HOW TO:Video encoding for the 8100 Mac edition
 

So i have been toying with video encoding for the 8100 and wanted to write up a tutorial for mac users. I have successfully done it using freeware. The videos play but i have a few playback problems. As this thread grows with new input from all of you i will edit this post with updates. This is the method i have used and the videos play fine, but the catch is the phone freezes while its playing. If anyone know why that is it would be very helpful to know a fix.


This method will convert existing files you have on on your computer (.mov .mp4 .avi .dv .mpg .vob .3gp .asf .wmv .flv .m4v). to the proper format for the 8100

1. Download iSquint software (free) from here iSquint - iPod Video Made Easy.

2. Open iSquint and choose advanced from the right side of the window.

3. Change the width to 240 and the height to 180. Change the Bitrate to 400 and framerate to 15. Close the advanced tab

4. Drag your file(s) (isquint suppports batch encoding) into the window

5. Choose where you want to save the file and click "Start"

6. Drag the finished file to the "videos" folder on your 8100's memory card.

Like i said above. The video plays fine but you can't operate the menu or controls. If anyone knows a fix or different encoding method please post it.

You can use Handbrake to convert DVD's into mpegs then convert those using iSquint into something the 8100 can play. I haven't been able to get Handbrake to encode DVD's directly to the 8100 format so if anyone knows how post it here and i will add it to the instructions.

Great write up. Do you think this would work for the 8703e? Just curious.

Again, seriously cool that you took the time to write this up. (y)

yeah thanks for that. i haven't tried it, but good posts like this are always welcome. now if they would just release pocketmac before i end up typing in my contacts by hand. =)

Thanks for the thanks guys. I wish i could figure out why the controls don't work though. Anybody out there know why?

why can't you convert a dvd from handbrake directly into something the 8100 can play? it will convert dvds into h.263 format which is compatible and also .avi format. Plus you can resize the image into whatever resolution you want. This would seem like the correct way to do it if you actually have the dvds you want to put on the 8100.

I'm not sure why. I have tried multiple settings and can't get them to work. Perhaps im just missing the right combination of settings I'm also fairly certain handbrake only does h.264, but i could be wrong

I tried this today too! i used Popcorn 2 (already owned) and the mpeg format. THe video played well and looked amazing. i had the same problem with the control. it does not lock up but it is really really slow. Adventually it responded. I will try it again with a small video file. First file was 75+ MB

I just read that lowering the frame rate to 15 or less should fix the control problem

I just tried rencoding a video with the frame rate set to 15. The controls respond but extremely slowly. After a few minutes everything starts to work ok but at first it doesn't respond to a button push for about 20 to 30 seconds.
Its almost as if the video needs to load before it will let you change anything but it still plays regardless of its "loaded"

I got okay quality using QuickTime Pro and Export the file to Quicktime ->H263 I've had the same lag problem with controls.

works perfect
 

thanks for the awesome write up for isquint. It works perfectly,but its amazing how slow it takes for the buttons to work when video is playing (IE menu)

Thanks again for the thanks. My first sticky!! Anyway i hope we can get our heads together and figure out why the controls are soooo slooow.

has anyone messed w/ getting mencoder to compile w/ all the right options to get it to work w/ the same commands as the dos/linux one (basically im just looking for the compile options to get mencoder to work right)

well got it working by omiting the acodec= part but left the bitrate in. Dont have my pearl yet so cant try out the files if anyone w/ a mac would be willing to help would be greatful


DOH!!! forgot that i didnt have LAME installed on this machine all works now

So you did get it to work? If you still need someone to try it out i could but i'm not exactly sure what you're trying to do.

i was just trying to get mencoder to work. since its free, works well and is multiplatform. be nice for the same script/command to work in all of my enviroments (linux servers-arm, x86, and ppc based) i dont have a pearl to try the resulting file on but it should work (that was the part i was talking about if someone could repeat the commands and try it on their device)

for widescreen(1.78:1) i use "mencoder -vf scale=240:135 <input.file> -o <output.file> -of avi -ofps 15 -ovc lavc -oac lavc -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg4:vbitrate=230:acodec=mp3:abitrate=64"

I have the encoded file at ltconceptsDOTnet/bsg_test.avi

(if you want to know what the file is of its just the opening credits of BattleStar Galactica 21sec long)

I just tried out the above video and it works perfectly! I hope it wasn't just because it was a short clip though. I wish there was a more user friendly way to do it though. Using terminal might scare some people off. (including me sort of)

my phone seems to have issues keeping the video and audio synced together when encoding using the OP's method. Also, I am too experiencing the lag issues with the controls. Has anyone been sucessful encoding using StarKnight83's method utilizing mencoder? I would be interested in hearing on how to do this in more detail.

also, is everyone else seeing that extra "copy" of the file in the videos folder when you drag and drop? I am also seeing this DS.store file as well in my videos folder. I think this has something to do with a PC-formatted drive and copying files onto it from a mac. Anyway to get rid of it?

the DS.store file is something that either finder or filesystem uses to keep indexed info (AFAIK) or something like that. I come from a *nix background (got sick of windows) so I have no problems openning up the terminal and typing to my hearts content. Anyways just delete the file it wont mess w/ anything

I have been using compressor to encode the videos for the pearl and have been having good luck with it so far. There is only a 5 second delay using the controls now, although forward and rewind still has a bit of a delay. When you encode, be sure to find out what the framerate is of the source file before choosing a export framerate. Make sure it is something easily divisible by the source framerate, otherwise, you will end up w/ dropped frames and playback issues. Most of the tv episode rips I have been encoding are at 23.98 FPS, so I've been encoding them at 11.99 FPS, and it still looks great. For an action movie, I'd probably go with something else, but it works well for the lower-motion shows.