How-To: Play WEB_DL on AppleTV,iOS without Encoding

[InsightsIE]

So I think there is a lot of confusion between how much bitrates AppleTV can handle and how to convert from. You CAN Convert MKV to iTunes without 2 hour encoding times. Instructions:

Requirements:

Perian
QuickTime 7 Pro (Select it as a extra with Snow Leopard and it comes installed as Pro)
Video must be stereo not 5.1

Part1: Get MKV file and open with QuickTime 7 Pro.

Part2: Wait for it to buffer

Part3: Export

Part4: Press dropdown box and select Movie to MPEG4 then press options.

Part5: Make sure file format is MP4 and not MP4 ISMA and make sure Video format is "Pass Through"

Part6: Make sure Audio is pass through too

Part 7: Press ok then save

Part 8: Export takes a minute then drag MP4 into iTunes and Sync to iOS device or AppleTV

(NOTE: IF Theres no pass through option available for the MKV file in the AUDIO tab,Even if you use the audio codec like AAC while it will work in iTunes the Video will NOT Sync to iPad or iPhone 4 because of both video and audio codec issues.)

 

[timROGERS]

I just tried this, and the QuickTime on my Snow Leopard disk did not install as the Pro version.

 

[Pitta]

Doesn't this work only if the original MKV (that is just a container) contains an already h264 encoded video?

 

[Ikyo]

I believe the audio can only be 2 channel for this to work. I am trying a couple of MKV's that I have to see if they work. The first one that was 5.1 did not have the pass through option on the audio.

 

[InsightsIE]

Doesn't this work only if the original MKV (that is just a container) contains an already h264 encoded video?

Nope, Once it's MKV and two channel it should work.

I believe the audio can only be 2 channel for this to work. I am trying a couple of MKV's that I have to see if they work. The first one that was 5.1 did not have the pass through option on the audio.

@Ikyo Correct. Mine 5.1 sound of S3 of a show didn't work for me and when I tried it with an audio codec it wouldn't sync to the iPhone 4 or iPad.

I didn't download a 5000kbps show with 2 channels to see if theres a Data limit but from what I can tell a 4500kbps episode or video with 5.1 sound can NOT be done this method. So far what worked for me was a 4000-4250kbps show with stereo sound.

 

[newagemac]

Hopefully we won't have to do ANY of these steps when iOS 4.2 arrives enabling video over Airplay.

Then you can just use the Air Video app on the iOS device to play the MKV then Airplay it to Apple TV.

 

[roidy]

So I think there is a lot of confusion between how much bitrates AppleTV can handle and how to convert from. You CAN Convert MKV to iTunes without 2 hour encoding times. Instructions:

There's no real confusion over the ATV's maximum bitrate, the Apple specs state the maximum is 5 Mbps but I've successfully played files on my ATV with bitrates of upto 8 Mbps.

Your method of passing through the video is only going to work if a) the video stream is a H.264 stream and b) the stream hasn't been encoded using advanced settings or a profile level the ATV is incapable of playing. Not every mkv file you come across will match these strict criteria, taken for example an mkv generated from a DVD using MakeMKV, in this case the video stream will be an mpeg2 stream and your method just wont work.

 

[InsightsIE]

Actually this would work only on WEB_DLs.

 

[NEBaghead]

Subler does a better job of this IMO. I've taken a few MKV's and converted them to mp4/m4v and it took around 5 to 10 minutes per movie depending on the size.

 

[Diveflo]

Actually this would work only on WEB_DLs.

This is true for the old AppleTV, the new one should be able to handle every 720p encode you throw at it.
They work btw so beautiful on the old AppleTV because they are iTunes HD rips

 

[roidy]

Actually this would work only on WEB_DLs.

If doesn't matter if it's web downloaded or self encoded, it will only work if the video stream is H.264 and playable on the AppleTV to start with. No amount of changing the thread title to fit the situation will change that.

 

[roidy]

This is true for the old AppleTV, the new one should be able to handle every 720p encode you throw at it.
They work btw so beautiful on the old AppleTV because they are iTunes HD rips

Regardless of if it's the new or old ATV it will still only play H.264 video and not every mkv you download is going to be H.264 and mkv's from MakeMVK DVD rips are mpeg2 and so wont work.

 

[InsightsIE]

nvm

 

[BlackMangoTree]

This is true for the old AppleTV, the new one should be able to handle every 720p encode you throw at it.
They work btw so beautiful on the old AppleTV because they are iTunes HD rips

Not true not every, i have many 720p movies i have downloaded and passing the video through does not work they need to be reencoded. The high Profile 5 wont play.

MKVtools is free and will passthrough the video and Audio to a M4v container.

 

[spacepower7]

Reality and Apple's stated tech spec differ greatly

I'm constantly impressed by the 264 profiles that the AppleTv is playing.