Hi, I have ordered an Apple tv 2. So i am wanting to convert the many video files on my PC to mp4 so i can put them in iTunes.
My question is, can anyone recommend a good (fast if poss) program to do the converting.
I have spent ages on google trying to find somthing, but there is quite frankly a lot of crap there and i dont have time go through it all.
Surely some of you good people can point me in the right direction.
Thanks
Ross.
Windows 7
I'm not really familiar with PC applications, but in any conversion it very much depends what videos you are trying to convert as to which application you would use to do it. For example if the videos you have are QuickTime compatible you could use QuickTime preset for Apple TV. You might even be able to convert many of your videos inside iTunes itself.
Thanks Winston.
I most of the files i want to convert are .avi .
I used one program (total video converter) that allows you to choose what your converting for. So naturally i chose Apple tv.
But when i try play it (from itunes) i get sound but no picture. I converted the same video file again, selecting iPhone and it plays fine within itunes.
Of course i cannot test it on Apple TV as its not arrived yet. But i did want to get started on the conversions.
Use handbrake. I converted all my films to mp4 for use with appletv. Its free and fairly quick.
Handbrake might work and it might not, it's not just a simple as suggesting a converter. I've seen a few poor reviews about total video converter.
AVI is a container, not a type of compression, you need to know what type of compression is used in the original file to suggest any software. For example your AVI may actually contain video compressed using h264 and all you might need to do is strip away the container and place the original in a .mov container, which would eliminate conversion, the time the conversion takes and any degradation which conversion causes.
I use MPEG Stream Clip on my Mac, but there is a version for Windows 7 also. You'll also need to download Quicktime 7, which you can do from the same site as it's not compatible with Quicktime X. It does a good job of converting for Apple TV. And as Winston Churchill implied, make sure you use the same resolution setting as the original. The only thing that will be changed, for the most part, is going from AVI to MPEG-4.
Thanks guys, i'll try both suggestion and let you know how i get on.
well i converted a video using handbrake (the apple tv2 preset). But im having the same problem as before, no picture only volume.
It worked converting to iphone though. But is'nt that a poorer picture on a large screen tv?
Ross, What is the resolution of your AVI File. Right click on AVI/Get Info
There is no get info. Theres properties, but nothing saying resolution.
You'll need to know if they're 640x480, etc. If they are standard definition full resolution avi files they most likely are 640x480 pixels. I just did a quick experiment.
Using MPEG Streamclip, I opened an AVI file/File/Open Files/Open/Export to MPEG-4. It played perfectly with sound and video on Apple TV. As with Handbrake, you select the proper iTunes/AppleTV presets. The advantage to Streamclip is it has a professional video converter. I would give that a try. If you need help with any of the settings I'll be around tonight if you post back.
The other possible issue is your HDTV. Some have strict requirements for audio and video formats.
You don't want to use iPhone presets in general for Apple TV, for various reasons.
No Get Info, of course, Windows 7. Properties is the Mac Get Info. It should tell you resolution there, for example 640x480 pixels.
Thanks, i'll give it a go.
It doesn't matter what resolution the video is in, the converter should take care of that, you need to know what compression type is used by the original file, so you know if the converter you intend using can handle that type of compression.
I guess I figured that when a converter says it handles avi files it does just that. What ever compression it is the converter can handle it. Although I've never run into that problem with any of the files I work with, I'm sure there must be some compression types a particular converter can not handle. Especially if your going from Windows based files to Apple TV. I think all my avi files are motion jpeg.
I think resolution matters in the sence that if you have a native resolution of SD 640x480, in general, you wouldn't want to tell the converter to to upscale to a resolution higher than the native.
Hey, but who am I to argue with Winston Churchill 🙂
I forgot to mention something about MPEG Streamclip. Along with needing Quicktime 7, you need an additional plugin called MPEG-2 playback component. Quicktime 7 does not include it. This from the Squared 5 site(MPEG Streamclip)
Sorry if you've tried to convert and could not because of the plugin.
Converting video to play on apple tv
