I am currently using the Xilisoft software. I run into the same problem when I convert both DVDs and Divx (AVI). I’m left with a file that plays perfectly from iTunes. An .mp4 file I believe. However, when I try to load these manually (via iTunes) I get the message stating that it/they cannot be played on my iPod…..I have to right-click on them and convert them…yet again. This process takes FOREVER!!! Is there a way around this? I thought the iPod accepted mpeg-4….I don’t get it folks. Thank you for any help you can provide. I just got my iPod yesterday and I have several movies ready to load…or so I though.
Well, I decided to take a look at what iTunes changed to make the file work. I’ve noticed two things: 1. The video bitrate was lowered from the 1500-2500 I had set the file to originally…to just over 700. 2. Audio sample rate has been lowered from 48 kHz to 44.1 kHz. 3. Audio bitrate has been lowered from 160 kbps to 128 kbps I’ll try to encode at those levels later and see if that works. I had been encoding with a video bitrate of 1500 or 2500 because I was choosing the mpeg-4 format and I thought you the iPod could handle it up. to 2.5 Mbps. Maybe I had it all wrong…
So…the more I look at it, the more I think the problem lies in video bitrate. Maybe I will be problem free if I cap the bitrate at 768. It looks like I should be ok with 48 kHz sample rate and 160 kbps audio bit rate however. I guess I’ll give it a try.
