Apple TV doesn't recognize .m4v files in itunes

[poohbear1963]

hi...can someone offer some advice? i've used handbrake 0.9.3 to create some .m4v files using the appletv settings it comes with. i've loaded the files into itunes, itunes recognizes them and will play them. but appletv does not see them when i try to stream them. when i try to sync them to appletv i get an error message: this file can not be copied to apple tv because it can not be played on apple tv. if anyone has any incite it would be most appreciated. thanks!

[d21mike]

hi...can someone offer some advice? i've used handbrake 0.9.3 to create some .m4v files using the appletv settings it comes with. i've loaded the files into itunes, itunes recognizes them and will play them. but appletv does not see them when i try to stream them. when i try to sync them to appletv i get an error message: this file can not be copied to apple tv because it can not be played on apple tv. if anyone has any incite it would be most appreciated. thanks!

In iTunes select your ATV Device and then check the Summary Tab. Use Custom and do NOT check the "Only Show Synced" or something like that.

[eddyg]

hi...can someone offer some advice? i've used handbrake 0.9.3 to create some .m4v files using the appletv settings it comes with. i've loaded the files into itunes, itunes recognizes them and will play them. but appletv does not see them when i try to stream them. when i try to sync them to appletv i get an error message: this file can not be copied to apple tv because it can not be played on apple tv. if anyone has any incite it would be most appreciated. thanks!

Sometimes the frame-rate is too high for the ATV. Open the file in QT and note down the resolution, framerate, and bitrate, and post back here with those or just check them against the ATV specs.

I have to change the framerate in HandBrake manually from "same as source" (which is 50fps for my HD shows) down to 25fps for the ATV to handle 720p - The ATV preset does *not* do this for you.

Cheers, Ed.

[Josh396]

I just recently noticed the same problem with my AppleTV. I've encoded over 500 movies and 300 TV shows without any problems until the past few weeks.

Seasons 3-6 of Family Guy and Season 1 of Show I Met Your Mother show up and play just fine in my iTunes, but they don't even show up on my AppleTV. Seasons 1 and 2 of Family guy and Season 2 and 3 of How I Met Your Mother work perfectly however.

Sometimes the frame-rate is too high for the ATV. Open the file in QT and note down the resolution, framerate, and bitrate, and post back here with those or just check them against the ATV specs.


I've done that and the settings match all of my other TV Shows that I have added to my iTunes library. Resolution is 720 x 480, framerate is 23.97, and bit rate is just under 1500. I'm planning on re-encoding them in the next few weeks, but I'd if someone had a fix that would be great because ripping and tagging TV Shows can be extremely tedious.

[poohbear1963]

Sometimes the frame-rate is too high for the ATV. Open the file in QT and note down the resolution, framerate, and bitrate, and post back here with those or just check them against the ATV specs.

I have to change the framerate in HandBrake manually from "same as source" (which is 50fps for my HD shows) down to 25fps for the ATV to handle 720p - The ATV preset does *not* do this for you.

Cheers, Ed.

thanks ed for your reply!


the framerate on one particular movie is 22.96 fps

7523.99 kbits/s

H.264 Decoder, 720 x 368 (857 x 368), Millions
AAC, Stereo (L R), 48.000 kHz

[jaw04005]

7523.99 kbits/s

Your bit rate is too high. It has to be under 5 Mbps.

7523.99 kbps = 7.34764648 Mbps

"H.264 and protected H.264 (from iTunes Store): Up to 5 Mbps, Progressive Main Profile (CAVLC) with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps (maximum resolution: 1280 by 720 pixels at 24 fps, 960 by 540 pixels at 30 fps) in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats."

http://www.apple.com/appletv/specs.html

[Chase R]

thanks ed for your reply!


the framerate on one particular movie is 22.96 fps

7523.99 kbits/s

H.264 Decoder, 720 x 368 (857 x 368), Millions
AAC, Stereo (L R), 48.000 kHz

Holy moly cows that's a high bitrate! lol that must be a huge file. When you do your encodes set it to do a constant 65% rate, almost zero loss in quality.

[Josh396]

While the OP may have found the reason to his problem, I'd still like to know if anyone has any input on how to solve mine, if possible. Like I said previously, I've used Handbrake to encode just over 1,000 videos total with virtually no problems until recently. I've used the same preset and same method of tagging the videos in Lostify, but for some reason the AppleTV doesn't even see the videos in my shared library. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[refulgentis]

Holy moly cows that's a high bitrate! lol that must be a huge file. When you do your encodes set it to do a constant 65% rate, almost zero loss in quality.
Anything over 62% is a waste unless you have superhuman eyes

[Chase R]

Anything over 62% is a waste unless you have superhuman eyes

Is there really a big difference in size from 65% to 62%? I've had a couple people tell me that 62% is almost zero loss in quality and others say that they use 65% because they could notice small imperfections with 62%.

[dynaflash]

Is there really a big difference in size from 65% to 62%?
yes. Course you can always try the same source on each setting and see for yourself.

[ohiostatefn]

I am having an issue with mv4 files that I have converted with Handbrake Version 0.9.4 i386 (2009112300). I am trying to sync them to my iPod touch (3rd Gen.) am want to convert them to the proper format. When I open the source, I get an error that the source is invalid. Any ideas? Could it be the iTunes update? Thanks.