iOS 10.2's New 'TV' App Doesn't Work With Some Videos Ripped From DVDs

[profets]

5 days, 4 cities, six flights back and forth across the country, with crappy hotel internet in between.

Lol well there's an interesting use case.

I get it though, I used to sync media the same way to kids iPads for travelling. But at one point I switched to Plex local syncing. I think I would even use it for 200GB if I needed that much. Heck, you get full control on what quality to sync it at. Way less hassle than iTunes and manual syncing.

 

[gnipgnop]

There's definitely a bug of some sort with the 'Recently Added' view in the TV app. Ripped videos that won't stream when you select them from that screen always work fine if I switch to the main library view.

 

[Smeaton1724]

Lol well there's an interesting use case.

I get it though, I used to sync media the same way to kids iPads for travelling. But at one point I switched to Plex local syncing. I think I would even use it for 200GB if I needed that much. Heck, you get full control on what quality to sync it at. Way less hassle than iTunes and manual syncing.

Plex has multiple advantages in the travellers use case, more so than those who lead sedentary lifestyles. Going away for more days than usual then have the plex server lower the quality and sync that, whilst retaining your 1080p/4K rips.

Management of multiple quality versions of the same Movie is also easier with Plex.

Nearly all decent hotels have wifi, (albeit it can be slow), so then those lower quality versions download faster. The fact you could have access to your media remotely (not purchased from iTunes) and also download it can't be overlooked.

I've used a Home Share for years, then moved to Plex. Home Sharing is stagnant, hasn't moved on and is anemic in features. I can store more on my iPad (flexibility of lower quality encodes) and have more flexibility (remote access).

Plex is the sort of app I would have liked Videos to morph in to, then Apple could have had a different app called Apple Video that was a Netflix clone.

 

[jlc1978]

Well sure. But then I have to ask, is there a need to carry 200GB of ripped DVDs around.

Depending on the size of the rip, for example Blu Ray easily hits several GBs (if by DVD the OP means "ripped from a shiny disk") that might only be 50 to 100 hours of video, if you are a frequent traveler that may only be a month or two of viewing, or less if you binge watch.

I for example regularly keep a 100 GBs of video on tap when I travel to ensure I have something of interest to watch.

 

[Someirishguy]

Use 'Air Video HD' it works great

 

[ChrisChaval]

What's even better is over here in europe (Belgium) we don't even get the TV App, much like the news app it just isn't anywhere to be found, so now I have no way to find videos......

I also refuse to put my phone in another country (settings), as this messes up my music far too much.

We didn't get the tv app (yet), even better, we kept the videos app, god bless !

You can get the news app in Europe too, well the widget al least. I forgot how I did it, maybe temporarily changing the region settings .. now i got the news app widget and the correct region

Here's hoping apple won't ever bring the tv app related services to Europe so we can keep the videos app instead

The tv app alone would have kept me from upgrading to iOS 10.2

 

[sandler77]

I have encoded almost 400 DVDs to digital files for my appleTV. No issues playing on the new TV app. I have all the newest software updates, and can view movies also through my iPhone 7 or iPad Air 2. All is good with my setup. I didn't do anything special, other than make sure that all of my settings were for the AppleTV upon ripping the films using Handbrake. They had a specific setting used for AppleTV and it worked perfect for me. Sounds like it may be an encoding issue and/or wrong file types?

In iOS 10.2, released on December 12, Apple introduced the new "TV" app, which serves as an Apple-designed TV guide that aims to simplify the television watching experience and help users discover new TV and movie content.

In the United States, the TV app replaces the standard "Videos" app and serves as a television hub on iOS devices, but it appears the new app doesn't work well with content that's been ripped from DVDs.

According to an ongoing discussion on Apple's Support Communities that dates back to December, some customers who have videos ripped from DVDs are no longer able to view them in the TV app. The same videos previously worked fine in the now-replaced Videos app. A user who is having issues describes the problem:Other iPhone users have been unable to sync home videos and other content to their devices with the current version of iTunes, receiving a message that movies or TV shows can't be synced because the Videos app is not installed.

Some users have been able to get around the problem with already-transferred videos by using the TV widget on their iOS devices, which apparently causes the TV app to display the ripped videos after the widget is activated. Others can get the ripped videos to play by setting the videos to be "Home Videos."

That the widget allows some users to access their videos suggests this is perhaps a bug that will be resolved in a future update, but it is not entirely clear what's going on with the TV app and content acquired outside of the iTunes Stores.

Affected users who want to get non-Apple video content onto their iOS devices will need to use a third-party solution like Infuse or VLC.

Article Link: iOS 10.2's New 'TV' App Doesn't Work With Some Videos Ripped From DVDs

 

[profets]

Plex has multiple advantages in the travellers use case, more so than those who lead sedentary lifestyles. Going away for more days than usual then have the plex server lower the quality and sync that, whilst retaining your 1080p/4K rips.

Management of multiple quality versions of the same Movie is also easier with Plex.

Nearly all decent hotels have wifi, (albeit it can be slow), so then those lower quality versions download faster. The fact you could have access to your media remotely (not purchased from iTunes) and also download it can't be overlooked.

I've used a Home Share for years, then moved to Plex. Home Sharing is stagnant, hasn't moved on and is anemic in features. I can store more on my iPad (flexibility of lower quality encodes) and have more flexibility (remote access).

Plex is the sort of app I would have liked Videos to morph in to, then Apple could have had a different app called Apple Video that was a Netflix clone.

Excellent summary. I was in the same boat, using Home Sharing for several years and then moved to Plex full time. There's so much good stuff in Plex and the apps are so well done.

Depending on the size of the rip, for example Blu Ray easily hits several GBs (if by DVD the OP means "ripped from a shiny disk") that might only be 50 to 100 hours of video, if you are a frequent traveler that may only be a month or two of viewing, or less if you binge watch.

I for example regularly keep a 100 GBs of video on tap when I travel to ensure I have something of interest to watch.

That's fair. I guess the article was just using DVDs as an example, as I'm sure the issue really is more about non-iTunes purchased content.

I used to do a lot of converting to optimize media I wanted to keep on my iPad for travelling. Was managing multiple folders with different levels of quality depending on how much I wanted to squeeze on the iPad (using iTunes to sync). But after trying Plex's local syncing recently, there's no chance I could go back. It makes iTunes feel damn archaic in that regard. When I'm going to be travelling, I browse my Plex library on the iPad and just tap a download icon for the content I want synced. And the full control over quality of the synced media is a great option to have too.

 

[rodriguise]

Because moving 200+ GB of files wirelessly takes forever.
[doublepost=1484704175][/doublepost]The TV app is a complete disaster - massive number of bugs.

There's no third party option that plays DRM'd content, so we're stuck.

Just remove the DRM.

 

[aaronhead14]

Apple removing features yet again. What a surprise...

 

[gnipgnop]

Sounds like it may be an encoding issue and/or wrong file types?

If the files stream properly through 3rd party apps and it's also a file type that Apple specifically lists as supported for it's own software, then it's likely some sort of bug within the 1st party software. There's a similar issue that has existed with the 4th gen Apple TV for quite some time, specifically with MP4 files and the 1st party 'Computers' app. Some MP4 files that worked fine for streaming on the 2nd gen Apple TV are no longer operative on the 4th gen Apple TV unless you use a 3rd party app. And MP4 is not some kind of exotic or unusual format for video rips either. Apple lists it as being supported within the specs for the 4th gen Apple TV. Why would an MP4 file that doesn't work with the 'Computers' app work fine with virtually any other 3rd party solution? It's kind of weird.

 

[Dan DeWilde]

Who is using Apple TV any more? I bought mine when it came out and used it like twice.

We have 4 appleTVs in the house and they get used more than regular TV. Regular TV is for news or an occasional sporting event. All other entertainment is streamed over our collection, Hulu or netflix.

 

[bluespark]

The TV app never made sense. Movies are not "TV" no matter where they were purchased from. Nobody calls them that. And downloaded shows aren't really "TV," either, since the whole point was to watch them on the device of our choice.

Beyond that, this is ridiculous, and it's a reason for people to wonder whether they should continue to trust the Apple ecosystem. If my non-Apple purchased content can't peacefully coexist with my Apple-purchased content, the only answer seems to be to stop buying from Apple.

As an aside, I just ordered my first Apple Watch and was thinking about upgrading my Mac with a new MBP. But this news makes me question whether Apple is a company I want to continue to do business with.

 

[ArcaneDevice]

Beyond that, this is ridiculous, and it's a reason for people to wonder whether they should continue to trust the Apple ecosystem.

I've been an Apple user for thirty years and will not lock myself into the Apple prison garden. That's why I use an Android phone. When I'm away from my main hardware I know with an Android phone I can handle almost any files that I need to and do with them what I want to.

I can organize documents on my phone where I like (and hide them in invisible secure folders), I can download files from the internet using a typical URL even if they are compressed and forward them to anyone, open files natively that fail on iOS, watch almost any video file I see (and again, store them wherever I like), connect to any system that uses DLNA, use any cheap USB cable in an emergency, use Qi charging at airports ...

The only issue is SMS which requires juggling two accounts. But it's not exactly a technical challenge.

 

[CTHarrryH]

I has to "convert" my already converted DVD's in Itunes and then I was able to watch in TV. I think the whole concept of changing video to tv was stupid and another example of Apple not understanding or caring how their products were used. But we are finding more and more Apple only caring what they want and not what their customers want or actually do

 

[JamiLynee]

I've decided I cannot STAND that new TV app on my iPhone. It keeps pulling the stuff from my iCloud (that I don't want to watch) and not showing the things I have ripped from my DVDs at home (that I do want to watch).

Does anyone have a recommendation for a different movie/tv player that will work with what's on my phone (synced) and function more the way the "movies" app used to work?

 

[jlaylor]

Apple's goal has changed. They began as a consumer oriented company and have evolved into a profit first/consumer second company. The reason I can't search for my ripped movies and tv shows (but I can still search for my ripped music) is that apple wants to sell me those movies and tv shows through the iTunes store. I've moved from the 4th gen apple tv back to my 3rd gen because it's easier for me to see my recently added programs appropriately grouped. I think it's time that i bit the bullet and moved to plex. I miss Steve Jobs.

 

[iamdmann]

Ripping DVDs, importing to iTunes, syncing manually to an iOS device. Why not just use Plex already (or another media manager like VLC that allows you to make a local copy wirelessly)?

Exactly...I cannot recommend airvideohd highly enough (I've been using it since it was just air video) - Apple TV app as well - will stream, convert, and allows downloading to the device over wifi or mobile data. I very rarely post but that's one of the apps that I always tell people to get when they ask what apps they 'need' to have.

 

[melendezest]

It is a shame that we never got the simplicity we had ripping music CDs into iTunes applied to ripping movies.

It has, and always will be, a pain in the ass.

I have a bazillion DVDs and Blu-Rays that I'd love to digitize but I just don't feel like spending the time dealing with the workarounds, especially now with the ubiquity of streaming services.

It's just simpler and waaaaaay faster to pop a disc in my PS3/PS4/XB1 and push "play". No BS, no connectivity problems, lag, network dropouts, searching, no extra HW, and always better picture and sound quality.

 

[fhall1]

Who is using Apple TV any more? I bought mine when it came out and used it like twice.

I'll buy it from you if the price is right!

 

[msephton]

Here's the link to the Apple Videos app on the UK App Store.

Videos by Apple
https://appsto.re/gb/-Vzdcb.i

Long URL
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/videos/id1108188158?mt=8

I had to downloaded this to watch reference videos I loaded onto my iPhone via iTunes years ago.

In the UK we don't yet have TV app, but Videos was removed from iOS regardless.

Downloading the above app from the store simply reactivated it on my phone and my old videos were still there waiting for me. No new sync required.

If the Videos app is really not available in the USA you could create yourself a free UK store account to get it.

 

[nutmac]

I've been in contact with Apple support and developer about this issue.

It is in all likelihood caused by earlier beta seed, which corrupted TV/Videos app settings/file system. Those upgrading from non-beta should not see the issue.

If you are affected by the issue, going to Settings | General | Erase All Contents and Settings and painstakingly reinstalling and setting up the phone or iPad should resolve the issue.

I've since stop installing the beta, but I am told by Apple that the issue is resolved in iOS 10.2.1 beta 4.

 

[TylerAllen86]

Apples doesn't even support x265 HEVC! No thanks I'll pass. Infuse for mobile, and VLC for Apple TV. When Apple stops dragging its feet and lagging so far behind in quality in the multimedia department, then maybe I'll use their apps again on iOS, Mac OS, & TV OS!

 

[BlandUsername]

Ripping DVDs, importing to iTunes, syncing manually to an iOS device. Why not just use Plex already (or another media manager like VLC that allows you to make a local copy wirelessly)?

To me the downfall of plex is the overall takeover it does on my machine, I don't want an interface that's intrusive. Just because a device is serving data to the home network does it mean I want that device to do only that. Nor do I really want an additional app on my devices, when for some god forsaken reason no one will make it all work inside one view. VLC maps like crap on my appletv's, pretty useless on my setup, Beamer makes me get up way to much. If I am going to marathon, i really don't want to have to start each video drag and drop. I find I miss being able to plug codec's in and using one media player like the old Windows setups did. Divx did have it down to a science there.

 

[profets]

To me the downfall of plex is the overall takeover it does on my machine, I don't want an interface that's intrusive. Just because a device is serving data to the home network does it mean I want that device to do only that. Nor do I really want an additional app on my devices, when for some god forsaken reason no one will make it all work inside one view. VLC maps like crap on my appletv's, pretty useless on my setup, Beamer makes me get up way to much. If I am going to marathon, i really don't want to have to start each video drag and drop. I find I miss being able to plug codec's in and using one media player like the old Windows setups did. Divx did have it down to a science there.

Overall takeover? What are you talking about?

Plex server runs as a service, and the interface is web based. It doesn't takeover the whole machine. Unless you need to interact with it all you'll see is a Plex icon in the menubar (and even that you can probably hide).

And the Plex apps on iOS and Apple TV are absolutely fantastic. If you want to marathon through a tv show / season, Plex is your best bet, automatically queues up and starts the next episode.