Comments on: Download, convert & sync videos to your iPod - without touching your computer http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/ Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:27:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: bill http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-948 bill Wed, 07 Mar 2007 15:40:51 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-948 ben murphy, you are a god damn genius. ben murphy, you are a god damn genius.

]]> By: Pat http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-949 Pat Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:02:11 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-949 Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I've been using uTorrent to download videos, but wasn't sure how to automate moving them into iTunes and onto my iPod. I will be trying this out tonight! Thank you again! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I’ve been using uTorrent to download videos, but wasn’t sure how to automate moving them into iTunes and onto my iPod. I will be trying this out tonight! Thank you again!

]]> By: Davin Peterson http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-950 Davin Peterson Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:41:48 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-950 iPod Video unfairly dominates the market and aren't the only Video player. What about the Creative Zen Vision players? Creative's Zen Vision:M and W (Widescreen) screens are 4 times the color of the iPod (262,000 vs. iPod's 62,000) and are true video players. They also support more video formats than the iPod such as WMV. So stop saying iPod all time and say iPod, Zen or other Video player. iPod Video unfairly dominates the market and aren’t the only Video player. What about the Creative Zen Vision players? Creative’s Zen Vision:M and W (Widescreen) screens are 4 times the color of the iPod (262,000 vs. iPod’s 62,000) and are true video players. They also support more video formats than the iPod such as WMV. So stop saying iPod all time and say iPod, Zen or other Video player.

]]> By: Ben Murphy http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-951 Ben Murphy Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:49:53 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-951 @ Davin Peterson: I understand what you are saying, but I only have an ipod to sync videos with. I wrote this tutorial because I wanted to know how to automate the process. I don't own a zen vision or a zune or any other video player that connects and sync's with my computer. I do know that mp4 is becoming a pretty standard video format (I think) and you can probably take a lot of this tutorial and adapt it to fit your other video players needs, but I don't know how those other video players sync their media, or how to automate the process. Thanks for your interest though. @ Davin Peterson:

I understand what you are saying, but I only have an ipod to sync videos with. I wrote this tutorial because I wanted to know how to automate the process. I don’t own a zen vision or a zune or any other video player that connects and sync’s with my computer. I do know that mp4 is becoming a pretty standard video format (I think) and you can probably take a lot of this tutorial and adapt it to fit your other video players needs, but I don’t know how those other video players sync their media, or how to automate the process.

Thanks for your interest though.

]]> By: Dave http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-955 Dave Wed, 07 Mar 2007 20:45:48 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-955 This looks fantastic and would be incredibly helpful, but I've followed this all to the letter (three times now), and all I'm getting is an .mp4 file as output with audio only. :( Might be a Windows Vista compatibility bug? This looks fantastic and would be incredibly helpful, but I’ve followed this all to the letter (three times now), and all I’m getting is an .mp4 file as output with audio only. :(

Might be a Windows Vista compatibility bug?

]]> By: Curious http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-956 Curious Wed, 07 Mar 2007 21:18:13 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-956 Great tutorial... My only question is, I setup a second RSS feed after successfully starting the first feed. However, my feeds still show only the first one. How do I have multiple feeds start coming in and downloading automatically as well? Great tutorial…
My only question is, I setup a second RSS feed after successfully starting the first feed. However, my feeds still show only the first one. How do I have multiple feeds start coming in and downloading automatically as well?

]]> By: Ben Murphy http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-957 Ben Murphy Wed, 07 Mar 2007 21:25:28 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-957 @ Dave, I have only tried this method in XP so I am not aware of how it might work in Vista. What I do know is that mencoder.exe does the video conversion, ffmpeg does the audio conversion and mp4box packs them both into the .mp4 file. From my understanding autompeg4.exe facilitates the process. What I would suggest is trying a different version of mencoder.exe. Try downloading "MPlayer 1.0rc1 Windows" from this site: http://www.mplayerhq.hu/design7/dload.html and extracting mencoder.exe to your autompeg4 directory. <br /> Also I would suggest that you try running just the conversion process by itself. Go to your autompeg4 directory and drag the autompeg4options.txt file on top of the autompeg4.exe file. <br /> If it works correctly a new cmd window should pop up with a bunch of conversion information, the bottom line being the status of the conversion, you should see a frame count going up rapidly, a percentage completed Time remaining, etc. While all of this is happening you should see in your autompeg4 directory a new file called video.m4v, it should keep getting larger, this is the video file conversion. <br /> Once that has completed you should see a new cmd popup that references creating an iso, this is packing that .m4v file into a new .mp4 file. Then ffmpeg will pop up and start transcoding your audio, which will then be packed into the same .mp4 file once complete. <br /> So try running it manually, make sure all steps are being completed, this might be an insight into what is not functioning correctly. @ Dave,

I have only tried this method in XP so I am not aware of how it might work in Vista. What I do know is that mencoder.exe does the video conversion, ffmpeg does the audio conversion and mp4box packs them both into the .mp4 file. From my understanding autompeg4.exe facilitates the process. What I would suggest is trying a different version of mencoder.exe. Try downloading “MPlayer 1.0rc1 Windows” from this site: http://www.mplayerhq.hu/design7/dload.html and extracting mencoder.exe to your autompeg4 directory.

Also I would suggest that you try running just the conversion process by itself. Go to your autompeg4 directory and drag the autompeg4options.txt file on top of the autompeg4.exe file.

If it works correctly a new cmd window should pop up with a bunch of conversion information, the bottom line being the status of the conversion, you should see a frame count going up rapidly, a percentage completed Time remaining, etc. While all of this is happening you should see in your autompeg4 directory a new file called video.m4v, it should keep getting larger, this is the video file conversion.

Once that has completed you should see a new cmd popup that references creating an iso, this is packing that .m4v file into a new .mp4 file. Then ffmpeg will pop up and start transcoding your audio, which will then be packed into the same .mp4 file once complete.

So try running it manually, make sure all steps are being completed, this might be an insight into what is not functioning correctly.

]]> By: Ben Murphy http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-958 Ben Murphy Wed, 07 Mar 2007 21:44:45 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-958 @ Curious You should be able to add as many rss feeds as you like by simply clicking on "Add" and pasting the new RSS address in. There are a few tutorials out there that specifically focus on uTorrent. Try this one http://www.utorrent.com/rsstutorial.php and if you need more, i would try google as well. @ Curious
You should be able to add as many rss feeds as you like by simply clicking on “Add” and pasting the new RSS address in. There are a few tutorials out there that specifically focus on uTorrent. Try this one http://www.utorrent.com/rsstutorial.php and if you need more, i would try google as well.

]]> By: Shucker http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-965 Shucker Fri, 09 Mar 2007 05:39:07 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-965 Well I had a ton of trouble until I realized a few dumb mistakes I made and some not so dumb ones. I finally got it to run but am left with a couple of issues: 1.) Widescreen source videos. Almost all of my videos are widescreen, but not all. That sucks and just serves to make things more difficult. 2.) Completed videos get processed over and over again because temp files and converted files get deleted/moved. Not really sure what to do about that other than move the completed files manually each day. But then I have to make sure the files I move have already been encoded. Well I had a ton of trouble until I realized a few dumb mistakes I made and some not so dumb ones. I finally got it to run but am left with a couple of issues:
1.) Widescreen source videos. Almost all of my videos are widescreen, but not all. That sucks and just serves to make things more difficult.
2.) Completed videos get processed over and over again because temp files and converted files get deleted/moved. Not really sure what to do about that other than move the completed files manually each day. But then I have to make sure the files I move have already been encoded.

]]> By: Alex http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-1080 Alex Sun, 25 Mar 2007 19:13:40 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-1080 Hey great guide I still couldn't get mine to work, maybe if you have time you could put it all in a little app that just creates the requared folders and extracts the files? Anyway the idea is really cool. Hey great guide I still couldn’t get mine to work, maybe if you have time you could put it all in a little app that just creates the requared folders and extracts the files? Anyway the idea is really cool.

]]> By: Anony11 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-1337 Anony11 Tue, 03 Apr 2007 20:58:17 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-1337 Having issues right off the bat. Followed exact instructions. Running the first batch, ividconvert.bat, produces errors off the start like this: "C:\Documents and Settings\MYCOMP\Desktop\autompeg4>cd ôC:\IPOD\Vidsö The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect. I assure you the directories are correct and my autompeg4 is in a folder on the desktop, that's the only change. Having issues right off the bat. Followed exact instructions. Running the first batch, ividconvert.bat, produces errors off the start like this:

“C:\Documents and Settings\MYCOMP\Desktop\autompeg4>cd ôC:\IPOD\Vidsö
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

I assure you the directories are correct and my autompeg4 is in a folder on the desktop, that’s the only change.

]]> By: David http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-1370 David Wed, 04 Apr 2007 15:35:14 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-1370 This works great but you have to add a few more lines of code so that all your videos don't keep getting processed. 1. Copy my downloaded files to a folder called "originals" 2. Then MOVED the downloaded files to a temp folder. 3. Process the files in the temp folder 4. After they're processed the new .mp4 files are created in a "converted" folder 5. When the processing is over, I delete the files from the temp folder. 6. Then I run the itlu function o the "converted" folder 7. Once they're imported into my itunes I MOVE them to a "Finished ipod" folder (or you can delete them if your itunes consolidates your media files). This way all the folders are clean, for the next batch of processing. The only copies left are in the "originals" folder (.avi), and the "Finished ipod" (.mp4) folder. This works great but you have to add a few more lines of code so that all your videos don’t keep getting processed.

1. Copy my downloaded files to a folder called “originals”
2. Then MOVED the downloaded files to a temp folder.
3. Process the files in the temp folder
4. After they’re processed the new .mp4 files are created in a “converted” folder
5. When the processing is over, I delete the files from the temp folder.
6. Then I run the itlu function o the “converted” folder
7. Once they’re imported into my itunes I MOVE them to a “Finished ipod” folder (or you can delete them if your itunes consolidates your media files).

This way all the folders are clean, for the next batch of processing. The only copies left are in the “originals” folder (.avi), and the “Finished ipod” (.mp4) folder.

]]> By: Kyle Pott http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-1595 Kyle Pott Wed, 11 Apr 2007 23:15:47 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-1595 Everything works perfectly except I have no sound. Any ideas? Everything works perfectly except I have no sound. Any ideas?

]]> By: Mike Baird http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-2084 Mike Baird Tue, 24 Apr 2007 21:59:12 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-2084 @David: <br /> Great tips! always looking to streamline the process. <br /> @Kyle: <br /> I'm not sure what the problem might be, as I said above, I'm pretty sure ffmpeg does the audio conversion & mp4box puts the audio and video streams together. There may to isolate using just the ffmpeg process to see if it is creating the audio correctly, then you will know if that or mp4box is the problem <br /> Also something new on Lifehacker the other day was a writeup on Handbrake <a href="http://lifehacker.com/software/dvd/download-of-the-day-handbrake-all-platforms-254445.php" rel="nofollow">(link)</a> It claims to have a command line interface. I plan on checking it out and seeing if there is a way to simplify the process. @David:

Great tips! always looking to streamline the process.

@Kyle:

I’m not sure what the problem might be, as I said above, I’m pretty sure ffmpeg does the audio conversion & mp4box puts the audio and video streams together. There may to isolate using just the ffmpeg process to see if it is creating the audio correctly, then you will know if that or mp4box is the problem

Also something new on Lifehacker the other day was a writeup on Handbrake (link) It claims to have a command line interface. I plan on checking it out and seeing if there is a way to simplify the process.

]]> By: 50 Free Tools to make your iPod Better and … » MakeUseOf.com http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-3261 50 Free Tools to make your iPod Better and … » MakeUseOf.com Tue, 01 May 2007 18:53:06 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-3261 [...] Download,Convert & Sync videos to your iPod - without touching your PC [mike.chicagobairds.com] - windows only [...] […] Download,Convert & Sync videos to your iPod - without touching your PC [mike.chicagobairds.com] - windows only […]

]]> By: Jacob Klint http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-3347 Jacob Klint Mon, 07 May 2007 20:46:09 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-3347 Hello, I am the author of the autompeg4 program, and I ran across this guide recently. I'm happy to see others are getting use out of the program! I wanted to let you know that I just released a brand-new version of autompeg4. It has been totally revamped - it now has a nice GUI, a new name ("MpegALot"), much improved multi-threaded batch encoding features, and so on. It still retains a command-line mode though for automated batch encodes as you describe here (although the settings file format has changed so old settings files will not work, sorry for the inconvenience!) You can download the new program here: http://webfiles.uci.edu/jklint/work/MpegALot10.zip Hello,

I am the author of the autompeg4 program, and I ran across this guide recently. I’m happy to see others are getting use out of the program!

I wanted to let you know that I just released a brand-new version of autompeg4. It has been totally revamped - it now has a nice GUI, a new name (”MpegALot”), much improved multi-threaded batch encoding features, and so on. It still retains a command-line mode though for automated batch encodes as you describe here (although the settings file format has changed so old settings files will not work, sorry for the inconvenience!)

You can download the new program here:
http://webfiles.uci.edu/jklint/work/MpegALot10.zip

]]> By: ceramic owl mug » Blog Archive » Update: Autompeg4 is now MpegALot http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-3494 ceramic owl mug » Blog Archive » Update: Autompeg4 is now MpegALot Wed, 16 May 2007 04:36:47 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-3494 [...] software I described in the tutorial I wrote up not too long ago has been updated by the [...] […] software I described in the tutorial I wrote up not too long ago has been updated by the […]

]]> By: ShaneB http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-6491 ShaneB Wed, 27 Jun 2007 13:45:16 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-6491 There must be something wrong with the audio portion of this configuration. I've checked and re-checked against this guide, but ffmpeg just starts, sits there for a bit, then closes, with no audio generated. Therefore my videos have no audio. :( There must be something wrong with the audio portion of this configuration. I’ve checked and re-checked against this guide, but ffmpeg just starts, sits there for a bit, then closes, with no audio generated. Therefore my videos have no audio. :(

]]> By: Mark M http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-6748 Mark M Sat, 07 Jul 2007 22:05:21 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-6748 I'm looking to do a similar thing with vlc to convert avi to wmv automatically, any hints would be more than welcome. I’m looking to do a similar thing with vlc to convert avi to wmv automatically, any hints would be more than welcome.

]]> By: Michael Baird http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-6800 Michael Baird Tue, 10 Jul 2007 15:45:10 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-6800 I looked into using VLC before I came up with the autompeg4 solution. I looked to their forum for help on doing automatic batch conversions to the mpeg file format and was told at the time that no such solution was inherent without a bit of scripting, which honestly I didn't know how to do, nor had time to learn. My post on the forum is here: http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=28189 and it looks like someone has since posted a solution, or at least a starting point. Good luck & let me know how it works out. I looked into using VLC before I came up with the autompeg4 solution. I looked to their forum for help on doing automatic batch conversions to the mpeg file format and was told at the time that no such solution was inherent without a bit of scripting, which honestly I didn’t know how to do, nor had time to learn. My post on the forum is here:

http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=28189

and it looks like someone has since posted a solution, or at least a starting point.

Good luck & let me know how it works out.

]]> By: Selma http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-7289 Selma Sun, 05 Aug 2007 18:19:04 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-7289 U R genius tks a lot. U R genius tks a lot.

]]> By: Michelle http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-9702 Michelle Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:54:54 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-9702 for some reason, every time i hit the Itunes Library Updater download link- the 403 Forbidden page comes up.. i've tried getting it through google and the original sites, but it keeps coming up. any suggestions? for some reason, every time i hit the Itunes Library Updater download link- the 403 Forbidden page comes up.. i’ve tried getting it through google and the original sites, but it keeps coming up. any suggestions?

]]> By: Michael Baird http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-9712 Michael Baird Fri, 30 Nov 2007 02:54:55 +0000 http://mike.chicagobairds.com/2007/03/06/download-convert-sync-videos-to-your-ipod-without-touching-your-computer/#comment-9712 Michelle, It looks like the original host is no longer available, he seems to have had problems with his hosting service. If you google itunes library updater, other sites have it hosted for download, or I would also recommend using ipodifier http://ipodifier.com/download.html, which does a pretty good job of automating the process and syncing itunes, all in one app. Michelle, It looks like the original host is no longer available, he seems to have had problems with his hosting service. If you google itunes library updater, other sites have it hosted for download, or I would also recommend using ipodifier http://ipodifier.com/download.html, which does a pretty good job of automating the process and syncing itunes, all in one app.

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