An MPEG-4 video which will not play on my iPad

rogernixon wrote on 4/9/2013, 12:23 PM

I am having a problem with a video which will not play on my iPad.
This was the second project. The first project has been exported to DVD and to MPEG-4 video. Both have been successful and the MPEG 4 video plays successfully on my iPad.
The second project has also been turned into a DVD with no problems. I then exported the project to an MPEG-4. This plays perfectly on my PC (Windows 7) but will not play on my iPad.
When syncing the iPad I get a message that “it was not copied to the iPad because it cannot be played on this iPad”.
When I checked the Properties of this file I found that it was virtually the same as the successful MPEG-4 which does plays on the iPad.

The only differences are as follows .....

The successful Video is:-
• 9.94 Gb in size
• the total bitrate is 13042 Kbps

The unsuccessful Video is ....
• 2.99 Gb in size
• the total bitrate is 15333 Kbps

Can anyone tell me what I am missing as I cannot see the significance of the above differences nor can I detect any other differences which would prohibit the second video from playing on my iPad.

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 4/9/2013, 1:13 PM

Did you use the Export to Device option and select iPhone or iPad? Once you select this do not change any of the default settings.

A search of the Internet would also have given you this site

HTH

John

Scenestealer wrote on 4/9/2013, 6:22 PM

Good advice from John there. There is a default Ipad preset in the "File > Export to device" , for high resolution (1280x720), which will create a much smaller file than you have created - using about 9000kbs and a very long 120 frame GOP for maximum compression efficiency.

My guess is that the one that will not play has B frames in the GOP that Apple players can not tolerate. Look in the Advanced Video encoder settings you used and see if one has a number other than 0 in the B frames box.

Peter

rogernixon wrote on 4/10/2013, 3:15 AM

Many thanks for the two answers - it is much appreciated. However, I cannot find the way to Export to Device.

For the record my version of Photostory on CD & DVD is 10.0.5.3 (UC1).

Under File - Export there are 6 options staring with "Movie as AVI" but none show Export to Device. Am I looking in the wrong place?

Also the number in the B frames count box is "0" and the Adaptive Frame box is blank.

It seems that I cannot get past "Go" and I wonder if either of you gentlemen can help me get to the point where I can choose the Device. The Magix instructions are, as usual, obtuse on the subject although I read them 100 times!

Kind regards

Roger

Scenestealer wrote on 4/10/2013, 7:17 AM

Hi Roger

In MEP it is further down the "File" menu but I do not have Photostory so it may not be present. There must be some Export preset for Ipod or Ipad somewhere though.

It is important that the resolution is no larger than the device can play. Can you post the analysis of the two files, from Media Info or similar.

johnebaker wrote on 4/10/2013, 1:04 PM

The option you need is Export for mobile device it is in the installed pdf manual. I missed out the word Mobile

John

rogernixon wrote on 4/11/2013, 2:54 AM

Thanks John,

I have indeed read the pdf manual and found the chapter "Export for mobile device - export video/audio". Here I can see the picture of the Dialog box called "Output audio/Video". My problem is, and I know that I must be very slow on the uptake, that I cannot find how to get the that point. How do you launch this dialog box? I can't get to it from the File > Export method, neither can I see how to get there from the big "Output" button. I just need this last nudge and I will be able to see the answer!

Can I test your patience one more time!.

many thanks

Roger