iPod video question

[skorb]

this may be a dumb question, but I've never played with the iPod video play function before, as all I have right now is an older iPod mini.

if I get a new iPod that plays vids, can I just convert mpeg vids I have on my pc over to iTunes, like it does with mp3 songs? anything else I should know?

thanks in advance for any info...

[VinceV]

You can convert videos to play on the ipod. I use a program called visualhub for the Mac. It works awesome, there is also a freeware version called isquint. I can rip my DVD's, pull stuff off youtube, convert them to play on my ipod. It real simple and easy.

Like I said I use a Mac, so for the PC I can't help you there, but I know , there are programs.

[skorb]

thanks Vince. I use a PC. (figures...)

so what I'm hearing you say is that without some conversion program, iTunes won't convert vid's on its own?
it only plays videos that come from the iTunes store or as quicktime format to begin with?

[VinceV]

Yeah itunes will not convert videos on it's own. You need a 3rd party software to make that happen. It also wont' just play any quicktime video. I believe it plays mp4 video with h.264 codec..

Well I was checking it out for you and seems you may be able to convert .mov files within itunes

http://mp3.about.com/od/mp3players/ht/itunes_to_ipod.htm

here is another article that may help

http://www.engadget.com/2005/10/14/how-to-convert-a-dvd-for-your-ipod-with-video-in-windows/

Hope this helps.

[skorb]

check this out, found this on the net....
sounds almost too easy, but I'll try it later to see what happens.

____________________
Converting Video Clips with iTunes 6.0.2
iTunes 6.0.2 can make iPod-ready files from most QuickTime-compatible video formats, including MOV, MPEG, and MP4. The files are automatically converted to H.264-format video 320 pixels wide, and this setting cannot be customized within iTunes. To determine whether or not this is a satisfactory format choice for your usage habits, read our video formats tutorial here. Suffice to say that it’s perfectly good for iPod viewing, but on-TV or on-Mac/PC viewing is another story.
If you haven’t already, begin by adding your MOV, MPEG, or MP4 files to your iTunes Library either by using the “File → Add to Library...” menu item or by simply dragging them into your main iTunes Library window.
Then, highlight any videos you would like to convert. Multiple items can be selected at once by holding down “Shift” or “Control” (Mac: “Command") while clicking on multiple items. Shift will select all files between two clicks, and Control/Command will select discrete individual items.
Then, right-click (Mac: Control-click) on one of the items you’ve selected, and select “Convert Selection for iPod.”

[Shotgun]

I've used Media Center 2005 as our main TV/PC since November of '04, so all my shows (and songs) are on it. I got a 30g iPod video one year ago this month, and I use MyTvtoGo: http://www.roxio.com/enu/products/my.../overview.html to convert the TV show and synch them to my ipod using itunes.

It is a PC program, but isn't MCE specific - I ran the demo on my laptop (not a Media Center pc) for a while to test it before I bought the full version.

Keith