Rip the perfect media file

MEDIA FILES COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES, and things are further complicated by the fact that video (and audio) files are constructed using codecs, which are required to decode and encode the various streams.

- NICK PEERS

Therefore, a media file comprises multiple components: the separate audio and video codecs, all wrapped up in a 'container' that's identified by its file extension. However, this means that even if a file appears to be in a universal format (such as MP4 or MKV), there's no guarantee it'll play on all your devices.

To get around this problem, media servers such as Plex and Jellyfin can convert incompatible codecs on the fly in a process called transcoding, allowing the file to play on a wide range of devices. The problem is that transcoding is a CPU-heavy task, so in an ideal world, you'll avoid it in all but extreme circumstances. The holy grail, therefore, is to produce a file that's good quality, offers plenty of choice in terms of audio and subtitle tracks, but which works on as wide a range of devices as possible. Sounds impossible? Not at all. Read on to discover how to produce compatible media files that stream perfectly time and again.

1 SET UP HANDBRAKE AND YOUR SOURCE FILE(S)

The best tool for converting files to a universal format is HandBrake. It supports all the standards defined in the box and enables you to craft the perfect stream containing your choice of audio and subtitle tracks. Start by downloading and installing the latest version from www.handbrake.fr.

HandBrake can convert existing media files covering a wide range of formats and codecs. It can also process files from physical media—HandBrake can work with DVDs, ISO files, and some Blu-rays, or copy the files to your hard drive first using MakeMKV (www.makemkv.​com).