JHammaH’s Video Encoder – A HandBrake Alternative that supports 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 chroma subsampling!

Description

A Free HandBrake Alternative That Does 4:2:2 and 4:4:4

JHammaH’s Video Encoder is a free HandBrake alternative for Windows. I made it because HandBrake couldn’t output 4:2:2 or higher chroma subsampling. So if you need more color detail than standard 4:2:0 video keeps, this fills the gap. Pick an encoder, choose your chroma and bit depth, and convert. HEVC, H.264, and AV1 all sit in one simple window.

Chroma and Bit Depth You Can Choose

Chroma subsampling decides how much color detail a video keeps. Most encoders only offer 4:2:0. This one lets you go higher, but what you get depends on the encoder you pick:

• NVIDIA H.264 and HEVC: 8-bit and 10-bit, in 4:2:0 and 4:4:4.
• NVIDIA AV1: 8-bit and 10-bit, in 4:2:0.
• CPU H.264, HEVC, and AV1 (AOM): 8-bit and 10-bit, in 4:2:0, 4:2:2, and 4:4:4.
• CPU AV1 (SVT, the fast one): 8-bit and 10-bit, in 4:2:0.
• AMD and Intel Arc: 4:2:0 only, in 8-bit for H.264 and 8-bit or 10-bit for HEVC and AV1.

The program opens on HEVC at 10-bit 4:4:4 with an NVIDIA GPU. Then, each time you switch encoders, it picks the highest-quality option available.

Thirteen Encoders, Three Codecs

H.264 and HEVC each come in NVIDIA, AMD, Intel Arc, and CPU versions. AV1 has NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel Arc versions too. It also has two CPU options. SVT is fast, while AOM is slow but offers the highest chroma options.

Simple Controls

• Quality: choose Constant Quality with a slider, or set an average bitrate in kbps.
• Encoder Preset: a seven-step slider from Fastest to Slowest, so you can trade speed for efficiency.
• Frame rate: keep the source rate, or pick a rate from 23.976 to 60, as constant or variable.
• Color Range: Full or Limited.
• NVIDIA extras: Tune, Profile, and Level, but only for the NVIDIA encoders.

Containers and Audio

Save as MKV, MP4, or MOV. For MP4 and MOV, the program first encodes to MKV. Then it repackages the video without re-encoding, so you lose no extra quality. It also copies your audio through untouched. However, if the audio can’t go into your chosen container, the program converts it to AAC at 192 kbps.

Easy to Use

This free HandBrake alternative keeps things simple. Drag a video onto the window, or click Browse. It accepts MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, WebM, M4V, WMV, MXF, and TS files. You can save next to the original or in a folder you choose, and the program remembers that folder. A progress bar shows how far along you are. If you cancel, the program stops the encode and deletes the unfinished file. Finally, there’s a light theme and a dark theme, and the program remembers your choice.

Powered by FFmpeg

This free HandBrake alternative ships with FFmpeg, so you have nothing else to download or install. HandBrake is a trademark of its respective owner. JHammaH’s Video Encoder has no affiliation with HandBrake, and HandBrake does not endorse it.

System Requirements

OS: Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)

Software: Nothing else needed. The program includes FFmpeg and the runtime.

Hardware: CPU encoders work on any PC. However, NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel Arc encoders need a matching graphics card. The program doesn’t detect your GPU, so choose a CPU encoder if you don’t have one.

License: Free, yours forever. No license key or activation required.

Installation Guide

Download the installer.

Run the installer.
(Note for Windows Users: As an indie developer, you may see a blue SmartScreen warning upon installation. Click “More Info” -> “Run Anyway” to install.)

Open JHammaH’s Video Encoder, drag a video onto the window, choose your encoder and chroma, and click Convert. You can use it immediately, with no license key. If you find it useful, there’s an optional support link inside the program, so you can buy me a coffee!

Version Update History:
v2.0 – Optimized for maximum speed and quality
v2.5 – Added many features including more encoding options, video options, audio options, batch encoding, and more.