Advise on making a high quality MKV from TS

[netmask]

I have a Beyonwiz PVR - 2 tuner, internal 500GB HDD. You can record free to air digital. Mostly I have either archived in the native TS format or converted to Xvid and returned that file to the "Contents" folder on the Beyonwiz and deleted the original from the "Recording" folder to save space. I would like to try MKV which I have no experience with. What I would like to do is reduce the size from around 3.9GB to around 1.4GB as an MKV maintaining as much quality as possible sound and video. So what recommendations for settings in say Handbrake or whatever other MKV program that would be suitable? I have listed the Mediainfo log of the file if that helps.
many thanks..

General
ID : 221
Complete name : E:\BeyonwizTransfers\Voyage - Thu May 13 2010.ts
Format : MPEG-TS
File size : 3.90 GiB
Duration : 55mn 41s
Overall bit rate : 10.0 Mbps

Video
ID : 2314 (0x90A)
Menu ID : 544 (0x220)
Format : MPEG Video
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@High
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Default
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=24
Duration : 55mn 40s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 9 076 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 90.0 Mbps
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 50.000 fps
Standard : Component
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.197
Stream size : 3.53 GiB (91%)

Audio
ID : 2315 (0x90B)
Menu ID : 544 (0x220)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Duration : 55mn 40s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 448 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Video delay : -955ms
Stream size : 178 MiB (4%)
Language : English

Text
ID : 2316 (0x90C)
Menu ID : 544 (0x220)
Format : Teletext
Language : English

Menu
ID : 258 (0x102)
Menu ID : 544 (0x220)
List : 2314 (0x90A) (MPEG Video) / 2315 (0x90B) (AC-3, English) / 2316 (0x90C) (Teletext, English)
Language : / English / English

[Ghitulescu]

What do you expect from MKV?

MKV is a container, you know, something like a bucket, that can be filled up with anything you like. Exactly like the AVI. There are very few standalones that understand MKV, yet very few if any that can understand ALL the features MKV has/may have (subtitles, multiple audios). Therefore an MKV file is mainly designed for PC playing/storing.

Then comes the codec, which can be the xVid, you used before (in an AVI container) or H.264 or anything.

[netmask]

Thanks - I am aware it is a container - I don't play files from a standalone player. All of my DVD's/Bluerays are on my network hdd's and play through the Beyonwiz, it is also a network player. http://www.beyonwiz.com.au/DP_P1_specification.asp

So basically I'm exploring an alternative to AutoGK in terms of quality and modest shrinkage of the original file. Say about 1/3rd would do. I'm not a purist or an absolutist when it comes to quality, content is far far more important for me. If it is a good story I would look at it on the proverbial piece of string :)

I saw a MKV file on a friends setup and was impressed with the quality on his Samsung LED screen. I have the mediaInfo file of that file. I would like to duplicate those results but am not sure what program or settings to use.

Format : Matroska
File size : 1.09 GiB
Duration : 41mn 45s
Overall bit rate : 3 749 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2010-04-17 20:36:15
Writing application : mkvmerge v2.9.8 ('C'est le bon') built on Aug 13 2009 16:16:13
Writing library : libebml v0.7.7 + libmatroska v0.8.1

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L3.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Muxing mode : Container profile=Unknown@3.1
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 41mn 45s
Bit rate : 3 359 Kbps
Width : 1 280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.146
Stream size : 983 MiB (88%)
Writing library : x264 core 84 r1416 fcf70c2
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=6 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.0:0.0 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=12 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / wpredb=1 / wpredp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc=2pass / mbtree=0 / bitrate=3359 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ip_ratio=1.40 / pb_ratio=1.30 / aq=1:1.00

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 41mn 45s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 384 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Stream size : 115 MiB (10%)

cheers

[neuron2]

I saw a MKV file on a friends setup and was impressed with the quality on his Samsung LED screen. I have the mediaInfo file of that file. I would like to duplicate those results but am not sure what program or settings to use. The info you posted gives you all the settings you need. What are you uncertain about?

[netmask]

Uncertainty about how to go about using those settings - I suppose just need to see an example and then I can take it from there. And the other area is which MKV program to try first.

not sure how to set this part up...
cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=6 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.0:0.0 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=12 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / wpredb=1 / wpredp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc=2pass / mbtree=0 / bitrate=3359 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ip_ratio=1.40 / pb_ratio=1.30 / aq=1:1.0

So maybe if you could point me to a guide? At 72 I have learned to read the @@@@@ manual!!

[neuron2]

Your dump shows: Writing application : mkvmerge v2.9.8. So that is the MKV program that was used.

Regarding the settings, if you look at the documented x264 settings you can see which correspond to the ones given in your dump.

http://mewiki.project357.com/wiki/X264_Settings

But this begs the question: Why not just ask your friend for this info?