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iPod ...

 

howto use thin liquid film ...

workflow ...

A quick word about workflow. Uploading video files to your ipod is a two step process. First you encode, then you upload. Thin liquid film (TLF) separates its functions into these two steps by having separate file lists for each task. You can switch between the two file lists by changing from the Encoding tab to the Transfer tab. This will also automatically change the settings panels on the right to the appropriate task. When you open TLF, the first step in the process is to encode the videos into an ipod format. TLF will allow you to add files to the filelist, change the encoding settings for each or multiple files, and then encode all the files in the filelist. Once the files are encoded, it will transfer those files across to the transfer tab. You can set the file information that you want to upload to your ipod for each or multiple files under the transfer tab. You can also add other files you may have already encoded direct to the transfer tab. Once you're happy with the file information, you press upload, and the files should be uploaded to the ipod.

getting source video files ...

You can add video files to TLF in any one of three ways:

  • command line - when you launch TLF, you can add any number of files in the encoding tab as command line arguments, for example:
    • thinliquidfilm /full/pathto/file1.avi relative/pathto/file2.avi
  • Konqueror - you can right click on any supported video file in konqueror, and there should be an option to add those files to the encoding tab in TLF under the Actions submenu.
  • "Add Files" button - once TLF is open, click on the Add Files button to open a file dialog, and add one or more files to the encoding or transfer tab (depending on which is showing) in the usual way.

TLF will then add the files to the file list, together with some information about the video - like filetype, number of frames, aspect ratio and bitrate.

settings for encoding video files ...


You can see what the encoded video will look like with the Preview button. This will play approiximately 8 seconds of the encoded video in mplayer.

You set the output parameters for encoding videos in the Output Settings tab.

  • Passes - this sets the number of passes the encoder will use to encode the video file. Two pass encoding should produce a better quality video file, but has to pass over the file twice, so will take longer.
  • Size/Quality - choose whether you want to create a video that is suitable for the Ipod only, or for both the Ipod and TV. The ipod supports two video widths: 320 and 640. The 320 width will look great on an ipod and will produce a small file and will encode faster, but if you want to watch it on TV, it will look crappy and pixelated. So if you want to watch the video on TV as well as the ipod, use the Ipod and TV option. The aspect ratio of your source video will be preserved.
  • Video Codec - set which of the ipod supported video codecs you want to use. h264 should theoretically give you better quality at lower bitrates and therefore produce a smaller file, but will take longer to encode.
  • Audio Quality - high quality will encode the audio at 160 kb/s (the maximum permitted on the ipod). Low quality encodes at 128kb/s, which provides acceptable quality, but a smaller file size.
  • Destination - set the destination path for the encoded video file. You can either enter the path, or click on the browse button to find the right directory.
  • Save As Default Settings - press this button to save the settings currently displayed in the settings panel, so that TLF opens with these settings as the defaults the next time.

upload information


You set the file information for uploading to your ipod in the Output Settings tab.

  • Title - set the name for the file that will appear on your ipod.
  • Artist, Album, Genre - you can set these if you want, although I'm not sure what use they really are.
  • Playlist - this allows you to set an existing playlist, or a new one. Enter the name of an existing video playlist, or a new one altogether. When uploaded, the video files will appear in the specified playlist.
  • Ipod Mountpoint - this is where your ipod is, or will be mounted. You an save this as a permanent setting by clicking on the Save Mountpoint button.

batch settings

You can change the settings for multiple files by selecting the files you want to change, and then making the changes in the settings panel. The settings displayed in the settings panel will then be applied to all of the highlighted files.

help

If you have any issues with using TLF, check the FAQ and if your question is not answered there, please post to the forums.