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An in IPad video converter app?

D

David H 88

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 16, 2012
6
0
Hello, this is my first post but I have taken a wealth of information from this forum in the past.

I would like to know if there is an app for the iPad (from the app store or cydia) that you can give it an avi or mkv and it will convert it and spit out a good mp4 that i can then move and use in the native video app.

I understand you can do this on computer but I only have a notebook that can't cope with converting and I am assuming the iPad 3 is far more advanced.
And I also understand that I use VLC but all my files are blue ray quality and vlc/the iPad can't handle them as they are which is why I need to convert them

I really want to make use of this amazing display especially for watching Spartacus which I already own on blu ray and even tried to buy it again only to find out that it's not even in the iTunes store.

Its proberly a long shot as the clever people who make apps will never of had this problem to need to fix it but if any one can help I would be very grateful.

Thanks

David
 
malias4

malias4

macrumors 6502a
Jun 21, 2011
503
0
Greece and Holland
I dont know if an appstore app exists to convert movies from avi to mp4 etc but even that it would take days to do i think.
Through my imac i need hours if its a fullhd movie.
I suggest you buy from the appstore the app called avplayerhd for the ipad.
With that app u can import through itunes any movie format (avi, mkv, etc) so you can wach it without converting the file :cool:
 
Gav2k

Gav2k

macrumors G3
Jul 24, 2009
9,216
1,608
Goodplayer

It'll play mostly everything thrown at it no conversion required
 
Want300

Want300

macrumors 65816
Oct 12, 2011
1,194
2
St. Louis, MO
Yea, I do not think an app will actually convert the video file for you. You can also try VLC player.

On your computer, you can download a free program called Handbrake... This will allow you to convert a lot of files into the .MP4 format for an iPad/iPhone/iTunes...
 
Interstella5555

Interstella5555

macrumors 603
Jun 30, 2008
5,219
13
David H 88 said:
Hello, this is my first post but I have taken a wealth of information from this forum in the past.

I would like to know if there is an app for the iPad or iPhone(from the app store or cydia) that you can give it an avi or mkv and it will convert it and spit out a good mp4 that i can then move and use in the native video app.

I understand you can do this on computer but I only have a notebook that can't cope with converting and I am assuming the iPad 3 is far more advanced.
And I also understand that I use VLC but all my files are blue ray quality and vlc/the iPad can't handle them as they are which is why I need to convert them

I really want to make use of this amazing display especially for watching Spartacus which I already own on blu ray and even tried to buy it again only to find out that it's not even in the iTunes store.

Its proberly a long shot as the clever people who make apps will never of had this problem to need to fix it but if any one can help I would be very grateful.

Thanks

David
Click to expand...

As far as I know, no, nothing like this exists, I'm also not sure that since your netbook can't handle it that the iPad actually could. This likely isn't a problem that comes up a lot since most people would just do this on their computers.
 
D

David H 88

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 16, 2012
6
0
Want300 said:
Yea, I do not think an app will actually convert the video file for you. You can also try VLC player.

On your computer, you can download a free program called Handbrake... This will allow you to convert a lot of files into the .MP4 format for an iPad/iPhone/iTunes...
Click to expand...

Thankyou for your replies. My files are to large for vlc player, it gives me some error message about my iPad not being able to handle the files and sure enuf the playback is awful.

I have tried both handbrake and anyvideoconverter but my feeble notebook can't handle it and took nearly 20 hours for 1 episode of Spartacus.

I was really hoping for a kind of handbrake for iPad sort of app as I think the iPad could convert a lot quicker than my notebook.

I will upgrade to a MacBook pro one day but just can't afford to yet. But now my beautiful iPad is going to waste lol.
 
Interstella5555

Interstella5555

macrumors 603
Jun 30, 2008
5,219
13
David H 88 said:
Thankyou for your replies. My files are to large for vlc player, it gives me some error message about my iPad not being able to handle the files and sure enuf the playback is awful.

I have tried both handbrake and anyvideoconverter but my feeble notebook can't handle it and took nearly 20 hours for 1 episode of Spartacus.

I was really hoping for a kind of handbrake for iPad sort of app as I think the iPad could convert a lot quicker than my notebook.

I will upgrade to a MacBook pro one day but just can't afford to yet. But now my beautiful iPad is going to waste lol.
Click to expand...

Spartacus: Blood and Sand is available for purchase on iTunes. If your concern is ripping movies you certainly don't need a MBP which can't do anything with Blu-Ray anyway. Additionally if you're just using your iPad to watch movies I don't really think it's being pushed too hard.

How are you ripping this as well? If you're going for a direct MKV BR rip of course the files are going to be huge and likely unplayable on the iPad. Try and avi or something smaller.
 
Want300

Want300

macrumors 65816
Oct 12, 2011
1,194
2
St. Louis, MO
David H 88 said:
Thankyou for your replies. My files are to large for vlc player, it gives me some error message about my iPad not being able to handle the files and sure enuf the playback is awful.

I have tried both handbrake and anyvideoconverter but my feeble notebook can't handle it and took nearly 20 hours for 1 episode of Spartacus.

I was really hoping for a kind of handbrake for iPad sort of app as I think the iPad could convert a lot quicker than my notebook.

I will upgrade to a MacBook pro one day but just can't afford to yet. But now my beautiful iPad is going to waste lol.
Click to expand...

Also, how big are the files??
 
D

David H 88

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 16, 2012
6
0
T

takeshi74

macrumors 601
Feb 9, 2011
4,974
68
David H 88 said:
I understand you can do this on computer but I only have a notebook that can't cope with converting and I am assuming the iPad 3 is far more advanced.
Click to expand...
It may be but it still doesn't really have the horsepower needed for video conversion. MBP is the way to go.
 
G

Garyken

macrumors newbie
Jan 27, 2013
1
0
Yes, VLC and Goodplayer app for iPad is great, you needn't convert anything, just drag the video into your iPad. But as I know some video formats just like Real media foramt and some high definition videos can not replay fluently. Maybe sometimes you still need to prepare a ipad video converter in case you can not go with stumble. I used this Mac iPad Converter, nice tool, but not free. You can try it if you think it's interesting.
 
M

Menneisyys2

macrumors 603
Jun 7, 2011
5,997
1,101
Garyken said:
Yes, VLC and Goodplayer app for iPad is great, you needn't convert anything, just drag the video into your iPad. But as I know some video formats just like Real media foramt and some high definition videos can not replay fluently. Maybe sometimes you still need to prepare a ipad video converter in case you can not go with stumble. I used this Mac iPad Converter, nice tool, but not free. You can try it if you think it's interesting.
Click to expand...

I've benchmarked the app you linked to. Another slow, expensive (even the non-3D-capable Standard version costs a whopping $35) and, therefore, non-recommended converter: more than two times slower than Handbrake. (It took 15:26 to convert the first five minutes of the test video.) Stay away!
 
P

Priyan256

macrumors newbie
Feb 25, 2013
1
0
Forget about using Handbrake because it re-encodes the video, which takes a very long time. The same 2 hour movie would have taken 9-10 hours to complete (no, thank you).
 
M

Menneisyys2

macrumors 603
Jun 7, 2011
5,997
1,101
Priyan256 said:
Forget about using Handbrake because it re-encodes the video, which takes a very long time. The same 2 hour movie would have taken 9-10 hours to complete (no, thank you).
Click to expand...

1, Still, HandBrake is THE fastest encoder unless you have external (USB) hardware-assisted encoders. Believe me, I'm a video pro and have tested every single encoder.

2, remuxing is indeed much faster than reencoding - see my dedicated tutorials particularly in the Apple TV forum here at MR.
 
C

Chrisern

macrumors newbie
Mar 6, 2013
1
0
I can't agree with you. If the video files you guys are converting are .mkv, don't use Handbrake. It takes way too much time. Use something like MKVTools. It takes much, much less time since it's not actually converting any video, just putting it in an mp4 container.
 
M

Menneisyys2

macrumors 603
Jun 7, 2011
5,997
1,101
Chrisern said:
I can't agree with you. If the video files you guys are converting are .mkv, don't use Handbrake. It takes way too much time. Use something like MKVTools. It takes much, much less time since it's not actually converting any video, just putting it in an mp4 container.
Click to expand...

Yup, this is why I also always recommend MP4Tools / Subler in my full articles. Here, I've only explained why Handbrake should be preferred to other full reencoders, particularly those of noname Chinese resellers of the same overpriced app.
 
B

benlinus121

macrumors newbie
Feb 20, 2013
23
0
Videora iPad Converter is a free iPad video converter that converts video files, YouTube videos, movies and DVD's so you can play them on your iPad. The software, developed by the creators of Videora, can convert all types of video files (avi, divx, xvid, flv, x264, vob, mpeg, DVD's, YouTube, etc.) into the proper video formats (MPEG-4, H.264) that play on the iPad.

With Videora iPad Converter you can convert videos for any type of iPad that plays video. You can also convert videos for the iPod and iPhone. It is available for Windows and Mac.
 
nick_elt

nick_elt

macrumors 68000
Oct 28, 2011
1,578
0
David H 88 said:
Hello, this is my first post but I have taken a wealth of information from this forum in the past.

I would like to know if there is an app for the iPad (from the app store or cydia) that you can give it an avi or mkv and it will convert it and spit out a good mp4 that i can then move and use in the native video app.

I understand you can do this on computer but I only have a notebook that can't cope with converting and I am assuming the iPad 3 is far more advanced.
And I also understand that I use VLC but all my files are blue ray quality and vlc/the iPad can't handle them as they are which is why I need to convert them

I really want to make use of this amazing display especially for watching Spartacus which I already own on blu ray and even tried to buy it again only to find out that it's not even in the iTunes store.

Its proberly a long shot as the clever people who make apps will never of had this problem to need to fix it but if any one can help I would be very grateful.

Thanks

David
Click to expand...

In terms of raw power the ipad 3 is nothing compared to a notebook. any conversion will have to be done on a computer. BUT other apps will play videos of other formats, but in their own player, but that doesnt matter much. I have found my ipad 3 to struggle with .mkvs tho (lag).
 
M

Menneisyys2

macrumors 603
Jun 7, 2011
5,997
1,101
nick_elt said:
I have found my ipad 3 to struggle with .mkvs tho (lag).
Click to expand...


It always will if it tries to decode 720p+ H.264 in software. Either remux to iOS-native files or, better, use a player with dynamic remuxing support (HD Player Pro, AVPlayerHD, It's Playing etc. - see my dedicated articles here at MR.)
 
P

pure3d2

macrumors 6502
Mar 7, 2012
418
1
If your iPad is jailbroken, just use XBMC. If you don't know how to install it, follow this guide.

XBMC will play any format you throw at it, so there's no need to convert whatever you have into compliant mp4 files.

After installing XBMC, you should reboot (not respring) your iPad. I've been using it to stream 1080p mkv files from a windows PC without any issues.

If you need to copy mkv files onto the iPad, use iFunBox (Windows) or iPhone Explorer (Mac). With XBMC, you can tell it to look for movies/tv shows in certain locations.

All of the other player apps on the AppStore like GoodPlayer, AVPlayer, Plex, etc all suck because they do not use GPU acceleration and will drain your battery a lot quicker.
 
M

Menneisyys2

macrumors 603
Jun 7, 2011
5,997
1,101
pure3d2 said:
All of the other player apps on the AppStore like GoodPlayer, AVPlayer, Plex, etc all suck because they do not use GPU acceleration and will drain your battery a lot quicker.
Click to expand...

That's not necessarily true any more - on the contrary, well-written AppStore apps do consume less battery than XBMC. See my very thorough tests at https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=16895012 showing this clearly.

Generally, one should read what I state about XBMC at, say, https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1560644/ .

----------
Dan Jones said:
Completely agree with malias. There is no app over the store that converts video over your iPad. You should go for AVPlayerHD.
You do not need to convert the videos if you can watch them in any format.
Click to expand...

Just a quick note: the latest version had to drop DTS support.
 
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