How to make my iPad better for videos?

[scouzer]

Maybe I'm expecting too much from a tablet but here goes: I have an iPad 2. I like it, but I am utterly frustrated by getting non-iTunes movies onto the device, and the associated poor playback.

The third party video apps are largely bad. WiFi transfers are dreadfully slow, 500KB/s is typical--my WiFi can manage about 2500KB/s on my PC. I paid $4 for It's Playing and the app doesn't work with my WiFi share and the developer offers no support to help. The playback itself is choppy as hell at random points through a video. I don't get it. I have tried other free apps and they seem to all suffer from stuttering issues. These are movies less than 2GB in size, I wouldn't think they are of a bit rate too high for an iPad to handle.

Furthermore with virtually all apps having lost their AC3 audio playback, many videos just won't have working audio.

Is there anything I can do? Are there better apps available on the Cydia store for jailbroken iPads? Am I better off with an Android tablet with this sort of usage? I remember with my old Android phone I could just plug the phone in and drop a movie right on and play it without hassle. I didn't have to do that weird sideload the movie into the app directly through iTunes (which is super slow).

Anyway, I know this is a negative post but I'm a happy iPhone user and I want to like my iPad, but I'm very frustrated. Ideas? Is an Apple tablet just not for a guy who wants to watch a ton of movies and TV shows?

 

[ZBoater]

With content, Apple has made it their way or the highway. Android has much more support for different video/audio formats. Take a look at the Archos devices. Great for real "multi" media playback.

If you want to play with Apple, I'd give up and embrace iTunes. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

 

[Aspasia]

Have you looked into Amazon or Amazon Prime? I have the latter and am pretty happy with it.

 

[scouzer]

Have you looked into Amazon or Amazon Prime? I have the latter and am pretty happy with it.

I am Canadian, so digital content outside of iTunes basically does not exist

 

[Menneisyys2]

Furthermore with virtually all apps having lost their AC3 audio playback, many videos just won't have working audio.

Remux them, by just converting the audio track. See my Subler / MP4Tools tutorials - I've posted several on AC3 -> AAC conversion and/or audio track addition.

Is there anything I can do? Are there better apps available on the Cydia store for jailbroken iPads?

AC-3 wise, yes: both RushPlayer+ and XBMC support AC-3 and have excellent hardware MKV playback. And both are free.

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The third party video apps are largely bad. WiFi transfers are dreadfully slow, 500KB/s is typical--my WiFi can manage about 2500KB/s on my PC.

Don't compare a dekstop computer to a mobile device - the latter will always be worse / slower. There's only one thing even worse than an iPad: Apple's own Apple TV. It's probably the worst current consumer Wi-Fi streaming product I've ever seen, Wi-Fi speed and reliability-wise.