Problems with 4.2.1 and CCK

[moondad]

Anyone else tried importing movies from SD or flash drive yet?

First, I tried using my USB > SD converter - having worked fine under 3.2.2, it now informs me that "The connected USB device requires too much power."

So, I tried using the Apple SD reader instead, and now only one of the movies in the DCIM folder will show up, and if I move that file outside of the folder, all of the others remain hidden. AFAICT, the movie files are all the same format, so I'm at a loss to explain why only one particular file would show up?

 

[moondad]

So - it seems importing movies from a camera is all but completely b0rked in iOS 4.2

What's the betting that this is Herr Jobs' deliberate attempt to scupper any attempt to work around the storage limitations?

 

[mKTank]

You can only transfer some movies from SD/Flash drive to an iPad through the CCK. But you won't be able to play them. It just puts them on the iPad so that you can extract the movie through iPictures or whatever it's called. Or just by drag and drop from Windows Explorer if you have Windows.

 

[b.c.]

Anyone else tried importing movies from SD or flash drive yet?

First, I tried using my USB > SD converter - having worked fine under 3.2.2, it now informs me that "The connected USB device requires too much power."

So, I tried using the Apple SD reader instead, and now only one of the movies in the DCIM folder will show up, and if I move that file outside of the folder, all of the others remain hidden. AFAICT, the movie files are all the same format, so I'm at a loss to explain why only one particular file would show up?

just did a quick test with my iPad and CCK, here's what I notice

- I can successfully import multiple movie files in DCIM folder on either SD card or USB flash drive, if those movies (.AVI and .MOV) are from my iPhone or recent digicam
- I didn't find the "only one movie" limitation you noticed...
- however, the iPad no longer seems to recognize some old .AVI files from an older digicam that I'm pretty sure could be imported previously
- also movie files from other non-digicam sources don't seem to be recognized any more? I tried misc other movie files I had on my computer and even converted some to iPod compatible video format using iSquint, and none of these could be seen by the CCK+iPad.

so something seems to have changed with the OS 4.2.1 update - I can't quite characterize it with just my brief test, but it does seem that the CCK no longer lets you import some file formats that previously were OK?

needs more investigation...

p.s. regarding mKTank's comment, prior to OS 4.2.1, it's true that it was possible to import some unsupported format files into the iPad using the CCK, but the iPad couldn't do anything with them. they would show up in the Import window and you could actually import them (some unsupported video format files, and even PDF files) but clicking on them in the Photos app would do nothing.

But now with 4.2.1 these files don't seem to even show up in the Import window when you first plug in the card/Flash drive. so something seems to have changed.

 

[BrennerM]

- also movie files from other non-digicam sources don't seem to be recognized any more? I tried misc other movie files I had on my computer and even converted some to iPod compatible video format using iSquint, and none of these could be seen by the CCK+iPad.

You sure you had those movies in the DCIM folder on the SD card? I don't have my iPad with me right now to check but I would be quite surprised if iPod-compatible m4v files don't import when they are in the DCIM folder.

I wouldn't be surprised however if Apple has abandoned any/all support for various other formats like AVI.

I really wish you could just view the files and do an "Open With" into your favourite application from an SD card.

 

[b.c.]

You sure you had those movies in the DCIM folder on the SD card? I don't have my iPad with me right now to check but I would be quite surprised if iPod-compatible m4v files don't import when they are in the DCIM folder.

I wouldn't be surprised however if Apple has abandoned any/all support for various other formats like AVI.

yes, I'm absolutely certain the movie files were in the DCIM folder on either SD Card or Flash drive (as mentioned, I've done this before under OS 3.2 successfully). but I didn't try .m4v files, I think they were .mp4 files that I thought worked previously.

.MOV files from Canon S95, iPhone 3GS, and .AVI files from (I think) Canon SD960IS and SD1000 are recognized and import correctly, and also play on the iPad. However some older .AVI files from some camera I don't even remember don't import or play. nor do other converted files as I mentioned

 

[b.c.]

You sure you had those movies in the DCIM folder on the SD card? I don't have my iPad with me right now to check but I would be quite surprised if iPod-compatible m4v files don't import when they are in the DCIM folder.

another data point - just tried a video podcast .m4v file downloaded from iTunes. this podcast plays fine on iPad using the regular video viewer

put this file into DCIM folder on SD Card - it does NOT show up using CCK. I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing this probably worked prior to 4.2.1?

perhaps 4.2.1 now just ignores anything other than recognized camera movie & photo file formats.

pity, because under 3.2 you could load up SD Cards or Flash drive with movie files converted from DVD or wherever and import using the CCK and play on the iPad

 

[moondad]

So, this is really beginning to look like they've deliberately tried to prevent you from using the CCK to carry extra movies around with you, then?

Yes, all my movies were in the DCIM folder, and yes, they definitely all imported and played fine under 3.2.2. They still import and play fine, so long as I'm a good boy, and do it the Jobby way.

So far, the mystery is why the one movie file still shows up (it's a specific movie - if I remove that from the folder, nothing shows up)? The only thing that seems to be different about it so far is the resolution - perhaps we're going to have to crop everything to specific dimensions, or something?

 

[b.c.]

So, this is really beginning to look like they've deliberately tried to prevent you from using the CCK to carry extra movies around with you, then?

I'm guessing they fixed the "bug" that let you import certain unrecognized filetypes.

under 3.2 you could import certain files from DCIM folder, they'd show up on the iPad - compatible movie files played fine, but some others you couldn't view/play/do anything with them (e.g. a PDF file) - you couldn't even delete them directly on iPad. You'd have to delete them from your computer e.g. connect iPad with USB cable and use Image Capture.

your problem with one file is definitely strange....

 

[mKTank]

Ugh, this is why I can't wait for the jailbreak. I'll be able to do as I please with iFiles.

 

[moondad]

Mystery is solved!

It's all about the filenames (something which seems to be a regular cause of "Computer Says No" syndrome, these days).

If I rename all the movie files to exactly 8 characters, they all show up.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Mystery is solved!

It's all about the filenames (something which seems to be a regular cause of "Computer Says No" syndrome, these days).

If I rename all the movie files to exactly 8 characters, they all show up.

Great! I was starting to worry and was about to bring my camera to test it. You saved the day!

 

[mKTank]

Mystery is solved!

It's all about the filenames (something which seems to be a regular cause of "Computer Says No" syndrome, these days).

If I rename all the movie files to exactly 8 characters, they all show up.

Interesting. How much does it let you do? Does it let you watch the videos too? And what formats work?

 

[b.c.]

Mystery is solved!

It's all about the filenames (something which seems to be a regular cause of "Computer Says No" syndrome, these days).

If I rename all the movie files to exactly 8 characters, they all show up.

I think there's still more to the problem and under 4.2 they somehow eliminated support for certain files...

I retested with a bunch of movie files and although shortening names to 8chars worked for some, I still cannot see certain files in DCIM folder using the CCK that I'm sure would work before 4.2

for example, .m4v files from TV shows/movies that are otherwise playable on my iPad, .mp4 files from podcasts, and certain old camera .AVI files that I'm pretty sure worked before - I still can't see or import these using CCK under 4.2. These same file can be played on the iPad when loaded via other means.

unfortunately I can't A/B test OS 3.2/4.2 to compare the before/after behavior, but I'm certain they removed support for some movie files via CCK beyond just 8 character filenames (which by itself would be really annoying)

 

[moondad]

All mine were .m4v Handbrake rips in H.264. Only the one file out of a dozen would show up, and that was Watchmen.m4v - since renaming them all to 8 characters, every one shows up.

I only encode them in the one format, though, so I can't comment on whether your issues are format-related.

It's still not ideal - for one thing, the name isn't displayed in the photo imports, only the length of the video, so I've had to jot down a list of times to decipher which film is which.

 

[mKTank]

How long does each movie take to import?