Convert HD h264+5.1 --> ipod format?

[diamond3]

I need help converting an HD video file to be able to play on my ipod:

H264 1280 x 540, AAC 5.1 Audio in an mp4 package. I've tried handbrake and I get a great video file, but no audio. I can play it in iTunes but when I the built in converter for the ipod, all I get is a white screen for the length of the video with good sound. I think the problem is the 5.1 audio but I'm not sure. Any suggestions?

I want to keep an HD file for watching on the tv in the future and a sd file for playing on my ipod touch while away.

 

[FSMBP]

I would try Toast. I remember it having a nice converter to over 16 great presets (iPods, iPod touches etc...).

 

[diamond3]

I'm trying it right now, but at its current rate it might finish in the morning. I'm not sure why it is taking long. I'm open to any other suggestions as well. I wish there was a way to get handbrake to recognize that it is a 5.1 signal and convert it to stereo.

 

[diamond3]

Well, as of 4 am this morning it finally finished. It took forever, but it did work. I have sound and everything. My only disappointment is the size of the file. The original movie size was around 1.4gb for hd quality. This one is 1.03gb for the ipod format. I wish someone knew how to get this to work using handbrake, it would make life easier and faster.

I know its not my computer - Mac Pro 2.8 8-core, 6gb ram. Toast was version 8, but still around 18 hours to convert a movie. I'm still open to ideas.

Also, somewhat of a side question. How do you determine what quality to convert a video file if say it is already hd or sd but you want it in an ipod format? For example: say I have an AVI file or something that is 400mb, but when I go to convert it into H264 for on my ipod i don't want a 700+ mb file size. Any secrets for going about this? Basically I don't want to waste space on going with a higher quality encoding when the original source isn't good enough to justify it.