Movies

[CharlieM]

I have an iPad 3 and a hard drive full of avi and mkv files. I want to know how to load these onto my iPad. There doesn't seem to be a way to do this through iTunes. Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

[AQ_OC]

Let me count the ways.....the iPad cannot play those file types, but third-party apps can.

1) Get AVPlayerHD....it will play those and let you transfer them from your PC wirelessly or you can use the sync cable in itunes. This will put the files on your iPad (assuming they aren't super large) inside the AVPlayerHD app. Then, just open the app, select one of the files you transfered, and it will play them. You don't need to convert them.

 

[sir_ben]

You can use AVPlayerHD which will play most types of video files. Although you can transfer the videos wirelessly via WiFi, I recommend using doing it using the cable. Transferring via WiFi takes a lot of time and there are times when it would fail and you'd have to start the process all over again.

If your videos are on a desktop computer which is always on, then you could just stream it from there using the app Air Video.You'd have to install the server application (which is free) on your computer and then use the app on your iPad. Both devices should be on the same network of course. It also plays most video files because there is a live conversion that takes place during streaming.

 

[AQ_OC]

You can use AVPlayerHD which will play most types of video files. Although you can transfer the videos wirelessly via WiFi, I recommend using doing it using the cable. Transferring via WiFi takes a lot of time and there are times when it would fail and you'd have to start the process all over again.

If your videos are on a desktop computer which is always on, then you could just stream it from there using the app Air Video.You'd have to install the server application (which is free) on your computer and then use the app on your iPad. Both devices should be on the same network of course. It also plays most video files because there is a live conversion that takes place during streaming.

AVPlayer never has failed for me....I usually have my iPad only a few feet from the router when I use it. I have transferred dozens of movies using it.

On the other hand, Air Video can have problems when you are far from the router when you stream. Also, live conversion is heavy process. The host PC needs to be rather beefy to keep up, depending on what your converting. It seems rather wasteful to use those CPU cycles for on-the-fly conversion when you can smash it down once to something you can easily send over a cable or over wifi. And Wifi, for a 2GB file, doesn't really take that long. Set it up and go do something else. Or get an Airstash or GoFlex Sat and don't bother, just stream.

 

[CharlieM]

You can use AVPlayerHD which will play most types of video files. Although you can transfer the videos wirelessly via WiFi, I recommend using doing it using the cable. Transferring via WiFi takes a lot of time and there are times when it would fail and you'd have to start the process all over again.

If your videos are on a desktop computer which is always on, then you could just stream it from there using the app Air Video.You'd have to install the server application (which is free) on your computer and then use the app on your iPad. Both devices should be on the same network of course. It also plays most video files because there is a live conversion that takes place during streaming.

So these apps are just for streaming? How do I convert and load onto my iPad for offline viewing? Like when I'm on an airplane bored lol. Loading books and mp3's was easy it's video I'm having trouble with. Thanks again.

 

[AQ_OC]

AVPlayerHD is for playing...it doesn't stream at all. Airvideo (which I own) will be useless to you on a plane trip (it is great for streaming in your house and it can be made to stream over the internet, but don't count on using it at 30,000 ft). You want AVPlayerHD or another app that does the same thing (there are several but I only recommend what I use). With AVPlayerHD you can load vidoes onto your ipad using the sync cable (via iTunes) or using WiFI. I recommend wifi because itunes can be a pain. Just google in AVPlayerHD and you can read about its many features on your own.

 

[CharlieM]

Ok thank you. One last question does it convert the movie files? I know my mkv files can be pretty big and I don't want to fill my iPad with just one movie while on vacation you know. If it converts to smaller file sizes but retains hi def picture then that is exactly what I'm looking for.

 

[AQ_OC]

Ok thank you. One last question does it convert the movie files? I know my mkv files can be pretty big and I don't want to fill my iPad with just one movie while on vacation you know. If it converts to smaller file sizes but retains hi def picture then that is exactly what I'm looking for.

No, if your mkvs are large then you need to compress then down to tablet size using something like hand brake. Avplayerhd is an iPad app....you need to transcode on a pc, not on a tablet.

 

[CharlieM]

Handbrake? That will work on my Mac? And then I import them through iTunes or avplayerhd? Is the conversion process really slow?

 

[Gabriel1]

Handbrake? That will work on my Mac? And then I import them through iTunes or avplayerhd? Is the conversion process really slow?

Yes, it will work on your Mac, I'm converting DVD's right now on my MacBook Air. The speed for conversion will depend on film length (file size) and speed of processor along with amount of RAM installed.

The Archangel

 

[flightmedic]

OPlayer or AVPlayerHD. I watched transformers 3 in 1080p today at work.

Works well.


Jim

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[AQ_OC]

Handbrake? That will work on my Mac? And then I import them through iTunes or avplayerhd? Is the conversion process really slow?

Yes, you can use either iTunes or AVPlayerHD with the sync cable.

 

[CharlieM]

Thank you it worked beautifully. How do I change the aspect ratio to 4:3 so it uses the whole screen (zooming cuts to much off the side). Or will that make it look all stretched out?

 

[AQ_OC]

Thank you it worked beautifully. How do I change the aspect ratio to 4:3 so it uses the whole screen (zooming cuts to much off the side). Or will that make it look all stretched out?

Don't cut it. There is no way to change the ratio without losing some of the picture.

Have you tried the zoom feature? It should work, though I do not recommend using it because you never know when the important part of a scene is off to the sides which get chopped off when you zoom.

 

[Erwaso]

Oplayer works well and doesn't need to use a converter like handbrake