[space_traveler]

I recently converted a few DVDs to flv (flash) so they would fit better on my Playbook, but they don't look so great. What do people here convert their DVDs to for best fit, but still half way decent quality, on their Playbooks? I'm looking for the smallest size yet still a bit better quality than flv, if possible. MP4 seems to still be too big - could only fit a few movies if they are 2GB or larger each. Thanks for any tips.

[madman0141]

Hi Space Traveler I asked the same question this week and I was directed to the anydvd website. This program is a free trial for couple of weeks before you by. This was the easiest to use software I have ever used. Just direct the software to make a generic mp4. Then open you my videos on your computer. You will see you dvd and click save. Then hook up your playbook and sync it. It will be in your video app on playbook. Simple and effective. Hope this helps.

[space_traveler]

Thanks guys. Just to be more clear, I already have and use a free app to convert DVDs to MP4/flv and was trying to say I didn't want to go with MP4 because they're generally too big in size to be putting on the PB.

I found flash video to be much better (as far as size goes) where a flv video will be around a quarter of the size of an MP4, but flv videos don't look so great, as far as quality goes.

I was hoping to find something in between flash and MP4, if there is anything. I guess I'm looking for MP4 quality in the size of a flv file, probably impossible, right?

And can't stream videos all the time, so that's out. Can't always use wifi.

[space_traveler]

DoubleTwist converts to the best format and size for the device.

Thanks kellyjdrummer, I'll look into that. But I don't see where it says it's free or payware. Which is it? Free is better, because I'm already using a free program. The app I'm currently using to rip DVDs doesn't go the exact optimal size for the PB. I think optimal would be 1024 x 600.

[space_traveler]

What I meant was, free is better for a cheapskate like me.

Thanks.

[Ninjatogo]

I've said it on these forums before, and I'll say it again. Freemake. This is the best video converter there is at the moment. Besides being FREE, it's got hardware accelerated encoding and decoding. It supports practically every format, super simple, and the feature you were looking for; it lets you specify a limit to the size a converted video will come out as. It dynamically adjust the quality of the video to fit the file size you set.


It's pretty new, and so many users here still don't know about it, but it's the greatest one out there at the moment!

[space_traveler]

@ ninjatogo

Maybe I'm being picky, but why can't you download the full installer for Freemake? I like to do offline installs.

[Ninjatogo]

I have no idea why they choose to do the install process that way.

[TheMrsPipe]

MPEGSTREAMCLIP to be found here:

Squared 5 - MPEG Streamclip video converter for Mac and Windows

Is free for Mac and PC. It is amazing at converting your files to just about any file format and size and quality you want.

I work in the film industry and I cannot recommend this enough.

Have a play around with it you will not be disappointed.

[Zandengoff]

I like using a combination of handbrake and anydvd passkey lite. If anyone is interested, I can send the settings for a templete files that gives good quality for good viewing. The file sizes I have generated range from 700 MB - 1.3 MB.

[popeyesmotto]

I think the answer is file size versus quality. FLV is always going to be small and as such delivers apoorer video. Yourbest option will be when you initialy rip your video to set the sampling rate high enough to process a suitable quality. I have been pursueing this also. My method was to find a programthat automatically gave me three different quality options formatted for the blackberry. The lowest setting was unsatisfactory so I choose the middle quality. Remember that in a given format the doubling of the qualty will require a file size four times larger. Double the lines by height AND width. There is a post in the forums with information that shows settings for handbrake and that a sampling rate in that program of about 5000 delivered adequate quality and compared it to the video factory installed on the playbook which was produced with a sampling rate of 9000. My laptop is too old to use the 64 bit version of handbrake so I found another program described above that auto formats for the playbook to deliver three levels of quality perfect for the playbook.