Part 1. Introduction to HandBrake

HandBrake is a powerful open-source video transcoder that has become an essential tool for both casual and professional users looking to convert videos from nearly any format to a variety of modern, widely supported codecs. It is renowned for its versatility, making it one of the most adaptable video conversion and encoding tools available.

HandBrake's appeal lies in its combination of simplicity and advanced features. It supports a wide range of input sources, including DVDs and Blu-rays, and allows users to output in various formats suitable for different devices and platforms. Among its myriad capabilities, HandBrake also provides support for preserving high-quality audio tracks, including TrueHD (Dolby Atmos).

Part 2. How does HandBrake preserve TrueHD (Dolby Atmos)

Dolby TrueHD is a lossless multi-channel audio codec used primarily in home theater applications, known for delivering studio-quality sound. It is often found on Blu-ray discs and supports Dolby Atmos, which adds height channels to create a more immersive sound experience.

Preserving TrueHD audio during the transcoding process can be crucial for enthusiasts who want to maintain the highest audio fidelity possible. HandBrake achieves this through a feature called "Passthru," which allows the original audio track to be copied without any re-encoding, thereby preserving its quality.

HandBrake version 1.8.1 already supports TrueHD encoding, but it only supports up to 5.1 channels and does not support 7.1 channels. For audio encoded in other formats such as AAC, AC3, DTS, and more, HandBrake can easily convert them into TrueHD.

Steps to Preserve TrueHD (Dolby Atmos) Using HandBrake

Before we start, visit HandBrake's official website(https://handbrake.fr/) to download the latest version of the software. Follow the provided instructions to install it on your computer.

Step 1: Loading the Source

After launching HandBrake, you can drag and drop video files, Blu-ray folders, or ISOs onto the main interface to load them. HandBrake supports nearly any video format, Blu-ray folder, and ISO. Note that commercial Blu-ray discs are usually encrypted, so you must decrypt them before loading. Once your content is loaded, select the titles and chapters you want to convert. Then, choose the desired output container, such as MP4, MKV, or WEBM. MKV is often favored for its flexibility and support for multiple audio and subtitle tracks.

Step 2: Configuring Video Settings

On the "Dimensions" settings page, you can adjust the video rotation angle, output resolution, and the borders of the zoomed video. HandBrake defaults to cropping the upper and lower black borders of the video. For instance, when loading a UHD Blu-ray, it will crop 276 pixels from the top and bottom, changing the resolution from 3840x2160 to 3840x1608. If you want to maintain the original resolution of 3840x2160, select "None" in the Cropping option.

On the "Video" settings page, you can set the video encoder, frame rate, output video quality, and encoding parameters. These settings are suitable for advanced users, while normal users can stick to the default settings for optimal results.

Step 3: Audio Settings

To preserve TrueHD (Dolby Atmos) tracks, select the desired track in the Source option, then choose "TrueHD Passthru" in the Codec option. HandBrake supports multiple audio tracks; to add more, click on "Tracks" and select "Add New Track." Additionally, HandBrake version 1.8.1 supports TrueHD encoding, allowing you to convert audio from other formats to TrueHD.

Step 4: Subtitles and Chapters

You can also set up subtitles and chapters in HandBrake. To add multiple subtitles, go to the "Tracks" option and select "Add New Track" to add a single subtitle or "Add All Remaining Tracks" to include all subtitles.

Step 5: Starting the Encoding Process

After configuring all settings, click "Start Encode" to begin the transcoding process. HandBrake will process the video while preserving the original TrueHD (Dolby Atmos) audio track.

Part 3. How to Preserve TrueHD (Dolby Atmos) in Blu-ray Authoring

While HandBrake excels at preserving TrueHD  (Dolby Atmos) audio during transcoding, creating a Blu-ray disc with TrueHD audio involves additional steps and specialized tools. Here, we'll explore how to use Yuhan Blu-ray Creator, Yuhan 4K UHD Creator and TsMuxer for this purpose.

3.1 Yuhan Blu-ray Creator

Yuhan Blu-ray Creator is a powerful and user-friendly Blu-ray authoring software designed to perfectly preserve TrueHD (Dolby Atmos) audio tracks in video files. Whether dealing with AC3+TrueHD (Dolby Atmos) composite streams in M2TS files or independent TrueHD (Dolby Atmos) tracks in MP4 or MKV formats, Yuhan Blu-ray Creator supports it with ease.

One of its standout features is the support for multiple audio tracks and subtitles, including the ability to add external subtitles. This flexibility makes it an ideal tool for creating comprehensive and customized Blu-ray discs. Additionally, Yuhan Blu-ray Creator excels in processing 4K HDR video, ensuring that the color quality remains intact and vibrant when converted to Blu-ray.

The software supports both transcoding and pass-through modes, allowing users to choose the best method for their needs. It accommodates all available Blu-ray frame rates, including 23.976fps, 24fps, 25fps, 29.97fps, 50fps, and 59.94fps, ensuring compatibility with various video sources.

Furthermore, Yuhan Blu-ray Creator offers over 20 menu templates and numerous customization options, enabling users to create personalized and professional-looking Blu-ray discs. With its robust feature set and ease of use, Yuhan Blu-ray Creator is an excellent choice for anyone looking to author high-quality Blu-ray content.

Key Features of Yuhan Blu-ray Creator

• Burn any video format to Blu-ray, including AVI, MP4, M4V, MOV, MKV, TS, M2TS, etc.
• Retain EAC3, TrueHD (Dolby Atmos), DTS HD, Blu-ray PCM high-quality audio
• Support multiple audio tracks, multiple subtitles and external subtitles
• Burn HDR video to Blu-ray without color washing out
• Support output frame rate 23.976fps, 24fps, 25fps, 29.97fps, 50fps, 59.94fps
• Support custom chapter import from video files
• Two working modes: transcoding and pass-through
• Available for Windows and Mac

Steps to Create a Blu-ray with TrueHD (Dolby Atmos)

Before we start, we need to download and install Yuhan Blu-ray Creator. If your computer is Windows, please click the red button below to download the Windows version, and if your computer is Mac, click the blue button below to download the Mac version.

Step 1: Add video file

After launching the software, click the "Blu-ray" tab at the top to specify that you want to create a Blu-ray. Then, click the "Add Video" button to add the video file, or simply drag and drop the video file into the main interface. Yuhan Blu-ray Creator supports multiple audio tracks and subtitles, with each audio track marked by language and encoding. Select the TrueHD audio track. If the loaded file is in MP4 or MKV format, ensure that it contains an AC3 audio track, as the Blu-ray standard requires TrueHD audio to be a composite stream of AC3+TrueHD. For M2TS format files, the TrueHD audio track is generally already a composite stream of AC3+TrueHD.

Step 2: Set up video (optional)

After loading the video, click the Edit icon to the right of the video entry to open the Video Settings dialog. Here, you can cut the video, set chapters, and specify the language of the audio track and subtitles. If the video file already contains chapters, Yuhan Blu-ray Creator will automatically import them.

Step 3: Select a menu template and customize it

Click the "Select Menu" button to access the menu setting window. Yuhan Blu-ray Creator offers over 20 menu templates and numerous customization options. It also provides four scene menu display modes: File (Icon), File (Text), Chapter (Icon), and Chapter (Text), allowing you to tailor the menu to your personalized needs.

Step 4: Advanced settings

To retain TrueHD (Dolby Atmos) audio, open the software settings window, find the "Audio Copy" option, and check it. Additionally, you can set the video decoder, encoder, bitrate, and other related settings to suit your preferences.

Step 5: Output settings

Click the "Start" button on the main interface to access the output settings. You can save the video content as a Blu-ray folder, ISO, or burn it directly to a disc. The discs and ISOs created by Yuhan Blu-ray Creator offer excellent compatibility with all Blu-ray players. Additionally, you can set the disc label, default audio track, default subtitle, and output path according to your preferences.

Step 6: Start authoring

After completing all the settings, Yuhan Blu-ray Creator will start processing. Wait until both progress bars reach 100% to indicate that the process is complete.

3.2 Yuhan 4K UHD Creator

If you have higher requirements for resolution and want to create a UHD Blu-ray with TrueHD (Dolby Atmos), Yuhan 4K UHD Creator is undoubtedly your best choice. This powerful software supports all advanced features of UHD Blu-ray, including HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision video effects, ensuring the highest quality video output. It accommodates multiple audio tracks and subtitles, allowing for a fully customizable viewing experience.

Yuhan 4K UHD Creator offers a variety of disc menu templates with numerous customization options, catering to your personalized needs. Its scene menu supports four display modes: File (Icon), File (Text), Chapter (Icon), and Chapter (Text), providing flexibility in how content is presented. You can also set a video clip as "First Play," giving you control over the initial viewing experience.

The software leverages NVidia and Intel GPU acceleration for faster processing, making the creation of UHD Blu-rays more efficient. It supports the automatic import of chapters from video files, ensuring that your content is well-organized. Additionally, Yuhan 4K UHD Creator offers two working modes: Transcoding and Passthrough, allowing you to choose between converting video formats or preserving the original quality.

Furthermore, it supports burning any photos, including iPhone HEIC, into UHD Blu-ray, making it a versatile tool for various multimedia projects. With these robust features, Yuhan 4K UHD Creator stands out as a top choice for producing professional-grade UHD Blu-rays.

Key Features of Yuhan 4K UHD Creator

• Burn any video format to 4K UHD Blu-ray, including AVI, MP4, M4V, MOV, MKV, TS, M2TS, etc.
• Retain EAC3, TrueHD (Dolby Atmos), DTS HD, Blu-ray PCM high-quality audio
• Retain HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision video effects
• Support multiple audio tracks, multiple subtitles and external subtitles
• Automatically rotate videos shot vertically like iPhone
• Support output frame rate 23.976fps, 24fps, 25fps, 29.97fps, 50fps, 59.94fps
• Support custom chapter import from video files
• Two working modes: transcoding and pass-through
• Available for Windows and Mac

How to Create a UHD Blu-ray with TrueHD (Dolby Atmos)

Before we start, we need to download and install Yuhan 4K UHD Creator. If your computer is Windows, please click the red button below to download the Windows version, and if your computer is Mac, click the blue button below to download the Mac version.

The authoring process of Yuhan 4K UHD Creator is nearly identical to that of Yuhan Blu-ray Creator. The primary difference is that after launching the software, you need to select the "4K UHD" tab at the top to indicate that you want to create a 4K UHD Blu-ray.

3.3 TsMuxer

TsMuxer is a popular software tool used for demuxing (separating) and remuxing (combining) video and audio streams. It is particularly useful for Blu-ray and 4K UHD authoring.

TsMuxer can produce both Blu-ray and 4K UHD Blu-ray discs with TrueHD (Dolby Atmos) audio. However, it only supports TrueHD (Dolby Atmos) in M2TS format, not in MP4/MKV, because Blu-ray requires an AC3+TrueHD composite stream, which MP4/MKV formats do not support.

Additionally, TsMuxer supports multiple audio tracks and subtitles. It can output Blu-ray folders and ISOs, and offers features such as video cropping, chapter setting, and the ability to set default audio tracks and subtitles.

Steps to Use TsMuxer:

1. Loading the Source File:

Open TsMuxer and load your source video file. To preserve TrueHD audio, ensure the video is in M2TS format, as the TrueHD audio track must contain a multiplexed stream of AC3+TrueHD.

2. Selecting Streams:

TsMuxer will display the available video, audio, and subtitle streams. Select the TrueHD audio stream you wish to preserve.

3. Output Settings:

Choose the output format. For Blu-ray production, select "Blu-ray ISO" or "Blu-ray folder."
Configure additional settings as needed, such as chapter markers and subtitles.

4. Muxing:

Click "Start Muxing" to begin the process. TsMuxer will create a Blu-ray structure with the selected TrueHD audio track intact.

Part 4. Conclusion

HandBrake is a versatile tool that excels in preserving TrueHD (Dolby Atmos) audio through its passthru feature, ensuring that audio quality is maintained during the transcoding process. For those looking to create Blu-ray discs with TrueHD (Dolby Atmos)  audio, tools like TsMuxer, Yuhan Blu-ray Creator, and Yuhan 4K UHD Creator provide the necessary capabilities to author high-quality Blu-ray and 4K UHD Blu-ray discs.

By understanding and utilizing these tools, you can ensure that your video projects retain the highest possible audio fidelity, providing an immersive and high-quality experience for viewers. Whether you are a casual user or a professional, mastering these techniques will enhance your ability to produce top-notch video content with exceptional audio quality.

If you want to learn more about Yuhan Blu-ray Creator, please click: https://yuhanmedia.com/bd-creator

If you want to learn more about Yuhan 4K UHD Creator, please click: https://yuhanmedia.com/uhd-creator

If you want to download and try it for free, please click the button below to download it.