The Portable Freeware Collection Forums

Application name: HandBrake

Website: http://handbrake.fr/

Date tested: 2008-06-03

Status: Not portable

Reason: Requires .NET framework.

Old thread update: I didn't see anything on the home page or softpedia's page about a dotNET requirement, but I found one on the HandBrake FAQ:

Requires v.3.5
https://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/SupportFAQ#netFramework

Topic update: Handbrake v0.10.5 released, dated 2016-02-11 (changelog is at https://handbrake.fr/news.php).

The DotNET requirement has been upgraded to v4.6 (see https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/tec ... ments.html).

HandBrake at version 1.0.0, changes.

Portable version is planned for v1.1 but will require .NET 4.6 https://github.com/HandBrake/HandBrake/issues/267

Userfriendly wrote:Portable version is planned for v1.1 but will require .NET 4.6 https://github.com/HandBrake/HandBrake/issues/267

Good news. HandBrake has been around forever at this point and is presumably a very mature code base. I can definitely see some advantages to a portable version including running it on the fastest computer available and use/distribution of a very carefully selected settings set.

HandBrake at version 1.0.2, changes in version 1.0.1 and in version 1.0.2.

Direct Download Links:

HandBrake version 1.0.1:
X32
X32
X64
X64

HandBrake version 1.0.2:
X32
X32
X64
X64

Handbrake v1.1.0 released (changelog at https://github.com/HandBrake/HandBrake/releases/).

A review of changes from BetaNews is at https://betanews.com/2018/04/10/handbrake-revamp/.


For a good in-depth (albeit somewhat outdated) review against RipBot, another similar java-based tool, see www.pretzellogix.net /2015/03/12/handbrake-vs-ripbot264-fight/.

Looks like after many years this has fulfilled the requirements for portability. It's actually been in this state for some time now but I hadn't checked on the program so I missed that fact.

1. Download portable version and extract
2. Rename portable.ini.template to portable.ini

Without step 2, the program is essentially a "noinstall" tool that saves to AppData.

Status: Portable. Writes to application folder: \storage\HandBrake\settings.json and presets.json.

Moving to the submission thread.

Testing: I had a badly cropped video created with OBS (made in a rush) and it worked beautifully. The settings and encoding were easy to understand and worked very well. Many functions were a little over my head but the tool tips and preview helped prevent interference with use of a great encoder.

Wishlist:

* Available no-encode modifications (e.g. cutting commercials or long video intros)

Handbrake v1.3.0 released 2019-11-09 (changelog and download at https://github.com/HandBrake/HandBrake/releases/).

BTW, there's a recent Ghacks.net review at:

www.ghacks.net /2019/11/13/handbrake-1-3-video-converter-out-with-major-improvements/

Note that this program was added to the database: https://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=3005 (by Rudy5)

BTW, Handbrake is at v1.3.1 released 2020-01-04 (see https://github.com/HandBrake/HandBrake/releases/).

DotNET requirement is now v4.8 -- see handbrake.fr/docs/en/latest/technical/system-requirements.html.

Update: the program is now at version 1.3.3 and I've done a revamp of the entry including a new screenshot and other details. Entry is now live: https://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=3005

Hope you won't mind -- feel free to revert -- that I took the liberty of editing in the official site (https://handbrake.fr/) and download links and add the DotNET v4.8 dependency.

Please note that Handbrake is 64-bit only.

Excellent documentation at https://handbrake.fr/docs/en/1.3.0/, btw.

Sweet! Didn't know Handbrake was natively portable. Thanks to those that updated the listing!