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MP4 files & display size in the iPad 2

Bocaire

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This is a question regarding video files and my iPad 2, currently running iOS 6.

While I am a very experienced PC user & builder, I'm only "average" when it comes to my iPad 2.

In my PC activities, it is my observation that when I run VLC, which is my all purpose video player, the video will fill the screen, limited only by whether the vertical or horizontal dimension reaches the screen edges first, so I get to use most of the available screen pixels for the video image. The image will never be cropped, so there may be unused pixels depending upon the aspect ratio of the video image, compared to the screen's aspect ratio.

I have a large number of video files loaded into my iPad 2. I use GoodReader for my file management. I have one folder which contains a bunch of video tutorials for Photoshop CS5, in either a MOV or MP4 format. Most of these seem to run just fine, although I think I did have a couple of the MP4 files hiccup. These files were not created by me, but downloaded from several online sites. And when they are run, they too will fill the screen as in my PC.

I have a lot of WMV files (slide shows that were used to create a WMV file) that were created by me on my PC. When I run them using VLC on my PC, they will also fill the screen, until either the V or H dimension reaches the monitor's edges. So I have pretty much a full screen view of these videos

I wanted to load these onto my iPad 2, but WMV files will not play there. So I used the free program "Any Video Converter" (AVC) and converted copies of these files to MP4, which the iPad handles nicely. These converted have an MP4 filename extension, and I chose the MP4 type which was listed for iPad 2. The converted filename has some other characters in it. A typical file name is Video22_x264.mp4, where the original filename for the wmv file was Video22.wmv.

In the conversion process, AVC offers a variety of choices for the iPad. I chose the mp4 for the iPad 2. The conversion process applied the new file name, and added in the "_X264".

But this converted file now will no longer try to fill the screen on my PC, and also uses much less screen space than is available.

And on the iPad 2, the image is of course razor sharp, but far from full screen. Trying to use my fingers to enlarge the displayed image does nothing here.

Somehow this converted mp4 has lost all ability to do any pixel doubling or the like, and is just displaying pixel for pixel to produce whatever size that will be. But the MP4 files that I've downloaded off the Internet are still perfectly capable of "stretching" themselves to fill the max screen area without distorting the aspect ratio.

As I noted, other "plain" MP4 files can this just fine on my PC, and iPad 2. So it would seem that the "_X264" is indicating a special type of MP4 which cannot enlarge itself to fill a screen.

So the real question is - Is there anyway to convert my WMV files to an MP4 file which will have the capability to expand itself on my iPad 2 to give me larger screen image?
 

dhewson777

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I think the ability to stretch the video to full screen is a feature of the app/program playing it. VLC, and many other media players on PC do this. I am not aware of any iOS video playback app that would resize to full screen, although the native player does have a full screen button down on the control bar. I know of no apps that allow you to resize video by stretching to any size you want.

The other thing is maybe the file in question is at a lower resolution, so therefore does not take up the entire screen.
 

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I have converted wmv to mp4 and had them able to be zoomed up to fill the screen. Did you look closely at the settings used in AVC? Did you try another conversion tool like AVS Video Converter?
 
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Bocaire

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I think the ability to stretch the video to full screen is a feature of the app/program playing it. VLC, and many other media players on PC do this. I am not aware of any iOS video playback app that would resize to full screen, although the native player does have a full screen button down on the control bar. I know of no apps that allow you to resize video by stretching to any size you want.

The other thing is maybe the file in question is at a lower resolution, so therefore does not take up the entire screen.


Thanks for your reply. Remember, I did state that the MP4 videos that I've downloaded from the NAPP site all display as full screen on my iPad. So there must be something already present in the iPad that can accomplish this.

I have to believe that the AVC converter process may be what's involved here.
 
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Bocaire

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I have converted wmv to mp4 and had them able to be zoomed up to fill the screen. Did you look closely at the settings used in AVC? Did you try another conversion tool like AVS Video Converter?

Thanks for your reply. I did look carefully at all the various options available in the AVC converter window. They were all in a group under an APPLE iPad 2 heading. I did try a different choice, but that produced a much smaller video file, which was really NG.

I guess I will look around for a different converter - I'll look at the AVS converter you mentioned. I don't know why there were so many choices in AVC for Apple. I'm going to try a converter which just does a "plain" conversion to MP4, as the "plain" MP4 files I use from NAPP all do stretch to full screen
 
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Bocaire

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I have converted wmv to mp4 and had them able to be zoomed up to fill the screen. Did you look closely at the settings used in AVC? Did you try another conversion tool like AVS Video Converter?

It is not clear whether AVS has a "FREE" versionm which one can use. They all say "free download", bit oftenr one finds out that the install is a trial, or has watermarks or is lacking many features. Did you use AVS for your conversions which would then zoom to full screen? And if so, was that a free version or what?
 
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Bocaire

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I think the ability to stretch the video to full screen is a feature of the app/program playing it. VLC, and many other media players on PC do this. I am not aware of any iOS video playback app that would resize to full screen, although the native player does have a full screen button down on the control bar. I know of no apps that allow you to resize video by stretching to any size you want.

The other thing is maybe the file in question is at a lower resolution, so therefore does not take up the entire screen.

I've done further checking on things.

The iPad2 resolution is 1024x768

The resolution of the MP4 image is 1024x768. Therefore it should fill the screen, but it uses about 1/3 of the total area. Some of that may be due to aspect ratio differences. But something is amss somewhere. The conversion process appears to have set the proper resolution for the iPad2.

This leaves me totally in the dark about what is going on there.
 

dhewson777

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Bocaire said:
I've done further checking on things.

The iPad2 resolution is 1024x768

The resolution of the MP4 image is 1024x768. Therefore it should fill the screen, but it uses about 1/3 of the total area. Some of that may be due to aspect ratio differences. But something is amss somewhere. The conversion process appears to have set the proper resolution for the iPad2.

This leaves me totally in the dark about what is going on there.

I take it you are using the stock video app in iOS? Have you tried other video playback apps, some which may even play back the original file without converting?
 

AQ_OC

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It is not clear whether AVS has a "FREE" versionm which one can use. They all say "free download", bit oftenr one finds out that the install is a trial, or has watermarks or is lacking many features. Did you use AVS for your conversions which would then zoom to full screen? And if so, was that a free version or what?

I believe I started with the version that watermarks the output and then I must have paid for it as I don't get anymore watermarks. I don't mind paying for software that I find useful and I like to try before I buy. When I get home this evening I will convert something else and report back with fresh details. I am using the iPad 3, however. Also, I also own AVPlayerHD, which gives me more options than the stock player, though I use it too.
 
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Bocaire

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I take it you are using the stock video app in iOS? Have you tried other video playback apps, some which may even play back the original file without converting?

I was not aware that there are other video playback apps. I'd sure love to use VLC, as it's the best there is for the PC.

What video apps would you suggest? And are they listed on the iTunes store?

And yes, I'd love one that will handle more than the limited video types that the built in player handles. And I'd also like one that will give me zoom capability to fill the screen.
 

AQ_OC

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I've done further checking on things.

The iPad2 resolution is 1024x768

The resolution of the MP4 image is 1024x768. Therefore it should fill the screen, but it uses about 1/3 of the total area. Some of that may be due to aspect ratio differences. But something is amss somewhere. The conversion process appears to have set the proper resolution for the iPad2.

This leaves me totally in the dark about what is going on there.

I admit this seems puzzling.
 

dhewson777

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Bocaire said:
I was not aware that there are other video playback apps. I'd sure love to use VLC, as it's the best there is for the PC.

What video apps would you suggest? And are they listed on the iTunes store?

And yes, I'd love one that will handle more than the limited video types that the built in player handles. And I'd also like one that will give me zoom capability to fill the screen.

The best two have issues right now, AVPlayerHD has been temporarily removed from the App Store whilst an issue is resolved,and OplayerHD has temporarily removed support for AC3 codecs due to a licensing issue. I expect both to be back to their excellent best very soon. In the meantime try Goodplayer, it got me out of a pickle with a file that wouldn't play on my T-Box earlier tonight.
 
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Bocaire

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The best two have issues right now, AVPlayerHD has been temporarily removed from the App Store whilst an issue is resolved,and OplayerHD has temporarily removed support for AC3 codecs due to a licensing issue. I expect both to be back to their excellent best very soon. In the meantime try Goodplayer, it got me out of a pickle with a file that wouldn't play on my T-Box earlier tonight.
OK, I'm throwing in the towel on this whole situation with video sizing on my iPad 2, and leaving things the way they are - no full screen.

I noticed that VLC on my PC also has a conversion utility. So I decided to convert one of the video files I have in my folder of personal slideshow videos. VLC gave me the choice of full HD MP4, with 1920x1080 settings. I converted one of the WMV files, and got a new MP4 file which was about 90 MB.

I dragged it onto my iPad 2, and played it. The image size was even smaller than before. And I looked at the file size in the iPad, and it was down to 11 MB - so Apple obviously changed it during the transfer (how can it do that), and also, it took out all the audio - so there was no sound. I confirmed that the converted file was good - I played it with VLC on my PC, and all was well, with of course a size which filled my screen. Once again, the dictator has his way,

The converter that I'm using is Any Video Converter to convert my WMV files to MP4. It is an excellent converter, easy to use, and fast, and it is totally free. So I will stay with that, and just continue to accept the no full screen video situation that Apple insists on producing.

It has often been said that the best form of government is a benevolent dictatorship. Well, Apple does run a dictatorship, but they're not always benevolent
.
I continue to have problems every time I upgrade iTunes, which of course is required for an iPad. Every time the install reaches just before the end, a window comes up and states that I do not have the rights to authorize something in the new install, and the install must be cancelled, unless I get the administrator's permission. Well, I am the only user, and the administrator, but I still have to cancel out on the install.

But I do need iTunes for my iPad, so I found something that finally works. I log off, and then log back on, and now the install will run through to completion.

I've always been a PC person, and have built many of my machines. I like the greater freedom I have with my PC's. The iPad 2 was a gift to me - it's a nice product, but not something I would have chosen myself.
 

dhewson777

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Well, I here you about your separate iTunes issues, people either love it or hate it. But back to topic, I still do not think the screen sizing is an Apple or an iPad issue. I'm wondering if you could take a screen shot of the file in question being displayed on your iPad screen. Post it here so we get a better idea.
 
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dvdcatalyst

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I've done further checking on things.

The iPad2 resolution is 1024x768

The resolution of the MP4 image is 1024x768. Therefore it should fill the screen, but it uses about 1/3 of the total area. Some of that may be due to aspect ratio differences. But something is amss somewhere. The conversion process appears to have set the proper resolution for the iPad2.

This leaves me totally in the dark about what is going on there.

It could be that your conversion tool added borders around the video in order to make it the 1024x768 resolution.

top-gun-not-cropped.jpg


If it did that, then these borders will be part of the actual video, and thus affect scaling in a video player.

1d.jpg


If you try and play the created video file on your computer, I would suggest to use Quicktime, since that scales itself around the video, does it show black borders around the video?
 

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