Video integration in iTunes and iPods
Apple just released their iTunes 6, which now includes the capability of showing video files in iTunes. The new iTunes goes hand in hand with the just released iPod that can now play video files – even on your TV if you have a dock to go with it. The new iTunes have got the same features as the iPod when it comes to watching video – so I’ve been playing around with it for a while. I’ve been saying that I was going to get an iPod as soon as I could watch video files on my TV through it – but it just isn’t good enough yet. The iPod and iTunes still lacks improvement in a number of areas:
- Can’t play all media files – only the few that is playable in quicktime. So unless I can use VLC on the iPod or in iTunes to watch the videos files of my preferred format, I’m still waiting with buying the video iPod.
- iTunes is not a fit name – not necessarily a point to keep me from buying an iPod – but Apple needs to change the name into something more fitting.
- Don’t store my video files under music – why not use the “movies” folder on my mac?
- Loose the dock – If I’m going to put video files on my iPod, the main reason would be to put movies on it that I can watch at friends’ places. So if I’m going somewhere away from home, I won’t have my dock (with the video output) with me. So Apple: put a video-out port on the iPod.
So Apple – hurry up on fulfilling the requests, I want my iPod now!
October 21st, 2005 at 2:25 am
I guess you can play any video, if you reencode it. It will of course consume less space, but not as convenient.
http://playlistmag.com/weblogs/ipodblog/2005/10/videoipodlessons/index.php?lsrc=mwrss
October 21st, 2005 at 2:57 am
I think convenience is the key here. If I have a 60 GB iPod, I would like to just be able to drag the DVDs VIDEO_TS folder to my iPod so that DVD menus, etc. are also available. If I have a DIV-X movie, I want to be able to drag it to my iPod and view it there – just like you’re able to do on a Kiss player
I see Apple’s attempt to make quicktime the preferred video standard a bit like I see Microsoft’s attempt to make IE(Internet Explorer) the web browser standard. They both try to force use of their own “standard” instead of acknowledging use of other “real” standards. Why don’t you see DIV-X movies working inside the quicktime container? And why does Microsoft have to “invent” their own interpretation of javascript, CSS, etc.?