Frequently Asked Questions

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This FAQ is by no means exclusive; if you have other FAQ suggestions please PM me. I'm not sure if/how to do local hyperlinks in BBCode, so you'll just have to search/scroll for now. Sorry for the incovenience. Ctrl+F is your friend.

What is the Videora iPod converter?

Originally Posted by videora.com

Videora iPod Converter is a free iPod video converter that converts video files, YouTube videos, movies and DVD's so you can play them on your iPod. The software, developed by the creators of Videora, can convert all types of video files (avi, divx, xvid, flv, x264, vob, mpeg, DVD's, YouTube, etc.) into the proper video formats (MPEG-4, H.264) that play on the iPod.

With Videora iPod Converter you can convert videos for any type of iPod that plays video. This includes the new iPod touch, iPod nano and iPod classic in addition to the 5th generation iPod. You can also convert videos for the iPhone.

What sort of video does the iPod understand?

Originally Posted by apple.com

H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per sec., Low-Complexity version of the H.264 Baseline Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats

H.264 video, up to 768 Kbps, 320 by 240 pixels, 30 frames per sec., Baseline Profile up to Level 1.3 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats

MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per sec., Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats

Videora's iPod converter creates mp4 files and offers different profiles that fit within these specs. Keep in mind the resolution limits are meant to be stated as total pixels for file transfer (307200 for MPEG-4/H.264 Low Complexity, 76800 pixels for H.264 Basleine Level 1.3).

What's the difference between H.264 and MPEG-4?
They are separate codecs used to compress video data so it takes up less space. H.264 is a newer codec which is meant to have better quality than MPEG-4 at a given level of compression. Try them both and see which you prefer. In my experience, MPEG-4 is more stable but doesn't support all the colorspaces the H.264 does. For home movies, H.264 might be your only option.

How do I convert my videos?
Before you do anything, read this. It's a great overview of iPod video.

Use this guide as a starting point.

Here is an alternate guide that MaxSterling wrote for DVDs with additional copy protection.

Does the converter support ____ filetype?
If you can play it in Windows Media Player, you should be able to convert it using AVISynth script. See the AVISynth-related material further down for more info.

If you can open the original file in iTunes, you're probably better off using the iPod conversion function in iTunes 7.

How can I improve the quality of my videos?
- Increase the bitrate up to the maximum allowed in the spec, this will increase filesize.
- Use a profile with advanced quality options. This will drastically increase conversion time.
- Use a second pass. This will also increase conversion time.

Originally Posted by Midiman

The bitrate pretty much determines the size but in a 2 pass encode what happens is this: during the first pass, the motion is evaluated... scenes that have more motion are mapped. During the second pass, more bandwidth is applied to the faster motion scenes resulting in better overall picture quailty. In "talking head" shots, where little is moving but a mouth, a 1 pass encode would expend the same fixed bitrate on it as it would during a car chase scene.

Is there any way I can queue conversions, so I don't have to start each one individually when it's ready?
Yes. Just start the first conversion. From there, try to convert another video while the first is running, and it will queue up. Repeat this process for as many videos as you'd like.

How do I get my movies to show up in iTunes?
Open iTunes. From the menu bar, File -> Add File to Library...

Please remember the converter does not change your original file, it create an iPod-compatible copy in the output folder (Setup -> Settings tab). Add that file to iTunes.

I don't get video on my iPod. It's lists all of the file info and has a little television on it. What's going on?
TV-Out is enabled on your iPod. You have to disable it under 'Video Settings.'

What's the red box with the white X in the converter settings?
This is related to Videora's main product and has no impact on your ability to convert videos. Please ignore it.

What do the FFMPEG command line options actually do?
A bunch of different things. There's a list of them here. The descriptions are a bit basic, but Mplayer has a lot of the same options and more detailed info here.

It says "Transcode Complete" after two seconds, and there's no output file or only an AVISynth script (.avs file). What happened?
FFMPEG (the program that actually performs the transcoding) has errored. To get more information about the error, turn on the debug console (Settings -> Console), start your transcode, and look at what's being written to the console.

I just lost hours of my life waiting for this video to transcode and now it doesn't work!
I would suggest using a really small video when trying new profiles and/or processes. If they don't work for you, you won't have lost as much time.

How do I post a console log?
To generate a console log, please follow these steps.
1. Click the “Convert”, click the "Console" tab and check the "Enable Console" box.
2. Start encoding the video that failed as you normally would
3. If your conversion is still going after 10 seconds, click the "Cancel" button in the “Progress” tab.
4. Click the "Console" tab and then click the “Copy Console” button
5. Paste the text into your message using CTRL-V or right clicking your mouse and clicking the “Paste” option.

For a complete guide on how to post a console log with screen shots, see our Creating a Console Log Guide.

I'm running on Vista, and...
Before you do anything else, run the iPod Converter as Administrator (from the start menu, right click the icon and select "Run as Administrator"). Thansk to gtpdspin for the tip.

What is AVISynth exactly?

Originally Posted by avisynth.org

AviSynth is a powerful tool for video post-production. It provides almost unlimited ways of editing and processing videos. AviSynth works as a frameserver, providing instant editing without the need for temporary files.

AviSynth itself does not provide a graphical user interface (GUI) but instead relies on a script system that allows advanced non-linear editing. While this may at first seem tedious and unintuitive, it is remarkably powerful and is a very good way to manage projects in a precise, consistent, and reproducible manner. Because text-based scripts are human readable, projects are inherently self-documenting. The scripting language is simple yet powerful, and complex filters can be created from basic operations to develop a sophisticated palette of useful and unique effects.

I don't know how to use AviSynth!
First of all, confirm that you can play the video in Windows Media Player. If you can't this solution will not work until you download an appropriate codec that WMP can use for your video.

To create a basic script:
- Open Notepad. (Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> Notepad)
- Changing the parts in brackets to match your video's name and location, enter the following into Notepad:

DirectShowSource("C:\[Folders]\[movie.avi]")

- Save the Notepad document as "movie.avs" (save file type: all files *.*)
- Convert the .avs file (NOT the original movie file) through the iPod Coverter.

If your debug log (see bottom of sticky on how to create one) can't determine the frame rate for a WMV/MPG, use this instead:

DirectShowSource("C:\[Folders]\[movie.avi]"), fps=30, convertfps=true)

If you want to try VOB files, you will need to use DGIndex along with it. doom9.org has a great tutorial to complement this.