| User review:
|
This is hands down the best video and audio transcoding software available (for free at that). Staxrip's secret sauce is being an incredibly powerful frontend for over a dozen common open source programs that it runs for you, with the correct parameters/arguments and in the correct order.
It will start by demuxing whatever file, folder, playlist or bluray directory you provide and will extract all of the audio in their native formats (DTS-HDMA, TrueHD Atmos, EAC3, AC3, etc), the video (VC-1, AVC, HEVC) and subtitles, indexes, Dolby Vision and HDR metadata. Then you can select from dozens of encoders including the latest AV1 mainline and forks, HEVC, AVC, etc. The audio tracks can also be muxed without change or transcoded to a dozen different formats from oldies like AC3 and MP3 to FLAC, OPUS, EAC3 and AC4 (not sure if AC4 is fully implemented yet, I haven't bothered). Of course with both the audio and video encoders you have every profile, every preset, every tune, every command available to you, in a GUI that explains what it does with a simple right-click. But generally speaking you don't need to go crazy with 30 arguments (or you can save custom templates if you do commonly use them). Most of the encoders work great if you've spent even a half hour reading about recommended commands.
If you've been using Handbrake or XMedia Recode, I highly recommend giving Staxrip a try. Those programs are great but they don't offer the explanation or list of all commands like Staxrip does. You're not just copying and pasting someone else's MediaInfo commands (or you can do that, and then right click on each to read what it's actually doing and what the recommended parameters and co-features are). This is the Pro video encoder, but newbies can start using it very easily. Also I highly recommend using the SVT-AV1 forks if you're looking to shrink your AVC and HEVC library down. AVC can easily be reduced 75% and HEVC by 40-50%. |
