[cjadair]

tx_dbs_tx, is there a specific codec pack you recommend? I get lost pretty easy with stuff like this. Is it something that's added to Windows Media, for example? Is it a stand alone program?

[tx_dbs_tx]

tx_dbs_tx, is there a specific codec pack you recommend? I get lost pretty easy with stuff like this. Is it something that's added to Windows Media, for example? Is it a stand alone program?

I recommend "K-Lite codec pack". It is a "stand alone install package". You should be able to google it. Just make sure the site you download it from is legit. Try to get it from the source if you can or even at Cnet's download.com would be ok. By the way what version of Desktop Manager are you using? I didn't notice conversion issues really untill I installed 4.7. That's when I discovered I had some videos that would never actually finish the conversion process and I would have to cancel the process after it stayed on the very last phase forever. I noticed it only did that with mpeg 2 videos. Find out which video file type you are having this issue with and post back so I will know if it's the same or not.

[cjadair]

I just installed 4.7 two days ago. I believe the movie I tried was avi. (divx). I don't have my laptop in front of me to be sure.

[depoman]

Phantomsphan -

Thanks for the tutorial. Been stumbling through countless different shareware versions of converters with limited success. Your posts got me where I needed to be and didn't cost me a dime.

[cjadair]

depoman, did you find a combination of programs that work for you yet?

[depoman]

Phantomsfan's steps work great on my 8830. I'm using DVD Shrink to rip the VOB files, then I open/append the VOBs together into one MP4 in Avidemux exactly according to his settings, works like a charm.

[phantomsphan]

Phantomsfan's steps work great on my 8830. I'm using DVD Shrink to rip the VOB files, then I open/append the VOBs together into one MP4 in Avidemux exactly according to his settings, works like a charm.

I haven't converted DVDs before, but I have used DVD Shrink quite a bit. If you are using it just to rip your DVDs, you should go into the Preferences, in the Output Files tab and turn off the 'Split VOB files' setting.



That way you don't have to do all the appending, just open the one large VOB file. Just make sure if you use DVD Shrink to make DVDs, to change it back. Also, if you're using it to just rip the main movie, make sure you tell it not to shrink it (No Compression). You don't want to shrink it first and lower the video quality, and then convert it into an mp4.

[Empty_One]

I've tried your steps to convert video, but I still cannot get it to work. I've never felt so dumb in my life. I've tried every converter mentioned on the forums, with multiple video files, and nothing works for me. The only one I haven't tried is the BB media converter because it takes about 45 minutes to open and be responsive on my machine.

** Never mind, I'm just a dummy. I did it again, and everything worked fine. Actually, while messing around, I found all you need to do is use the ipod auto settings, and set the ratio, and you should be good to go. Alteast it was on the the files I tried.

[phantomsphan]

Hmm... interesting if it works on yours. I've never been able to get my 8330 to play anything that wasn't encoded with lavc.

[phantomsphan]

Glad it worked out well for you. I'll change the post and screenshot when I have a chance, but I've found that a single pass at 700 is sufficient, rather than doing a 2 pass. Also, if you need something quick, 'same qz as input' works well too.

[depoman]

PP -

Any tips? I've got a VOB rip where the video is faster than the original, so the audio never syncs up. Tried different audio shifts, but the video just speeds away from the audio track no matter what I do.

[phantomsphan]

So the VOB is already out of sync? Can you try ripping it again? Also, the setting is in miliseconds, so you might have to use a pretty high number before you even see a difference, like 1000.



Also, while you are testing, make sure you use the A and B buttons to just select a small part of your video to convert, until you get the setting right.

[1Kool guy]

So Much for Miracles. I wont use something that I already know that I won't use whether its a worthless paysite converter ( cuz its not Free obviously) or something thats just way way too much work to hassle with. Just like some of these posts that have Movies to download that are in .RAR files or .Mv4 Files and they expect you (The Individual) to try to figure it out by going thru some type of Converter that use's way too much time(and Money) or some type of worthless Paysite thats really not needed for & just to overall.....See a Movie. There's sense in being so complicated here. Most people would rather have something more simple to have access to, rather than mess up their Hard drive or something. No wonder relationships get so wrecked up....Lol! Complications, Complications, Complications. Sheeesh! Just my indepth view but btw, Nice Tutorial tho.

[phantomsphan]

Your post was a little hard to follow, but let me see if I can address a few things.

I totally agree with you regarding pay sites and crappy software you have to buy or other sketchy ones that are ad supported. They don't have nearly the configurability or flexibility of a good freeware program. That's why I will only endorse and use AVIDemux.

Aside from that, there are no such things as 'miracles'. If that is what you are looking for in terms of downloading or converting videos for your device, you are going to be sadly disappointed I think. I'm sorry if you found my tutorial too complicated, but nothing in life is easy. I'm sorry if it didn't work out for you but from the comments I get here and in PMs, I know its worked for quite a lot of people. But, no it is not 'easy' or simple or just a one click solution. It's not designed to be. I'd much rather educate someone and have them learn something about videos or their BB or the PC, then have them be backward and ignorant about those things. But I come from an IT support background, so maybe that's just me. For instance, you mention RAR files. All RAR files are are compressed archives.. just like a ZIP file. You could have googled it and downloaded a good freeware program called 7Zip and extracted the movies from those files and put them on your device. Sure, it's an extra step and something you, 'the individual' have to do, but nothing good is easy. Also along the way, you would have learned something about compression, archive files and etc that could help you in the future when you need to download something else or have a problem with your computer. Someone else can correct me, but I also believe all an M4V file is is a video made by itunes, which is the same as an mp4. So as long as it uses compatible codecs and screen resolution, you could just rename it to mp4 and put in on your device. Again, its just something you'd have to look up and learn a little about.. but its not that hard. Trust me, the benefits far outweigh the effort. Just something to think about.

Anyway, I hope you eventually find the method that works best and gives you what you are looking for most satisfactorily.

[MrMikeAnthony]

Does Roxio Media Manager do this as well? Anyone have any experience compression through the program?

[fuss-nubitz]

I have (..."had") exactly this problem with my 8310. Your solution worked perfectly and at the price I can afford! Interesting to learn that MP4 is just a container for different formats - I never knew that before. Now I feel confident that whatever format I run into, I will have a way to convert it and make it portable. Thank you so very very much!

[berryapps]

That's good news.
My MP4 is now very useful too.
Thank you.

[Guzuki]

Hey Phantomsphan or anyone who has an idea!
I'm SOOOOO new to all this bb stuff. But I've spent hours trying to figure out how to transfer tv show files from my itunes to my bb curve 8330. From the time I've spent looking into it on crackberry.com I'm beginning to truely hate this phone! This should not be this complicated. I even looked up the online manual and I can't even find spelled out video format and resolution settings. ALL it says is if you're having trouble viewing your media it's probably the wrong file format. So annoying.
I think it's rediculous I would need a separate software to convert the file. I'm NOT computer savey but I don't understand why I can't just right click a file, pull up the properties and change it's setting. But I'll try anything at this point! So I downloaded Avidemux to try it. When I try to open the file it say's there is "No Audio decoder found for this file. Save (A+V) will generate bad AVI> Save audio will work"
PLEASE help!

[phantomsphan]

Someone who knows more about itunes would have to help you out, but I would assume that video files that you buy and download in itunes have DRM, which is why AVIDemux can't convert it. They don't want you to convert it or play it on another device, just on a iphone/ipod. But again, I don't use itunes, so maybe someone else might have a better answer, but that's what I would assume.

[nmbbaddict]

If it is a DRM issue, you can use a program like tunebite to take off the DRM. I've use it before on music, but not on video.

TUNEBITE converts protected WMA, M4B, M4P, WMV, M4V, AAC. Converter MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV, MPEG4, MP4, AVI, 3GP, MOV, FLV, DV, H.264, XVID, DIVX, 3IVX. it has a free and paid version (or used to, it's been awhile) and worked great when I used it last. You might have to use a program such as this then use AVIDemux for the BB.

I haven't done this myself, just throwing it out there for you.

Good luck.

[OnTheFly#CB]

Phontomsphan,

Thanks for the good information. It didn't quite work for me as described, but it got me off in the right direction. I have DVDs I wanted to put on my VZW 8330 so I could watch them on the airlines. This is what I had to do to make it work.

1. I used DVD Shrink 3.2 to back-up a DVD to my laptop hard drive.
2. I used HandBrake to convert to a MP4 file.
3. I could not drag and drop onto my BB memory so I had to use the painfully slow Roxio to convert/transfer to my BB.

When I just transferred it to my BB memory, the file would not play and I experienced an error message.

Thanks again for your efforts.
Fly

[phantomsphan]

Phantomsphan,

Thanks for the good information. It didn't quite work for me as described, but it got me off in the right direction. I have DVDs I wanted to put on my VZW 8330 so I could watch them on the airlines. This is what I had to do to make it work.

1. I used DVD Shrink 3.2 to back-up a DVD to my laptop hard drive.
2. I used HandBrake to convert to a MP4 file.
3. I could not drag and drop onto my BB memory so I had to use the painfully slow Roxio to convert/transfer to my BB.

When I just transferred it to my BB memory, the file would not play and I experienced an error message.

Thanks again for your efforts.
Fly

Did you try using AVIDemux? Handbrake would be your problem, that's why it wouldn't play. It created an MP4 for you, but didn't use the correct codecs. That's why media player gives you the error and you said you have to then use Roxio to move it to your device. Basically you are converting it twice... Once from DVD to an MP4 with Handbrake and then again from MP4 to another MP4 (with the correct codecs) with Roxio. You're putting in an extra step you don't need (plus lowering the quality of your file by converting it twice).

When you used DVD Shrink to rip the DVD, did you uncheck the option to split the VOBS so you just have one big one? If you did, then you should be able to just load that up into AVIDemux and then set the settings like I've shown (Video=lavc, Audio=FAAC, container=MP4, etc). Since the video has larger dimensions than the standard xvid you download from the internet, if you are going to crop it, you may need to use a bigger number like 120 rather than 60. Try that out and if you have any issues, let me know. Also, remember that you can use the A/B buttons to just select a short snippet to convert, so you can test and not wait for a whole file to convert.

[jbdale]

Anyone ever try using DVDfab or hand brake? There seems to be an awful lot of steps in the software programs listed here. Both fab and brake have just a few steps and you don't need to use Roxio to transfer to your device. Both softwares are free and will convert any video/movie size to 3gp, mp4, avi, wmv for any BB device.

[phantomsphan]

Anyone ever try using DVDfab or hand brake? There seems to be an awful lot of steps in the software programs listed here. Both fab and brake have just a few steps and you don't need to use Roxio to transfer to your device. Both softwares are free and will convert any video/movie size to 3gp, mp4, avi, wmv for any BB device.

My method does not require Roxio either and AVIDemux is free. Don't confuse having more than 2 steps with being difficult. Handbrake may be a simple one step program to use, but it doesn't give you nearly the quality of file as AVIDemux, nor will it crop files to maximize what you see on the screen (ie If you are converting a widescreen file, with Handbrake you'll only end up with a 320x176 file and a lot of black bars rather than with AVIDemux, where you can crop the sides and end up with a file thats 320x224 and fills the screen much nicer). I have yet to find a 'one step' program that gives you that ability.

[jbdale]

My method does not require Roxio either and AVIDemux is free. Don't confuse having more than 2 steps with being difficult. Handbrake may be a simple one step program to use, but it doesn't give you nearly the quality of file as AVIDemux, nor will it crop files to maximize what you see on the screen (ie If you are converting a widescreen file, with Handbrake you'll only end up with a 320x176 file and a lot of black bars rather than with AVIDemux, where you can crop the sides and end up with a file thats 320x224 and fills the screen much nicer). I have yet to find a 'one step' program that gives you that ability.

Oh, I only prefer to watch in widescreen. But I find the added HD qaulity that fab adds to handbrake is superb to anything that I have tried. I'll give AVID a try, thanks.