Downloading Video Files Without Syncing

[avallach]

I work for a Healthcare company and we are distributing iPads to our field reps. They currently have laptops and often need to show marketing DVD's to small groups of nurses etc. With the iPads, we want them to be able to have the video files stored on the pads to play.

There are no issues with copyright etc.

Once I have the videos into mp4 format and playable on the iPad (which I've done), how would I go about posting these files so a sales rep could download them to their device? The reps may be on the same network as the servers with the video files, or they could be coming in over the Internet.

 

[Gabriel1]

Just a thought but could you use dropbox, place the video file in dropbox then email a link to download to your team?

The Archangel

 

[avallach]

Would they then be able to save it as a video? I'm a little familiar with DropBox but I've only used it with QuickOffice for Word Docs etc.

 

[Gabriel1]

I just checked it on the AppStore and it definitely works with video.

The Archangel

 

[ipadbraincell]

DropBox works fine with most file types, it's free for I think 1gig, you pay more for increases ti storage, video downloads over 3G could get expensive.

If your reps have access to wifi network at their clients or homes, you could use a NAS (Network Attached Storage), I installed a 3 terra-byte Seagate drive in the office, come with remote access software.

 

[DrHouse]

There are several apps that can download movies in the AppStore from a web page. This could be the solution. Using Dropbox is pretty neat, if you have the same account on all devices, then the reps would be synched without doing anything. I wonder is the files a locally cached...

I used also another app called Tonido which was pretty cool, letting you access a local drive from anywhere, and being able to download locally those files. The service is free and you need to install a small server on one of your machine. As a bonus, it can handle the fact that you are in the same lan, instead of going out to the web like dropbox.

VicoPad addict!

 

[avallach]

I just checked it on the AppStore and it definitely works with video.

The Archangel

This works to a degree. With Dropbox I was able to upload a video from my PC, then download and view from the iPad. The only drawbacks are:

It only caches 1GB of data to the local device. I asked a rep there why, he said because there's so little space on the device. But I have 32 GB to work with, and had planned to have about 20GB of video on them. This means my sales reps would have to cache the video they planned to show before they left home in order for it to be local in case of poor/no signal.

DropBox does not let me copy/save a video file. This is standard functionality in the PC version, I'm not sure why the iPad version doesn't allow this. I'd love to be able to save the video to my device and just play it later via the Videos app.

 

[avallach]

There are several apps that can download movies in the AppStore from a web page. This could be the solution. Using Dropbox is pretty neat, if you have the same account on all devices, then the reps would be synched without doing anything. I wonder is the files a locally cached...

I used also another app called Tonido which was pretty cool, letting you access a local drive from anywhere, and being able to download locally those files. The service is free and you need to install a small server on one of your machine. As a bonus, it can handle the fact that you are in the same lan, instead of going out to the web like dropbox.

VicoPad addict!

As for having the same account, DropBox for Teams seemed very interesting to me as I could create multiple shared accounts which could have their own folders as well as folders shared among the team. Storage space starts at 350GB iirc.

I'll check out Tonido, do you know if that app would let me save a video into the Videos app on the device?

I'm not too worried about the speed or cost, our service has unlimited data and I would strongly recommend to my reps that they download the videos via WiFi overnight.

 

[DrHouse]

As for having the same account, DropBox for Teams seemed very interesting to me as I could create multiple shared accounts which could have their own folders as well as folders shared among the team. Storage space starts at 350GB iirc.

I'll check out Tonido, do you know if that app would let me save a video into the Videos app on the device?

I'm not too worried about the speed or cost, our service has unlimited data and I would strongly recommend to my reps that they download the videos via WiFi overnight.

No apps can download into the video app. The videos are kept inside each app. On the other hand, video app does not support well sub-categories like a tree folder. So using dropbox or tonido would let your organize your videos by theme or category using folders exactly like on a pc. The rep only has to browse the folders to find the proper videos. Dropbox has a better "out of the box" value, but as you mentionned, you seem to be limited by space. This does not seem to be the case with Tonido.

VicoPad addict!

 

[ipadbraincell]

Your comment on no service is very true, and is surely likely to lead to wasted sales trips if the sales rep relies on 3G signal, having got up or out late and not preloaded the clips.

In practice, given the download speed of 3G, and the rep soending that time on rhe clients site, surely your better to see that option purely as a backup (in case of any sale opportunities) rather than the companies default procedure?

 

[avallach]

Your comment on no service is very true, and is surely likely to lead to wasted sales trips if the sales rep relies on 3G signal, having got up or out late and not preloaded the clips.

In practice, given the download speed of 3G, and the rep soending that time on rhe clients site, surely your better to see that option purely as a backup (in case of any sale opportunities) rather than the companies default procedure?

That's kind of the point. I'd like to find a way to get these videos to the reps so they will be stored locally on their iPads for viewing.

 

[ipadbraincell]

That's kind of the point. I'd like to find a way to get these videos to the reps so they will be stored locally on their iPads for viewing.

If it were me I'd consider installing a NAS (Network Attached Storage) into their homes, nothing fearsome, just a patch lead, psu and some software needed.

you can then 'backup' the video's to each remote NAS from the office server, they would then sync from their NAS content overnight, ready for work.

Some idea of cost, a 3tb (thats 3 Terra Byte) Seagate GoFlex NAS £170.00 inc vat and delivery from MAPLINS, and very easy to install, takes about 20 mins due to updates.

There's a free iphone app to access the GoFlex NAS using iPhone/iPad available from the apple store, so the reps could file download just as with cloud storage instead of syncing via PC, being NAS the PC Need not be on for your needs (not teaching about egg's but explaining for members who are not so networking advanced).

Why not get perhaps a smaller drive to test principal and viability at home before investing loads of money rolling out alternatives? It can always be used fir off site data loss disaster prevention, so no real loss or waste.

 

[avallach]

I used also another app called Tonido which was pretty cool...

Thanks, Tonido is working perfectly.

 

[DrHouse]

Thanks, Tonido is working perfectly.

You're welcome!

VicoPad addict!