| Tip | Why It Helps |
|-----|--------------|
| Use a lossless intermediate (e.g., encode to FFV1 first, then to your final codec) | Prevents generation loss when you need to re‑encode multiple times. |
| Keep the source at 10‑bit or 12‑bit (if the camera recorded it) | Higher bit depth preserves subtle gradients and reduces banding. |
| Apply a gentle denoise filter only if needed (e.g., hqdn3d) | Reduces noise that would otherwise be amplified by higher bitrates, but over‑filtering can make the image look “plasticky.” |
| Enable HDR metadata (-color_primaries bt2020 -colorspace bt2020nc -color_trc smpte2084) | Guarantees that HDR-capable displays show the intended brightness/contrast range. |
| Chunk the file into 2‑GB pieces only if you need to fit on FAT32 drives; otherwise keep it as a single file for easier playback. | Larger files reduce overhead and keep timestamps consistent. |
| Test on multiple devices (PC, TV, phone) before finalizing the batch. | Some players still have trouble with certain profiles (e.g., 10‑bit HEVC on older Android phones). |
mkvmerge -o "Repacked/movie01_Final.mkv" \
"Repacked/movie01_ExtraQuality.mkv" \
--subtitle-tracks 0:"Subs/movie01.eng.srt" \
--chapter-language eng \
--title "Movie01 – Extra Quality Re‑Pack" \
"Extras/movie01.trailer.mp4"
Movie01_ExtraQuality/
Movie01_Final.mkv
README.txt
COVER.jpg
Movie01 – Extra Quality Re‑Pack
--------------------------------
Source: Home‑recorded 4K camcorder footage (2025‑07‑12)
Encoder: FFmpeg 7.0 (x265, CRF 18, preset slow)
Audio: FLAC 24‑bit / 96 kHz
Subtitles: English SRT (provided by user)
License: Creative Commons Attribution‑NonCommercial‑ShareAlike 4.0
(see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)