[alligator]

I just finished putting all of my videos on my iPod at 320 x 240. Now if Apple upgrades their playback for 640 x 480, then I should re-encode all of my videos this way - correct? Or will this larger size only be supported on the 6th Gen iPods?

[pathogen]

I want to know this also... it's the key difference for me in possibly buying a used iPod or a new one. And will the older 5G's be able to output the increased resolution to a TV set without dropping frames?

[typoon]

I think with Firmware 1.2 it should work. I know it just came out because when I plugged in my iPod it asked me to download it. Not sure what else it adds. I hope it adds that cool search feature. I like that.

[im_noahselby]

The older 5G iPods will play 640x480 videos.

Noah

[GORDYmac]

I wonder if the same rule applies as before...where any resulution that falls under 302,000 total pixels will be supported, like, 720 x 400.

[pathogen]

Originally Posted by GORDYmac

I wonder if the same rule applies as before...where any resulution that falls under 302,000 total pixels will be supported, like, 720 x 400.

I thought it was 230,000 total pixels.... Which means that previous 5G ipods can't handle 640x480 mpg (let alone H.264) without down-converting it. I just want verification that you can download iTunes Store content at 640x480 resolution, put it on your 5G v.1 iPod without down-converting, and output to a television (for a better visual experience than 320x240).

Also, wouldn't the new version of quicktime at least have a 320x240 or 640x480 iPod export option by now?

[Eug]

Originally Posted by im_noahselby

The older 5G iPods will play 640x480 videos.

I'm assuming they were asking about 640x480 H.264.

[imitchellg5]

5G iPods can play H.264 just fine.

[alligator]

If this is true, then I need to re-encode my entire video collection. Good think I paid for a Mac Pro with two superdrives. This is going to take a long time - but the quality will be worth it.

[GORDYmac]

Originally Posted by pathogen

I thought it was 230,000 total pixels.... Which means that previous 5G ipods can't handle 640x480 mpg (let alone H.264) without down-converting it. I just want verification that you can download iTunes Store content at 640x480 resolution, put it on your 5G v.1 iPod without down-converting, and output to a television (for a better visual experience than 320x240).

Also, wouldn't the new version of quicktime at least have a 320x240 or 640x480 iPod export option by now?

That would be the old MP4 standard (480 x 480 = 230,400 pixels). Now that's it's 640 x 480 for H.264 (307,200 pixels), that count should go up, right...even higher for MP4, right? Aw heck, I'll test it.

[k2director]

What's the resolution on the 5G and 6G iPod's screen? Can it even handle 640x480, without down-rezing?

[imitchellg5]

6G can for sure, but I'm not sure about 5G.

[k2director]

I just checked the tech specs for the 6G ipod, and its screen res is 320x240. So you're actually not going to see much of a gain, if any, in watching 640x480 encodes on that screen.

[Eriamjh]

Apple is still calling it the "Fifth-Generation iPod". Updating the firmware and HD does not make it bump to 6G.

[dreamryche]

Originally Posted by Eriamjh

Apple is still calling it the "Fifth-Generation iPod". Updating the firmware and HD does not make it bump to 6G.

Seconded. This isn't as big a shift as giving the 4G all the features of the photo, and the color 4G was still a 4G.

[im_noahselby]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

6G can for sure, but I'm not sure about 5G.

Aren't these new iPods still technically 5G iPods. I've heard of some refer to them as 5.5G iPods as well

Noah

[brokenjago]

I still call them 5G iPods. They're the exact same thing with a firmware update, a brighter screen, and one increased capacity.

[wtmcgee]

That'll show em.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

5G iPods can play H.264 just fine.

The specific question is H.264 at 640x480.

The logical answer is yes but nobody here has confirmed that yet.

P.S. Assuming it's true, it's lame that Apple didn't release it this way in the first place.

[Big Mac]

Apple seems to officially refer to the new revision as 5G:

"See more of the fifth-generation iPod. Browse the gallery."

[Stogieman]

I just purchased a music video from the iTunes store which I think is encoded in H.264 format. The 640x480 video works just fine on my 5th gen iPod (updated with the 1.2 firmware). The video looks surprisingly good when I hook it up to the TV.

[jocker]

Originally Posted by Stogieman

I just purchased a music video from the iTunes store which I think is encoded in H.264 format. The 640x480 video works just fine on my 5th gen iPod (updated with the 1.2 firmware). The video looks surprisingly good when I hook it up to the TV.

Why surprisingly good? 640 x 480 is literally DVD quality (give or take 60 horizontal pixels which you'd never notice).

Anyway - yes the videos from the music store are 640 x 480 AVC0 (is this h264?). However, I recently converted a video using Quicktime Pro to 640 x 480 H264 (manually) and iTunes said it was incompatible with my ipod....

So I used the Export to iPod option and sure enough - it create a 640 x 480 h264 movie which the ipod CAN play.

I found a forum post regarding the iSquint application here:

Edit: Answered my own question - see this page: iB::Topic::5G iPods can do 640x480 H.264 now

Basically, for now, only Quicktime Pro can produce 640 x 480 h264 iPod compatible movies, at least until Compressor is reverse engineered into ffmepg.

[porieux]

...

[Eug]

Anyway - yes the videos from the music store are 640 x 480 AVC0 (is this h264?).

Yes. AVC = H.264.

However, I recently converted a video using Quicktime Pro to 640 x 480 H264 (manually) and iTunes said it was incompatible with my ipod....

This is disappointing. It looks like the DVDs I had converted to 624x352 H.264 earlier this year in anticipation of this move will not work. (624x352 because my encoder wants multiples of 16, and it maintains the 16:9 aspect ratio.)

So I used the Export to iPod option and sure enough - it create a 640 x 480 h264 movie which the ipod CAN play.

I'm gonna have to do some testing. 1.5/1.6 Mbps isn't really a high bitrate, even for H.264. I was hoping for 2.0 to 2.5 Kbps support, but I guess we can't have everything.

Mind you it's somewhat moot for me at this point, since I wont be buying a new iPod any time soon.

[andymcdeee]

Not so good here...

bought a 640x480 tv show off itunes 7 and put in on my original video ipod. plugged the ipod into the tele and it doesn't look any better than the old 320x240 videos. Then plugged the powerbook directly into the tele and played it and it looked much much better.

So I'm not so sure the old ones can output the full rez to an external source.

[brokenjago]

They can, but have you updated your firmware?

[andymcdeee]

Yep, says it's up to date. v1.2

The ipod played the video back no problem - it's just that the amount of pixelation was about the same as the old videos. there was hardly any pixelation when connecting the s-video to the tele on the laptop - looked really good.

i dunno. other peoples mileage will most likely vary.

[Eug Wanker]

Any more info on this? I'd like to know for sure if the old 5G can output 640x480 to TV. If so, I'd buy an old 5G.

Also, does the new firmware upgrade change the battery life?

[ipodgo]

Yes, once you update to firmware 1.2. My movies converted in 640x480 H.264 play great in my old iPod 60G.

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

Any more info on this? I'd like to know for sure if the old 5G can output 640x480 to TV. If so, I'd buy an old 5G.

Also, does the new firmware upgrade change the battery life?

[Eug]

Thx, but note thread is 3 weeks old. Since then I've gotten the chance to test 640xXXX myself with my new refurb 5G iPod.

[ipodgo]

Good for you.

Originally Posted by Eug 

Thx, but note thread is 3 weeks old. Since then I've gotten the chance to test 640xXXX myself with my new refurb 5G iPod.