0.7.0

This version was originally tagged and released on the date below. These notes were added on GitHub much later so the creation date won't match.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

• Once again, lower the video bitrate targets for 480p and 720p output in transcode-video. Note that 1080p and 2160p targets still remain unchanged. Via #55.
• Update the "README" document to:
  • Reflect changes to the 480p and 720p video bitrate targets.
  • Revise description of and recommendation for the --quick option.
  • Revise warnings about using slower x264 presets.
• Add a --target option to transcode-video allowing explicit control of the video bitrate target.
• Deprecate the --old-behavior option in transcode-video.
• Remove the deprecated --big option in transcode-video.
• Separate --small and --small-video in the --help output of transcode-video.

0.6.0

This version was originally tagged and released on the date below. These notes were added on GitHub much later so the creation date won't match.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

• Revise the default ratecontrol system and video bitrate targets in transcode-video:
  • Raise the quality target by lowering the constant ratefactor (CRF) from 16 to 1, the lowest lossy CRF value available with the x264 video encoder. This significantly improves video quality but also raises bitrates much closer to the targets, thereby increasing output file sizes for some inputs.
  • Raise the quality limit by setting qpmax, the x264 quantizer maximum, to 34. This prevents x264 from occasionally generating a single, but still noticeable, very low quality frame because the CRF value is set so low.
  • Lower the video bitrate targets for 480p and 720p output to keep bitrates and file sizes closer to that produced by the old ratecontrol system. Note that 1080p and 2160p targets remain unchanged.
  • Add an --old-behavior option to restore the old ratecontrol system and video bitrate targets for users not yet wanting to change over. This option is only temporary and will soon be deprecated and then removed.
  • Update the "README" document to reflect changes to the 480p and 720p video bitrate targets.
• Remove an obsolete brew install caskroom/cask/brew-cask line from the "README" document. Via #54 from @timsutton.

0.5.1

This version was originally tagged and released on the date below. These notes were added on GitHub much later so the creation date won't match.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

• Don't fail if the ffmpeg version string can't be parsed. Via #43 from @rementis, @Lambdafive and @kford.
• Remove the deprecated --cvbr option in transcode-video.

0.5.0

This version was originally tagged and released on the date below. These notes were added on GitHub much later so the creation date won't match.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

• Raise the default video bitrate targets and AC-3 audio bitrate limits in transcode-video:
  • Deprecate the --big option since its behavior is now the default. An informal survey via Twitter and Facebook showed that about 90% of users (including myself) responding were always using the --big option anyway to get higher quality.
  • Add a --small option to restore the old video bitrate targets and AC-3 audio bitrate limits.
  • Add a --small-video option to restore only the old video bitrate targets. Via Facebook from @DaveHamilton.
  • Update the "README" document to reflect all these changes.
• Move --abr and --vbr to the advanced options section in the --help output of transcode-video.
• Deprecate the experimental --cvbr option in transcode-video.

0.4.0

This version was originally tagged and released on the date below. These notes were added on GitHub much later so the creation date won't match.

Monday, January 11, 2016

• Add a --cvbr option to transcode-video. This implements a very experimental variation of the default ratecontrol system with a target bitrate as its single argument. Use it for evaluation purposes only.

0.3.1

This version was originally tagged and released on the date below. These notes were added on GitHub much later so the creation date won't match.

Friday, January 8, 2016

• Fix compatibility with development/nightly builds of HandBrakeCL in transcode-video:
  • Always force the x264 medium preset to override the new veryfast default value. Via #36 from @cnrd.
  • Explicitly set the encoder profile to high to override the new main default value.
  • Explicitly (and dynamically) set the encoder level to override the new 4.0 default value.
• Fix a stupid regression from version 0.2.8 caused by a typo in the patch for the SubRip-format text file offset fix to transcode-video. Via #37 from @bpharriss.
• Be more lenient about --encoder-option arguments in transcode-video so 8x8dct is allowed.
• Always print the HandBrakeCLI version string to diagnostic output even if it can't be parsed.

0.3.0

This version was originally tagged and released on the date below. These notes were added on GitHub much later so the creation date won't match.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

• Add a --abr option to transcode-video. This implements a modified average bitrate (ABR) ratecontrol system with a target bitrate as its single argument. It produces a much more predictable output size but lower quality than the default ratecontrol system. It can sometimes be handy but use it with caution.
• Add a --vbr option to transcode-video. This implements a true VBR ratecontrol system with a constant ratefactor as its single argument, much like HandBrake's default behavior when using its --quality option. It's useful mostly for comparison testing against the default ratecontrol system.
• Update all copyright notices to the year 2016.

0.2.8

This version was originally tagged and released on the date below. These notes were added on GitHub much later so the creation date won't match.

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

• Prevent the --bind-srt-language option in transcode-video from also setting the SubRip-format text file offset to the same value. This was a stupid copy and paste error since the initial project version. Via #25 from @arikalish.
• Don't fail if the HandBrakeCLI version string can't be parsed. Via #29 from @paulbailey.
• Don't fail if the mp4track version string can't be parsed. Via #27 from @dgibbs64.
• Add a missing preposition to the last bullet point of the "Why MakeMKV?" section in the "README" document. Via #32 from @eventualbuddha.

0.2.7

This version was originally tagged and released on the date below. These notes were added on GitHub much later so the creation date won't match.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

• Apply the --subtitle-forced option when scanning subtitles in transcode-video. Via #20 from @rhapsodians.

0.2.6

This version was originally tagged and released on the date below. These notes were added on GitHub much later so the creation date won't match.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

• Prevent the user's file format choice from corrupting the output path in transcode-video and convert-video. Via #5 from @arikalish.