ISO to AV1 Transcoding Pipeline

Purpose: Convert Blu-ray ISOs to highly compressed AV1 files for Plex Last Updated: 2025-12-29 Pipeline: ISO -> MakeMKV (Docker) -> Tdarr (SVT-AV1)

Architecture Overview

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                         ISO → AV1 TRANSCODING PIPELINE                          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                                 │
│  STAGE 1: ISO EXTRACTION (MakeMKV Container)                                   │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│  │  scripts/iso-to-mkv-processor.sh                                        │   │
│  │  - Scans pool/movies for .iso files                                     │   │
│  │  - Extracts main title (>60min) via MakeMKV CLI                         │   │
│  │  - Outputs lossless MKV to downloads/makemkv-output/                    │   │
│  │  - Tracks processed ISOs to avoid re-extraction                         │   │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
│                              │                                                  │
│                              ▼                                                  │
│  STAGE 2: AV1 ENCODING (Tdarr)                                                 │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│  │  tdarr-flows/SVT-AV1_Production_v3.json                                 │   │
│  │  - VAAPI hardware decode (GPU-accelerated)                              │   │
│  │  - SVT-AV1 CPU encode (libsvtav1, CRF 30)                               │   │
│  │  - Film grain synthesis for better compression                          │   │
│  │  - 60-70% file size reduction                                           │   │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
│                                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Why This Pipeline?

Factor	Raw ISO	MKV (Lossless)	AV1 (Final)
Size	40GB	35GB	10-12GB
Plex compatible	No (disc menu)	Yes	Yes
Streaming	Impossible	Possible	Excellent
CPU decode cost	High	Medium	Low
Storage savings	0%	12%	70%

Bottom line: 40GB Blu-ray ISO -> 12GB AV1 = 70% storage savings with visually lossless quality.

Component Details

Stage 1: MakeMKV Container

The Docker stack includes a dedicated MakeMKV container for ISO extraction:

yaml

# docker-compose.yml excerpt
makemkv:
  image: jlesage/makemkv:latest
  container_name: makemkv
  environment:
    - MAKEMKV_KEY=BETA           # Auto-fetch beta key
    - AUTO_DISC_RIPPER=0         # ISO-only mode
  volumes:
    - ${CONFIG_ROOT}/makemkv:/config
    - ${POOL_ROOT}:/pool:ro      # Read ISOs from pool
    - ${DOWNLOADS_ROOT}/makemkv-output:/output
  ports:
    - 5800:5800                  # Web GUI

Key Points:

Uses free BETA license (auto-refreshes)
Read-only pool access for safety
Output goes to staging area (not directly to library)

Stage 2: ISO Processor Script

The scripts/iso-to-mkv-processor.sh automates extraction:

bash

# Scan for ISOs and show status
./scripts/iso-to-mkv-processor.sh --scan

# Process all unprocessed ISOs
./scripts/iso-to-mkv-processor.sh

# Process specific ISO
./scripts/iso-to-mkv-processor.sh /var/mnt/pool/movies/Some.Movie.2024/movie.iso

# Watch mode (continuous monitoring)
./scripts/iso-to-mkv-processor.sh --watch

Environment Variables:

Variable	Default	Purpose
`POOL_ROOT`	`/var/mnt/pool`	Media pool base path
`MAKEMKV_OUTPUT`	`${DOWNLOADS_ROOT}/makemkv-output`	MKV output directory
`MAKEMKV_MIN_LENGTH`	`3600`	Min title length (60min filters bonus content)

Stage 3: Tdarr SVT-AV1 Flow

After MKV extraction, Tdarr encodes to AV1:

Flow: tdarr-flows/SVT-AV1_Production_v3.json

json

{
  "name": "SVT-AV1 Production v3 (Fixed)",
  "description": "VAAPI decode -> SVT-AV1 CPU encode",
  "flowPlugins": [
    "inputFile",
    "checkVideoCodec (skip AV1/VP9)",
    "checkVideoBitrate (only HEVC >6Mbps)",
    "ffmpegCommandStart (VAAPI decode)",
    "ffmpegCommandCustomArguments (SVT-AV1)",
    "ffmpegCommandSetContainer (MKV)",
    "ffmpegCommandExecute",
    "compareFileSizeRatio",
    "replaceOriginalFile"
  ]
}

SVT-AV1 Encode Parameters:

bash

-c:v libsvtav1 -crf 30 -preset 5 -pix_fmt yuv420p10le \
  -svtav1-params tune=0:enable-overlays=1:scd=1:film-grain=8:keyint=10s:lp=2:pin=0

Parameter	Value	Purpose
`crf 30`	Quality	~65% size reduction, excellent quality
`preset 5`	Speed	Balanced speed/compression
`film-grain=8`	Compression	Film grain synthesis for grainy content
`lp=2`	Threads	2 thread pools per worker
`pin=0`	Affinity	Let OS schedule threads

Systemd Service (Optional)

For automatic ISO watching on boot:

bash

# Install service
sudo cp systemd/iso-processor.service /etc/systemd/system/
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable iso-processor.service
sudo systemctl start iso-processor.service

# Check status
systemctl status iso-processor.service

Service watches pool/movies and auto-processes new ISOs.

Original Toolchain Reference

Primary: MakeMKV + Tdarr (Recommended)

ISO → MakeMKV (Docker) → .mkv (lossless) → Tdarr → Final .mkv (AV1)

This is the production pipeline documented above.

Alternative: MakeMKV + HandBrake (Manual)

ISO → MakeMKV → .mkv (lossless) → HandBrake → Final .mkv (HEVC/AV1)

MakeMKV ($50 lifetime, free beta available)
- Extracts main feature from ISO/disc
- Preserves all audio tracks, subtitles
- Outputs lossless .mkv container
- No re-encoding (fast, no quality loss)
HandBrake (free, open source)
- Re-encodes video to efficient codec
- Preserves/converts audio
- Adds chapter markers
- Outputs Plex-ready .mkv

Alternative: FFmpeg (CLI, scriptable)

bash

ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c:v libsvtav1 -crf 22 -preset 4 \
       -c:a copy -c:s copy output.mkv

Encoding Presets for Maximum Quality

Video: AV1 (Preferred for new encodes)

yaml

# HandBrake Settings - AV1 High Quality
Codec: SVT-AV1
Encoder Preset: 4 (balanced speed/quality)
Quality: CRF 20-22 (visually lossless)
Resolution: Same as source
Frame Rate: Same as source

# Estimated output:
# - 1080p Blu-ray: 6-10GB
# - 4K UHD Blu-ray: 15-25GB

Video: HEVC (Fallback for compatibility)

yaml

# HandBrake Settings - HEVC High Quality
Codec: x265
Encoder Preset: Slow (better compression)
Quality: CRF 18-20 (visually lossless)
Resolution: Same as source

# Estimated output:
# - 1080p Blu-ray: 8-12GB
# - 4K UHD Blu-ray: 20-35GB

Audio: Preserve Quality

yaml

# Preferred Audio Handling
Track 1: Passthrough (TrueHD/DTS-HD MA if present)
Track 2: AAC Stereo 256kbps (compatibility fallback)

# For space savings (still excellent):
Track 1: FLAC/Opus lossless
Track 2: AAC Stereo

# Do NOT: Re-encode Atmos/TrueHD to lossy

Subtitles

yaml

# Include all subtitle tracks
- PGS (Blu-ray native) - Passthrough
- SRT (text) - if available
- Forced subs - Always include

Workflow: Batch Processing ISOs

Step 1: Extract with MakeMKV

bash

# Single ISO
makemkvcon mkv iso:/path/to/movie.iso all /output/dir

# Batch (all ISOs in directory)
for iso in /path/to/isos/*.iso; do
    name=$(basename "$iso" .iso)
    makemkvcon mkv iso:"$iso" all "/output/$name/"
done

Step 2: Encode with HandBrake CLI

bash

# AV1 high-quality encode
HandBrakeCLI \
    --input "/output/movie/title_main.mkv" \
    --output "/final/Movie (Year)/Movie (Year).mkv" \
    --encoder svt_av1 \
    --encoder-preset 4 \
    --quality 21 \
    --audio-lang-list und,eng,jpn \
    --all-audio \
    --aencoder copy \
    --all-subtitles \
    --subtitle-lang-list und,eng \
    --markers

Step 3: Verify & Cleanup

bash

# Verify output plays
ffprobe "/final/Movie (Year)/Movie (Year).mkv"

# Check file size ratio
original=$(stat -c%s "$iso")
encoded=$(stat -c%s "/final/Movie (Year)/Movie (Year).mkv")
ratio=$((100 * encoded / original))
echo "Compression: ${ratio}% of original"

Quality Verification Checklist

[ ] Video plays without artifacts
[ ] Audio tracks present (all languages)
[ ] Subtitles work (forced + full)
[ ] Chapters preserved
[ ] HDR/Dolby Vision intact (if source had it)
[ ] File size reasonable (not larger than source)

Hardware Acceleration (Optional)

Your System: AMD Ryzen 7840HS

yaml

# VCN 4.0 Hardware Encoding
# Faster but slightly lower quality than software

# HandBrake Setting:
Encoder: AMD VCE HEVC  # or AV1 if supported

# FFmpeg:
ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c:v hevc_amf -quality quality \
       -c:a copy output.mkv

Recommendation: Use software encoding (SVT-AV1) for archival quality. Hardware encoding is fine for previews/quick conversions.

Integration with *arr Stack

Option A: Post-Import Script (Radarr/Sonarr)

yaml

# In Radarr/Sonarr settings → Connect → Custom Script
Path: /path/to/iso-to-mkv.sh
On Import: Yes

Option B: Unmanic (Automated Library Optimization)

Unmanic is a dedicated library optimizer that watches for new files and re-encodes them automatically.

yaml

# docker-compose.yml addition
unmanic:
  image: josh5/unmanic
  volumes:
    - /movies:/library
    - ./unmanic-config:/config

Option C: Tdarr (Distributed Transcoding)

For large libraries, Tdarr distributes encoding across multiple nodes.

CRF Quality Guide

CRF	Quality	Use Case
16-18	Transparent	Archival master
19-21	Visually lossless	Recommended for library
22-24	High quality	Storage-constrained
25-28	Good quality	Streaming copies

Your target: CRF 20-21 for maximum quality with reasonable size.

Handling Special Cases

4K HDR with Dolby Vision

bash

# Preserve Dolby Vision (requires profile 8.1)
HandBrakeCLI ... --encoder svt_av1_10bit --colorspace bt2020
# Note: Full DV preservation may require dovi_tool

Anime (Film Grain)

bash

# Add film-grain synthesis for anime
--encoder-tune animation
# Or for live-action grain preservation:
--encoder-tune film

Multi-Disc Sets (Lord of the Rings Extended, etc.)

bash

# Extract each disc separately
makemkvcon mkv iso:disc1.iso all /temp/disc1/
makemkvcon mkv iso:disc2.iso all /temp/disc2/

# Verify chapter alignment
# Then concatenate or keep as parts

Storage Impact Examples

Title	ISO Size	Encoded (AV1 CRF21)	Savings
Typical 1080p Blu-ray	35GB	10GB	71%
4K UHD Blu-ray	65GB	20GB	69%
Anime Blu-ray (12 eps)	40GB	8GB	80%
Concert/Documentary	25GB	6GB	76%

48TB library of ISOs → ~15TB re-encoded = 33TB freed

Document Maintenance

Update when: New codecs emerge, HandBrake updates, hardware transcoding improves.

"You're not losing quality. You're removing the overhead of a physical disc format that your server doesn't need."

ISO to AV1 Transcoding Pipeline ​

Architecture Overview ​

Why This Pipeline? ​

Component Details ​

Stage 1: MakeMKV Container ​

Stage 2: ISO Processor Script ​

Stage 3: Tdarr SVT-AV1 Flow ​

Systemd Service (Optional) ​

Original Toolchain Reference ​

Primary: MakeMKV + Tdarr (Recommended) ​

Alternative: MakeMKV + HandBrake (Manual) ​

Alternative: FFmpeg (CLI, scriptable) ​

Encoding Presets for Maximum Quality ​

Video: AV1 (Preferred for new encodes) ​

Video: HEVC (Fallback for compatibility) ​

Audio: Preserve Quality ​

Subtitles ​

Workflow: Batch Processing ISOs ​

Step 1: Extract with MakeMKV ​

Step 2: Encode with HandBrake CLI ​

Step 3: Verify & Cleanup ​

Quality Verification Checklist ​

Hardware Acceleration (Optional) ​

Your System: AMD Ryzen 7840HS ​

Integration with *arr Stack ​

Option A: Post-Import Script (Radarr/Sonarr) ​

Option B: Unmanic (Automated Library Optimization) ​

Option C: Tdarr (Distributed Transcoding) ​

CRF Quality Guide ​

Handling Special Cases ​

4K HDR with Dolby Vision ​

Anime (Film Grain) ​

Multi-Disc Sets (Lord of the Rings Extended, etc.) ​

Storage Impact Examples ​

Document Maintenance ​

ISO to AV1 Transcoding Pipeline

Architecture Overview

Why This Pipeline?

Component Details

Stage 1: MakeMKV Container

Stage 2: ISO Processor Script

Stage 3: Tdarr SVT-AV1 Flow

Systemd Service (Optional)

Original Toolchain Reference

Primary: MakeMKV + Tdarr (Recommended)

Alternative: MakeMKV + HandBrake (Manual)

Alternative: FFmpeg (CLI, scriptable)

Encoding Presets for Maximum Quality

Video: AV1 (Preferred for new encodes)

Video: HEVC (Fallback for compatibility)

Audio: Preserve Quality

Subtitles

Workflow: Batch Processing ISOs

Step 1: Extract with MakeMKV

Step 2: Encode with HandBrake CLI

Step 3: Verify & Cleanup

Quality Verification Checklist

Hardware Acceleration (Optional)

Your System: AMD Ryzen 7840HS

Integration with *arr Stack

Option A: Post-Import Script (Radarr/Sonarr)

Option B: Unmanic (Automated Library Optimization)

Option C: Tdarr (Distributed Transcoding)

CRF Quality Guide

Handling Special Cases

4K HDR with Dolby Vision

Anime (Film Grain)

Multi-Disc Sets (Lord of the Rings Extended, etc.)

Storage Impact Examples

Document Maintenance