Improve video playback performance by encoding it for a more player friendly format with HandBrake
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Player devices used in digital signage are usually significantly less powerful than an average laptop. Therefore for a smooth operation the signage content should be optimised for these devices. If you experience that your video is stuttering or not playing at all, it could be because the player hardware does not support the codec (encoding) format of the video. The solution is to re-encode the video in a more common format that is also easy to decode.
The most popular formats are H.264 and newer one is H.265 (HVEC). While it may seem tempting to use the newer and more compact h.265 format, that can actually cause problems. This because that video format is more compressed, so the player device has to do more work to decode it in order to play it. While h.264 video can take more space, it requires less computation to play the video. On a modern laptop this usually is not an issue, however if we are talking about 20-100$ devices that are powered by an USB cable, this can become a significant factor.
HandBrake is a free, open-source video transcoder that allows you to convert video files from nearly any format to modern, widely supported codecs. By using HandBrake to optimize your video content, you can ensure that your digital signage displays run smoothly, efficiently, and deliver a high-quality viewing experience.
If you have issues with a video it's usually because the video resolution or bitrate isn't optimized for your media player. Android, Amazon, Windows, etc. all handle video playback in their own way.
Download Handbrake at Handbrake.fr
Open Handbrake, find your video, choose the preset Fast 1080p30, toggle on Web Optimized, start and after a few minutes you're ready to upload your video to your library.
If you are trying to re-encode 4k portrait video (2160 × 3840) to fullHD (1080x1920) resolution, there is an additional step that needs to be done in the handbrake.
Our software has support for 4k, but your media player may not have the capabilities. If we're looking at entry-level media players it's not uncommon that they don't playback in 4K, even though the media player is advertised as 4K. For example, Google Chromecast and several FireTV Sticks are advertised as 4K, but any 3rd party app will only run in HD.
Entry-level devices have limited resources, and there is a lot more to this than just the resolution. Videos have a bit rate that defines how many bits a video will take up in one second. Our recommended bitrate should not exceed 8000kbit/s or simply 1 megabyte per 1 second of video. So a 60-second clip should not exceed 60 megabytes, this is quite reasonable for FullHD, however, the specific limitations depend on your player hardware.
Yes, Handbrake is OpenSource, built by volunteers, and free.
Yes, Handbrake can be downloaded for MacOS, Windows, and Linux.
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