How do I convert video files into a compatible file type for my ipad?

tpm985 wrote:

Thank you, I'll try that out. I appreciate it! Hopefully this means I'll be able to put more videos on my iPad.

HandBrake (and, in general, recompressing) should be the last resort you should turn to. Remuxing is much easier, faster and doesn't at all decrease the image quality - assuming your videos can be remuxed (they're H.264 MKV or MTS files, for example.)

I'm new to this business and also getting frustrated. I'm using freemaker (shareware) to convert my AVHCD videos to MP4. The conversion works fine until I upload to iTunes (on a PC). There I get variable results. Some of the MP4 files slow down and eventually grind to a halt. I then try 'convert to iPad format' and iTunes tells me the file is in the correct format. Some of converted MP4 files work fine, but it's not consistent.

I'm trying to view my own videos and finding this more than a little complicated.

Thanks to Meneisys - I'll now try iVI to see if this converts the AVHCD, via a MacPro or similar. I still don't have a suitable program to use on a PC and Windows 7. Freemaker with Windows 7 does the conversion to MP4 but even though these files upload to iTunes on the PC, they're still not right. The 'convert to iPad format' on iTunes refuses to do anything saying that the MP4 file is 'already in the correct format'. Still complicated ...

1. iPad 3 supported video format: H.264 video up to 1080p, 30 frames per second, High Profile level 4.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second.

2. There are many online apps can do the video conversion for you, such as zamzar, Acethinker Video Converter, mediaconverter, etc. They are totally free, and you don't have to download or install anything. Take Acethinker as sample, You can follow these steps to convert video to MP4 video for iPad 3

1. Launch your web browser and go to Acethinker Online Converter
2. Click ‘select files to start’, and then drag and drop your video into the app.
3. Click the Format drop down list, select MP4 as output format.
4. Click the Convert button, the App will ask you where to save the converted file.
5. Click Start the run the conversion, it will take a few minutes to finish the task. When the conversion done, you will find the converted file in the folder you set in step 4. Done.

You could give iVI a try ( http://www.iphonelife.com/blog/87/review-video-converter-ivi-pro-ipads-iphones ) for MTS conversion. Much cleaner, much faster than any recompression. (Note that 1080p60 videos are generally of level 4.2; with them, you'll additionally need a level decreasing.)