Friend wanted to show off kids on youtube video, but kept running into low signal, using lots of bandwidth, etc. Then realized maybe not everyone makes the mental connection between all the various tools available out there.
1. Plugin for Firefox that allows downloading video files out of YouTube and other sites, if that is the source.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/video-downloadhelper/
2. CCCP codec pack is my standard go to to add full compatibility to Windows, flv flash files, x264, etc! Usually un-check their built in media player during install, and uncheck system tray icons.
http://www.cccp-project.net/download.php?type=cccp
2b If you do have media player issues with Windows Media Player, VLC is a good alternative.
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html
3. Handbrake is an easy to use video transcoder. Can take video files of any format that windows has a codec for (see item 2.) and encode it to x264. Built-in profiles gear it toward Apple products, but it's standard x264. Using those presets *should* guarantee hardware acceleration is used for playback on iOS and Android devices optimizing smoothness, scaling, and battery life.
http://handbrake.fr/downloads.php
4. Dropbox
http://db.tt/AHb4b18 <- shameless referral link
Drop video files in your Dropbox sync folder. When you open on iphone/ipad tick the star icon to favorite it, do this on WiFi, and it will cache it permanently for offline access. Thus not using mobile data plan.
And boom, you don't even have to touch iTunes =) Meaning you don't have to be at home. Could be at work, friend, family's house, etc.
1. Plugin for Firefox that allows downloading video files out of YouTube and other sites, if that is the source.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/video-downloadhelper/
2. CCCP codec pack is my standard go to to add full compatibility to Windows, flv flash files, x264, etc! Usually un-check their built in media player during install, and uncheck system tray icons.
http://www.cccp-project.net/download.php?type=cccp
2b If you do have media player issues with Windows Media Player, VLC is a good alternative.
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html
3. Handbrake is an easy to use video transcoder. Can take video files of any format that windows has a codec for (see item 2.) and encode it to x264. Built-in profiles gear it toward Apple products, but it's standard x264. Using those presets *should* guarantee hardware acceleration is used for playback on iOS and Android devices optimizing smoothness, scaling, and battery life.
http://handbrake.fr/downloads.php
4. Dropbox
http://db.tt/AHb4b18 <- shameless referral link
Drop video files in your Dropbox sync folder. When you open on iphone/ipad tick the star icon to favorite it, do this on WiFi, and it will cache it permanently for offline access. Thus not using mobile data plan.
And boom, you don't even have to touch iTunes =) Meaning you don't have to be at home. Could be at work, friend, family's house, etc.