: Make sure to select your preferred audio tracks and subtitles.
If the default BT.709 filter produces a picture that lacks contrast, you can use a custom string to improve the result. Color Space Paste the following string into the text field: convert hdr to sdr handbrake
Conclusion Converting HDR to SDR requires more than format conversion: it’s a color- and perception-aware process. For casual needs, HandBrake can transcode HDR sources, but for reliable, visually pleasing SDR results you should perform dedicated tone mapping and color-space conversion (preferably in ffmpeg with zscale/tonemap or a professional color-grading tool), work at 10-bit during processing, apply dithering when dropping bit depth, and validate on multiple SDR displays. Following these steps preserves creative intent and avoids common artifacts like clipped highlights, banding, and color shifts, producing SDR outputs that respect the look and feel of the original HDR material. : Make sure to select your preferred audio
This is a color space mismatch. Go to Filters -> Color Space -> ensure "Input Color Space" is set to BT.2020 and "Output" is BT.709 . HandBrake usually does this automatically, but sometimes you must force it. For casual needs, HandBrake can transcode HDR sources,