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iPod video testing

snowmoon

snowmoon

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 6, 2005
900
119
Albany, NY
Hey, if someone has the new iPod and wants to give me a hand ( mine has not shipped yet ) I'm trying to figure out the best possible balance in video encoding/file size for mpeg-4 video. My goal it to make the video look good on the screen AND tv without breaking the bank in terms of file size.

So if someone has one of the units and doesn't mind downloading some video clips for testing, drop me a PM. It would be perfect if you also had the A/V hookup to see the video on the TV and give an impression of that as well. Clips are 30-70MB/each ( 2-4 minutes / 7-15/mb minute ) so don't bother if you are on dialup.
 
I think apple are quoting 200MB per hour of downloaded footage from iTMS. If you go smaller than that, my guess is that the quality is then determined by what you define as acceptable.
 
7-15mb/minute and from my current testing quality IS higher, but I may still be able to get the file size down some with objective testing on how the device actually operates.
 
I can test it out on the ipod, but I don't have a dock, so I can't test the TV out
 
Pm sent to Dr. Riot... hopefully once he has a chance he will post feedback on the playbility of these file on the iPod.
 
1st test: Crash and Burn. Video looks good on computer, imports into Itunes, copie to iPod but results in a blank playback without video or audio.
 
hotwire132002 said:
What kinds of settings were used on this test?
Click to expand...

IIRC...

ffmpeg -y -i <input 480x480 video> -hq -vcodec mpeg4 -b 1400 -bufsize 4096 -maxrate 2350 -r 29.97 -acodec aac -ab 96 -aspect 4:3 -f mov <outputfilename>.mov
 
snowmoon said:
IIRC...

ffmpeg -y -i <input 480x480 video> -hq -vcodec mpeg4 -b 1400 -bufsize 4096 -maxrate 2350 -r 29.97 -acodec aac -ab 96 -aspect 4:3 -f mov <outputfilename>.mov
Click to expand...

Thanks. :)

Do you have QT 7 Pro? It has an "Export for iPod" option. (Though my new iPod won't come in till Friday, so I can't test that yet, but I'd have to assume that it would work.)
 
I don't plan on using QT Pro, I'm trying to develop a solution that will actually look good both on iPod and TV screen and that does not include QT Pro and convert to iPod.
 
BornAgainMac said:
Does the export to iPod use H.264 or MPEG-4 plain vanilla?
Click to expand...

I don't know--the "options" button is grayed out. I would assume H.264, since Apple's trying to promote it, but it doesn't actually say. (All it says is "Movie to iPod" -- the extension is m4v.)
 
snowmoon said:
I don't plan on using QT Pro, I'm trying to develop a solution that will actually look good both on iPod and TV screen and that does not include QT Pro and convert to iPod.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. Let us know when you come up with something! (In the mean time, QT works for me. :) )
 
Not tried the export movie through iTunes, (no video capable iPod), but QT Pro would be the best option and it appears to be the only option apple refers to for getting your own video onto the iPod.
 
freeny said:
check out this link posted in another thread
http://diveintomark.org/howto/ipod-dvd-ripping-guide/
Im doing some sample tests in anticipation of my ipod video arriving on thursday.
Click to expand...

I'm fairly positive that this will have problems too. Everything ( except QT Pro ) has been working off published specs that are flimsy at best.

This is why we need to do testing so that we can pin down EXACTLY what's needed to playback properly.
 
freeny said:
according to apple the ipod video will accept any video file ending in either .mov or .mp4
Click to expand...

nonononononononono....

"H.264 video: up to 768 Kbps, 320 x 240, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Profile up to Level 1.3 with AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov file formats

MPEG-4 video: up to 2.5 mbps, 480 x 480, 30 frames per sec., Simple Profile with AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov file formats"
 
snowmoon said:
nonononononononono....

"H.264 video: up to 768 Kbps, 320 x 240, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Profile up to Level 1.3 with AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov file formats

MPEG-4 video: up to 2.5 mbps, 480 x 480, 30 frames per sec., Simple Profile with AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 Khz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4 and .mov file formats"
Click to expand...
I stand corrected. Here it is exactly as posted on the apple site;

iPod can play the following video formats:
* H.264 video
File formats: .m4v, .mp4 and .mov
Video: Up to 768 Kbps, 320 x 240 pixels, 30 frames per second, Baseline Profile up to Level 1.3
Audio: AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 KHz, stereo audio
* MPEG-4 video
File formats: .m4v, .mp4 and .mov
Video: Up to 2.5 Mbps, 480 x 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile
Audio: AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 KHz, stereo audio


*
 
hotwire132002 said:
Thanks. :)

Do you have QT 7 Pro? It has an "Export for iPod" option. (Though my new iPod won't come in till Friday, so I can't test that yet, but I'd have to assume that it would work.)
Click to expand...


It totally doesn't work! it has taken days to export a 120 min video out of quicktime. It is soo rediculus. I dont know what to do. and my video is on it's way
 
freeny said:
After going over the directions in;
http://diveintomark.org/howto/ipod-dvd-ripping-guide/
there should be no reason your videos wont play as described on the apple site. all the instructions follow apples guidelines. I will try them out as soon as ive got my pod and tv connection cord.
Click to expand...
I hate to say, but the steps on this site are NOT guaranteed to work... I tried ripping two DVDs using those steps, and neither of them would transfer to my iPod. I'm trying again with lower bitrates to see if that will help.
 
Ok updates...

mpeg-4 SP ONLY SQUARE PIXELS!!! This is a bad bad thing. I'm trying to figure out now if it's my encoding or the player that is bad.

We were able to get mpeg-4 with resolutions up to 640x360 to play back, this is far higher than the stated 480x480.
 
snowmoon said:
Ok updates...

mpeg-4 SP ONLY SQUARE PIXELS!!! This is a bad bad thing. I'm trying to figure out now if it's my encoding or the player that is bad.

We were able to get mpeg-4 with resolutions up to 640x360 to play back, this is far higher than the stated 480x480.
Click to expand...
How in the heck do you specify square pixels in a program like Handbrake?

(BTW, I'm the one who's been helping out snowmoon... he's got the files, I've got the iPod.)
 
snowmoon said:
We were able to get mpeg-4 with resolutions up to 640x360 to play back, this is far higher than the stated 480x480.
Click to expand...


ohhh, sounds good..anyone tried video out yet??
 
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