jikhead
Android Expert
After comparing HandBrake and Catalyst, I've opted to use Catalyst as it seems to have way more options and settings to play with than Handbrake. So I wanted to start a thread for all of us who are using the app, and discuss preferences, settings we've tried, etc.
So far I have attempted the following:
1) I put Avatar in the DVD drive and left the global settings at default. I then selected the DI as the output type, resolution set at 800x480, bumped the quality to 1000 kbps, 1 pass, bumped my sound quality to 256 kbps. The end result of the video was excellent. It filled the entire screen of the DI without doing any cropping of the ends of the video, while still maintaining its widescreen width. When playing in my two video player apps, attempting to change the resolution does not do anything. However, for some reason it only recorded half the movie. I tried ripping an ISO of the DVD and it did the same; only working half way then gave an error. This may be related to the disc encryption. I'm trying to get this same output on my other movies but have not gotten the same result. Also, during the conversion process, the status shows the resolution, but I did not notice what it said when I did Avatar. You'll see why I mention this further down.
2) I converted Quantum of Solace off an ISO file with the same specs above. Got the full movie and plays fine on the DI. It plays on the phone with the black bars like a widescreen dvd, and you can switch in the video player to full screen where it removes the black bars and crops off the ends of the width of the video. I don't like standard 4:3 videos and would like to try and avoid this; and instead get the output I got from the Avatar above.
3) I converted The Incredibles off a DVD directly like I did with Avatar. Same settings as before. But during the conversion process in the queue, I noticed it stated the resolution was 800x352. Don't know why it says this when it was set to 800x480. Result was fine and plays fine on the phone. Output was just like QoS where it still has blackbars, and doesn't fill the entire screen like it did with Avatar.
4) I converted The Hangover off a dvd that was created from an ISO file. I used the same settings above, except I moved the resolution up to 800x600 to see if there was a difference. This is when I noticed in the conversion process queue, it showed that the resolution was 800x352 again. I think it did the same when I did QoS. Not sure why it's doing this. Results were the same as 2 & 3.
So it seems to be making the resolution on all the movies 800x352 which is why I'm still getting black bars. I will retry Avatar and see if it's actually outputting at 800x480 and whether that's why it's filling the entire DI screen or not. If it is, the next question would be why and how.
So far I have attempted the following:
1) I put Avatar in the DVD drive and left the global settings at default. I then selected the DI as the output type, resolution set at 800x480, bumped the quality to 1000 kbps, 1 pass, bumped my sound quality to 256 kbps. The end result of the video was excellent. It filled the entire screen of the DI without doing any cropping of the ends of the video, while still maintaining its widescreen width. When playing in my two video player apps, attempting to change the resolution does not do anything. However, for some reason it only recorded half the movie. I tried ripping an ISO of the DVD and it did the same; only working half way then gave an error. This may be related to the disc encryption. I'm trying to get this same output on my other movies but have not gotten the same result. Also, during the conversion process, the status shows the resolution, but I did not notice what it said when I did Avatar. You'll see why I mention this further down.
2) I converted Quantum of Solace off an ISO file with the same specs above. Got the full movie and plays fine on the DI. It plays on the phone with the black bars like a widescreen dvd, and you can switch in the video player to full screen where it removes the black bars and crops off the ends of the width of the video. I don't like standard 4:3 videos and would like to try and avoid this; and instead get the output I got from the Avatar above.
3) I converted The Incredibles off a DVD directly like I did with Avatar. Same settings as before. But during the conversion process in the queue, I noticed it stated the resolution was 800x352. Don't know why it says this when it was set to 800x480. Result was fine and plays fine on the phone. Output was just like QoS where it still has blackbars, and doesn't fill the entire screen like it did with Avatar.
4) I converted The Hangover off a dvd that was created from an ISO file. I used the same settings above, except I moved the resolution up to 800x600 to see if there was a difference. This is when I noticed in the conversion process queue, it showed that the resolution was 800x352 again. I think it did the same when I did QoS. Not sure why it's doing this. Results were the same as 2 & 3.
So it seems to be making the resolution on all the movies 800x352 which is why I'm still getting black bars. I will retry Avatar and see if it's actually outputting at 800x480 and whether that's why it's filling the entire DI screen or not. If it is, the next question would be why and how.
