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Jedi5

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 16, 2009
573
33
North Burbs, IL
I know that if you want to watch a movie (own personal collection) on your iPad, you have to encode the movie and then load/transfer using iTunes.

My question, which I'm sure is pretty simple, is:

*Do* All videos you want to watch on your iPad from your personal collection have to be encoded first to iPad format before you can transfer and watch on your iPad?

So home movies, youtube videos I've downloaded, etc... all have to be encoded ( I have handbrake) and then I can transfer over?
 
Last edited:

Gryzor

macrumors 6502a
Jun 20, 2010
758
326
You actually didn't "ask" a question at all, you just wrote a statement and put a question mark at the end.

Yes, of course they need to be encoded into an appropriate format first.
 

Jedi5

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 16, 2009
573
33
North Burbs, IL
LOL...

Fixed my question...


thanks for the response.
sorta thought that just wanted to confirm over here before i start throwing things around when i can't watch a video on the iPad
 

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
9,109
3,974
No, you don't have to recode them all.

For some reason, that I've never been explained, Apple, Sorry, I mean Steve Jobs thinks he knows what's best and we should all watch video in his approved format only, so that's what Apple's player supports.

You can download other apps, and using these apps then playback other video formats.

Given the stupid way the iPad handles files, you will have to copy the movies into the new apps storage area, as otherwise it will not be able to see any files already on your machine.

I do with Apple themselves would just support more video format's in the 1st place and make it easier for their customers.

Perhaps one day....................
 

flaming homer

macrumors newbie
Jun 18, 2010
7
0
look into these two apps

cinexplayer - will let you play xvid/divx/non-mp4 media
filebrowser - will let you transfer files from your network to your ipad, added benefit of being able to "stream" apple compatible formats (mp3, mp4) to the media player inside the ipad
 

Night Spring

macrumors G5
Jul 17, 2008
14,598
7,768
There's also apps like Air Video and Zumocast, that let you stream videos from your computer to your iPad. No need to transcode beforehand, they transcode on the fly.
 

blkwls

macrumors newbie
Oct 11, 2010
4
0
Air Video app is the best, but only when you are in your home network range!
After that I use vlc Player!
 

rcp27

macrumors regular
May 12, 2010
212
19
No, you don't have to recode them all.

For some reason, that I've never been explained, Apple, Sorry, I mean Steve Jobs thinks he knows what's best and we should all watch video in his approved format only, so that's what Apple's player supports.

Apple (both Steve and others working there) actually do know what's best though, because they designed the iPad. The iPad contains hardware that can efficiently decode certain video codecs with a minimal demand on the CPU, and hence a low power drain. The hardware only supports certain codecs, and to decode other codecs requires software decoding, loading up the CPU, which draws far more power from the battery, causing the iPad to run hot and significantly reduces its battery life. Given that your average iPad target customer doesn't understand video codecs and the difference between hardware and software decoding, they would throw any old video content at it, and find that the battery life is crap and the iPad runs hot. These are things they do understand, and will talk about. If, on the other hand, they are prevented from running the unsuported codecs, they will only see the long battery life, cool temperature and good quality video that Steve's publicity machine promised them.

Of course this doesn't compute to forum posting spec whores, for whom GHz, MB and GB, and lists of "supported" codecs rank far higher in their lists of important criteria than battery life, weight, operating temperature and ease of use. What has made Apple a successful company since the introduction of the iMac is that it designs its computers and iDevices for "ordinary" people, not spec whores.
 

AppleScruff1

macrumors G4
Feb 10, 2011
10,026
2,949
Apple (both Steve and others working there) actually do know what's best though, because they designed the iPad. The iPad contains hardware that can efficiently decode certain video codecs with a minimal demand on the CPU, and hence a low power drain. The hardware only supports certain codecs, and to decode other codecs requires software decoding, loading up the CPU, which draws far more power from the battery, causing the iPad to run hot and significantly reduces its battery life. Given that your average iPad target customer doesn't understand video codecs and the difference between hardware and software decoding, they would throw any old video content at it, and find that the battery life is crap and the iPad runs hot. These are things they do understand, and will talk about. If, on the other hand, they are prevented from running the unsuported codecs, they will only see the long battery life, cool temperature and good quality video that Steve's publicity machine promised them.

Of course this doesn't compute to forum posting spec whores, for whom GHz, MB and GB, and lists of "supported" codecs rank far higher in their lists of important criteria than battery life, weight, operating temperature and ease of use. What has made Apple a successful company since the introduction of the iMac is that it designs its computers and iDevices for "ordinary" people, not spec whores.

Wow. All I ever read in response when someone wants something simple that Apple doesn't include or do is that Apple makes thing simple so there is no reason to add flash, etc etc. One would think that only morons buy Apple product since they don't have the intelligence or ability to do anything more complex. Is that what Steve really thinks about his customers? It sounds to me like a case of brainwashing.
 

rcp27

macrumors regular
May 12, 2010
212
19
Wow. All I ever read in response when someone wants something simple that Apple doesn't include or do is that Apple makes thing simple so there is no reason to add flash, etc etc.

There are a range of reasons why individual features aren't included. For the iPad to be successful in the market, it must meet certain size, weight, battery life and price criteria, and still be easy to use with fat-finger touch control. Many features that look "simple" can not be incorporated within these constraints. If you look at devices which have included more of these "simple" features (eg the Xoom), you find that they violate the constraints (in the case of the Xoom, it seems to have quite spectacularly failed to hit the right price point). Other fialures have been the desktop-OS-on-a-tablet that have been on the market for a decade or more and singularly failed to make an impact.

One would think that only morons buy Apple product since they don't have the intelligence or ability to do anything more complex. Is that what Steve really thinks about his customers? It sounds to me like a case of brainwashing.

needs inteligence to use = hard to use
a moron could do it = easy to use
intuitive, magical user experience = easy to use

Customers who want a powerful, hard to use tablet computer = few
Customers who want a simple intuitive "magical" tablet comptuer = lots

If you want to design an intuitive simple to use tablet computer, taking the "moron" as your design point is actually a pretty good start. Designing so that a moron could use it is not the same thing as assuming your customers are morons.
 

miamijim

macrumors 6502
May 26, 2010
359
2
VLC if you were lucky enough to get it before it was pulled.

Air video, fantastic..

But for me i use plex, i have plex set up on iMac and watch all my content though it, now i have it on my iPad and my iPhone, I can stream all the content I want wherever I am.
 

ctyhntr

macrumors 6502
Jul 21, 2010
301
0
Air Video is good, but you need to be in wifi range, it converts your videos into mkv files and leaves them on your host computer.

I prefer just to jailbreak the iPad, and install VLC so I can install and watch avi files natively.
 

matrix07

macrumors G3
Jun 24, 2010
8,226
4,890
One would think that only morons buy Apple product since they don't have the intelligence or ability to do anything more complex.

So you want to design something to be complex? Then you're a failure as a designer at the first step.

ON TOPIC:
Zumocast, when you're in your home network
Oplayer, for watching almost all formats on your device.
 

AppleScruff1

macrumors G4
Feb 10, 2011
10,026
2,949
There are a range of reasons why individual features aren't included. For the iPad to be successful in the market, it must meet certain size, weight, battery life and price criteria, and still be easy to use with fat-finger touch control. Many features that look "simple" can not be incorporated within these constraints. If you look at devices which have included more of these "simple" features (eg the Xoom), you find that they violate the constraints (in the case of the Xoom, it seems to have quite spectacularly failed to hit the right price point). Other fialures have been the desktop-OS-on-a-tablet that have been on the market for a decade or more and singularly failed to make an impact.



needs inteligence to use = hard to use
a moron could do it = easy to use
intuitive, magical user experience = easy to use

Customers who want a powerful, hard to use tablet computer = few
Customers who want a simple intuitive "magical" tablet comptuer = lots

If you want to design an intuitive simple to use tablet computer, taking the "moron" as your design point is actually a pretty good start. Designing so that a moron could use it is not the same thing as assuming your customers are morons.

You're the type of customer every business dreams about. Nobody said they wanted a hard to use device, but adding a few features that an adult businessman may use is hardly going out on a limb. You buy the BS that the PR department feeds, I don't.
 

AppleScruff1

macrumors G4
Feb 10, 2011
10,026
2,949
So you want to design something to be complex? Then you're a failure as a designer at the first step.

ON TOPIC:
Zumocast, when you're in your home network
Oplayer, for watching almost all formats on your device.

Is adding multitasking too complex? How about a web browser that is a bit more useful? Speed it up a bit so it doesn't take so long to load? Is that your definition of complex? Please.
 

GreatDrok

macrumors 6502a
May 1, 2006
561
22
New Zealand
Air Video app is the best, but only when you are in your home network range!
After that I use vlc Player!

Air video can also reencode your movies to lower bit rate and share them via the internet. It is pretty watchable and if you have a wifi connection you don't have to sync anything. Very rare for me to put any video directly on my iPad except if I know I'm going to be flying so won't have a network.
 

From A Buick 8

macrumors 68040
Sep 16, 2010
3,114
127
Ky Close to CinCinnati
Air video can also reencode your movies to lower bit rate and share them via the internet. It is pretty watchable and if you have a wifi connection you don't have to sync anything. Very rare for me to put any video directly on my iPad except if I know I'm going to be flying so won't have a network.

I have used Air video with great sucess while on my home network, but have yet to be able to get it to work when not at home (using wifi).
 

colinwsun

macrumors newbie
Feb 2, 2008
6
0
VLC if you were lucky enough to get it before it was pulled.

Air video, fantastic..

But for me i use plex, i have plex set up on iMac and watch all my content though it, now i have it on my iPad and my iPhone, I can stream all the content I want wherever I am.

i got a new ipad and i have the vlc in my itunes. is there a way i can install the vlc on my new ipad????
 

Coukos34

macrumors 6502
Mar 20, 2009
339
0
Apple (both Steve and others working there) actually do know what's best though, because they designed the iPad. The iPad contains hardware that can efficiently decode certain video codecs with a minimal demand on the CPU, and hence a low power drain. The hardware only supports certain codecs, and to decode other codecs requires software decoding, loading up the CPU, which draws far more power from the battery, causing the iPad to run hot and significantly reduces its battery life. Given that your average iPad target customer doesn't understand video codecs and the difference between hardware and software decoding, they would throw any old video content at it, and find that the battery life is crap and the iPad runs hot. These are things they do understand, and will talk about. If, on the other hand, they are prevented from running the unsuported codecs, they will only see the long battery life, cool temperature and good quality video that Steve's publicity machine promised them.

Of course this doesn't compute to forum posting spec whores, for whom GHz, MB and GB, and lists of "supported" codecs rank far higher in their lists of important criteria than battery life, weight, operating temperature and ease of use. What has made Apple a successful company since the introduction of the iMac is that it designs its computers and iDevices for "ordinary" people, not spec whores.

+1

One of the best posts I've read on these forums. I find it amazing how many self proclaimed "smart" people around here always seem to not understand what is at the core of what Apple tries to deliver for an experience, and why it needs to be on their terms. Alas, some people only know how to think one way.
 

vincenz

macrumors 601
Oct 20, 2008
4,285
220
Another vote for Air Video since you probably are too late for VLC on iOS. It's easiest without converting into m4v.
 

snowleopard13

macrumors regular
Apr 12, 2010
128
8
Austria
there is a new app called vlc streamer on the appstore. i don't know about the iPad, but on my iPhone 4 it works pretty good. you install a little application on your mac/pc and can then browse your whole harddrive for movies. the mac/pc then transcodes on the fly and you can watch over wifi within 10seconds.
 

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
9,109
3,974
Apple (both Steve and others working there) actually do know what's best though, because they designed the iPad. The iPad contains hardware that can efficiently decode certain video codecs with a minimal demand on the CPU, and hence a low power drain. The hardware only supports certain codecs, and to decode other codecs requires software decoding, loading up the CPU, which draws far more power from the battery, causing the iPad to run hot and significantly reduces its battery life. Given that your average iPad target customer doesn't understand video codecs and the difference between hardware and software decoding, they would throw any old video content at it, and find that the battery life is crap and the iPad runs hot. These are things they do understand, and will talk about. If, on the other hand, they are prevented from running the unsuported codecs, they will only see the long battery life, cool temperature and good quality video that Steve's publicity machine promised them.

Of course this doesn't compute to forum posting spec whores, for whom GHz, MB and GB, and lists of "supported" codecs rank far higher in their lists of important criteria than battery life, weight, operating temperature and ease of use. What has made Apple a successful company since the introduction of the iMac is that it designs its computers and iDevices for "ordinary" people, not spec whores.

Or course It would also be nice if Apple had build in hardware decoding for more video formats.

It would be interesting to see the battery life difference between say a correct size video in apples format, against a video in a officially unsupported format, and see what the difference was, say for a hours playtime.
 
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