iTunes Question

[Shammrog]

I was messing with my daughter's new video iPod this weekend, which led me to poke around on some new stuff and in turn mess with mine.

I now know you can rent or buy movies on iTunes. That is cool!

Anyone know if you can "burn" rented and/or bought movies to DVD from iTunes?

[billybreen]

I was messing with my daughter's new video iPod this weekend, which led me to poke around on some new stuff and in turn mess with mine.

I now know you can rent or buy movies on iTunes. That is cool!

Anyone know if you can "burn" rented and/or bought movies to DVD from iTunes?

Umm, no. That would definitely have precluded the studios' grudging acceptance of the rental model.

[Shammrog]

Umm, no. That would definitely have precluded the studios' grudging acceptance of the rental model.

As I feared... That sux. Still not a bad deal; would have to get dock/player for video iPod to really enjoy them though.

[billybreen]

As I feared... That sux. Still not a bad deal; would have to get dock/player for video iPod to really enjoy them though.

Or an AppleTV. I've been thinking about picking one up since they added HD rentals.

[wilson]

Or an AppleTV. I've been thinking about picking one up since they added HD rentals.

Oh come on...we all know you've been thinking about picking one up since the first model rolled off the assembly line (actually, probably before that...).

[BlueDevilJay]

I have put several DVD's that I've purchased on my IPod, but not by using ITunes. I currently have Van Wilder, JFK, Rounders, and a couple others on my IPod that I transferred over from the DVDs that I own.

[billybreen]

Oh come on...we all know you've been thinking about picking one up since the first model rolled off the assembly line (actually, probably before that...).

Nope, the first build sucked, and I mocked a coworker who puts me to shame in the fanboi department incessantly for buying one.

[billybreen]

I have put several DVD's that I've purchased on my IPod, but not by using ITunes. I currently have Van Wilder, JFK, Rounders, and a couple others on my IPod that I transferred over from the DVDs that I own.

Psst. You just admitted to owning Van Wilder in a public place.

[TillyGalore]

I have put several DVD's that I've purchased on my IPod, but not by using ITunes. I currently have Van Wilder, JFK, Rounders, and a couple others on my IPod that I transferred over from the DVDs that I own.

Please share how you did this. I'm traveling this weekend and would love to download a movie or two to my ipod.

[BlueDevilJay]

Psst. You just admitted to owning Van Wilder in a public place.

LOL, okay you got me. I couldn't help it, I had a thing for Tara Reid back in the day pre surgery :)

And Tilly, I will try to find the software that I used tonight and post a link or the name of it for you. I downloaded software through LimeWire if I remember correctly, for converting DVDs to IPod compatible formats, and it worked like a charm. Granted it is rather dangerous now downloading files from filesharing sites, but it was a risk I took and it worked for me. I promise to try and find it tonight when I'm playing around with the laptop and report back to you here. It def has made my trips to KY a lot easier (where my wife's family lives, 7 hour drive one way) as I can zone out in the passenger seat watching movies and before I know it, we're there. (Okay I might watch one now and then when I'm driving, but I mainly listen to it, swear! :D )

[Shammrog]

LOL, okay you got me. I couldn't help it, I had a thing for Tara Reid back in the day pre surgery :)

And Tilly, I will try to find the software that I used tonight and post a link or the name of it for you. I downloaded software through LimeWire if I remember correctly, for converting DVDs to IPod compatible formats, and it worked like a charm. Granted it is rather dangerous now downloading files from filesharing sites, but it was a risk I took and it worked for me. I promise to try and find it tonight when I'm playing around with the laptop and report back to you here. It def has made my trips to KY a lot easier (where my wife's family lives, 7 hour drive one way) as I can zone out in the passenger seat watching movies and before I know it, we're there. (Okay I might watch one now and then when I'm driving, but I mainly listen to it, swear! :D )


There are also some applications on download.com. They often are free or at least have a free trial. I used them to convert clips to aac format for iPod use, as well as to burn DVDs.

[billybreen]

Please share how you did this. I'm traveling this weekend and would love to download a movie or two to my ipod.

Handbrake (http://handbrake.fr/) is the way to go.

[TillyGalore]

LOL, okay you got me. I couldn't help it, I had a thing for Tara Reid back in the day pre surgery :)

And Tilly, I will try to find the software that I used tonight and post a link or the name of it for you. I downloaded software through LimeWire if I remember correctly, for converting DVDs to IPod compatible formats, and it worked like a charm. Granted it is rather dangerous now downloading files from filesharing sites, but it was a risk I took and it worked for me. I promise to try and find it tonight when I'm playing around with the laptop and report back to you here. It def has made my trips to KY a lot easier (where my wife's family lives, 7 hour drive one way) as I can zone out in the passenger seat watching movies and before I know it, we're there. (Okay I might watch one now and then when I'm driving, but I mainly listen to it, swear! :D )

I've downloaded videos I've taken with my camera to my computer. Can you download those to an ipod too?

[Shammrog]

I've downloaded videos I've taken with my camera to my computer. Can you download those to an ipod too?

Um, are those videos "appropriate" for viewing in public??? ;)

[TillyGalore]

Um, are those videos "appropriate" for viewing in public??? ;)

Until I get signed releases, I can't answer that. :p

[billybreen]

I've downloaded videos I've taken with my camera to my computer. Can you download those to an ipod too?

I think it depends on the camera. If the files are in .mov you should be fine. If they are .avis, it may be trickier.

[TillyGalore]

I think it depends on the camera. If the files are in .mov you should be fine. If they are .avis, it may be trickier.

I don't know. They are on my home computer so won't get a chance until later to look, but will.

If they are in .avis, any way to convert to .mov?

The videos were shot with a Canon - not sure which model. Does that help you answer my questions?

[billybreen]

I don't know. They are on my home computer so won't get a chance until later to look, but will.

If they are in .avis, any way to convert to .mov?

The videos were shot with a Canon - not sure which model. Does that help you answer my questions?

There are lots of free tools for importing AVIs into iTunes, but I've never used any of them. And I don't know enough about Canons to say whether you'll need those tools or not.

[TillyGalore]

There are lots of free tools for importing AVIs into iTunes, but I've never used any of them. And I don't know enough about Canons to say whether you'll need those tools or not.

Thanks! My philosophy in life is, you never know unless you ask. As you can tell, I'm not well versed in the ways of technology, hence ask a lot of questions.

Other than BlueDevilJay, do you know anyone who has used the free tools and have been happy with them? I'm a little nervous about using Limewire for reasons he stated and a few others on the boards have stated.

Am giving up my Nate James status. :(

[billybreen]

Thanks! My philosophy in life is, you never know unless you ask. As you can tell, I'm not well versed in the ways of technology, hence ask a lot of questions.

Other than BlueDevilJay, do you know anyone who has used the free tools and have been happy with them? I'm a little nervous about using Limewire for reasons he stated and a few others on the boards have stated.

Am giving up my Nate James status. :(

I would strongly discourage you from downloading software from a P2P application. That's just too dangerous. Any of these tools are just a Google away.

[colchar]

Here is another iTunes question.

I prefer my music to be organized alphabetically by artist, then song. So, when I use Winamp to play music, the left column in the playlist has the artist name and the next column has the song title (the last one is the loenthg of the song but that one doesn't really matter to me).

I've often been told that Apple software is so intuitive and that you can customize almost anything to appear the way you, the user, wants it. But I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get iTunes to display my playlists the same way Winamp does.

Does anyone know how I can do this?

[billybreen]

Here is another iTunes question.

I prefer my music to be organized alphabetically by artist, then song. So, when I use Winamp to play music, the left column in the playlist has the artist name and the next column has the song title (the last one is the loenthg of the song but that one doesn't really matter to me).

I've often been told that Apple software is so intuitive and that you can customize almost anything to appear the way you, the user, wants it. But I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get iTunes to display my playlists the same way Winamp does.

Does anyone know how I can do this?

I think people have been misquoting the Apple mantra to you. The design principle is to make things simple by casting off the layers of configuration that only huge nerds or the hyper-anal need. Sadly, that means that multi-level sorting in iTunes isn't there.

Get yourself a Linux box, hippie.

[colchar]

I think people have been misquoting the Apple mantra to you. The design principle is to make things simple by casting off the layers of configuration that only huge nerds or the hyper-anal need. Sadly, that means that multi-level sorting in iTunes isn't there.

Get yourself a Linux box, hippie.

Fair enough...I wasn't really all that interested in using iTunes anyway as I am quite happy with Winamp. I just figured I might as well have it so that I could use it to add music to my iPod (and no, I didn't join the cult by buying an iPod, I won it so figured I might as well use it). But I have other software on my machines that allow me to add songs to my iPod without using iTunes so I can just use them.

And, in all honesty, Vista really isn't that bad (in reference to your Linux crack). I have it on both my desktop and my new laptop and I've gotten used to it. I had planned to downgrade my laptop to XP but the friend who was going to do it for me was a little concerned about having to trouble-shoot drivers for ages afterwards so I told her not to bother.

While there are still some things about Vista that irritate me, I've learned to live with them. It performs fine on my desktop which was bought from a discount manufacturer and most of the problems I have on that machine I attribute to being forced, as a grad student, to buy a cheaper machine.

My new laptop is of far better quality and I find Vista works absolutely fine on that. Again, there are some small issues that I have with Vista that I can't seem to change but none of them affect performance (they are all configuration-type issues that are more personal preferences than anything else). In fact, Vista seems to perform very well on that machine.

ETA: DevilAlumna will probably be happy to read this post.

[A-Tex Devil]

So here's a question.... are there sites/services that will take your iTunes catalog and make playlists for you (send them your catalog, what types of playlists you are looking for and they pump a few out)? I know iTunes has the "smart playlist" function, but I'm forever disappointed by what it produces. I am too lazy, not inspired enough, to make a great playlist other than my 300 song list that I keep on constant shuffle.

There's probably some young entrepreneur somewhere right now with ads out that he'll take your catalog and make you the best playlists ever. I have this discussion all the time with people here that if such a person existed, I'd actually see what his prices were. When we talked about how much we would each pay for such a service.... well.... let's just say we were embarassed. Damn I'm lazy.

[BlueDevilJay]

Yeah I have to agree with Billy too in that I would no longer use a P2P site, and took a huge gamble using it the first time but I dodged the bullet and it works fine now. Ill try to locate the name of the software I use and post that at least so maybe you can find some shareware version of it on the net as well. (Like they said, possibly at download.com )

[Ben63]

Handbrake (http://handbrake.fr/) is the way to go.

Handbrake is ok, but Magic DVD Ripper is the way to go. The free trial lets you use it 5 times, but after you put in a DVD and rip it, dont shut down the program, just put in another DVD. You can rip your whole library with one use out of 5.

Link (http://www.magicdvdripper.com/)

Very user friendly, easy to use, it gets my highest recommendation.

[DevilAlumna]

ETA: DevilAlumna will probably be happy to read this post.

I am. :)

I know you had some very valid reasons why you wanted to stick with XP, even after trying Vista, so good to hear it's working out okay.

But this ipod/itunes thing, I know not of which you speak.

http://social.zune.net/member/TruBluDevil

[DevilAlumna]

I've downloaded videos I've taken with my camera to my computer. Can you download those to an ipod too?


I think it depends on the camera. If the files are in .mov you should be fine. If they are .avis, it may be trickier.


I don't know. They are on my home computer so won't get a chance until later to look, but will.

If they are in .avis, any way to convert to .mov?


Windows Movie Maker is a free tool in Vista (downloadable for XP), that is pretty drag&drop simple for converting movies. I believe it can even help with importing movies from a video cam into a better default digital format.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/default.mspx

BB, does iPod read .wmv videos? (I'm pretty sure WMM can convert to .avi, but still curious.)

[Ben63]

Windows Movie Maker is a free tool in Vista (downloadable for XP), that is pretty drag&drop simple for converting movies. I believe it can even help with importing movies from a video cam into a better default digital format.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/default.mspx

BB, does iPod read .wmv videos? (I'm pretty sure WMM can convert to .avi, but still curious.)

All you need to know is Apple wants to take over the world so it has its own army of formats and its products dont understand anything else. And I'm pretty sure anything you make with WMM is not Ipod compatible. It has to be in Quicktime format. There are plenty of free converters out there so it shouldnt be a big deal.

[billybreen]

Windows Movie Maker is a free tool in Vista (downloadable for XP), that is pretty drag&drop simple for converting movies. I believe it can even help with importing movies from a video cam into a better default digital format.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/default.mspx

BB, does iPod read .wmv videos? (I'm pretty sure WMM can convert to .avi, but still curious.)

No, I think it support MPEG2 and MOV (particularly the H264 standard). Anything else will require conversion.

[billybreen]

All you need to know is Apple wants to take over the world so it has its own army of formats and its products dont understand anything else. And I'm pretty sure anything you make with WMM is not Ipod compatible. It has to be in Quicktime format. There are plenty of free converters out there so it shouldnt be a big deal.

Actually, all of Apple's formats are based on open standards. Sadly, DRM is added on top of those for items purchased from the iTunes store. Otherwise, the media companies wouldn't let them be sold (at least, that was the case when ITMS was created -- some have relented and are selling un-DRMed content on Amazon, but movies are still DRMed wherever you purchase them).

[billybreen]

But this ipod/itunes thing, I know not of which you speak.

http://social.zune.net/member/TruBluDevil

And I'm the one who's accused of being a fanperson. At least I know the Microsoft products when I prefer alternatives. :)

[DevilAlumna]

And I'm the one who's accused of being a fanperson. At least I know the Microsoft products when I prefer alternatives. :)

I'm surprised you didn't counter with this:

http://gizmodo.com/387966/colbert-says-zune-ownership-proof-youre-crazy

[billybreen]

I'm surprised you didn't counter with this:

http://gizmodo.com/387966/colbert-says-zune-ownership-proof-youre-crazy

Oh wow, I hadn't seen that. I'm almost a month behind on my Daily Show/Colbert viewing.