Best way to encode video to iPod friendly format?

[badtz]

For divx/xVid : anyone with suggestions on how to re-encode them [simplest way] to the 320x240 iPod format [H.264]?

How about the easiest way to get a DVD (CSS removed) to this format?

also, how would the wide aspect ratio of a DVD translate? Can a program automatically put black bars on the top/bottom?



suggestions?

[AntnyMD]

Few people will know the answer to this question this week. Next week when folks have a device in hand ....

As for what it supports, the press release says MPEG4 and H.264 ... So I'm betting it will take some 3ivx files, too. I know in iTunes 6, the new Videos option in the sidebar recognizes several music videos I downloaded from the iTMS back when there was a script available that captured and downloaded the videos back when they were free. I especially like the nice mirror effect when you view the videos as thumbnails (nice touch, Apple!). I also had a video from the Ongline podcast ... the dude was telling us his cat has worms (yuck -- why am I subscribed to that).

[rumplestiltskin]

Easiest method: QuickTime Pro. The v7.0.3 release of QT provides a preset for exporting to the iPod (but you do need to pay for the "Pro" upgrade). I'm doing it right now.

[rumplestiltskin]

re: black bars - don't know the answer yet but I might try it once I get the new iPod.

[AntnyMD]

I've found some specs: http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html

- Video formats supported:

H.264 video up to 768 Kbps, 320 x 240, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Profile up
to Level 1.3 with AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 KHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4
and .mov file formats;

MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 480 x 480, 30 frames per sec., Simple Profile with
AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 KHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov file
formats

- Upgradable firmware enables support for future video formats

[willrob]

Looks like the MPEG-4 version will prove more popular, if the H.264 compression is as slow for most people as it's proved in the past.

Did you notice there is no firewire port of the new iPods,? USB transfer times for movies will be an issue. If you don't have USB2, will a USB2 PCI card speed up such transfers; can the iPod work with a PCI port?

The process of ripping a full length movie, doing all the converstion and compressions and then sending it to the iPod via USB1 doesn't look all that inviting.

[AntnyMD]

USB1.1 sucks for transferring, even to my iPod shuffle ... Maxing out the 1gb shuffle is excruiating.

Apple sells a Firewire cable with a Firewire 400 end and a dock connector at the other end. You arent forced to use USB if you purchase this accessory. They stopped shipping Firewire cables with iPods after the "photo" was dropped from the name of the iPod photo.

[willrob]

The new iPods are wider and won't work with previous dock connectors. The Apple site clearly says the new devices are NOT firewire compatable. Like the Nano they will only have a USB2 port. Transfering music and videos to a 60g iPod via USB 1.1 will take 60 days! USB2 PCI cards are as cheap as $10, but the question of these new iPods working with them is still unanswered.

[AntnyMD]

I see nothing on the specs page I posted above saying the new iPods are incompatible with Firewire. They don't mention Firewire specifically, but that doesnt mean we should assume Firewire attachments are incompatible. What it does say is there is a Dock Connector on the iPod, and we can all safely assume they have not developed a different dock connector for iPods, different from the dock connector on iPod nano's. Changing their "universal" dock connector now would make these new iPods incompatible will all the car docking devices that automobile manufacturers are scrambling to install in their upscale vehicles.

Whats true is you wont be able to sit the new iPod in your old iPod's docking station.

[rumplestiltskin]

Regarding USB 2.0 PCI cards and the new iPod. None of the iPods care whether it's on the motherboard's ports or a PCI card's ports.

My Scion xA has the iPod-compatible Pioneer radio. The connector (on the center console) uses a separate cable "pigtail" to bridge between the concole connector and the iPod. I'm sure Scion will have a new cable on their accessory page within a week or so.

[ps2daddy]

Regarding USB 2.0 PCI cards and the new iPod. None of the iPods care whether it's on the motherboard's ports or a PCI card's ports.

My Scion xA has the iPod-compatible Pioneer radio. The connector (on the center console) uses a separate cable "pigtail" to bridge between the concole connector and the iPod. I'm sure Scion will have a new cable on their accessory page within a week or so.

There has supposedly been a few issues with the nano with some pci cards
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/archives/sep05/091305.html

[ps2daddy]

I see nothing on the specs page I posted above saying the new iPods are incompatible with Firewire. They don't mention Firewire specifically, but that doesnt mean we should assume Firewire attachments are incompatible. What it does say is there is a Dock Connector on the iPod, and we can all safely assume they have not developed a different dock connector for iPods, different from the dock connector on iPod nano's. Changing their "universal" dock connector now would make these new iPods incompatible will all the car docking devices that automobile manufacturers are scrambling to install in their upscale vehicles.

Whats true is you wont be able to sit the new iPod in your old iPod's docking station.

AFAIK You can get power with firewire but they wont transfer songs
http://news.com.com/2061-10793_3-5857236.html
So AFAIK you need usb to transfer and listen to songs now for the latest ipods (I only have a second gen mini so I cant test it out though hoping to sell it and buy a video ipod though)
The manufacturer car adaptors should still work but some devices designed to work for the mini and 4th gen ipods are now incompatible though with the latest ipods

Apple makes the manufacuters of the devices give them 10% licensing fee now to develope to their propritary docking port http://ipastudio.com/forums/showthread.php/t/2260

[AntnyMD]

AFAIK You can get power with firewire but they wont transfer songs

If this turns out to be true in reality, that is very offensive to me as an Apple loyalist. I am not going to buy another computer just to be in sync with what Apple thinks I should have (USB2).

Of course if there are USB2 cards for that otherwise useless PCMCIA slot I have, thats an option.

[willrob]

A basic first review can be found here (which also reinforces the no firewire syncing):

http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/5654/

[aersloat]

AFAIK You can get power with firewire but they wont transfer songs

If this turns out to be true in reality, that is very offensive to me as an Apple loyalist. I am not going to buy another computer just to be in sync with what Apple thinks I should have (USB2).

Of course if there are USB2 cards for that otherwise useless PCMCIA slot I have, thats an option.

It is ironic that Apple is responsible for this "Mac marginalization." However, as the iPods get smaller and the space gets tighter (and profit margins get smaller) you have to expect that some things are going to get cut out. If they are going to choose one interface it has to be USB2 as BY FAR most iPods are now being purchased by WinTel users who almost never have firewire built-in. You can get a PC card USB2 adaptor for under $30.

The older iBook, older 12" Powerbook, and older e/iMac folks are the ones who really miss out as there are no options to add USB2. Apple has only had USB2 across the line since about April '04.

[DeadLily]

How long do you think it will be before the version of the iPod video is released which will simply be Quicktime compatible? Like the music iPods mirrored iTunes, I'm guessing down the road we'll see video iPods which will play any Quicktime file.

[thoughton]

I've heard that the firewire interface is just too big to fit into the new slimline video ipod. Also have you noticed the battery life on these things? 20 hours for audio, 2-3 hours for video

[the future]

Sorry to get back on topic... here is a great tutorial on how to put DVDs on your iPod in h.264: http://diveintomark.org/howto/ipod-dvd-ripping-guide/

[willrob]

Quicktime 7.03 has a new export codec for the iPod. So you can create your own movies for the iPod, but Quicktime will not play the movies you buy from the iTunes store. They can only play via iTunes or on te iPod. You can apparently output from iTunes to a TV.

[AntnyMD]

Actually, I've played a video purchased from iTMS in QuickTime 7 Pro ("Deeper and deeper" by Madonna). My guess is its only possible with version 7.0.3.

According to the video specs, as long as the video is MPEG4 and wrapped in a mov container, it should play on the iPod with video. I'm guessing this includes 3ivx and Xvid, but probably not DivX. I think the trick will be not encoding things over the maximum bitrate. I think QT7 has screwed my MPEG Streamclip workflow .. all my 3ivx conversions are not adhering to any limits I place on bitrate, etc., and some things go out of sync. grrrr

[thoughton]

Sorry to get back on topic... here is a great tutorial on how to put DVDs on your iPod in h.264: http://diveintomark.org/howto/ipod-dvd-ripping-guide/

Everyone is linking this damn tutorial, but until I see a photo of the iPod playing the video I am dubious For one thing, how did he get his iPod so quickly?

[willrob]

I think the creator of the tutorial is assuming that these steps should work, since they create a iPod video compliant file (according to Apple's specs). I doubt any one has actually gotten a iPod video (except for a few hands on moments for journalists) an tried this.


As far as Quicktime playback, I read that it was the iPod TV shows that would only play in iTunes (and not in QT Player). Read it on the Macintouch iPod video discussions this morning.) Sine the person who claimed this had QT 7.03, or else he couldn't even download a TV show, chances are he's on to something, probbaly a DRM restriction which the music videos don't have.

[ThisistheEdge]

I bought the "Night Stalker" premiere just to get an idea of the quality, and it plays just fine in QT 7.03. Looks ok too.

Specs for video (obtained when dropping it into ffmpegx):

FROM: MOV
Video: drmi, 320x240, 600fps
Audio: 0x736d7264, 44100Hz, stereo

Not sure what that audio is?

Edge

[Frobozz]

Not sure what that audio is?

Edge

Yeah, and that 600fps video is out of the ordinary too.

[chikanakan]

The files have DRM so most likely ffmpegx will not show the correct info.

[badtz]

is there a program that will tell you exactly what codecs for the video/audio was used?

[AntnyMD]

QuickTime 7.0.3.
The specs from my copy of "Deeper and deeper":
Video: AVC0 Media, 320x240, Millions
Audio: AAC (protected), Stereo, 44,100 kHz
FPS: 29.97
Size: 29.41 MB
Data rate: 704.03 kbits/sec

[GORDYmac]

EyeTV (so glad I still have the USB version) also exports (h.264 and MP4) just fine. Instead of buying shows from iTMS, I'm putting non critical tv shows in iTunes from EyeTV.

One note, be sure to change the resolution to QVGA in the export options. Oh...and it takes a while to encode--here's hoping for new G5's next week!

[rumplestiltskin]

Using QT Pro on a dual-2.0GHz G5 with 3GB RAM, it took about 3 hours to encode a 23 minute DV-Stream movie down to the Video iPod standard. Using the mpeg-4 choice took a little over 2 hours (and I set the bitrate to 1500 to reduce compression).

Maybe the quad-processor G5 will help this. Based upon the time to encode, the $1.99 per show may be a bargain. 8)

[willrob]

If you use EyeTV, here's a tutorial you might want to check oout

http://www.macilife.com/2005/10/how-to-convert-your-eyetv-recordings.html