Before getting started with Handbrake, we encourage you to check out the Trackops Video App, which automates video processing and time-stamping for most circumstances.
Handbrake is a great utility for transcoding video files into the .MP4 format with H.264 encoding, which is the recommended format for streaming your videos through Trackops.
Step 1: Download & Install Handbrake
Visit http://handbrake.fr/downloads.php to download Handbrake for your supported operating system. Handbrake is free, and works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Once you've downloaded Handbrake, run the installer and follow the instructions to complete the installation.
Step 2: Select Source File and Configure Options
Now we need to load your source video file into Handbrake and configure the necessary options. When you open Handbrake, it will automatically ask you to locate a source file on your computer, but if that dialog window is not open, just click the "Source" icon in the upper left-hand corner.
Once you have your source file selected, we can adjust the options. I've highlighted the important options, but feel free to make any other adjustments you need. For example, you may want to remove the audio track to reduce file size. This can be done on the "Audio" tab.
Tip 1: The Web optimized setting is required if you want video streaming to start right away. Without this setting enabled, the viewer's computer will download the entire video before playback begins. It is recommended to make sure this option is enabled.
Tip 2: The higher the RF number, the lower the video quality, and smaller the file size. RF numbers between 25 and 30 usually provide a good mix of quality vs file size.
Step 3: Start the Transcoding Process
After you've set the required options, you can begin transcoding your video file by clicking the "Start" option at the top.
Once the transcoding process is complete, it will save a new file on your computer in the .mp4 format. You can now upload this file into Trackops and watch it online! For more information about Handbrake, please visit http://handbrake.fr.