This week’s update to the well-known video conversion tool HandBrake includes some significant improvements. This includes a host of new features and optimizations, as well as support for encoding videos using the AV1 and VP9 10-bit codecs. Continue reading as we go over each new feature in HandBrake 1.6.
With presets for everything from the iPhone to Apple TV, HandBrake is the go-to tool for those who want to convert existing video footage into space-efficient formats for viewing on iOS devices. It was originally designed for ripping DVDs. It is open-source, free, and multi-platform.
HandBrake received a number of upgrades with version 1.6.0. For instance, it now supports video encoding using AV1, VP9 10-bit, NVENC 10-bit, and VCN 10-bit. The update also includes new 4K AV1 and 4K HEVC presets with high bit depth and color depth support for a number of encoders, and filters.
The VideoToolbox encoder now supports a 4:2:2 H.265 profile for owners of Apple Silicon Macs. In order to improve performance when using multiple QSV media engines on Intel-based computers, the new version of the app also supports Intel Deep Link Hyper Encode. There’s more, though. OpenBSD now supports HandBrake, and the Mac version now supports Quick Look and has more language translations, including Japanese.
One thing to keep in mind is that in 2017, a trojan that granted root access to the application compromised a mirror website that offered a HandBrake. Having said that, we firmly advise downloading the app directly from the developer’s website.
