Guide to Converting Video to iPod Format (Mac)

Jerrod H.

2005-11-21

For years, iTunes has provided a complete, one-stop solution for the migration of digital audio from the original media source (CD) to the iPod. In fact, one of Apple's early slogans for its digital audio software was "Rip. Mix. Burn.," a succinct catch phrase indicative of the simplicity that iTunes created.

Unfortunately, with the introduction of the fifth-generation iPod - the first that can play back various types of video - Apple doesn't make it equally easy to prepare iPod-ready content. If you're accustomed to the elegance of "Rip. Mix. Burn.," you'll find that the analogous tag line for the importing of video is more like:

"Find Software. Rip. Wait. Find Software. Encode. Wait. Sleep. Wake Up. Enjoy...Maybe."
Why? iTunes 6 doesn't offer video conversion. Instead, you'll need to find and learn to use software that doesn't come in the box. Second, video conversion is generally a very time-consuming process, regardless of the software used. In this article, iLounge aims to remedy the former issue, though you'll likely find that the latter issue will remain until you buy a new computer or piece of hardware optimized for video encoding. Read More