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Air Video issue on new ipad

C

Chaucer498

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 21, 2011
15
0
Good Morning MR,

I was wondering if anyone has been experiencing the same problem as me with the new Ipad and Air Video. On my original Ipad I would launch Air Video and then use the "play with live conversion" to stream all of my movies off of my server. This worked great from day one and produced very acceptable results for me. I noticed with the new Ipad that the results are unwatchable when using the "play with live conversion" feature of Air Video now. The video is blocky and pixelated. This was not the case with the original Ipad. I have even boosted all the settings and still it will not produce acceptable results.

Would the issue have anything to do with air video not being able to produce a live conversion for the new retina screen? If I play a properly formatted movie via Air Video it looks perfect. This only happens when trying to use the live conversion feature on movies that are no formatted for Ipad.

I have been doing searches for this but can't find anything relevant or new. Maybe the devs need to release a new version? Anyone else having this issue?

TIA

Edit: For the time being I have been using VLC streamer but I'm not sure I like it as much as Air Video.
 
I must admit, I don't use live conversion - I convert everything to m4v with it.

My only issue with it, is that it only works in landscape orientation.
 
Not experiencing this myself. I use plex all the time to stream at home and airvideo over 3g or remote wifi because it 'just works'.
 
That's what I loved about Air Video. I remember the first time I installed it on my Ipad I thought to myself, "this will never work", but it did just work. It really surprised me. I have used it daily ever since.

I always use the live conversion just because my movies have become a mix of formats over the years and now I just don't feel like converting them all.

I was just wondering if this is something that others have been experiencing as well and maybe know a work around or fix.
 
I would just switch over to VLC stream and call it a day but VLC uses a working directory where it does the conversion and keeps it in the working directory. That would just take up more space on a drive for a movie I already have and have been able to just stream with air video.

Anyone else know of any Air Video type live conversion streaming apps that work for the new ipad? Air Video also worked really good when remote connecting in to watch a movie thought I don't really use that feature so I wont miss it.

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makebeatz said:
Plex :cool:
Click to expand...

I used to use Plex as media server platform a while back but it never stuck for me. I'll take a look at it tonight.
 
Sure you got it all set right?

Did you max out all choices, exit, close AV program out, reboot iPad 3, etc?

Just wanted to make sure it's reset. Not looked at LC on mine just yet.
 
To actually answer your question, rather than just suggest other products as workarounds, I do use AirVideo with my 3rd Gen iPad and haven't had any problems like you're talking about. It sounds like there might be an issue with bandwidth or at least how the app is detecting your bandwidth. I'm not sure what to tell you, but I definitely don't have that issue.
 
Bheleu said:
Did you max out all choices, exit, close AV program out, reboot iPad 3, etc?

Just wanted to make sure it's reset. Not looked at LC on mine just yet.
Click to expand...

Yes, I did this to make sure settings were saving, but I will do it again tonight just to double check myself.

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dtlee1974 said:
To actually answer your question, rather than just suggest other products as workarounds, I do use AirVideo with my 3rd Gen iPad and haven't had any problems like you're talking about. It sounds like there might be an issue with bandwidth or at least how the app is detecting your bandwidth. I'm not sure what to tell you, but I definitely don't have that issue.
Click to expand...

Okay, this is what I wanted to know. So you do use live conversion when playing videos and have no issues at all?

I can play properly formatted videos perfectly fine I just can't use the live conversion anymore with acceptable results.
 
Check to see if your air video computer server is up to date. If so, there have been a lot of beta releases since the last update so check their website to download the new one. Might help.
 
Ok, it's screwed!

The issue is its not using any of the higher bit rate values, it's using the lowest setting even on full 4G bars. Wonder if the programmer looks for 3G signal strength to pick them so it stays low and looks like crap. Needs an update for certain. Removed all the low ones and enabled them one by one until it would play, ie last low setting it would play.

P.S. I emailed Inmethod so they were alerted to the issue and linked this thread. Hopefully it will get fixed and we will learn what got messed up. Wonder if it's how 4G packets the data or something else?
 
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Isn't it a user changeable setting within the air video app? You can override the defaults.
 
I just tested it again. I'm using live convert, but I've only used it over wifi. It works perfectly. So it could be an issue related to 4g signal strength detection that will require an update..
 
Okay several different issues going on in here now it seems.

My issue is over Wifi currently. I haven't even tried to stream over the 4g yet so I can't comment on that. I am having issues using live conversion over wifi, which dtlee is saying works for him, so I have no clue as to why it's not working for me.

I had not checked for updates on the server in a while but I remote logged into my home server and Air Video is saying that I am up to date and on version 2.4.3. I hadn't even thought to check that so that was a good idea but it doesn't seem to be the problem.

I thought maybe the app was still converting the movies in the older resolutions and maybe that's why it looked like crap on the new ipad. The movie actually streams with no lag at all it just looks blocky and pixelated.
 
Go to global settings in the Air Video iPad app. You'll see max values for converting videos. I think 800 wide and 720 tall are the defaults. You can play with those to see if the quality improves.

How did you rip all those movies? Could you have ripped at a low quality, for example an old iPod or iPhone settings 320x240 or 640x480? The files may have looked ok on the old iPad but now look worse on retina.

I haven't seen any difference in quality on air video between iPad 2 and 3, and I left the defaults as is. I usually rip all my dvd's at normal setting on Handbrake. Even played a mkv and it looked awesome.
 
dacreativeguy said:
Go to global settings in the Air Video iPad app. You'll see max values for converting videos. I think 800 wide and 720 tall are the defaults. You can play with those to see if the quality improves.

How did you rip all those movies? Could you have ripped at a low quality, for example an old iPod or iPhone settings 320x240 or 640x480? The files may have looked ok on the old iPad but now look worse on retina.

I haven't seen any difference in quality on air video between iPad 2 and 3, and I left the defaults as is. I usually rip all my dvd's at normal setting on Handbrake. Even played a mkv and it looked awesome.
Click to expand...

I cranked all the global settings last night though I normally just leave them at defaults. Cranking them made no difference in quality.

I ripped the DVDs using handbrake and used a high quality setting. It can't be the rips or I would be experiencing the same issue when playing the ipad friendly rips (without live conversion). I would also experience a problem when using VLC streamer and I haven't experienced any issues with that.

I think I am going to try uninstalling and reinstalling the app tonight (though I don't think it will help) and then play around with it some more. It was midnight when I had discovered this issue so I wasn't running on all gears.
 
AirVideo has not been updated for the Retina display on the iPad 3. Also, you need to make sure you have high quality source materials, otherwise, it will look blocky regardless.
 
Let it play a few minutes...

It clears up after a minute or two, must be adjusting the bandwidth over time. Also maybe connection on upload that causes some issues. Home now so I will check over wifi. Wifi is flawless, so out on the road must have been upload being limited?
 
Last edited:
Okay, I just got home and tried my movies again and they look fine now. Maybe it was network congestion or my router acting up but it seems to be working now. Thanks for all your help.
 
Set your bit rate higher.

you say you just got home, so you was trying it when you was out? via remote wifi? if so you will need to set a higher resolution and bit rate for remote wifi.

I like Air Video, but recently discovered air playit hd and find it to be slightly better, try that?
 
Chaucer498 said:
Yes, I did this to make sure settings were saving, but I will do it again tonight just to double check myself.

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Okay, this is what I wanted to know. So you do use live conversion when playing videos and have no issues at all?

I can play properly formatted videos perfectly fine I just can't use the live conversion anymore with acceptable results.
Click to expand...

Got my iPad 3 on launch day. Bought Air Video last night, and at the moment I'm streaming 'The Quiet Earth' over 4g (or whatever Rogers has for service). I'm using live conversion (I think you have to for the remote access). No pixelation, no choppiness. Yep, no issues.

I'm only getting 4-6 mbps download, but my serve at home is capable of pushing about 20 mbps upload.

Tom

[forgot to add that right now, my 'server' is a 2011 MBA with the 1.8 i7 processor)
 
Last edited:
with Air Video, is there a quality difference between the pre converted and live conversion? assuming the computer can handle liver conversion well.
 
sartios said:
Set your bit rate higher.

you say you just got home, so you was trying it when you was out? via remote wifi? if so you will need to set a higher resolution and bit rate for remote wifi.

I like Air Video, but recently discovered air playit hd and find it to be slightly better, try that?
Click to expand...

No, I was trying it at home via Wifi the night before.

I checked Air Video last night when I got home from work and the video looked fine so the only thing I could think of is that maybe my router was flaking out or there was some sort of network congestion causing the blocky video. It looked perfect yesterday.

If I have any issue with AV I will look into the app you suggested. Thanks

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Natesac said:
with Air Video, is there a quality difference between the pre converted and live conversion? assuming the computer can handle liver conversion well.
Click to expand...

I have never seen a difference in the two on my ipad. The Live Conversion works surprisingly well. My media server is a Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server on it and that little beast handles any and everything I throw it's way. It is basically my main file server at home with 2 External drives attached where I store my movies and backups. It handles the conversion without skipping a beat.
 
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