Here's a handy tool to help you make sure you are Video iPod compatible. There's a link to it from the HandBrake documentation page which is also a great place to learn how to use HandBrake. After spending these past few days experimenting with DV to iDVD images to HandBrake Rips, I am convinced the quality is unsurpassed this way.
Note the iPod bitrate limits mentioned in the HandBrake docs as well. 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, or 320x240 / 76,800 pixels for H. 264 formatted files 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 or 230,400 pixels Audio: AAC-LC up to 160 Kbps, 48 KHz, stereo audio <http://www.freesmug.org/tutorial/handbrake/> Lots of pictures of Handbrake's superior interface. The fifth-generation iPod's maximum video size is only constrainted by pixel count, being 480x480, or 230,400 pixels for MPEG-4 formatted files or 320x240 / 76,800 pixels for H.264 formatted files. <http://chrisbevan.com/projects/podsize> You can see by the use of the Podsize page if you are within the upper limit of pixel counts. The iPod compatibility parameters really puts it all against H.264 in my mind. You are allowed 3 times as many pixels and size if you do not use H.264. You are also allowed over 3 times the bit rate without H.264. I tried using the maximum dimensions and bit rate for the Olympic Women's Figure Skate Final HD recording I made with EyeTV2 and the 62 minute piece came out to 1.13 GB. I realize that is very big. I am not trying to discuss posting sizes here. Still working out the details of what compromise we make on that front. Just trying to help clarify how good an encode you can get and still be Video iPod compliant. Anyway, this post may be redundant as I don't read they all any more. But thought these two web addresses might be helpful to those of you who are sill wondering what is the best way to prepare your footage for video iPod compatible postings. -- Taylor Barcroft New Media Publisher, Editor, Video Journalist, Podcaster, Futurecaster Santa Cruz CA, Beach of the Silicon Valley URL http://FutureMedia.org RSS http://feeds.feedburner.com/FutureMedia iTunes http://tinyurl.com/8ql87 barcroft (gizmo) kungax (Skype) kungag5 (iChat-AIM) Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/videoblogging/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
