NONSOLOMAC  Fantastic, Mr. Eric Petit rocks!!! This guy is a brilliant programmer. Also check out Transmission, another free jewel from him, the best Bit Torrent client so far.. Keep up the good work Eric, we all thank you!  
(Version 0.7.1)

KONSPIRACY210  Exceptional. Having trouble with AVI playback but i dont have all the quicktime add-ons neccessary  
(Version 0.7.1)

MORPE  a way to encode .vob files?  
(Version 0.7.1)

UTITIER  It has to be said, this app is some kind of brilliant work. It was just what I needed for best professional results.5 big stars to Eric!  
(Version 0.7.1)

RANDOM  i have imported 2 videos and both of them have had very low volume am i doin somethin wrong or how do i fix it.  
(Version 0.7.1)

JSIMPSON1982  Great App!  
(Version 0.7)

MRTN  Please make encoding for PSP FW 1.5 work. MP4 with MP3.

You rule.  
(Version 0.7)

RISH E  DO I LOVE YOU OR WHAT! no i swear, i have this real real stubborn dvd which would work with NOTHING.. as in i tried mac the ripper and a couple more progams, it refused to work !!! but HANDBRAKE YOU ROCK!!!! it recognised differnt movies in the cd, it changed the format!!!!!! i love u man.. u rock!  
(Version 0.7)

VIRGINMACUSER  Well this has got to be better than anything decoding for pc. No pixel glitches or jerks. Anyway used this successfully with ipod 5G and these are the settings that worked and thanks for the hints to the person who knows who he is. Tried lots of mac sites and these are the only settings that worked for me hope they work for you guys.

File format (fig. 8): MP4 file

Codecs (fig. 9): MPEG-4 Video / AAC Audio (do NOT select AVC/H.264!)

Framerate: Same as source

Video Encoder: FFmpeg

Average bit rate (fig. 11): I've had success so far up to 1024... higher values might work

2-pass encoding (fig. 12): you can enable this or not... it works either way, and does not significantly affect the final file size... but it DOES DOUBLE the amount of time required to encode the movie

Sample rate (fig. 14): 48000 works fine, lesser values should be OK

Bitrate (fig. 15): 160 works fine, lesser values should be OK

Size (fig. 16): set Width to 320, Keep Aspect Ratio CHECKED

I have been able to successfully rip an entire movie into a format that DOES play on an iPod Gen5... Sin City came out as a 1.02 GB file using the above settings. (Obviously, you can lower some of the settings, especially "Average bit rate", to reduce the file size, at the expense of quality.)

EDIT: Blade Runner came out to 452 MB using the above steps.  
(Version 0.7)

MAC-JACK  This is the best program that I have found for backing up DVDs to my hard drive. You have the option to control everything from the quality of the image, to cropping and choosing audio tracks. I have never had a problem with this program's stability, and it has accepted every DVD that I have given it. The Queue option in .7 is also a great option for those with TV shows on DVD.   
(Version 0.7)

JULIEDUKE  I love Handbrake. It works really well with converting my DVD's but I'm having a problem getting it to work with Mac the Ripper. There are some DVD's that Handbrake will not rip, so I rip them using Mac the Ripper. But for some reason, when I go to the folder where my video-vts files are, Handbrake says there is no compatible file. What am I doing wrong?  
(Version 0.7)

IAMASWISSGUY  I love it, but PLEASE add more support for VOB's that are saved on our computers. HandBrake gives the message "No valid title" waaay too often. Just add more file support, please. But HandBrake is amazing, I would probably have not boughten a new iPod if it wasn't for this.  
(Version 0.7)

ITSFRIDAYMOANIN  When I first got my video iPod, I simply assumed that I would be able to watch my DVD's on my iPod. Lo and behold, a hack was required to do this, and this software is it.

Within minutes of downloading HandBrake, using the very clear, thorough, video-iPod-specific instructions at http://howto.diveintomark.org/ipod-dvd-ripping-guide/ I was ripping one of my DVD's. I added the movie file to my iTunes library, dragged it to my iPod, and Voila! - on the first try!

This FREE software fulfills (I believe) a great demand, now, with the new video iPod. I'm quite sure that watching your own DVD's on your own iPod qualifies for fair use under copyright law, so don't feel bad about that.

This software fulfilled my specific need flawlessly (so far), it has detailed instructions available online, and its FREE.  
(Version 0.7)

CHARLES TAYLOR  HandBrake is by far the best DVD ripping app I've ever come across. The GUI is clear and concise, everything is contained in one program, and best of all, it's FREE! I was able to rip a DVD (that I own) at about 2x (2 hour movie took aprox. 1 hour) on my dual 2Ghz G5, which actually allowed me to watch the movie as it was being ripped onto my hard drive.  
(Version 0.7)

MINNIEMINNIE  I think this program is great. I'm really new to all this DVD ripping stuff and was able to figure this one out without much background.

My ONLY issue is the audio. I am trying to rip musical performance DVDs and HandBrake 0.7 doesn't quite get it right. The audio has glitches in it even when I tried different settings. I wish this could be fixed because otherwise it's a beautiful program! Any thoughts on this, developer?

Also I'm having trouble getting to the Handbrake forum via Safari.  
(Version 0.7)

ANONYMOUS  tried to rip a dvd never succeeded to rip more than 3 chapters. handbrake quits without any comment  
(Version 0.7)

ANDREAS HAANING CHRISTIANSEN  I've ripped a couple of dvd tracks and end up with a fine picture but irritating glitches on the sound every 5 or 10 seconds. I'm using the latest version 7.

Any explanation and solution for this problem ?  
(Version 0.7)

ANONYMOUS  Sorry for being repetitive, and I don't want to bash the program, because I feel it's great, aside from this one feature. Here is a screenshot that shows what I am talking about: this is me, legally (in my country, legally), making a rip of Jaws. The quicktime is ripped at the maximum resolution Handbrake would permit, and yet it is significantly smaller than the DVD image. And it's not that the DVD is simply "enlarged" by the player; the DVD image actually has more detail--real resolution is missing because of an artificial constraint. I would simply like to know why it is enforced and if there are plans by the developer to find a way around it. Thank you!

individual.utoronto.ca/mischivo/screenshot.jpeg  
(Version 0.7)

ANONYMOUS  Thanks out to the HB developers. Great flow from my DVDs to the iPod.  
(Version 0.7)

ANONYMOUS  First a heads up, 480 by 720 is your DVD's native pixel resolution, check Apple's DVD player properties to see so.

Has anyone encountered a problem like this?

Completely by accident, I found out that I could import and play Handbrake mp4's on the Ipod video without changing the preset to h.264 and at full resolution, (about 1000 kps, and not the tiny 240 by 320) This was amazing and it lead to a pristine image both on the screen and on TV's. However, it seems to be conditional, like the file must be saved to the desktop before import, and if you move it to another drive first it will import into iTunes but not the iPod video. Has anyone encountered this issue, and do you know how to tweak it for any video file at full resolution? (DVD quality)  
(Version 0.7)

ANONYMOUS  I'm curious: why doesn't this program allow me to rip certain files in their original size, why am I limited to 720 by 480, when I clearly know my DVD image is wider than that? Doesn't seem reasonable to me. I prefer to rip at original resolution.   
(Version 0.7)

ANONYMOUS  If you have a video iPod, you need handbrake. It's simply amazing and has enabled me to transfer shows and movies from my DVD collection. While 2-pass encoding does take a little longer...the quality is sensational and the file size, exactly the same. For longer movies, just pick a DVD at night before you go to bed, let it rip...when you wake in the morning, you'll have an amazing MPEG4 file on your desktop!

Bottom Line: Amazing software.  
(Version 0.7)

ANONYMOUS  Very nice, little slow in 2-pass mode  
(Version 0.7)

KIDD  It appears this no longer works on G3's. :(  
(Version 0.7)

ANONYMOUS  Subtitles are now out-of-sync (they appear earlier than the actual dialogue)  
(Version 0.7)

IVAN D'HOND  Incredible, the best  
(Version 0.7)

ANONYMOUS  Without this program, my video iPod would be just an iPod. Great quality h.264 encoding!  
(Version 0.7)

LEIF HEFLIN  This is great! I made a movie with my friends and I only had the DVD of it. This shrunk it from 900mb to 40mb so that I could send it to them online.  
(Version 0.7)

ANONYMOUS  Nice work on updating it to encode H.264 for the ipod  
(Version 0.7)

MILO  great program. i was looking for something to compress my dvd's that i had ripped onto my hard drive because they were taking up to much space. this program is great and workds fast, great quality and smaller files!   
(Version 0.7b3)

MIKE RIVERA  Haven't had any problems running on OS X 10.4.2. If you're like me and don't think being charged twice for something you already own—speaking strictly personal use collection here—such as the tons of music video DVDs and thousands of movie DVDs sitting in my closet now suddenly useful on iPod Video, this program is for you. I wish you could do multiple files at once, though, and/or name them and have it go to task in one run, but I'll take it as is. It is better than the alternative of having dusty DVDs sitting on a shelf with no way to transfer the information to your digital collection. Thank you for doing this program. Now if only Apple would get off the high horse and offer an iPod larger than 60 gig I'd be set for life.  
(Version 0.7b3)

JEREMY  Yeah, it has a few bugs. It doesn't finish at 100%, and doesn't hang up, but I can get it to work if I quit and eject and quit again, and do some weird stuff. It's an awesome program, though.  
(Version 0.7b3)

MAYLES  audio drop frame every 30-35 seconds. damn bug!!!!  
(Version 0.7b3)

ANONYMOUS  This is the very best DVD to self contained movie program, never fails to impress It does an amazing job of transfering all my DVDs to my iPod Video its VERY fast. Never had a problem with it! For that Im gonna give it the best, thats exactly what it deserves.

BTW don't let the beta thing put anyone off, I haven't had a problem with this terrific program!  
(Version 0.7b3)

ANONYMOUS  So I've read about this shareware and tried it. It can rip a chapter out of a DVD okay. However when I try to rip the entire DVD, it always hangs up at 100% and wouldn't finish. Eventually I have to "force quit" the program. Seems like the program has some major bugs to take care of.  
(Version 0.7b3)

ANONYMOUS  The best program i have....its so easy to convert DVD/Video ts folders...to...mpg.

A must have...especially if your getting the 5G iPod!!  
(Version 0.7b3)

ANONYMOUS  I don't care what the complainers say. I needed to convert DVD to MPEG, and it was the ONLY piece of software I've downloaded (out of 20 tries or so) that worked perfectly, immediately.  
(Version 0.7b3)

ANONYMOUS  This program is GREAT! but for some reason it doesn't rip for me anymore. This happened only recently too. So ionno what the problem is? I'm trying to figure it out by deleting all the existing files and then redownloading it, so hopefully it works once again!  
(Version 0.7b3)

SUPERMATT  I have never been able to make this program work. It simply crashes. I just tried it again and tried the last 2 or 3 versions and it only crashes. 10.3.9, plenty of ram.  
(Version 0.7b3)

ANONYMOUS  It's possible to have a function to do the opposite, reconvert from AVI to DVD?  
(Version 0.7b3)

ANONYMOUS  Is there to rip just the movie and not all the previews and extras?  
(Version 0.7b3)

ANONYMOUS  Anyone know how to use the queue function? Im ripping TV Show DVDs and otherwise I can only rip one episode at a time. While I can comment on it, it is one of the BEST programs I have worked with.  
(Version 0.7b3)

GREG ALCHIN  All I ever wanted was a simple to use program that allowed me to cleanly copy sections of DVD to use in my teaching as classroom examples. This program has made my day!   
(Version 0.7b3)

JIM  I converted a TS-Video file to MPEG. I tried downloading it in Toast 6 and I can't get toast to accept it. It won't burn a mpeg file.  
(Version 0.7b3)

BRAD  what settings did you use for the PSP? Screen size, quality etc. I can't get it to work on my PSP. I have a 1Gb card so I'm not too bothered about movie size. Just want to be able to rip a DVD and then play on my PSP. Any advice would be great.  
(Version 0.7b3)

REDDROBIN  I wanted to edit a large VOB file to crop out just a small portion that I could manipulate and play in Quicktime. I used HandBrake and followed the instructions I found at http://www.freesmug.org/tutorial/handbrake/. Although the program seemed pretty self-explanatory, I am a greenhorn on this subject and wanted specific instructions. It worked flawlessly! It converted the VOB to an MP4 file, and I could play with the controls to get as small a file as I could get away with. I had no problems whatsoever. It might be a little slow -- I have nothing to compare it with -- but it's free and you sure can't beat that!  
(Version 0.7b3)

ORANGEFRO  49.52 % done and I still have 1h36m to go. Very Slow, but the limitation may be the superdrive and not the application.

Agreat application even with the slow encoding.  
(Version 0.7b3)

ANONYMOUS  I used Handbrake to downsize a DVD movie for playback on a PSP - you can set the resolution and also a target file size so it fits perfectly on your PSP's display and memory stick. Excellent. The movie quality was perfect. Great product, just took a while to rip, if the ripping time could be reduced it would be great.   
(Version 0.7b3)

BJöRN LUNDIN  Couldn't be easier. I so far ripped 50 dvd's and is VERY pleased with its results. I go for mpg4/avi with mp3 sound 192 kbps. 2 pass encoding and average of 1000 kbps gives me great quality with reasonbly size.

But it could be faster, but then again, it's hard to get them all  
(Version 0.7b3)

BRET BENZIGER  Handbrake is an awesome program to convert DVDs or DVD Video TS folders into usable MPEG 4 video. If you want a good, economical file size with acceptable quality, a 43 minute TV episode should be set to a target size of 348MB. In this way, you can place two episodes on a CD-R. If you are putting entire seasons on DVD-Rs, 448MB is great to fit 26 43-minute episodes on 3 DVD-Rs and the quality is nicer. This program doesn't burn DVDs or CDs, but you'll need a convenient place to store all of the DivX files once you're done. Always remember to crop the black bars from the video. For maximum compatibility, I suggest saving them as AVI/MPEG-4/MP3 audio. My .mp4s worked great on my Mac, but using quicktime on a PC is a pain; it's slow, and unless they bought the full version, you can't watch them in full screen. Quicktime for Mac can handle .avi's, so it's a nice way to go if you're showing these files on someone else's computer. And, always make sure to do 2-Pass encoding, otherwise quick movement will be VERY choppy.  
(Version 0.7b3)

PHILIP  Handbrake works very well and does a decent job with quality recording. I noticed that the video and audio actually stay in sync with each other, which does not always happen in other products. It does record quite a bit slower than I was expecting, but generally takes about the same time to record as it would watching the movie, so just plan for it.  
(Version 0.7b3)

NICKI  Creates a video file that neither QuickTime nor any other movie viewing software (NicePlayer, VLC, etc.) can understand. Also it's v-e-r-y s-l-o-w! During processing, I was getting only a little over 1.2 frames per second usingHandBrake on my 1.5 GB Aluminum PowerBook (with OSX 10.4.2) with a 6 gig movie and that took the e