When it comes to converting videos and backing up DVDs, the first option on our list is HandBrake. This software has been floating around the web for more than thirteen years, gaining features and optimizing others, such as hardware acceleration and support for new codecs. After a great effort, HandBrake finally reached version 1.0.0, and as always, it is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac.
Converting videos is a task that sooner or later every user must perform. Maybe what you're looking for is adapting series and movies to a smaller format, or changing their codec to enable native playback. At the end of the day, nobody needs a 1080p video if it's going to be watched on a 1,024 by 600 pixel panel. Add to this the advancement of mobile devices and compact cameras like the GoPro family. Their recording resolutions are impressive, but when it comes time to distribute that content, the process is much simpler if you convert the video first. That's when HandBrake steps in. An old ally, a veteran titan of conversion that knew how to form unofficial alliances with Alcohol 120% and other similar programs.
What's New in Version 1.0.0?
With more than thirteen years on its shoulders, HandBrake reached version 1.0.0. What's new? The general use of HandBrake remains intact (although it's still an advanced tool, and if you've never used it we recommend reading a couple of tutorials), but its latest build includes updated presets, Intel QuickSync support on Skylake or higher processors, improvements in x265 and VP9 encoding, Opus compatibility (the "heir" of Vorbis), smoother subtitle rendering, multiple external library updates, and more than 1,700 code fixes. Its official page suggests finishing any pending work in previous versions before installing HandBrake 1.0.0, and it's possible that custom presets may stop working.
Aside from that, HandBrake deserves a place on the computer of any video enthusiast. Its open source profile allows it to make an appearance on the three main operating systems. With this open source-free-multiplatform combo, HandBrake essentially destroys the competition.
