How to Put an AVI Movie on Your iPod
IPods now have the ability to play movies in addition to MP3s. The device works best with MP4 video, although in some cases you can watch AVI movies. However, since most AVI movies will play on an iPod with no sound or broken images, it's best to convert them before you sync your iPod. The AVI format was developed by Microsoft, so it's no surprise that it doesn't always mix well with Apple's iPods and iTunes.
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Instructions
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Right-click on the videos you want to play and open them with iTunes. Connect your iPod to your computer, select it in the "Devices" tab and then click on the "Movies" bar. Select the "Sync Movies" box and then choose which AVI files you want on your iPod if they appear.
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Sync your iPod and the AVI movies will be copied. Open the "Movies" browser on your iPod and select an AVI to start playing it. Flip through the file to be sure that the audio and video were imported correctly.
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Open iTunes and select your video if it isn't playing correctly on your iPod. Click on the "Advanced" menu and select "Create iPod or iPhone Version" to change your AVI file into an MP4. Add the new file to your list of movies and resync your iPod.
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Use an external program such as Quicktime or MPEG Streamclip to convert your AVI movie if you're still having problems. These programs work especially well with DV-AVI movie files.
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Check the iTunes store for an iPod-friendly version of the AVI file if you're still having problems putting movies on your device. Some files unfortunately won't convert to iPod formats correctly, but iPod versions are generally inexpensive.
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Tips & Warnings
If your AVIs don't convert to MP4 correctly, try other formats, such as MPEG and FLV, but their quality won't be as good on your iPod. If an AVI does not open in iTunes, convert it to another format with an external program.
Video conversion can take a long time to complete and is very resource-intensive. Your computer may be very slow during file conversions.
Only Quicktime Pro allows you to edit and change file formats; the free version that comes on Macs will not let you modify AVI files.
The video in some AVI files may distort when you seek through the file on your iPod.
References
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