Video Conversion...Help!!!
 

Hi Everyone. I'm looking for a way to convert video that will play on both my N800 *and* hopefully my Ipod (so I don't have to convert everything twice). Here's what I have so far:

I have a MacBook Pro and if I use MediaFork, I can convert my DVD movies to MP4 format at 400x240 with AAC audio. These play beautifully in both Canola and the built-in media player on the N800. These also work GREAT on the Ipod.

When I use FFMpegX to try to convert vids downloaded from youtube or other AVI's that I have laying around, I cannot seem to get these to work at all. YouTube FLV videos will convert to DivX at 320x240 fine...but again I'd love if I could find one of the MP4 formats that will play on both devices. Have tried all available MP4 and Ipod formats (even h.264) available in FFMpegX...also downloaded a visualHub trial and can't get any to work.

At any rate, I know SOME mp4's play fine since the ones I converted using mediafork are greeat.

Thanks for any advice. I absolutely LOVE the N800. I personally think it would be even more perfect if it had like a 7" screen. :) I get lots of people wondering what that thing is when I'm sitting in the coffee shop surfing. :D

Re: Video Conversion...Help!!!
 

I use Nokia Video Converter which I found at https://garage.maemo.org/projects/mediaconverter/
Not sure if that would work for an ipod but it seems to work well for the n800.

Re: Video Conversion...Help!!!
 

Hi Ariel,

Could you provide a small sample of MP4 file that works on both the N800 and the iPod? I will check it's content and see if it contains any specific format that may not be supported by FFMpegX.

Re: Video Conversion...Help!!!
 

Yes, it will be later today sometime...but I can probably use mediaFork and convert one of the short DVD clips from one of my movies. MediaFork says it is using
FFMpeg to do conversion...so possibly there's some header info in the files or
something.

So far though with mediaFork I have found that 400x240 (I just keep aspect ratio and
make it 400 wide) with a 400 bitrate is working well...but will try 700 bitrate as
the 400 is pretty pixelated on the N800 Screen.

I'm pretty new to video conversion and such...so I do hope I'm not confusing anyone too much!!!

Thanks and will get you that clip later today sometime.

Re: Video Conversion...Help!!!
 

Okie, so I've sent a link to Rheve to a video clip...if anyone else would like to have it...please email me privately. I have a comp'ed web site, so I don't want to irritate the admins or anything by just posting it out here and letting everyone and anyone
grab it. It's about 8 MB. It does work on both Ipod and N800.

I did try to use the Nokia conversion tool...and that particular clip came up all garbled. I don't know if it's because I'm using the OSX app meant for a PPC and I'm
on an intel mac...or if it was because the clip is 4:3 and not widescreen. Not
sure.

Will keep you posted on anything else I find out.

Re: Video Conversion...Help!!!
 

Download intel version from here:
http://www.helsinki.fi/~konttori/Med...erOSXIntel.zip

Re: Video Conversion...Help!!!
 

Hi All, boy am I feeling a mess now. I downloaded the Intel version of the Nokia video conversion software....and some of the video I've converted work...some don't. Go figure...and I am trying to play them on either the on-board Media Player or Canola. Mplayer doesn't seem to really work at all.

I added three items to the queue on the Nokia conversion software and converted. All were at the medium quality. And only 1 of the files will play...one of them says codec not supported and the other says audio type not supported. So now I'm really confused. Am I somehow missing a piece on the N800 itself. Mplayer on my Mac is not picky at all...and will play *anything* I throw at it.

Thanks for any more advice. :)

Re: Video Conversion...Help!!!
 

Hi,

I had a look at Ariel content generated by MediaFork. It is very clean. Nothing special to report.
I'm a little bit too overloaded at the moment to handle further investigations. If you could send an example of file that works on the iPod and not on the N800 I could do a quick check.

The problem of identifying why a given content plays or not is very tricky. It can be
- the codec used (i.e. DIVX versus XVID)
- the format used (i.e. H.264 or a too high level of MPEG-4)
- encoding parameters (i.e. unsupported video resolution, audio sampling frequency, etc.)
- the way the file is written (MPEG-4 file format can be a nightmare)
- missing fields/information in the file
- etc.

Unless Nokia provides us a detailed description of the formats supported by the Media Player, it will be difficult to identify the perfect match.

Re: Video Conversion...Help!!!
 

Rheve, I added another mp4 that will ONLY work on ipod...and will not work on the N800 even as an AVI...it is one of the ones I tried using the Nokia software on yesterday and it still will not run. Same web site...you will see the link.

Re: Video Conversion...Help!!!
 

Hi All, I'm just about to give up after spending quite a bit of time messing with all this. Looks like MP4's converted from DVD's in MediaFork at 400 wide work fine on the N800. I can't seem to get *any* other MP4's to work on it. So for shorter stuff looks like I'll be using the provided Nokia software which is ok. Media formats drive me absolutely crazy...there are too many!!! :) I did try to use FFMpegX and make some 288x176 and also some 480x288 for Ipod (mp4's) and no luck there either. Oh well. :) I gave it a try.

I still do love my N800 and hopefully the programmers can get it to support more resolutions at least...my ipod seems to play most any resolution...it doesnt' care. I guess I haven't tried above 480.

Also the Nokia video conversion software doesn't seem to have a thing to preserve aspect ratio. I just hate when the people are either super tall and skinny or short and fat. If I'm watching a 4:3 television show (I'm in the US) then I watch it on my widescreen tv *with* bars on the sides so that the people look right. This drives my Father-in-insane since he thinks the screen should be filled no matter how the picture looks. :)

I'll keep checking here and will update everyone on anything else I'm able to find out. :)

Re: Video Conversion...Help!!!
 

OK, I had a VERY quick look at that file. It is very badly formated. I think the issue comes from the MP4 file writer of the encoder and from the MP4 file reader on the N800 that must be too strict (compared to the iPod one).

I know, it does not solve your issue.

Re: Video Conversion...Help!!!
 

Rheve,

Thank you much!!! Well as I said, it's fine for converting movies...so I will just use mediafork to convert movies and my DVD's and for anything little I can just use the Nokia provided encoder. :) So that will work for now until I have more time myself to play with different encoders. Have a great weekend.