HBBatchBeast

HandBrake may not be the most beginner-friendly video converter out there, but there’s no denying that it’s one of the most powerful tools of this type out there with support for an incredibly wide range of formats, and support for batch processing.

Originally a Mac-only software, HandBrake eventually made its way to Windows where a broader range of users could use what it had to offer. As most users know, HandBrake can have somewhat of a steep learning curve, and that’s just one of the reasons HBBatchBeast was created.

HBBatchBeast is a user-friendly, cross-platform GUI for HandBrake with a very strong emphasis on user accessibility and batch conversion. The application also includes support for recursive folder scans and folder watching.

Getting started with HBBatchBeast is not at all difficult, at least on Windows, since the app does not require HandBrake to be installed (this is not the case with Linux and macOS iterations though).

The application has four main, self-explanatory sections, each accessible from the top toolbar located right underneath the source folder destination area. These are as follows: Video health check, Batch conversion & Folder watching, System settings, and Help. It’s worth noting that the destination folder structure is kept the same as that of the source folder. This means that any type of video file in sub-folders will also be subjected to conversion.

The video health check feature uses HandBrake’s scan feature to scan for corrupt video files. The second feature is where you’ll most likely spend the most time while working with the app. You can choose the destination folder, the conversion format as well as save configuration files, and view scan/conversion summary logs.

By default, the application has four simultaneous Handbrake instances. However, this can be easily changed directly from the system settings section. From there, you can also change the email address (and test it), the email password, and the SMTP server. The Help section is not exactly all-encompassing, but it does offer valuable information about how the app works on a basic level.

HBBatchBeast stands true to its name and offers a quick and very efficient way of converting large numbers of video files using already proven HandBrake technology.