Convert for iPod vs Apple TV

Movies from the iTunes store play on both iPods and Apple TV but I have some non-iTunes movies that I need to convert so they will play. I didn't realize there was a difference between the video destined for iPods vs Apple TV. What exactly is the difference between these two conversion commands under the Advanced menu in iTunes?

The following is from: http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/podcaststechspecs.html#formattingvideo
You format any video for iPod or Apple TV the same way. It used to be a slightly different story, but now however, they recommend not modifying specifically for iPod. The specs below should enlighten you...
Formatting Video for the iPod, the iPhone or Apple TV
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Although iTunes can play a variety of .mp4, .m4v, and .mov video formats, Apple TV, the iPod, and the iPhone require more specific formats.
The iPod and the iPhone support up to 640x480 while Apple TV supports up to 1280x720. To optimize for all three platforms, we recommend that your source file is at least 640 pixels wide and that you use the built-in iPod converters in Compressor ("H.264 for iPod"), QuickTime Pro ("Movie to iPod") or iTunes ("Convert Selection for iPod"). Each of these maintains the aspect ration of your source file and results in an M4V file containing H.264 video (Low Complexity version of the Baseline profile) and AAC-LC audio. If you want to maximize the screen area of a wide-screen TV, your source file should have an aspect ratio of 16:9 (e.g., 640x360). If you want to maximize the screen area on the iPod, your source file should have an aspect ratio of 4:3 (e.g., 640x480).
Because it uses H.264 Main Profile, QuickTime Pro's "Movie to Apple TV" converter will result in a video that will not sync with the iPod.
Refer to the specifications below if you are not using the built-in converters in Compressor, QuickTime Pro, or iTunes.
iPod and iPhone can play the following video formats:
H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 x 480, 30 frames per sec., Low-Complexity version of the Baseline Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
H.264 video, up to 768 kbps, 320 x 240, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Profile up to Level 1.3 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 x 480, 30 frames per sec., Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
Apple TV can display H.264 video, up to 5mbps, 1280x720, 24 fps, Progressive Main Profile. Apple TV supports AAC-LC audio up to 320 Kbps. The gating factors for video are bit rate and frame rate. The following are some sample conversions generated by the QuickTime Pro when choosing "Movie to Apple TV":
Input Output
640x480, 30fps 640x480, 30fps, 3mbps*
1280x720 24fps 1280x720, 24p 5mbps*
1280x720, 30fps 960x540, 30fps 4mbps*
1920x1080, 24fps 1280x720, 24fps 5mbps*
1920x1080, 30fps 960x540, 30fps 4mbps*
1080i up to 60fps 960x540, 30fps 4mbps*
*Represents an average bit rate.
Beavis2084

Similar Messages

Converting for iPod Touch

Hello,
I have several mp4 videos that I'd love to have on my iPod Touch. I read that QuickTime Pro was a good way to convert them since my iTunes doesn't seem to have an option to convert for iPod anymore.
Anyways, I've done this several times and I just get the audio, with a white picture. Is this fixable? It also doesn't take every long as I would expect it to take a least an hour for an hour video.
Any ideas?
Thank you for your time

OK, thanks for the clarification. I was getting tangled between the originals and the converted copies.
I'm still not certain, but I have to guess that it is indeed a problem with the aspect ratio of the movie. 1280x544 is an odd size, so I think it may not be converting successfully and so giving a blank video track. I'm going to have to do a bit of research to come up with a suggestion. Meanwhile, perhaps someone else here will have an idea.
Regards.

QuickTime Movie Files Won't Convert For iPod using iTunes and QuickTime Pro

I've got a ton, and I mean a ton of QuickTime movie files of music videos that I want to convert to use on the iPod. I tried using "Convert Selection For iPod" in the Advanced Menu on iTunes, but got the following message trying convert a QuickTime file of U2's Beautiful Day:
""Beautiful Day" could not be converted because this file does not allow for saving or conversion."
I purchased QuickTime Pro hoping that the features on Pro would convert the file. When I opened the same file to convert using QuickTime Pro, "Export" under the file menu was grayed out so I couldn't select it.
You'd think that an APPLE QuickTime Movie file that can be played on APPLE'S iTunes and APPLE'S QuickTime Player would be able to be converted to be used in APPLE'S iPod player. (Anybody notice how APPLE is capitalized to point out that the the hardware, software and file formats are ALL Apple?)
Instead I wasted money buying QuickTime Pro when it won't do what I specifically bought it for. Now I have all these QuickTime files which won't play on the iPod.
Can anybody provide some help or assistance on how to accomplish what I'm trying to accomplish???

If the file doesn't allow saving or conversions then it is protected by DRM (Fairplay).
Nothing can help QuickTime Pro convert protected files.

Converting for iPod

When I try to convert a video for my iPhone using the "Convert Selection for iPod", iTunes crashes. How can I fix this?

OK, thanks for the clarification. I was getting tangled between the originals and the converted copies.
I'm still not certain, but I have to guess that it is indeed a problem with the aspect ratio of the movie. 1280x544 is an odd size, so I think it may not be converting successfully and so giving a blank video track. I'm going to have to do a bit of research to come up with a suggestion. Meanwhile, perhaps someone else here will have an idea.
Regards.

DVD: can I extract the movie files? Then convert for iPod Video?

I created a DVD (burned on DVD media). I did not archive the project. Can I extract the movie files? Or how do I convert them to m4v for an iPod Video?
I know if I have the movies (clips) in iMovie I can do it but how do I do it from a completed DVD that I created and dont have the assets? help++++++++++

Steve,
"Roxio Crunch Apple Ipod Video Converter"
By sdmacuser at 2007-09-14
Message was edited by: Host

There is no sound in converted for iPod movies

The problem is, and so I can't hear any sound after converting from any movie format to the iPod format using iTunes. Moreover, the new file has a .m4v type, and, as I understand, this type can't carry any sound(correct me if I'm wrong) like the simple .m4a and the combined mp4. Just want to know the decision

Try using MPEG Streamclip to convert the videos; more information on this issue is available in this article.
(26867)

HT2729 Use videos converted for iPod Nano 5G for iPod Touch 4G?

I have an iTunes library full of videos that work with my iPod Nano 5th generation. I was thinking if they would work with an iPod Touch 4th generation, which I have researched and seems that it would not need any converting, but what about the difference in screen size?

Never mind I feel like an idiot posting that.

ITunes fails when trying to convert videos for iPod Touch

I have loaded videos taken from digital cameras (Fuji and Canon) into iTunes (latest version) and I can view them using the QuickTime reader (also latest version). Before syncing them to my iPod 4th gen, I go to advanced options and click on Convert for iPod or Iphone. After 1 or 2 seconds, iTunes craps out with what looks a protection exception. (iTunes has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for...)
When I click to find out more details, the Error signatures says Appname iTunes.exe, AppVer: 10.1.0.54 Mod Name: coreaudiotoolbox.dll ModVer: 7.9.4.0 Offset: 000b2f84.
I rebooted with same result. The same problem occured many times, with iPod connected or not and using different videos. I tried to download the test video from the Apple site, but nothing happens when trying to download.
I am on Windows XP, SP3, fully patched.
Thanks for helping.

OK. Problem solved.
I removed all Apple software using Add/remove software in Control Panel.
Rebooted.
Used Advanced System Care (free edition) to scan and fix the registry. There were over 200 problems related to iTunes or QuickTime in the registry.
Downloaded a fresh copy of Itunes.
Re-installed.
I can now convert videos to Ipod.
Hope this can help others having similar problems.

No sound when convert video for iPod Touch

I have videos that I recorded with my digital camera and when I "convert for iPod" the resulting video has no sound in iTunes or when I put it on my iPod.
Any ideas to what is wrong?

The file you are converting is muxed(audio and video are one track).
Quicktime is used by iTunes to do the conversions and quicktime does not like muxed files-so you get only video. Another possibility is that the audio is a weird codec that quicktime does not recognize.
Use a different transcoder-such as mpeg streamclip recommended above. I use it, it works very well. It has iPod presets.
Get it here: http://www.squared5.com/
Message was edited by: Johnathan Burger
Message was edited by: Johnathan Burger

What are the specs for iPod video

i wish to manually convert .mov (video with audio) to vPod format.
anyone know where there is a list of the specs required, movie size, format, audio format?
i'm trying to figure out the following:
i have two movies of like nature. i drop ,them both in iTunes. i tell iTunes to convert for iPod and it says one does not need conversion. i am trying to figure out why the other does. they are both 44.1/h.264.
what is the movie size spec and all the specs for QT to vPod conversion? (i want do to it manually.)
i think i have it, is this correct: 320x180 (16:9). i assume vPod can play both 48.hz audio and that that does not have to be converted to 44.1 (both aac)?

QT Kirk is simply saying
you can make the file you dropped on the script in
order to make it uneditable editable once again by
loading the file in a hexidecimal editor utility and
"zeroing out" the code that makes it uneditable.
yes, i wanted to know which file to edit the script or the 'locked' movie --the .mov, thanks.
.mov
Format: AAC,Stereo (L R), 44.100kHz, H.264 Decoder,
391 x 216, Millions
FPS: 29.97
Data Size: 58.25
Data Rate: 536.90 kbits/sec
Normal Size: 391 x 216 pixels
Current Size: 391 x 216 pixels
(Actual)
The information cited does not include information regarding
the H.264 profile used to create it. If created using the QT
"Movie to QuickTime Movie > H.264" export option,
then the file would not be iPod compatible since this
workflow employs the "Main" profile. In a similar
manner, if the file was created using the QT "Movie
to MPEG-4" Export option, it would have been created
using either the "Main" or "Baseline" profile.
However, based on your dimensions, iTunes expects the
file to be created using the "Baseline Low Compexity"
profile and proceeds to correct the situation.
how can you do that via QTP expert options? if you can. i create a lot of web movies and wish to 'feed 2 birds with one piece of bread'. (i like birds.
if these are the only
conversion for iPod tools apple offers...
why?
QT Pro/iTunes currently
offers the use of two H.264 iPod compatible,
automatically adaptive workflows (Baseline LC and
Baseline) and QT Pro additionally offers one full
manual iPod compatible H.264 workflow (Baseline
profile) and one full manual MPEG-4 workflow. As to
why the QT "Movie to iPod" and iTunes workflows are
auto-adaptive, most users simply want to have iPod
compatible files when they want them and don't want
to learn how to make them properly with respect to
each compression format and/or profile requirement
and/or special case considerations (dimensions, data
rates, frame rates, key frame frequency, aspect
ratio, macroblock efficiency considerations, etc).
yes, i wish to... well, i said that above, create web and ipod in 'one fell swoop'. i suppose these ipod auto-adaptive modes will work for web, but i'd rather use the expert options. i would like to "learn how to make them properly".
> ok .m4v is h.264.
Rather loosely stated. The
".m4v" extension refers to the file container while
H.264 refers to the actual video compression
algorithm. In this case the H.264 video format is
specifically stored in this file container. One the
other hand, the ".mp4" file container is a more
generic MPEG-4 file container commonly used for
either MPEG-4 or H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC) video compressed
files. And, at the other end of the scale, the ".mov"
file container is the most generic since it can
basically contain any "supported" compression format
to include either MPEG-4/AAC or H.264/AAC iPod
compatible files. One key to remember here is that
file containers, like the compression formats that
they can contain, have specific "characteristics."
For instance, ".m4v" and ".mp4" file containers can
have one external piece of graphic "artwork"
associated with it (as seen in iTunes), but the
".mov" container cannot.
i did not know that .mp4 also served for h.264. the graphic container of .m4v i had sort of noticed, however i did not or had not for .mov, thanks.
Your file did not conform to
the required "Baseline LC" profile and so iTunes
converted it. Since the "LC" profile defaults to a
video data rate on the order of 1500 Kbps, your file
size was nearly doubled for the specific duration of
your clip.
i'm not sure i understand why my data rate was converted where a lesser data rate was not. (536 vs. 262)
thanks very much for this 'training'.

Exporting for ipod

Ok, so I have my film in FCP 5 and I want to export it for ipod and apple tv. I tried to use compressor, (first using the ipod setting) although when I brought it into itunes it did not keep the 16:9 setting, and the quality was extremely poor. What am I doing wrong? Anyone have any ideas?

It doesn't really matter how you export in FCP - you're still going to have to convert it using iTunes. Obviously you want to get the best quality you can going into iTunes, so I would suggest using Export>Quicktime Movie>Self-contained. Then, using the subsequently created file that has pristine quality, take it into iTunes and convert.
There might be a better way to do it, but that's the only way I know. I do know that the best quality you can get out of FCP is to export it as a Quicktime Movie. That's the first thing you want to do.
Have you checked in the iPod forum?
jesse.
p.s. Have you tried Compressor? It has settings for exporting to iPod. I haven't tried them, but that might be something to look into.
Message was edited by: Jesse Koepke

Remote for iPod

Hi there.
I've bought the Apple Universal Dock for iPod with Apple Remote, and I wanna to know if there is any way to use this remote with the Remote app.
Thx all.
Obs.: I'm a PC user

Hi,
The menu button works with the new iMac:
b Apple Remote with Mac
Included with the new iMac G5, the Apple Remote gives you total command of your music, photos, videos and DVDs from anywhere in the room. It combines with Front Row a menu-driven, full-screen interface to make accessing your iMac's digital bounty from any seat in the room as simple as navigating your iPod. When you click the Apple Remote's
b Menu button
, your desktop fades and Front Row's sleek interface takes its place to give you control over your music in iTunes, your photos in iPhoto, the videos in your Movies folder and whatever DVDs you want to play. Turn up the volume. Shuffle. Skip to the next chapter on your DVD. Play a slideshow, a home movie you made in iMovie, even a movie trailer. Just sit back and enjoy the show.
Regards,
Colin R.

Output to 16:9 for iPod

When I use Convert using Quicktime, I have difficulty getting it to preserve the 16:9 HDV 1080i format for output.
Basically I want to create a .MOV file with the correct apsect ratio for download from the web. I also want to generate another .MOV file for the corresponding PodCast.
When I use the converter in FCP, it compresses the image into 4:3.
In the Sequence Settings the 16:9 ratio is displayed but Anamorphic is NOT checked. Do I need to check that and if so, will I need to do this with each new 16:9 project?

Bob -- try this workflow on a small piece and see if it doesn't work for you...
File - Export - Quicktime Conversion - make sure it's set for Quicktime Movie export.
Change compression method to BROADBAND HIGH. THEN click OPTION and then SIZE... change size to 480x270 and click out to save.
Let it run.
Then, open THAT in iTunes and using iTunes, select the video file and right click (control-click) and choose 'convert for iPod.'
That's always worked for me.
When you are done, do another right click on the video file in iTunes and do a SHOW FILE IN FINDER (or something like that.) Look for the .m4v file... that's the iPod video one. Open it up and see if it isn't 16:9.
Good luck,
CaptM

Exporting video for iPod - audio OK but video is "white"

I know this issue has been raised before but I cannot find a clear resolution anywhere - happy to be pointed to the right place.
Some time ago I converted some old VHS home movies to DVD and they play fine. To view them via AppleTV I've converted them to MP4 using H.264/AAC via MEGUI, and they work fine in iTunes on the PC and on AppleTV.
Once they were in iTunes I tried converting them for iPod but the output is a blank white video screen though the audio is fine.
To diagnose the problem I tried loading the MP4 version directly into Quicktime (Version 7.6.8)where the play fine. Then I tried exporting them for iPod and I get the same white screen plus audio.
I've seen this issue dismissed as due to some form of DRM but I doubt that is the case here. The video is my own, the DVDs I created are not CSS protected and the MP4s are also unprotected.
I've also seen it attributed to a missing codec, but that is unlikely given both iTunes and Quicktime play the videos without a hitch.
Any clues on how to proceed?
John

Last post before I leave things alone for a while.
I've uninstalled and reinstalled iTunes and Quicktime and iTunes no longer chews up lots of CPU when trying to convert one particular Quicktime created file.
I've also recreated each file again from the same source, the AVI encoded as DV-PAL with screen res of 720x576. I created a series of test cases to try to pin the problem down and I think the best exposition is the following -
The problem
An MPEG4 file exported from Quicktime loads and plays in iTunes, plays on AppleTV and can be converted for iPod.
An almost identical MPEG4 file created by MEGUI using the x264 encoder, latest build 1649, and all the same settings as Quicktime loads and plays in iTunes, plays on AppleTV but when converted for iPod produces a file with audio but the video is "white". Looking at the file size, less than 2mb, it is pretty obvious that the video stream is simply not there.
Clues
Quicktime Movie Inspector reports the screen resolution of the file it exported as 720x540 while for the MEGUI created file it reports a very odd 787x576. Note that Windows Media Player and YAMB (MP4Box utility) both report this same file as 720x576 which is what I would expect as MEGUI did not resize the video. As an aside, WMP and YAMB also report the Quicktime created file as 720x540 so they agree with Quicktime on that score at least.
Obvious Question
Why does Quicktime report an incorrect screen resolution, and is this contributing to the conversion problem in iTunes?
My understanding is that MPEG4 uses 16x16 macroblocks and so the dimensions of anything to be encoded must be in multiples of 16 and 787 is not a multiple of 16.
Of course, the 787x576 screen resolution could be a red herring.
Details from Quicktime Movie Inspector follow:
File that converts successfully
Source: scene0005c created QT as MPEG4.mp4
Format: AAC, Stereo (L R), 48.000 kHz
H.264, 720x540, Millions
Movie FPS: 25.00
Playing FPS: 25.00
Data Size: 31.32 MB
Data Rate: 2.39 mbits/sec
Current Time: 00:00:00.00
Duration: 00:01:49.84
Normal Size: 720x540
Current Size: 720x540
File that does not convert successfully
Source: scene0005e created MEGUI as MPEG4 AAC-LC 320Kbps.mp4
Format: H.264, 787x576, Millions
AAC, Stereo (L R), 48.000 kHz
Movie FPS: 25.00
Playing FPS: 25.00
Current Time: 00:00:00.00
Duration: 00:01:49.89
Normal Size: 787x576
Current Size: 787x576

Compression settings for iPods?

I have some native 640x480 .mov files that my client wants me to make available for download from their web site so that their clients can load them on their video capable iPods.
What are the best settings/format for me to use in Compressor?

Open the settings and put ipod into the search filed, you'll see the two presets ready to go.
From the compressor manual:
H.264 Workflows for iPod and Apple TV
The efficiency and quality of H.264 creates a number of options for iPod and Apple TV
video producers:
Â Compressor includes two video sizes specifically designed for playback on an iPod: iPod
320 (QVGA) and iPod 640 (VGA). Both sizes create output media files that are
compatible for playing on an iPod, and both will look good on the display of the iPod.
Â As long as you intend the output media files to be viewed on the iPod itself, you
can use the iPod 320 encoder size, which produces files that are about one half the
size of the iPod 640 encoder size.
Â If you expect the output media files to be played on larger displays, whether in
iTunes or on a monitor connected to an iPod, you should use the iPod 640 encoder
size with its higher quality.
Â If you have assigned chapter markers to the video using the Preview window, iTunes
will automatically use the first marker as the poster frame. If you assigned an image
to any markers in Compressor, the first marker with an image becomes the poster
frame in iTunes. You can change the poster frame in iTunes if necessary. See the
iTunes help for more information. See “Adding Chapter or Podcast Markers to a Clip”
on page 300 for more information about adding chapter markers in Compressor.
Â The Apple TV HD encoder size produces video files that are about four times the size
of the iPod 640 encoder size. These are not compatible with iPod playback and may
not play smoothly on older Macintosh computers.
bogiesan

Convert for iPod vs Apple TV

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