Playing Video - Mp4's Don't Work, Right?

[owen-b]

Please forgive what's probably a STUPID question.

I know avi's work on the GP2X, but is that the ONLY format that does? I haven't managed to get .divx or a .mp4 to show up on it so far so I figure they just don't work.

Thing is, the .mp4 files that are floating around for iPod are so lovely and small, it's a shame I then have to spend the running time of each file converting it using Quicktime or Toast Titanium to an .avi file, especially when we're talking about entire series of popular family-father-oriented cartoons...

Should I just take the DVDs and spend houuuuuuurs converting them down to GP2X-resolution .avi files myself?

It takes ages, even on my Powerbook, and I wonder if I'm missing something here.

 

[Shikaku]

There's overnight jobs you know....

Well in any case, there isn't anything that says you can't try it on your GP2X anyway. It will only accept files with the .avi extension.

 

[zektor]

DivX files work. Like stated above, change the extension to .AVI. I play divx movies and tv shows all of the time on it.

 

[martin_F]

Am I right in saying that DIVX, XVID, and NERO Digital are all variants of mpeg4 ? Or am I wildly off the mark there.

The only .mp4 files I have come across are those generated by NERO, they are encoded as NERO Digital files, and these definately do not work on the current player on the GP2X (which is a pity, as from the few times I have used nero to recode - they have looked pretty darn good in terms of quality for the size).

 

[owen-b]

Hmm. Also just noticed that the conversion from mp4 to avi increases the file size by around 5 times using Quicktime Pro.

I'll try the divx method and see if that's any smaller!

 

[sam fisher]

Just change the settings. Lower the bitrate.

 

[dsraa]

so wait....wait a sec. Do I have to convert the mp4 files to divx avi's, or can I just change the extension to avi??


DSR

 

[bumholesniffer]

you have to convert them but you can try it the other way (it wont work)

Why do people spend hour converting files when you can probably download them in the correct format in half the time and half the stress (something to think about)

 

[dsraa]

you have to convert them but you can try it the other way (it wont work)

Why do people spend hour converting files when you can probably download them in the correct format in half the time and half the stress (something to think about)

oh ok.

Well the reason I download them in a paticular format is because that seems to have the most sources linked to it, so it downloads faster. Sometimes when I try to pick the divx format, it only has like 2-5 sources, and usually it never completes, or its a fake of some sort. Which I totally hate..

DSR

 

[owen-b]

you have to convert them but you can try it the other way (it wont work)

Why do people spend hour converting files when you can probably download them in the correct format in half the time and half the stress (something to think about)

Because the .avi files on the net are much bigger in comparison. I'd still want to shrink them down, as they would be DVD rips at higher resolution, and wouldn't shrinking them take as long as converting them? Or not? In the end I used Toast to convert each 47mb mp4 to a roughly 100mb divx (for portable) file, then changed the suffix to .avi.

Don't know much about all this.

Also, why when I put the files on the SD did they show up in the list twice on the GP2X - once with a _ before the name and which didn't work, and once as I sent them, working fine? Very messy.

 

[EmuGuy]

Also, why when I put the files on the SD did they show up in the list twice on the GP2X - once with a _ before the name and which didn't work, and once as I sent them, working fine? Very messy.

Hmmm, you're on a Powerbook? Do they start with a ._ or just an _? How big are they? I would suspect they are "resource forks"...a hidden file that contains file types (and other info) when moving files from Mac to PC, etc. They probably don't show up on the Mac, since "." at the start is a Unix thing for "hidden", as I understand it.

Hope that helps, or maybe I'm completely incorrect. I'm also on a Mac here, but I haven't ordered my GP2X just yet, still waiting to here how the 2.0 firmware is working for everyone.

 

[owen-b]

Also, why when I put the files on the SD did they show up in the list twice on the GP2X - once with a _ before the name and which didn't work, and once as I sent them, working fine? Very messy.

Hmmm, you're on a Powerbook? Do they start with a ._ or just an _? How big are they? I would suspect they are "resource forks"...a hidden file that contains file types (and other info) when moving files from Mac to PC, etc. They probably don't show up on the Mac, since "." at the start is a Unix thing for "hidden", as I understand it.

Hope that helps, or maybe I'm completely incorrect. I'm also on a Mac here, but I haven't ordered my GP2X just yet, still waiting to here how the 2.0 firmware is working for everyone.

Yep, on a Mac, and yes, they start with the dot ._

Any way of hiding them? They really mess up the list!

Also, what would people recommend as the best way of getting small but good quality episodes of, say, Family Guy? Download the larger .avi files and just use them (not nearly as many on the card that way), or get those files and downgrade them (in which case which settings should I compromise, and what settings do you recommend?), or stick with getting iPod mp4s and converting them to Portable DIVX files?

 

[reallynotnick]

I will fix both your problems!!!! (us mac people have to stick together)

For making .avi's use ffmpegX
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/8988
Set it to XVID and about 500kbs. Quicktime pro can't really do Divx, I don't know why.

As for all your invisable files use FinderCleaner
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/16996
Just put it into your dock, and when you want to eject your SD card drag it to the icon and it will get rid of all those dumb "." files.

 

[owen-b]

Nice one! Cheers buddy - best response I've ever had to a problem posted here - everything solved at once!

 

[Jawbreaker4Fs]

so there's no current way to support *.mp4 files created in Nero Recode on the GP2X? I have a DLink media center that I use to connect to my TV and this is optimized when using Nero Recode encoded *.mp4 files. I'd like to be able to just transfer these to my gp2x instead of reencoding every time I want to take a video with me. Any suggestions?

 

[EmuGuy]

I will fix both your problems!!!! (us mac people have to stick together)

For making .avi's use ffmpegX
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/8988
Set it to XVID and about 500kbs. Quicktime pro can't really do Divx, I don't know why.

As for all your invisable files use FinderCleaner
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/16996
Just put it into your dock, and when you want to eject your SD card drag it to the icon and it will get rid of all those dumb "." files.

Thanks for those links ReallyNotNick! My GP2X should arrive Monday (I hope!), so I'll be needing the same solutions for sure...using a Mac Mini over here. I've used ffmpeg a couple times before, but just for audio stuff.