How to manage itunes video HD and SD versions ?

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Level 1

28 points

How to manage itunes video HD and SD versions ?

I'd like to figure this out...

When buying itunes movies that come in HD, both the HD and SD (for iphones) versions are downloaded. Both versions are located in the itunes media folder under that movies title/name. In the itunes movies list, only one icon is displayed. That one icon represents two movie versions, HD and SD in the one folder. When you play on the computer or appletv, the HD version is played. When syncing the movie to an iphone, the SD version is copied.

I'd like to know the trick to managing two different versions of a movie, the same movie, in itunes. One high quality and a second lower quality for iphone compatibility. And have both versions represented by only one movie icon in the itunes movies list.

Purchased HD movies from itunes already somehow manages this itself.

When I add my own video to my itunes library, I add one higher quality for appletv, and a lower quality of the same for the iphone.

Iphone will not accept higher quality appletv video. I can create a lower quality version, but when added to the library, it shows as a second listing in the itunes movies list.

I end up with two duplicated icons for those two movies. One higher quality I added to the library, and a second icon for the iphone version I added to the library.

I would like to package the two versions together under one icon. Like itunes HD purchases are managed.

I'd like to know the trick to change that to one icon representing the two versions, if possible. So that I could "package" two versions of the same movie and have only one movie icon displayed in the movies list.

Trying to figure out the trick itunes uses to package different versions, when purchasing movies that automatically come in two versions.

I know..i know, i could make one "universal" quality movie of that one movie, playable on both appletv and iphones, but I prefer manually creating two quality versions to retain the best video quality AND fit the big screen tv properly for the higher version. Universal quality movies work fine for the iphone, but look bad when played using appletv on a big screen.

Posted on May 8, 2011 12:29 AM

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Answer 1

May 22, 2011 2:44 PM in response to randym431

That is what I am looking for too. Anybody?

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Answer 2

randym431 Author

Level 1

28 points

May 29, 2011 5:05 AM in response to afj.lambert

I came across this guide:

http://www.m4.com/blog/noteworthy-geek-stuff/how-to-create-and-tag-hd-sd-dual-ve rsions-of-a-movie-for-itunes/

I found that you can skip the MetaX section completely, and still have success.

And as to "STEP 3: Adding the ContentID tag", in the guide... way too messy.

You DO need to add a number (the "ContentID" tag), so I made up a little trick.

To keep all ContentID tags in my video different from others, I simply use the alphabet

where the number 1 is the first letter A, and 2 is B, 3 is C, and so on.

Then for the two movie formats in the two open SUBLER windows, after adding the same ContentID tag

to both windows, I entered the same number for the first 4 titles letters using the alphabet trick.

Example, the movie THE SHINNING, I used only the first four letters in the name "SHIN" then subsituted

the numbers 19 for S, 8 for H, 9 for I, 14 for N to end up with the ContentID tag of 198914.

Enter this same number in the ContentID tag space for "BOTH" SUBLER windows.

They must be the same for the two movie versions.

So basically for the movie THE SHINNING (ripped from my DVD movie catalog),

I ripped first to appleTV file format. Then converted that to iphone format.

Ending up with two file formats of the same movie.

Then used SUBLER to open both files in separate SUBLER windows.

Then I needed to add the "NAME" tag and enter the movie title in both SUBLER windows.

I then added the ContentID tag in both SUBLER windows and entered my title number schemed 198914 for both versions.

PS.. Also be sure to add the same movie picture icon to both files in SUBLER.

If you need a icon picture for your movie, try searchig:

http://www.albumart.org/index.php?srchkey=Girl+Group+Anthology&itempage=1&newsea rch=1&searchindex=Music

Then I followed the guide to mark the appletv version format as "HD" (check box under OTHER SETTINGS in SUBLER window) and make sure both are selected as "MOVIE" in the drop down.

In other words, BOTH movie versions in the two SUBLER windows MUST contain the same

tag, picture icon, all info duplicated exactly, EXCEPT... for check mark the appleTV version box as "HD".

Then save the two files (see the guide on how to save the file).

Last, add the two video files to your itunes library.

Both files should end up listed under ONE movie icon in your itunes movie library.

And display "HD SD" under the one single movie icon in itunes for your movie.

Keeping it simple, minimal tags, i.e. "NAME" , "ContentID" , "picture icon", and then

creating your own simple ContentID number, seems to do the job for basic DUAL

video listing in the itunes movie library.

When you then add video to your iphone, itunes knows to add the SD compatible version.

And your itunes movie library isn't all messy with duplicate listings for the same movie.

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Answer 3

Jan 6, 2016 8:10 AM in response to randym431

Thanks for this tip. Can't wait to try it out.
Just a tip for everyone else though, there is a site that allows you to pull the high and low res versions of album/cover art directly from iTunes for all types of media they host (including movies, tv, audiobooks, etc) at iTunes Artwork Finder

https://bendodson.com/code/itunes-artwork-finder/?entity=movie&show=&country=us

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