Video iPod emulator or other software.

[rkfinley]

Hi all, Just a Question. I listen to a lot of Podcasts on my Dell Axim x30. With the introduction of the new video iPod a lot of my casts have been using the neat features changing album art and .m4v video files. I only have Windows Media Player 10 on my pocket PC and I am willing to try something else. Does any one have suggestion or is Apple going to release an iPod emulator software for the Pocket PC.

[GSmith]

TCPMP properly configured will play most videos that the iPod can. See
http://feederreader.pocketcasting.com/viewtopic.php?t=295

Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader - Pocket PC *direct* RSS text, audio, video, podcasts
www.FeederReader.com - Download on the Road

[Sven Johannsen]

is Apple going to release an iPod emulator software for the Pocket PC.
When h_ll freezes over.

[Guest979]

.m4v files have DRM and cannot be played on a PocketPC. However, I have never seen a podcast with DRM, so maybe you meant .mp4, or maybe someone named your files incorrectly. For MP4 video podcasts, TCPMP does usually work - I can watch Inside Mac TV on my PocketPC.

I'm actually trying to code up a little plugin for The Missing Sync to auto-sync iTunes videos that don't have DRM, but it's been slow going so far.

[pocketpcadmirer]

.m4v files have DRM and cannot be played on a PocketPC. However, I have never seen a podcast with DRM, so maybe you meant .mp4, or maybe someone named your files incorrectly. For MP4 video podcasts, TCPMP does usually work - I can watch Inside Mac TV on my PocketPC.

Yes, DRM files with .aac and .m4v extention cant be played on a pocket pc(even with TCPMP and aac support installed). But the non-protected ones run smoothly on TCPMP :)

Sunny

[rkfinley]

Okay how do I configure it? I downloaded the TCPMP and tried Playing an .m4v and got the following errors.

Error: Player MPEG4 AAC Audio decoder not included! It was removed from the official install package because of intellectual property considerations.

My sarcastic comment : So they released the file format but it's proprietary???? That was Stupid.

then the next error is

Error: Player Video Codec (AVC aka h.264) not supported by the player!

My next sarcastic comment : And they but this out as a beta that will not support the one reason I downloaded it.

I would think that Microscrap would come out with a patch that would allow it to read Rotten Apples files. I thought the idea of a file format was a standard that others could use to encode and read. Oh Wait that would be intelligent, what was I thinking?

[GSmith]

Many "iPod Videos" are encoded video H.264 and encoded audio AAC. To play these files, you must download TCPMP version 0.71b or later (currently available only on the test page http://picard.exceed.hu/tcpmp/test/). You must also download the ffmpeg plugin available on the same page as the TCPMP main program download. This is explained on this page: http://feederreader.pocketcasting.com/viewtopic.php?p=1157#1157

The ffmpeg plugin will allow you to play the H.264 (also known as AVC) encoded video.

Next you must download the unofficial version of the AAC decoder plugin pointed to by this message:
http://www.corecodec.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=29&expv=0&topic=1843.msg13943#msg13943

The reason this is unofficial is explained on this page: http://www.vialicensing.com/products/mpeg4aac/standard.html

A licensing fee is required by all people who distribute software capable of decoding AAC. For PC Based consumer software, this fee is US$0.25 per channel (i.e. US$0.50 for a stereo decoder, see http://www.vialicensing.com/products/mpeg4aac/license.terms.html ). In order to get to the point of being able to pay this fee, a US$15,000 "initial fee" is required (unless you have less than 15 employess and less than US$1M in annual revenue, then it's only US$1000). (See http://www.vialicensing.com/products/mpeg4audio/MPEG-4_Audio_FAQ.html#Q9 )

From recent statements on the TCPMP message board, it looks like they are moving in a direction to be able to charge for and pay these licensing fees. Until then, the only way I know how to play these videos is with the unofficial AAC plugin.

Also, can we front page this post so we can spread the word: A Pocket PC can play videos meant for the iPod!

Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader - Pocket PC *direct* RSS text, audio, video, podcast
www.FeederReader.com - Download on the Road

[rkfinley]

Also, can we front page this post so we can spread the word: A Pocket PC can play videos meant for the iPod!

Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader - Pocket PC *direct* RSS text, audio, video, podcast
www.FeederReader.com - Download on the Road

Sorry the first link only provided a down load and not a list of what I needed to get around the licensing. Frustrating day I did not mean to take it out on you. Thank you for the further explanation.

[Guest979]

I would think that Microscrap would come out with a patch that would allow it to read Rotten Apples files. I thought the idea of a file format was a standard that others could use to encode and read. Oh Wait that would be intelligent, what was I thinking?

"Rotten Apples"!!!???

Insulting them out of one side of your mouth, even though you're depending on them with the other?

Don't expect any more help from me... (not to mention that the error message you posted actually explains the problem very clearly).

[GSmith]

Also, can we front page this post so we can spread the word: A Pocket PC can play videos meant for the iPod!

Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader - Pocket PC *direct* RSS text, audio, video, podcast
www.FeederReader.com - Download on the Road

Sorry the first link only provided a down load and not a list of what I needed to get around the licensing. Frustrating day I did not mean to take it out on you. Thank you for the further explanation.

You're welcome. And I wasn't yelling at you. I agree that up until now I've not published clear instructions about how to get AAC and H.264 working on TCPMP. This was my most clear post on the subject. I was yelling (bold-ly) because some people believe that this is not possible on a Pocket PC. Possibly because the method outlined here is (as far as I know) the only way to do it, currently.

Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader - Pocket PC *direct* RSS text, audio, video, podcast
www.FeederReader.com - Download on the Road

[rkfinley]

I would think that Microscrap would come out with a patch that would allow it to read Rotten Apples files. I thought the idea of a file format was a standard that others could use to encode and read. Oh Wait that would be intelligent, what was I thinking?

"Rotten Apples"!!!???

Insulting them out of one side of your mouth, even though you're depending on them with the other?


Guest979, I notice that you got upset when I called Apple, "Rotten Apples" Not when I called microsoft "Microscrap". As far as I am concerned both companies are run by blind morons. And if i could use a computer with out eithers software I would. Linux and other Unix clones are okay but they both need to be knocked off thier respective towers. I am appolgize if I offended you but I am not sorry both software companies need to be taken down a few pegs.

[Guest979]

Would you prefer if I get equally offended at all of your posts from now on?

I actually just decided to stay out of these debates as much as possible, because I felt I was not making a positive contribution to the site. I don't even remember who called who what when. I was not trying to give you personally any particular level of attention, or lack thereof. (Nonetheless, it would still be perfectly reasonable for me to defend some companies and dislike others, even if not everyone agrees.)

[karinatwork]

Also, can we front page this post so we can spread the word: A Pocket PC can play videos meant for the iPod!

Thank you sooo much! Now I can watch the podcasts on my pocket pc! It was super easy too! :)

[rookcnu]

Just tried the TCPMP and it works great. Now I don't have to adjust the 100 plus videos I ripped for my wife's Ipod,... the same one's work for my 8125.

This is great!

One minor thing, though. My mini sd is only 2gb and the movies are around 700mb each. Is there a way to shrink these down in size? If so, how? Will quality suffer by doing this? Is there a way to take the 100 plus videos that I use for my wife's Ipod and shrink them as a batch? Last - will this shrinking then create problems for playing on my wife's Ipod? This is important since we share these movies.

Thanks.

[Guest979]

This is great!

One minor thing, though. My mini sd is only 2gb and the movies are around 700mb each. Is there a way to shrink these down in size? If so, how? Will quality suffer by doing this? Is there a way to take the 100 plus videos that I use for my wife's Ipod and shrink them as a batch? Last - will this shrinking then create problems for playing on my wife's Ipod? This is important since we share these movies.

Thanks.

What resolution are the videos in? Both your 8125 and the iPod 5G are 320X240, so if your videos are higher than that, you can shrink them down and save space, and this can really only enhance performance on the mobile devices, if anything. (Of course, you may upgrade the devices someday...)

There are many transcoding/re-encoding programs available. You didn't mention which desktop platform you use, but I'm presuming Windows. Since I'm a Mac guy, I don't feel that I'm in a position to recommend any specific Windows program as the best transcoder, but you can search the forum (or Google it) and find many options.

[magus_coc]

Hi, need some help playing iTunes videos on my dell axim 51v it runs win mobile 5. I tried by installing TCPMP and then installing ffmpeg plugin, got the AAC decoder plugin but not sure how to install it, I just copied it to TCPMP directory on my PPC, now I copied the video to SD card on PPC, tried opening it through TCPMP and nothing just a black screen :cry: , please advice, thank you.

[GSmith]

If the "iTunes videos" have DRM, then they won't play, but if they are video podcasts (i.e. without DRM). Then you should be able to play them. What is the URL of the feed you are using and I'll try it in FeederReader? You may have further difficulty if they are MPEG4 Part 10-encoded video. If they are MPEG4 Part 2-encoded video, then they should play fine.

Greg Smith
Author, FeederReader - Windows Mobile news, blogs, audio, video, podcasts downloaded direct to your device
www.FeederReader.com - Download on the Road

[magus_coc]

Thanks for the reply, how do I known if it has DRM or not, well I just bought this music video from itunes Music store. Not sure what this URL feed your asking for, the web address? Sorry I’m kind of lost :confused totally: . Please advice.

ok i right click on file for info and this is what i'm getting

File type: Protected MPEG4 Video file

[GSmith]

Yep. Buying it from the iTunes store: "Protected" means DRM (Digital Rights Management). The URL applies only if it was a podcast feed, but it's not a podcast feed. I don't think you will be able to play the file on a Pocket PC unless you burn the file to a CD and rip it to your computer and then transfer it in unprotected MP3 or WMV format to your device.

Doing this may or may not be against your iTunes agreement (you'd have to read it to be sure) and may or may not be illegal under the DCMA (which legally restricts you from unencrypting bitstreams under DRM). Though if the "CD burning" is allowed under the iTunes agreement (and program), then I would guess that it wouldn't be violating DCMA to *burn* the CD.