Ultimate Video Part 2
Since the release of the much anticipated Video iPod, the actual task of getting video on to the damned thing has been tricky. There are different codecs and resolutions that the iPod may or may not support (the limits are being pushed in both of these areas), so it may not be as easy as you think.
Hopefully, this list will help you out in this regard and make your video iPod experience a pleasant one.
Downloads in iPod compatible formats
One of the easiest ways of getting video on your iPod is to download it in already compatible forms. We suggest the following for this solution:
Podtropolis.com
iPodVideoTorrents.com
torPod.com
TorrentSpy.com - iPod Search
ThePirateBay.org - iPod Search
MiniNova.org - iPod Search
But what if you want to convert your existing videos to a format that is playable on the iPod? More and more software is emerging to handle this task. For now, there are just a few reliable apps out there.
Mac OS X
iSquint seems to be the best solution for conversion on the Mac OS X side of things. Not only does it have a great name, but it converts very quickly and is extremely easy to use. Oh, and did we mention it is free? If not, here we go: it’s free. The creator, Tyler Loch, has been working on it a ton. He is very active in the support forums and helps resolves any issues that come up with the app.
Amazingly, Tyler has also created the best DVD to iPod software for the Mac as well. HandBrake Lite requires only two clicks to convert a DVD to an iPod compatible format. It lacks in advance features and settings currently, but makes up for it in ease of use. Both iSquint and HandBrake Lite are still under development so check back to iSquint.org often for updates.
Mind you, there are other solutions for these conversions. Podner seems to work quite well, but runs $10.
Windows
On the Windows side of things, there are more (and more confusing) options.
The most trusted program seems to be theVideora iPod Converter. It’s free, fast, and has plenty of options. We’ve used it and it works like a charm. But there are other options.
Divx-Digest has an easy to follow article on using the 3GP Converter to make iPod safe videos. This seems to be a fairly easy solution.
There is also a solution by InterVideo called iVideoToGo. Although it costs $30, there is a free trial so you can test it out.
I haven’t found an easy to use application for converting DVDs to iPod compatible videos yet. But for those of you with a bit of cash ($20), XCopyPod seems very promising. They don’t have a trial to test out, so I suggest you look around for reviews on the product.
I know this doesn’t have anything to do with the video iPod, but for those of you running iPod Linux on your Nano, there is a very beta Easy iPod Linux Video Converter available. Currently in version .6 it seems to be a pretty straight forward way to get iPod formated videos for your Nano made quickly.
Wrap-up
Obviously this isn’t an all inclusive list, but it should give you everything you need to get video on your new iPod. If you have any suggestions or comments please go ahead and leave them. We will edit the post with any new information you provide us with.
