Guide to encoding x264 on Mac?

[DiamondDogs]

I'm new here, and I'm confused about how I encode x264 files from ProRes for import into Blu-ray authoring software.

Any help would be most appereciated. Where do I begin? Is there a Mac front end for X264? Or is it all done via Terminal?

Thanks!

[DiamondDogs]

Can anybody please help?

[Kewl]

If you're not too afraid of the Terminal and line commands, FFmpeg is your best bet: https://evermeet.cx/ffmpeg/

I have done exactly what you're asking (H264 encoding for Blu-ray) last week with FFmpeg, but with a GUI frontend: http://www.ffworks.net

That being said, and if you have a bit of money, you could also buy Apple Compressor. I've used it successfully in the past to prepare H264 and MPEG-2 encodings that were used in Adobe Encore for Blu-ray and DVD releases.

Cheers !

[DiamondDogs]

Thanks for your reply

I already use Compressor, but I'm told I'd get better encodes using x264?

http://www.x264bluray.com/

I've looked at ffworks but I find the settings very confusing, and I'm also not sure what settings I'd need to use, depending on the various types of film grain, bit rate, BD compliance etc.

[Lotesdelere]

I'm told I'd get better encodes using x264?

Yes, AFAIK x264 is the best free H.264 software encoder.

I haven't used a Mac for ages but since you're looking or a GUI I know Avidemux is using x264 and is available for Mac:
http://avidemux.sourceforge.net

[Kewl]

I already use Compressor, but I'm told I'd get better encodes using x264? (...) I've looked at ffworks but I find the settings very confusing, and I'm also not sure what settings I'd need to use, depending on the various types of film grain, bit rate, BD compliance etc.

From a DNxHD 175 source, I did an informal comparison between Compressor and FFmpeg (x264) using a similar bitrate and it's true that x264 gave better results.

My personal obsession when compressing video is banding. One interesting option in Compressor is dithering: this is a good way of fighting banding. AFAIK, FFmpeg does not have an optional dithering filter per se, but it offers the gradfun filter that helps avoid banding. With VLC, it can also be applied on the end user side, see https://wiki.videolan.org/Documentation ... s/gradfun/

For the bitrate question, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray#Bit_rate

[DiamondDogs]

Can somebody give me an example of a command line string to enable x264 encoding for Blu-ray?

The examples listed here do not appear to run:

http://www.x264bluray.com/home/1080i-p