Just wondering if someone can run a little video test

[tdx]

Hi everyone,

I'm in the same boat as a lot of people wondering if I should upgrade my Ipad 1. One of the biggest tings that would sway my decision is improved video playback, but I can't seem to get a solid answer on this.

So i was wondering if anyone with an Ipad 2 would be so kind as to check if two things work on any of the third party video players (VLC, Oplayer etc):
- First if 720 MKV files with high bitrate (higher than Main profile for H264) play at all and if they do do they play smoothly
- Second, one shortcoming of the Ipad 1 was that it would open files with AC3 sound but it wouldn't play the main (dialogue) channel. I was wondering if that has also been fixed.

Thanks in advance for helping me out

 

[cinca]

I am pretty sure the stock media playback on the iPad (1 and 2) doesn't support MKV or ac3.

Your best bet would be to try the Cinexplayer which is a third party media playback designed to support a much wider variety of video and audio codecs. I know for for they currently don't support AC3 but read a posting of theirs on their twitter feed that they are working on supporting it. I am fairly certain that it also doesn't support MKV files but I would double check to see if that is a big deal breaker for you.

Good luck.

 

[Fliesen]

i think the OP is using VLC which DOES support .mkv files but at a non-satisfying performance and now wants to know if VLC running on an iPad 2 will properly play high bitrate 720p VLC files.

i'll get mine tomorrow evening (hopefully), i might actually try that out for you

 

[tdx]

i think the OP is using VLC which DOES support .mkv files but at a non-satisfying performance and now wants to know if VLC running on an iPad 2 will properly play high bitrate 720p VLC files.

i'll get mine tomorrow evening (hopefully), i might actually try that out for you

Thanks for this, i appreciate. If the new ipad can run 720p files with AC3 sound without needing to convert beforehand I'll get one asap.

 

[PhoenixMac]

im too lazy to download vlc player on my ipad 2 and do it but i will tell you that ipad 1 wouldnt play the 720p videos from my nikon d90 at all and the ipad 2 plays them no problem

 

[Fliesen]

im too lazy to download vlc player on my ipad 2 and do it but i will tell you that ipad 1 wouldnt play the 720p videos from my nikon d90 at all and the ipad 2 plays them no problem

not like you could, it's been pulled from the store a while ago

 

[PhoenixMac]

not like you could, it's been pulled from the store a while ago

oh that sucks well with the camera connection kit it plays my cameras videos without a need for third party players, what other players are there besides vlc that plays mkvs?

 

[Fliesen]

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/12246090/

The user 'Nigelquest' just posted that VLC still has stuttering on his iPad 2

MKV works on VLC (last version from the app store) on my iPad 2, but the video is so choppy its unwatchable. I believe this is due to the fact it uses software and not hardware processing. The jailbroken version may be able to take advantage of hardware acceleration. Any app that can do this and supports the container shoudl be able to run smooth.

 

[tdx]

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/12246090/

The user 'Nigelquest' just posted that VLC still has stuttering on his iPad 2

That sucks then. I hope other third party players are better at handling MKVs (VLC is notoriously bad for this), otherwise i might have to keep an eye on the Samsung Android tablets which can read MKVs out of the box. But I'd rather stay with the Ipad if possible...

 

[RadicalxEdward]

not like you could, it's been pulled from the store a while ago

I had forgotten that. It was the guy (or group) that builds it that got all pissy about the licensing and had it pulled right? (which means it will never come back because the license conflicts with the app store)

I'm glad I got it when it came out even though I don't have an ipad yet just in case. though i guess it's pointless now. It can't do high bitrate mkvs because it doesn't use hardware acceleration and since it won't ever be updated it's going to stay that way. you're better off converting your videos unless you REALLY care about multiple audio tracks/soft subtitles (neither of which I've gotten to work properly with iTunes)

 

[Fliesen]

i can confirm: latest VLC, 720p x264 movie, heavy stuttering

sorry

it's probably because there's no dual core version of VLC (and there'll never be, on the appstore)

 

[tdx]

i can confirm: latest VLC, 720p x264 movie, heavy stuttering

sorry

it's probably because there's no dual core version of VLC (and there'll never be, on the appstore)

Ok thanks for testing. Any chance of getting some tests with other players? I remember OPlayer HD was a little better at playing back 720p material on the ipad 1 (though also not perfect).

Thanks

 

[RadicalxEdward]

Ok thanks for testing. Any chance of getting some tests with other players? I remember OPlayer HD was a little better at playing back 720p material on the ipad 1 (though also not perfect).

Thanks

Wouldn't it be easier to just transcode the video instead of trying to deal with all of these other apps with subpar performance.

 

[PhoenixMac]

Yeah i rip all my 720p x264 blurays with handbrake on the iPad setting and theynall run perfect

 

[tdx]

Wouldn't it be easier to just transcode the video instead of trying to deal with all of these other apps with subpar performance.

Two things are stopping me from doing that: time and complexity of encoding. I've yet to find a fool-proof, fast and stable software that would convert all my videos to Apple specs. Yeah Handbrake is ok, but it's still not perfect.

 

[RadicalxEdward]

Two things are stopping me from doing that: time and complexity of encoding. I've yet to find a fool-proof, fast and stable software that would convert all my videos to Apple specs. Yeah Handbrake is ok, but it's still not perfect.

I was having that problem for a long time. Especially trying to transcode random internet downloads. Handbrake has gotten better (and I'm VERY picky about transcode quality) All I do is hit the "universal" apple setting, set 2pass and set target file size to a little above the original file, set the picture size, and up the audio bit rate a bit. comes out good.

Time is the only problem. I get anywhere from about .75x to .25x speeds (using an old macbook) but it's the kind of thing where you just take a little time and queue up a lot of stuff at once and let it go over night/ while you're at work.

 

[Bheleu]

I <3 Air Video for all my video playback needs.

I bet air video could convert it over on the fly. Run the server on a PC with all your video rips, or convert them over so you get subtitles using dvdfab.

Not sure what the op is trying to do, but that is by far the most used app at my house for archived video playback.

 

[tdx]

I bet air video could convert it over on the fly. Run the server on a PC with all your video rips, or convert them over so you get subtitles using dvdfab.

Not sure what the op is trying to do, but that is by far the most used app at my house for archived video playback.

Basically i am just trying to see if it's possible to drag and drop unconverted 720p MKVs before i leave in the morning, like it's possible to do on a Samsung (Android) tablet, which I would rather avoid getting.

 

[Fliesen]

I bet air video could convert it over on the fly. Run the server on a PC with all your video rips, or convert them over so you get subtitles using dvdfab.

Not sure what the op is trying to do, but that is by far the most used app at my house for archived video playback.

Airvideo is indeed an Awesome alternative

 

[Fliesen]

just tried the same 720p clip on OPlayerHD lite

works SLIGHTLY better, still stuttering and unenjoyable, sorry mate :/

 

[RKpro]

I've tried a 1.5GB 1 hour long 720 mkv file on the free Oplayer, and the video looks pretty smooth, BUT it runs slower than the sound, and thus audio/video is badly out of sync.

Standard resolution xvid AVIs work without any problems though.

 

[Fliesen]

Is hardware decoding / acceleration even within the iPad's API?

can we even _hope_ for a decent 720p mkv player? :/

 

[tdx]

Hey everyone, thanks a bunch for trying all these things, I really appreciate.

So it looks like my hopes are squashed, I'll have to wait more for a perfect tablet (Samsung codec openness + Apple hardware/software excellence)...