"Make iPhone Version" in iTunes

[rayward]

Anyone ever use this? I originally ripped much of my video using Handbrake with the iPhone preset. Now that I have a 32GB iPhone, and am looking to go full digital with my DVD library, I've been using the Apple TV preset. However, it would still be useful to have a scaled down version for my iPhone.

Here are my questions:

1) Does the iPhone version hide behind the original, so that the library only shows one entry (as happens with iTunes Store purchases)?

2) Is the iTunes conversion any good?

I'm more concerned about (1) than (2), to be honest, as long as the iTunes conversion isn't horrendous. I have seen complaints about it being slow, but I would put up with that for a cleaner library.

Also, I'm not going to be able to stop myself getting a quad core iMac, so I'm going to have the horsepower to get this done. I'm going to re-rip most of my existing library using the new version of Handbrake and the Apple TV preset, so this is not going to be a small project.

TIA.

 

[TransientWolf]

OK.

Here's a plan.

If you are re-ripping using Handbrake then just load up 2 rips in the queue - one for ATV higher quality and one for iPhone lower quality.

Although - not sure why you would want to rerip - if you keep your current ATV versions then just load those files up in handbrake and re-encode an iPhone version throguh Handbrake. About 10x as quick as iTunes (I exaggerate but not by much).

In terms of file management in iTunes you can get the 2 files to appear as 1 movie in iTunes by having iTunes treat them in the same way it treats HD and SD material downloaded from the iTunes store. Whilst the high quality version is not strictly HD it serves the right purpose and the ATV doesn't show it as HD in it's menus as it can work out the resolution is too low. To do this you need to:

1 - have 2 files ripped of the same movie - one in ATV quality and one iPhone quality

2 - add metatags to the high quality version using MetaX

3 - open both files using a program called Subler (google it). You can add tags here if you like but easier using MetaX

4. using Subler on the high quality file choose a new tag field to add from the drop down list and add the CNid tag. Assign a unique number to this field (you could start at say 1000 and increment by 1 every time for each movie). Keep a note though as you can;t use the same id more than once for different movies. Then switch to the advanced tab, make sure the Movie type is selected and tick the box that says HD. Then save and exit.

5. using Subler on the lower quality file choose a new tag field and again add the CNid tag using the same number as you used on the high quality file. It must be identical. Switch to advanced, make sure the Movie type is selected and leave the HD box unchecked.

6. Select both files, right click and choose Open with iTunes. The files will be loaded into iTunes as movies and iTunes will put them together as one movie reference with the HD-SD tag.

When playing via the ATV it will play the high quality file and when syncing to the iphone/ipod it will sync the lower quality file. Even better when you sync the iphone the last watched point is synced too so you can watch half a movie on the iphone, sync it and watch the rest from the ATV right from where you left off!

I have 600 movies tagged like this and it is a real pain to do but well well worth the time and effort.

TW

 

[rayward]

Many thanks, TW. This sounds exactly what I need.

FYI, the reason I'm going to re-rip much of my library is that much of it was ripped using the iPhone preset. Now that I'm set up to use Apple TVs to view ripped movies at home, I want to re-rip those movies that are in low-res format only, so that I have an Apple TV version and an iPhone version. I also have some recent rips in Apple TV format, for which I'd also like a low-res Iphone version.

 

[rayward]

OK. I just ripped a TV Show using the above methodology: made two versions, tagged the higher-res version with MetaX, ran it through Subler where I gave it a CNid and checked the HD box, ran the lower-res version through Subler where I gave it the same CNid and left the HD box unchecked.

I opened them in iTunes and (as far as I can tell) the low-res version hides behind the high-res version. The problem is that the high-res version won't play in iTunes or on my Apple TV. Any ideas?

FWIW, the unamended rip played in iTunes without any problem.

 

[rayward]

Well, I've eliminated that the problem is anything to do with the tagging. It isn't. The raw, untagged Apple TV rips won't play in either iTunes or on the Apple TV, while the iPhone rips are fine.

I'm more than a little confused. I've never had any trouble with any Handbrake rip before, regardless of the preset selected, so this can only be something to do with the new, 64-bit version.