I've done some fairly extensive tests on getting video to play on the new 5G iPods and here is as summary:
1. MPEG 4 and h.264 are the only codecs that will play. Technically these are both MPEG 4 codecs, meaning that h.264 is MPEG 4 part 10, but there is a difference in size, quality and processor demands between the two. 2. MPEG 4 specs: MPEG 4 is much more forgiving in terms of compatibility and encoding times but is not as economical in file size and the quality lacks in comparison to h.264. Max Data Rate: 2048 Kbps Max Frame Size: 480 x 360 (Note the iPod will scale down to 320 x 240 for playback on the screen, but will scale up on output to a TV via the cable adapter. Max Frame Rate: 30 3. h.264: The new iPod is very picky about this one and iTunes acts as a gatekeeper. You may have a movie that plays fine in iTunes and when you try to transfer it to the iPod you get a message that says the file is not compatible with the player. It is worth the hassel, though (even considering the steep encoding times) because the files are small and the quality is great. Max Data Rate: 768 kbps. Now, the tricky thing about this is that this number refers to the combined data rate of audio and video, therefore if you decide to encode your audio at a 128 bit rate, then you have to drop the video down to 640 kbps (640 + 128 = 768). You can play around with these numbers, but it's best stay in multiples of 16 (that's not aribitrary by the way, 16 bit is a common recording factor, it's just a grouping of 1's and 0's in 16 channels), so 96, 112, 128 etc., then adjust your video accordingly. Max Frame Size: 320 x 240. This is a 4:3 ratio. Lots of users are shooting DV, that is a 3:2 aspect ratio so what's going to happen when you encode DV movies is that it will be letterboxed on the iPod because the movie will encode to 320 x 213. The letterboxing is slight so you probably won't really notice it. Now if you shot anamorphic (16:9) then the letterboxing will be more aggressive--320 x 180 and that gets a little rough to watch. Max Frame Rate: 30 Miscellaneous: You must restrict the Profile to "Baseline." That can only be accomplished using QuickTime Pro or Export via QuickTime (or QuickTime Conversion in Final Cut Pro). Compressor can NOT change this setting, therefore Compressor can NOT be used to encdode video for the new iPods using h.264. Compressor can ONLY encode compatible MPEG 4 movies. 4. Audio: AAC (Advanced Audio Coding); 16 bit; 44.1 sample rate; max bit rate 128, stereo. 5. The easiest way to encode is by using QT Pro 7.0.3 or higher and selecting the iPod (320x140) setting. There are no options to change. 6. You can encode yourself using QT Pro or out of FCP or iMovie using the formulas above. 7. You can use the shareware like Podner (www.splasm.com). I created a video podcast called, Video Podcasting 101, that takes you through the easiest steps on a Mac. That can be viewed here: http://www.rippletraining.com/ripplecasts.htm Hope this helps, and I'm happy to be a new member of the group. BG ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Fair play? Video games influencing politics. Click and talk back! http://us.click.yahoo.com/T8sf5C/tzNLAA/TtwFAA/lBLqlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 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/
