How to correctly create an x264 or x265 file for iPad or iPhone

[ohsnap]

Can anyone tell me how to correctly create an x264 or x265 file for iPad or iPhone? I'm using FFmpeg or Handbrake to convert avi files to work with these devices. My final files come out working and the correct size that I want, and they play in the Apple TV, QuickTime, and IINA apps on macOS but when I transfer these files to either the iPad or iPhone, they won't even sync. Does anyone know what I might be doing wrong?

 

[organicCPU]

Did you try this FFmpeg switch?:

ffmpeg -i source.avi -pix_fmt yuv420p destination.mp4

For more on this, see section Encoding for dumb players: https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Encode/H.264#Encodingfordumbplayers

 

[ohsnap]

iPad/iPhone is very strict in what aspect ratios it uses. I was using something it didn't like. Also with the thumbnails in the metadata, it doesn't like images over a certain size. Trial and error.

 

[organicCPU]

Yes, trial and error might be the best help. There is are quite detailed specs for the legacy iPhone 4:

Video formats supported: H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48 kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format

Sometimes videos cannot play, because of incompatible embedded audio formats, too. You could also post this to the Digital Video forum for more and better answers.

 

[organicCPU]

Just realized that I could have a look into Compressor. Apples own export filter for highest compatibility for iPhone (from 4 to newest) and iPad is as follows:

Video H.264, Size 1280 x 720 px, Framerate automatic, Bitrate variable up to 7000 kBit/s, Progressive, Frame sync automatic up to 2,0, Color space automatic, Audio AAC, Stereo, 48 kHz, Bitrate 128 kBit/s, File suffix m4v

Hope that helps.