[stormin2]

I'm am looking at the Playbook for a fathers day gift for my husband, he hasn't asked for it but I think he'd love it. I'm trying to do as much research ahead to make sure it will do everything I think. I realize that not everything is out for the Playbook and I'm okay with that, however I'm looking at a way to get movies to the Playbook for travel, before any store app comes out.

I see that starzz, has cbmovies.com and blockbuster also has digital downloads on demand to buy, can I download these straight to the playbook and have them work, or download to my computer and transfer them?

If not what other options or websites are out there? I'm not necessarily looking to burn movies I currently have, but will do this if that is my only option. I am looking for something legitimate, dare I say something similar to itunes, but you get my point!

[sirpedro83]

Ive been on the search for movies for my PlayBook as well, I know there is a NetFlix deal going on but I dont have ETA on it. But for now you can go to Crackle - Watch Movies Online, Free TV Shows, & Original Online Series and watch movies on your PB for free or even YouTube - ‪Movies‬‏ they have have rental or free to watch movies. Give that a try for now. But Ill for sure stay on the lookout for some movie downloads to transfer onto my PB. I hope that helps a little, good luck.

[stormin2]

Thanks . . I'm not looking to stream anything as we are going to be on an airplane and cruise ship so I need some movie downloads. . . I'm torn as to what to buy.

[flyersfan76]

You convert some of your existing programs with you computer and then transfer them.

Many different programs are available.

Aimersoft is a good one.

[stormin2]

So does this software convert movies my girls have bought on their ipods as well as any I might buy digital download or does it only work with dvds I buy. I'm sorry to sound tech stupid but this isn't my thing! I read about some software that removes DRM? Is that what I need?

[MaxxJag]

I've played around a bit with different types of movie formats.
AVI plays, though not with AC3 (maybe with HDMI)
MOV plays if encoded H.264 (if that means anything to you)
DIVX plays if you have that option. Will need to test out the various options.
MP4 should play, PS3/Xbox360 compatible is best, though pretty sure those iPod/iPad ones too, though might not be all that pretty.

[stormin2]

I've played around a bit with different types of movie formats.
AVI plays, though not with AC3 (maybe with HDMI)
MOV plays if encoded H.264 (if that means anything to you)
DIVX plays if you have that option. Will need to test out the various options.
MP4 should play, PS3/Xbox360 compatible is best, though pretty sure those iPod/iPad ones too, though might not be all that pretty.

Thank you for tyring to help . . . most of that was greek to me but I did understand the mp4 part

Might have to just let the husband deal witht his or hope somethign comes out through Blackberry soon.

Is my understanding correct that this problem is the same for any android based tablet as well?

[MaxxJag]

Most phones/tablets come with the right application for PC/Mac to convert whatever format to the right one necessary. Even the playbook.

So in the end it's usually up to getting the application, installing it and seeing what you can convert from.

Downloading directly with the device is usually a hit/miss. Playbook does support a lot of formats, though the big one called MKV doesn't work unfortunately. But it does support a lot of them and it some of the best quality format (called 1080p, same quality as bluray)

[tsells]

Thank you for tyring to help . . . most of that was greek to me but I did understand the mp4 part

Might have to just let the husband deal witht his or hope somethign comes out through Blackberry soon.

Is my understanding correct that this problem is the same for any android based tablet as well?

An easy way to get movies is to go to this thread:
http://forums.crackberry.com/f66/mp4...ovides-564516/
Copy the link for the movie that you want and download the movie to your computer. Then use DesktopManager to transfer (drag and drop) to the Playbook. Please note that some of the movie links are "dead" and most of the movies are not HD quality. But this is the easiest way (it's actually very easy) to get movies without decoding them.
Hopefully, there will be an easier way once (if) they have a native video store for the Playbook.

[flyersfan76]

So does this software convert movies my girls have bought on their ipods as well as any I might buy digital download or does it only work with dvds I buy. I'm sorry to sound tech stupid but this isn't my thing! I read about some software that removes DRM? Is that what I need?

Not tech stupid at all because I have no idea what the answer is. They do have a bunch of free trials that might help you out though.

[jessebo8247]

You convert some of your existing programs with you computer and then transfer them.

Many different programs are available.

Aimersoft is a good one.

thats what i did. converted some to avi and transferred them over. works great

[wheresmy600]

If you want to go ahead and use DVD's this is what worked for me. I followed the steps exactly. I used the trial version to see if it would work, and the only difference is the "foxreal" logo on the screen. Call me ********, or maybe not a videophile, but the logo didn't bother me so I've continued with the trial.


Rip DVD to HD WMV for Playing on BlackBerry PlayBook with High Quality

I think if you actually download the movie to your pc/laptop, and then put it on playbook, this is what you would do:

BlackBerry PlayBook Video Converter - Convert TiVo/MKV/VOB/VRO/MPG to MP4 BlackBerry PlayBook Video

[blackranger3d]

Now Stormin2 it seems that you are not a techie person at all? So I think an Ipad "may" be better for your hasband.

Here is why?
1. Easier for the average none techie to get movies.
Itunes.
Pay your money.
Load your movie
Done and done.

No need to worry about the file format, or drm, or buying a DVD just to

- rip it
- convert it
- load it

Depending on how fast your computer is the above 3 steps can take over an hour to complete(I think).


Other Points
1. As far as I know, there is no simple movie DL service similiar to itunes for the PB yet.
2. Ipad has a bigger screen


NOW, before people **** on my head.
1. PB plays many more formats than the ipad.
2. MUCH easier to dump movies into PB and have them play
3. The PB screen is super clear


Anyway you know your hubby. Will he use th ePB if its too hard to update the movies.

Cheers


PS. I have used both machines for movies when I travel. I prefer the IPAD for watching on the plane (bigger screen so others can see too). I prefer the PB when on the subway (smaller screen so fewer people bump into me)

And PB is way easier to load with movies "IF" you know what you are doing.

[stormin2]

Now Stormin2 it seems that you are not a techie person at all? So I think an Ipad "may" be better for your hasband.

Here is why?
1. Easier for the average none techie to get movies.
Itunes.
Pay your money.
Load your movie
Done and done.

No need to worry about the file format, or drm, or buying a DVD just to

- rip it
- convert it
- load it

Depending on how fast your computer is the above 3 steps can take over an hour to complete(I think).


Other Points
1. As far as I know, there is no simple movie DL service similiar to itunes for the PB yet.
2. Ipad has a bigger screen


NOW, before people **** on my head.
1. PB plays many more formats than the ipad.
2. MUCH easier to dump movies into PB and have them play
3. The PB screen is super clear


Anyway you know your hubby. Will he use th ePB if its too hard to update the movies.

Cheers


PS. I have used both machines for movies when I travel. I prefer the IPAD for watching on the plane (bigger screen so others can see too). I prefer the PB when on the subway (smaller screen so fewer people bump into me)

And PB is way easier to load with movies "IF" you know what you are doing.

Thanks. . . I'm not techinal challanged . . however I'm no computer programer either! My husband is an engineer and non Mac altogether other than our Ipods. That said I was just trying to research options for adding movies, this would definately not be the main use. But we are going on cruise in July and would like to have some movies on there.

The Ipad in my opinion is too big. He woud not want to carry that to meeting to update spreadsheets and such. I'm sure many will argue.

[mmcpher]

If you subscribe to HBO at home, you can get HBO.GO on your Playbook, which works fine and has no additional cost. You get the series, specials, movies, on demand.

[stormin2]

If you subscribe to HBO at home, you can get HBO.GO on your Playbook, which works fine and has no additional cost. You get the series, specials, movies, on demand.

Is this something you have to stream and be on line?

[mmcpher]

Is this something you have to stream and be on line?

Yes, but it actually works! The PB seems scary-good at streaming media. I have a desktop here, newish with respectable specs, and we have a T-1 line with Optimum Lightpath and there is no comparison, the PB outperforms the desktop. It can't be, but it seems to be.

[jerkin]

As far as i know, the format of movies on cbmovies.com are mkv and the playbook only support H.264, MPEG4, WMV , DivX video format, so you won't be able to play them on your playbook directly. But you can convert the movies to Playbook compatible format, and you also can get many free movies from YouTube, MySpace, Google Video and others for Playbook.

[blackjack93117]

But.. has anyone figured out how to work around the screen timeout issue?

I hear there an app for that - "backlight override" but to me it just looks like browser - I don't get it. You have to be streaming something in the browser to keep it from timing out?

[stormin2]

I did end up getting the Playbook for my husband and have loaded 8 or 10 movies from a threas here on CB. My husand watch a Harry Potter and my daughters watched movies in the car this weekend and we have not had any time out or 'sleep' mode issues at all. I had actually warned him that I saw that as a possiblity on the forums here but it has not been our experience. Maybe that was a fix in one of the updates he's had, I guess I'm not sure but we have definately not had this problem.

[joedirt237]

An easy way to get movies is to go to this thread:
http://forums.crackberry.com/f66/mp4...ovides-564516/
Copy the link for the movie that you want and download the movie to your computer. Then use DesktopManager to transfer (drag and drop) to the Playbook. Please note that some of the movie links are "dead" and most of the movies are not HD quality. But this is the easiest way (it's actually very easy) to get movies without decoding them.
Hopefully, there will be an easier way once (if) they have a native video store for the Playbook.

Was the above link to the movies removed?

[Theiceman01]

My personal take is the PB is more of a hobby than a straigh device. I have beeen doing as you have getting some of my dvds and using different programs to conver them etc. I just took a whole season of one of my shows and put them all on my PB. it is kind of a fun hobby actually and you learn a lot of stuff along the way . i am sure there are video converters out there that can help for all kind of formats. One of my favs is "any video converter" , but some times sounds does get out of sync.

[3lionsbecks]

just use Handbrake and VLC to convert your DVDs to Playbook format and drag and drop them.

Handbrake is very reliable.

[spatialmongrel]

i bittorrented a few movies (curious george, fantasia) and season 6 of doctor who to the desktop pc, then had handbrake do an overnight encode for all of it to mp4 with appletv2 presets. next morning i did a wifi drag and drop of the mp4 videos to my playbook, then jumped on a plane and on vacation. curious george in crystal clear sound and video kept my daughter bien amuse on the plane, and doctor who kept my wife and i entertained after she fell asleep.

when i got home, i went back to my desktop added the encoded folder to itunes, and now im going to pour myself a glass of scotch, stream doctor who to my appletv and surf crackberry while im at it. then im going to watch some netflix. but not on my playbook.

i think that was a good use of multiple platforms.

[pigdude]

Was the above link to the movies removed?

Yes, I believe so - i was actually surprised it was up for as long as it was.