Video won;t sync to my ipod

There is a resolution limit to what an iPod classic can play. iTunes will not sync video content that is beyond what the iPod can play. For example, if the movie is "HD" that is too high a resolution for the iPod's screen.

The iPod classic specs

http://www.apple.com/ipodclassic/specs.html

says that 640x480 is the highest resolution it can play, although the screen is only 320x240. There is a command in iTunes to convert video to a format playable on iPods. In the latest iTunes, It is at

File -> Create New Version -> Create iPhone or iPod Version

However, this command usually does not work on Movies and TV Shows from the iTunes Store because they have DRM (copy protection). Instead, if the reason it does not sync is because it is in HD, try to find the SD (standard definition) version of the same movie in the iTunes Store. If you paid for the HD version, I believe you can download the SD version at no additional cost (not 100% about that...). The SD version should work with iPods that play video.

Wow, i've been racking my brain for weeks with this problem and until this response from Mr. Watanabe nothing - not even Apple Care staff - has been able to figure this out. So far it works. Thanks, thanks, thanks.

Oops - I may have spoken to soon. I followed the instructions and for some videos it worked and for others it didn't. I really can't figure this out. Why would all the videos appear in iTunes and play just fine, but when I want to sync them all to my iPod classic it just won't happen. Particularly strange because I used to have all of them on my iPad but somehow iTunes wiped them out and now I'm forced to try and get them back but can't. Any help gratefully appreciated.

Can you provide more details? In your case, are these videos (TV Show or Movie downloads) from the iTunes Store? Or did you add them to your iTunes library from an external source?

What "instructions" did you follow? Converting them in iTunes, downloading the SD version instead of HD (if they were from the iTunes Store)...?

Basically, explain more fully what you are trying to do that does not work?

Thanks for contacting me.

These are all videos I'd downloaded - all short, not movies or tv shows. I'd had them on my iPod classic for years and I'm pretty sure none came from iTunes. At the time I downloaded them they were either automatically placed into my iTunes or I imported othem somehow. All was good until recently. I'd bought a new MacBook Pro a few months ago. A few weeks ago something happened and ultimately I had to reinstall Mavericks. But not before I was told to go to the Apple Store for help and where they installed Yosemite. I found Yosemite undesirable so with the help of Apple care I reinstalled Mavericks. Somewhere in this whole process when I synced my iPod several of the videos I had on there disappeared. I contacted apple care but the rep couldn't figure it out. The strange thing is that I can see all the videos in iTunes and I can play/view them, they just won't all sync back onto the iPod

When I saw you post replying to the other customer I thought it was the answer I wanted - and I tried it with one video and it worked; synced it with my iPod and all. But, I tried it on several other videos and no luck.

So, I'm really frustrated and don't understand how they got wiped out in the first place and why I can't put them back. Now, I'm afraid to sync my iPhone less the same thing happen.

Thanks again.

Sent from my iPad

On Dec 19, 2014, at 4:40 PM, Apple Support Communities Updates < discussions-updates@apple.com> wrote:

Apple Support Communities Kenichi Watanabe has posted in the iPod classic community. Video won;t sync to my ipod Can you provide more details? In your case, are these videos (TV Show or Moviedownloads) from the iTunes Store? Or did you add them to your iTunes library from an external source? What "instructions" did you follow? Converting them in iTunes, downloading the SD version instead of HD (if they were from the iTunes Store)...? Basically, explain more fully what you are trying to do that does not work? To post a reply, go to the discussion in Apple Support Communities. You are receiving this email from Apple Support Communities. You can change your email preferences in your Apple Support Communities Profile. TM and copyright © 2014 Apple Inc. 1 Infinite Loop, MS 96-DM. Cupertino, CA 95014. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Apple Support

You problem is actually very different from the original poster. If you re-installed Mavericks as a "clean" install, with a new iTunes library, the iPod would see it as NOT your old iTunes library (the one it is set up to syncs to automatically). So, if you sync the iPod to that new iTunes library, even if all of your previous content is in the new library, the iPod is erased and synced to the new library. That may be why you say the iPod was "wiped out."

If you want to use automatic syncing for adding songs and videos to your iPod, you need to set that up in iTunes. If you don't set it up, the videos may be in your iTunes library (under Movies), but not on your iPod. In iTunes 12, select the iPod in iTunes (click the "device button" on the horizontal bar), so that you see the iPod's Summary settings screen. In the iPod screen sidebar, click Movies under Settings. To the right, the iPod's Movies settings screen is shown, where you tell iTunes how to sync movies to the iPod. Check the box for Sync Movies. The list of videos in your iTunes Movies library that can be synced to the iPod is shown there. Select (checkmark) the ones you want on the iPod. Then click Apply.

NOTE: I don't know how you currently sync Music to the iPod, but you set up automatic syncing for songs by clicking Music under Settings (in the iPod screen sidebar). Then set up the iPod's Music settings screen.

Thanks for the instructions. I've spent the last several hours trying to get this to work. I managed to get one video synced, but the others still won't go. In most cases when I sync, I get something like the following message, "Some of the videos in your iTunes library … were not copied to the ipod … because they cannot be played on this iPod." Since I'd previously had all of these and played them on my iPod I don't know why I get this message. And some videos that the message says couldn't be synced in fact have already been synced and are back on my iPod.

I also tried creating "creating a new version" of one of the videos (that are in iTunes but won't sync) for iPod or iPhone as you suggested in your original post. I got an error message that reads "Error occurred while converting the file … an unknown error occurred (-11821)." That's a new one I've not seen before and don't know what it refers to.

Bottom line the problem persists. Is there any other solution you can think of. Also, would I have to go through all this if I try syncing my other devices (iPad or iPhone)?

Thanks again .. and again.

Are you adding videos to the iPod manually, by setting it to Manually manage music and videos (on the iPod's Summary settings screen). Or are you using automatic syncing, which I described in my previous reply?

If you are using automatic syncing, do the videos that get the "because they cannot be played on this iPod" error appear on the iPod's Movies settings screen, where you checkmark the ones you want to sync?

"Error occurred while converting the file... unknown error occurred" may indicate that video file is corrupted in some way. It may still play in iTunes, but the conversion process is affected.

And some videos that the message says couldn't be synced in fact have already been synced and are back on my iPod.

In case there is data corruption on the iPod's storage, if you have not already, you may want to do a Restore on the iPod using iTunes to give it a fresh start. Then, set it up to sync Movies as described in previous reply.

Restoring iPod to factory settings - Apple Support

I really can't express how appreciative I am that you are taking the time to walk me through this. Here's the latest:

Based on your previous instructions I did an automatic syncing (I'd also previously done a "manual manage sync). Based on your last post I did another automatic sync. It was to no avail. I still got the same message about "...cannot be played on this iPod (again ... some of them were synced even thought the message said they weren't).

My next step was to do a 'restore' as you suggested. Then I started the automatic sync process again, make sure everything I wanted was checked (note: again, not all my original videos even appeared on the screen - the same problem as before). This time the same message appeared with regard to the videos, e.g. "... cannot be played on this iPod." Strangely, the message indicated there were only 7 videos that had a problem; before there had been 10. I have no idea what might have made the difference with the three videos.

Do you think there is anything left to try?

Thanks.

Strangely, the message indicated there were only 7 videos that had a problem; before there had been 10.

Is "7 videos" just a small percentage of the total videos you are trying to sync. In other words, are you syncing 100 videos, and most sync fine, with a few not syncing. Or are you syncing 10 videos, and most are not syncing.

I have no idea what might have made the difference with the three videos.

Since doing the Restore causes this (positive) effect, perhaps those videos were the ones that were already on the iPod, although iTunes was trying to sync them again. That may have been data corruption on the iPod, which the Restore fixed.

note: again, not all my original videos even appeared on the screen - the same problem as before

So, the remaining problems are the videos that do not appear on the iPod's Movies settings screen at all (so you cannot select them), AND the 7 that do appear there (and can be selected) but result in the error during syncing... Is that correct?

For the ones that do not appear on the iPod's Movies settings screen at all, when you see and play them in iTunes, are they in your iTunes Movies library? If they are videos in iTunes under a different category, such as Music (music videos), TV Shows, or Podcasts, the videos will not appear on the iPod's Movies settings screen. You'll need to set up syncing for those other iTunes media categories, which should show those videos.

If they are classified as Movies in iTunes, I would go through each one (including the 7 that error out during syncing) and use the "conversion" command in iTunes to Create iPhone or iPod Version. The new version should appear in the Movies library. You said you got an error before (on at lease one), so note the ones that error out while creating the new version. For the ones that do not cause an error, try syncing the new versions to the iPod.

After doing all of that, how many videos are left that do not sync to the iPod?

So, things have professed very strangely. To answer your questions:

1. I have about 20-25 videos in total; or should have if they would all sync. Another strange thing has happened. After the last attempt to sync and getting the same message "can't be synced to this iPod", etc. But, this time the number of failed videos have risen from 7 to 9 - again, no idea what's going on.

3. I decided to try once again to do what you had suggested earlier and which had been successful on only a couple of videos. I tried creating a different version and then syncing again. Guess what? Although I got the same message, the videos I tried to sync actually DID sync. So, I tried that for each one that the message said couldn't be synced and all but two or three synced - even though I kept getting the same message. Go figure? Although, just to satisfy my curiosity and for future use I would still like to know for sure why all this is happening. But, I may have to be satisfied with the way things are.

4. "So, the remaining problems are the videos that do not appear on the iPod's Movies settings screen at all (so you cannot select them), AND the 7 that do appear there (and can be selected) but result in the error during syncing... Is that correct?"

That's correct, but it seems my latest effort has overcome that issue, although I don't know why.

5. "For the ones that do not appear on the iPod's Movies settings screen at all, when you see and play them in iTunes, are they in your iTunes Movies library? If they are videos in iTunes under a different category, such as Music (music videos), TV Shows, or Podcasts, the videos will not appear on the iPod's Movies settings screen. You'll need to set up syncing for those other iTunes media categories, which should show those videos."

I had tried syncing all of the categories separately, but it didn't seem to make any difference.

So, I think we can wrap this up. If you can shed any light on the mystery I'd still appreciate your help. But, it's not a big deal. I've got almost all the videos back onto my iPod whether iTunes thinks I have or not.

The only question I have remaining is whether or not you think I'll have any issues at this point syncing m other devices - an iPad and an iPhone 5S. I'd hate to run into any issues like this again.

Thanks so-o-o-o much.

Although I got the same message, the videos I tried to sync actually DID sync.

Maybe that happens because iTunes is trying to sync both the original video, AND the new version you just created; so the new version IS syncing and the original is NOT (and you get that error message again). If that's the case, nothing is technically wrong. On the iPod's Movies settings screen, does it distinguish between the original video and the new version? I haven't use that "convert" command very much, so I don't recall...

Here's another way to set this up for syncing, which should get rid of that error message (about not syncing). In some ways, it may be simpler to do it this way. In iTunes, select Movies on the horizontal bar, and use the Playlists view (also a button on the bar). In the sidebar, click the plus sign and create a new playlist. You can name is something like "iPod Videos" (or whatever you want).

Select your Movies library in the sidebar, so that you see your videos to the right. Drag and drop all of the "movie" videos you want on the iPod to that new playlist. Be sure to add the converted versions created for "iPhone and iPod" to the playlist, not the original versions. Then, go to the iPod's Movies settings screen. This time, do NOT select any movies on the list (uncheck those that are selected). At the bottom of the screen, where it says Include Movies from Playlists, find that new playlist you created with videos you want on the iPod and select it. You only need to select that one playlist.

When you click Apply, those playlist videos will be on the iPod. You should not get syncing error messages, since those specific videos (which you know sync properly) are the only ones you are syncing. Going forward, you don't need to use the iPod's Music settings screen to change videos on the iPod. Just update that playlist (add/remove videos). The next time you connect the iPod, iTunes automatically updates the iPod with the same changes.

Hi Again and thanks for continuing to look for solutions. As always … much appreciation.

I’ll try to answer your questions as best I can, although things are getting a little confusing in terms of where things are and what I should do.

On the iPod’s Movies setting (“my device”) there are no duplications showing. However, under the “movies” tab across the top of the screen, and under both “My Movies” and “Playlists”, which both have the same number of videos (22)) there are duplicates showing for the ones that I’ve created a new version of and which have now – all, I think - synced to my iPod somehow.

Here’s where I get confused about your further instructions. I can’t drag and drop the “converted” version as far as I can tell into a new playlist because the listing doesn’t seem to distinguish the new version from the old. Even using “get info” doesn’t seem to show a difference. Is there another way to know which one is which at this point? I’m probably missing something, right? Also, on my iPod’s movies settings screen I don’t see “include movies…” at the bottom. I see an “add to” at the top of the screen. Is that the same thing?

On the iPod’s Movies setting (“my device”) there are no duplications showing.

That probably means selecting the movie (on that screen) makes the iPod try to sync BOTH versions. It may show them separately, if you change the name of one of the two versions. For example, you can add "(iPod)" to the end of the names of videos that were created for syncing to the iPod.

I can’t drag and drop the “converted” version as far as I can tell into a new playlist because the listing doesn’t seem to distinguish the new version from the old.

On the list showing your Movies library, show it as a simple list, if it is not already. You can do so by clicking at the right end of the horizontal bar, where there is a "toggle" for how the list is shown; select Movie List. Is there currently a list column for Date Added? If not, on the list, right-click on the headings row, to the right of the right-most list column; on the drop-down list that appears, select Date Added. You may want to do that again, and select Kind. NOTE: The items on the drop-down list that are checked are the columns that are shown on the list. You can rearrange location of columns on the Movies list by dragging the column heading.

With Date Added visible on the Movies list, it should be easy to distinguish the new version. Also, you can note what the Kind is for those new videos.

Also, on my iPod’s movies settings screen I don’t see “include movies…” at the bottom. I see an “add to” at the top of the screen...

I don't see Add to at the top of that screen, so just to confirm we are on the same screen (iPod's Movies settings screen), select the iPod in iTunes so that you initially see the iPod's Summary settings screen. In the sidebar, under Settings, click Movies. To the right is the iPod's Movies settings screen. You may need to "scroll" the screen to see the Include Movies from Playlists portion at the bottom.

On the iPod’s Movies setting (“my device”) there are no duplications showing.

That probably means selecting the movie (on that screen) makes the iPod try to sync BOTH versions. It may show them separately, if you change the name of one of the two versions. For example, you can add "(iPod)" to the end of the names of videos that were created for syncing to the iPod.

But, I can't tell which one was created for syncing to the iPod, as I mentioned below.

I can’t drag and drop the “converted” version as far as I can tell into a new playlist because the listing doesn’t seem to distinguish the new version from the old.

On the list showing your Movies library, show it as a simple list, if it is not already. You can do so by clicking at the right end of the horizontal bar, where there is a "toggle" for how the list is shown; select Movie List.

It is already showing as "Movie List."

Is there currently a list column for Date Added?

I've now added such a listing

You may want to do that again, and select Kind.

OK, did that

With Date Added visible on the Movies list, it should be easy to distinguish the new version. Also, you can note what the Kind is for those new videos.

OK - all but two are showing as MPEG-4 videos; two are QuickTime movie files.

Also, on my iPod’s movies settings screen I don’t see “include movies…” at the bottom. I see an “add to” at the top of the screen...

I don't see Add to at the top of that screen, so just to confirm we are on the same screen (iPod's Movies settings screen), select the iPod in iTunes so that you initially see the iPod's Summary settings screen. In the sidebar, under Settings, click Movies. To the right is the iPod's Movies settings screen. You may need to "scroll" the screen to see the Include Movies from Playlists portion at the bottom.

Yes, I'm on that screen, and now I see the "include Movies from Playlists" option.

OK, I've gotten this far but mind isn't clear on the next steps to take. Would you mind repeating the steps again?