How-To: Automatically download and convert TV for your iPod
posted Oct 19th 2005 11:00am by Eliotfiled under: ipod hacks
The good folks at Videora have recently released the Videora iPod Converter. Using this tool you can make almost any video iPod ready. They have a handy how-to for ripping and transcoding your own DVDs. Our goal is to automatically download TV using Bittorrent and convert it to an iPod friendly format saving ourselves $2.
First thing you’ll need is a functional BroadCatching system using Azureus. Follow our BroadCatching How-To to set one up. The BroadCatching system will automatically download the TV programs you set.
There are two important things you need to configure in Azureus. Goto “Tools -> Options“. Check the box next to “Save to default data directory“. Choose a directory where you want the files to be kept while they are being downloaded. Check the box next to “Move completed files“. Choose a directory where you would like your TV shows to be placed after they have been downloaded. Click “Save“. Configuration of Azureus is complete.
To automatically convert the videos you will need to install both Videora and the Videora iPod Converter. We won’t be using Videora, but it needs to be installed for the xCasting option to turn on.
After you get the Videora iPod Converter installed there are only a few more things to set before you’re ready to go. Click on “Setup“. Choose a directory where you would like the iPod ready files to be placed. UPDATE: The H.264 profiles do not work with the iPod. Choose either SP or MPEG4.
For xCasting you need to select where you installed Videora before you can configure it. Check the box for “Automatic Queuing” and choose the directory where your completed downloads are stored. Pick a time interval to check the directory. Click “Save“.
Now whenever a new file appears in your “completed” directory Videora will automatically add it to its conversion queue. Once the files have been successfully converted they will be placed in your other folder, ready to be transferred to your iPod. The converter can automatically copy the files to your device, but we were unable to test this feature since Apple is still telling us they’re “Processing Order”. Good Luck!
Hmmm should be quite easy to do on the Mac if you have automator and Quicktime Pro… I’ll probably give it a try when my new video iPod arrives.