iPod Video podcast incompatible with new iPod

[illuminattile]

I just replaced my 80gb iPod with a new (well, refurbished) 160gb Classic, and for some reason iTunes is telling me that certain video podcasts can't be copied to the iPod because the video format is not supported.

The podcast in question is The Ricky Gervais Podcast, which I could play on my old iPod with no issues. Also, strangely, it doesn't look like it's an issue for all of the video episodes.

Any ideas?

 

[AdrianK]

hmm, to figure it out we need detailed information about the files.

Could you download media info and drag in a working file, paste the output here, and do the same for a non-working file?

 

[illuminattile]

hmm, to figure it out we need detailed information about the files.

Could you download media info and drag in a working file, paste the output here, and do the same for a non-working file?

Non-working file

Format                           : MPEG-4
Format profile                   : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID                         : mp42
File size                        : 3.42 MiB
Duration                         : 1mn 40s
Overall bit rate                 : 286 Kbps
Movie name                       : An Idiot Abroad 2 - Phonecall
Album                            : The Ricky Gervais Podcast
Performer                        : Ricky Gervais
Genre                            : Podcast

Video
ID                               : 2
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : Main@L3.0
Format settings, CABAC           : No
Format settings, ReFrames        : 2 frames
Codec ID                         : avc1
Codec ID/Info                    : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                         : 1mn 40s
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 219 Kbps
Width                            : 640 pixels
Height                           : 360 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 16:9
Frame rate mode                  : Constant
Frame rate                       : 25.000 fps
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.038
Stream size                      : 2.62 MiB (77%)
Language                         : English
Encoded date                     : UTC 2011-04-05 18:01:36
Tagged date                      : UTC 2011-04-05 18:01:39
Color primaries                  : BT.601-6 525, BT.1358 525, BT.1700 NTSC, SMPTE 170M
Transfer characteristics         : BT.709-5, BT.1361
Matrix coefficients              : BT.601-6 525, BT.1358 525, BT.1700 NTSC, SMPTE 170M

Audio
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AAC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile                   : LC
Codec ID                         : 40
Duration                         : 1mn 40s
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 63.4 Kbps
Nominal bit rate                 : 80.0 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 1 channel
Channel positions                : Front: C
Sampling rate                    : 44.1 KHz
Compression mode                 : Lossy
Stream size                      : 776 KiB (22%)
Language                         : English
Encoded date                     : UTC 2011-04-05 18:01:36
Tagged date                      : UTC 2011-04-05 18:01:39

Working file

Format                           : MPEG-4
Format profile                   : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID                         : mp42
File size                        : 38.4 MiB
Duration                         : 11mn 23s
Overall bit rate                 : 471 Kbps
Movie name                       : Ricky's Bits - The Golden Globes 2011
Album                            : The Ricky Gervais Podcast
Performer                        : Ricky Gervais
Genre                            : Podcast

Video
ID                               : 2
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : Baseline@L2.1
Format settings, CABAC           : No
Format settings, ReFrames        : 2 frames
Codec ID                         : avc1
Codec ID/Info                    : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                         : 11mn 23s
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 404 Kbps
Width                            : 480 pixels
Height                           : 270 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 16:9
Frame rate mode                  : Constant
Frame rate                       : 29.970 fps
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.104
Stream size                      : 32.9 MiB (86%)
Language                         : English
Encoded date                     : UTC 2011-02-27 18:16:49
Tagged date                      : UTC 2011-02-27 18:17:06
Color primaries                  : BT.601-6 525, BT.1358 525, BT.1700 NTSC, SMPTE 170M
Transfer characteristics         : BT.709-5, BT.1361
Matrix coefficients              : BT.601-6 525, BT.1358 525, BT.1700 NTSC, SMPTE 170M

Audio
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AAC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile                   : LC
Codec ID                         : 40
Duration                         : 11mn 23s
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 64.0 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 1 channel
Channel positions                : Front: C
Sampling rate                    : 32.0 KHz
Compression mode                 : Lossy
Stream size                      : 5.24 MiB (14%)
Language                         : English
Encoded date                     : UTC 2011-02-27 18:16:49
Tagged date                      : UTC 2011-02-27 18:17:06

As I said, they all worked OK on my old 80gb iPod, so I'm not sure why they wouldn't work on the new iPod.

 

[AdrianK]

Right, that's what I thought, the non-working file is using Main instead of the Baseline profile. As you suggested, it's strange that an newer iPod would have trouble with more advanced profiles when and older one wouldn't. There's an app called Subler which can be used to mask the profile (to a less complex one) but I doubt it would work. If you want to try, install Subler, open the non-working files, click the video track, then change the profile to baseline, click save and try syncing it.

 

[illuminattile]

Thanks Adrian. I'll try that and let you know if it works.