mp4 for ipod video & mkv for mac osx

[carlosian]

I have 2 problems
1. I have a MacOS X and recently obtained some mp4 files i'm trying to upload to my 5.5 gen ipod video. Whenever i try to transfer these files to my ipod i get a message saying that my ipod doesn't support these files. whenever i use itunes to make m4v files, it gets stuck. i would like to know what can I use to make these mp4 files playable on my ipod video. there really aren't many conversion tools for the mac.


2. I have some mkv files i'm trying to play on my mac but i can't play them because i can't find a reliable plugin for mkv's. where can i find a mkv player for my mac.. i would prefer it to be freeware.


thanks

[Ai Haibara]

Handbrake, maybe? I haven't tried to create any iPod-compatible video on my iBook, so I haven't looked into it.

As for MKVs, you might want to keep a copy of VLC and one of the mplayer-based GUIs around, whichever of them works for you. I can't remember if installing Perian would allow you to be able to play MKVs in Quicktime... (My iBook's not Intel, so I can't test a lot of the newer apps/etc.)

[carlosian]

Handbrake, maybe? I haven't tried to create any iPod-compatible video on my iBook, so I haven't looked into it.

As for MKVs, you might want to keep a copy of VLC and one of the mplayer-based GUIs around, whichever of them works for you. I can't remember if installing Perian would allow you to be able to play MKVs in Quicktime... (My iBook's not Intel, so I can't test a lot of the newer apps/etc.)

Ai, thanks for the prompt reply. i downloaded handbrake and used it to create m4v files using the ipod 5 gen option. it created the file successfully but i still cannot upload the file to my ipod video. it still gives me the same response saying that the ipod cannot upload those types of videos.

[terryj]

I have seen this error many times before.
What I do to fix it is to drag the files into VisualHub,
select the iTunes tab, encode for all devices, and click ok.
It then makes an iPod /AppleTV compatible file that
all my devices are happy with.

and yes installing Perian 1.14 will enable playback of
MKVs in Quicktime. You could then also set VisualHub
to use Perian ( decode with Quicktime option flagged)
to transcode the mkv files into iPod compatible mp4 files.

[carlosian]

terryj, thanks for the info. VisualHub has been discontinued. What other software can i use?

[rumplestiltskin]

In Handbrake, make sure you select the Legacy iPod pre-set or the files you create will not transfer.

[terryj]

terryj, thanks for the info. VisualHub has been discontinued. What other software can i use?

ur welcome. Discontinued, but ...not forgotten?