Iphone won't play video files (mp4)

[Khurram]

I just got the entire first season of "mad men" . I converted it to mp4 and added it to itunes.
I can play the files in itunes but when I try to transfer them to my iphone it says movies cannot be transferred because iphone does not support that video format..

What's wrong with mpeg-4?? Any idea why this is not working? Codec is H.264

[Getinkedtattoos]

I have the EXACT same problem, I literally just download over 250 movies in just the last week (I've had A LOT of time on my hands) anyway when I check them they are ALL MP4's and at least some of the do say H264 video codec or whatever, and NO GO!! Hell, I even tried using itunes built in iPhone converter and while for some reason most of them it wouldn't allow me to convert(????) The ones that it did (3 of them) STILL said they were the wrong format and would not sync to my iPhone?? This makes NO sense to me what so ever?? I Can not believe the amount of problems that not only I keep having but I KEEP reading about online on alot of these forums!! WTF, is apple beginning to slip?? I am a recent apple maniac, I have fallen in love with damn near every apple product I have ever used and I must say that recently I am getting more and more headaches due to their software...MAINLY iTUNES, is iTunes to Apple what Vista is to Microsoft ... Their Problem Child so to speak?? Anyone have any ideas what is going on here?

[sidewinder]

The files need to have the ".m4v" extension. How are you converting the movies?

S-

[DPA]

The videos need to be made into an iPod/iPhone Version. You can follow these directions to do so:

1) Import the video you want into iTunes by clicking File>Add to Library
2) Select the Video you just Imported in the Movies tab. (If you already have the video in iTunes then you can skip step 1)
3) Click Advanced>Create iPod/iPhone Version. (As seen in screenshot)




David

[ppc750fx]

Also, there's a cap on the bitrate and resolution -- check to make sure that the videos are within the supported ranges published by Apple.

[DPA]

Originally Posted by ppc750fx

Also, there's a cap on the bitrate and resolution -- check to make sure that the videos are within the supported ranges published by Apple.

Creating an iPod/iPhone Version takes care of that.

David

[Getinkedtattoos]

Originally Posted by sidewinder

The files need to have the ".m4v" extension. How are you converting the movies?

S-

I don't believe that they have to be .m4v, where they will play .m4v they also play mp4's as I have many that do work, well actually only like 30 out of the hundreds that I have imported into iTunes.

FCP.GURU.GUY, I have tried that and MANY times all I get is the option to convert will be grayed out and un-clickable (Which I can't understand) and also the few mp4's that it actually let me click the "Convert to iPhone" option after 6 hours FINALLY it finished converting... only to find out that it did not work, I tried to sync the movie again after conversion had finished and got the "By now VERY familiar UNABLE TO PLAY FORMAT UNSUPPORTED or something to that effect. This is becoming VERY frustrating. I have been searching google for hours now and all I KEEP finding is MORE and MORE people with the same problems. I am beginning to think that this may be some kind of bug on Apples part, maybe with iTunes or something. I am beginning to lose my faith here, well in iTunes anyway. I REALLY hope that someone knows what is going on here!!!!

[DPA]

Originally Posted by Getinkedtattoos

I don't believe that they have to be .m4v, where they will play .m4v they also play mp4's as I have many that do work, well actually only like 30 out of the hundreds that I have imported into iTunes.

FCP.GURU.GUY, I have tried that and MANY times all I get is the option to convert will be grayed out and un-clickable (Which I can't understand) and also the few mp4's that it actually let me click the "Convert to iPhone" option after 6 hours FINALLY it finished converting... only to find out that it did not work, I tried to sync the movie again after conversion had finished and got the "By now VERY familiar UNABLE TO PLAY FORMAT UNSUPPORTED or something to that effect. This is becoming VERY frustrating. I have been searching google for hours now and all I KEEP finding is MORE and MORE people with the same problems. I am beginning to think that this may be some kind of bug on Apples part, maybe with iTunes or something. I am beginning to lose my faith here, well in iTunes anyway. I REALLY hope that someone knows what is going on here!!!!

This may be a bug in iTunes. However, have you tried converting the file with QuickTime or something else like MPEG Streamclip to a QT Movie file (.mov)? Then imporing it into iTunes and try converting with the new file.

David

[MiKeiPhone]

I read this by chance and i solved the same problem! thanks!

[fandi]

I was having the same problem trying to get the movie from Itunes to my Iphone and then read how to create the movie to an Iphone version which Itunes did do.
I then sync'd the movies to my Iphone but the Video portion of the movie doesn't work but the Audio does.

[tigertazz]

Originally Posted by fandi

I was having the same problem trying to get the movie from Itunes to my Iphone and then read how to create the movie to an Iphone version which Itunes did do.
I then sync'd the movies to my Iphone but the Video portion of the movie doesn't work but the Audio does.

Big ditto

I get a green screen with lovely audio but no vid, the film works on iTunes but not on the phone.

[jeffreybue]

Originally Posted by DPA

The videos need to be made into an iPod/iPhone Version. You can follow these directions to do so:

1) Import the video you want into iTunes by clicking File>Add to Library
2) Select the Video you just Imported in the Movies tab. (If you already have the video in iTunes then you can skip step 1)
3) Click Advanced>Create iPod/iPhone Version. (As seen in screenshot)




David

Thanks a ton dude! That did the trick for me.

[12hon15]

Originally Posted by tigertazz

Big ditto

I get a green screen with lovely audio but no vid, the film works on iTunes but not on the phone.

Same here. I get a green screen, sometimes a black screen. Audio is fine, but the video doesn't come out. I have the same video files on my itouch with the same version as my iphone and the movies play fine.

I watched youtube on my iphone and its fine. Why can't i play videos?! Please help!

[offthe planet]

Hi

Well I have been having fun - Im having to re-format all my films for the iphone 4!!!

I had a heap of mp4's which quite nicely transferred to the 3GS via itunes and played very well thak you and I find NONE of those films will now transfer to the iphone 4!!

WHY is that? Surely the two iphone's have the same requirement for formats?

Am i doing something wrong - though being pretty tech savvy I can't see what?

[noonie]

Just purchased 2010 Apple TV and have joined a growing number of buyers who are experiencing problems in being able to view mp4 movies. I can view movies via itunes in QT and view m4v files on ATV but when I stream or sync mp4 files to ATV, the screen is green and pixalated although audio is good.
The movies work on the older version of ATV! Any suggestions?

[noonie]

Originally Posted by 12hon15

Same here. I get a green screen, sometimes a black screen. Audio is fine, but the video doesn't come out. I have the same video files on my itouch with the same version as my iphone and the movies play fine.

I watched youtube on my iphone and its fine. Why can't i play videos?! Please help!

Did you ever resolve this because I am now experiencing the exact same problem!

[ddd910]

Couldn't upload my mp4 file to my iphone4 so I convert it to iphone version in
iTunes. Im getting a white screen instead of green like most of you have, and again audio is fine.

[pj201967]

I am having same issue as many others i have movies on my mac that i put into itunes.They play in itunes but when i go to sync them to iphone it says not transferred because iphone cannot play video. So i did what others suggested and used advanced tab under movies and converted them to iphone format.It did the conversion but when i went to sync them i still received the same message of will not transfer because i phone won't play video. the original movie is mp4 which the iphone should play anyway.It did transfer the file to the iphone but i get sound but no video just white screen.Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[stab.3216]

Originally Posted by pj201967

I am having same issue as many others i have movies on my mac that i put into itunes.They play in itunes but when i go to sync them to iphone it says not transferred because iphone cannot play video. So i did what others suggested and used advanced tab under movies and converted them to iphone format.It did the conversion but when i went to sync them i still received the same message of will not transfer because i phone won't play video. the original movie is mp4 which the iphone should play anyway.It did transfer the file to the iphone but i get sound but no video just white screen.Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Its shame that its been about 9 months since this problem was detected and yet apple has not come up with some solution. i have an iphone 3g with IOS 4.1. none of the media players work on IOS 4 update except for avplayer and even that seems to play only audio with white screen

[ijoat38]

Hey everyone, being a long time iPod Touch2 user I found that using the (FREE) app Handbrake can easily convert any movie file to suit your needs. Ironically all of my previous converted movie files worked with my new iPhone4 with no reconversion necessary, albeit with smaller display parameters. You can download the newer Handbrake playlist settings which include the iPhone4 and iPad as well. As a final thought, Handbrake allows full control of your movie file editing, I've used trial and error to come up with the best settings for me, but all options are not compatible with iPod or iPhone-esqe devices.

[jmhobson86]

Im looking to download movies for my mac then to put on my iphone. Which is a good safe place to download from?

[Agrice]

Is there a way to view and/or download mp4 videos sent via email on my iPhone 5? Please explain in simple terms as I am not very smart when it comes to technology