TV to iPod

The iPod can only play certain types of video files, which makes it rather difficult to get some of the movies and other video files that you would like to put on to it, but using Windows Media Centre, the latest version of Apple iTunes, an iPod and Videora iPod converter, you can record your favorite TV show directly onto your iPod.

If you are a user of Windows Media Center, you will know that you can record your favorite TV shows using the built-in electronic programme guide and store them on the hard disk, Videora is a free program that allows you to transfer those shows from your PC to your iPod.

The first thing that you need to do is to visit Videora.com and get the required software for your Video conversion, when the website loads scroll down the list of Video converter options and click on the version that suits your iPod, there are five different versions to choose from.

On the next screen click on the link to the latest version and then again on the next again screen, if Windows displays a security message, click on it, choose download file and then click the save button.

Step 2 Installing

save the file to the windows desktop and when it has downloaded, double click on the destop icon to install the program, ignore the security messages agree to default settings and then click finish to conclude the installation.

Step 3 Windows Movie Maker

Open the folder where Windows Media Center stores your recorded TV shows, next click on the start button and open Windows Movie Maker, resize the window, so that you can see both it and the contents of the recorded TV folder, click on a TV show to select it then drag it to the imported media section of Windows Movie Maker, so that it sits with the other clips above the time line, then drag and drop the clip into position at the beginning of the timeline.

In the tasks column find the publish to link and click it, select this computer and at the next box and give your TV show a Title and a destination (for the purposes of this page I selected to publish to the Windows Desktop) then click on the next button, on this screen click on the radio button next to the more settings then choose DV-AVI (PAL) from the list. This will produce a large High-quality of the recording that can then be converted for use on an iPod.

Click on publish to continue.

(Note)

For convertion you will need plenty of disk space a 25 minute show will take approximately 6.24GB of storage.

Step 5 Have a cup of tea or even coffee

Whilst the Video file is being published it is best not to use your computer for anything else, as it will slow things down, the speed of the process depends on your computer but it shouldn't take any longer than the actual length of the show, have a cup of tea or coffee whilst you wait and try to stay away from that keyboard.

When the publishing is complete, ensure the "Play movie when i click finish" is not ticked and then click on the finish button, close Windows Movie Maker.

click on the Videora icon on your windows desktop to launch the program. ensuring that your internet connection is active.

When the program loads, click on the convert tab at the top, when the next screen appears, click on the Video file tab and wait for a moment, when the screen changes again, click on the normal mode link, then click on the select link button, find your video and then click open.

Step 7 The Big Orange Next Button

When the screen changes click on the big orange next button, in the top window, give the show a new name if you wish or use the one you already gave it earlier in step 4, and then click on the orange next button, in the next window leave the settings as they are and click the next button to continue.

Step 8 Nearly There !

At the next screen click on the Start converting button in the bottom windowand Videora will do what it does best, you can follow the progress of the conversion by clicking on the aptly named View conversion progress button, depending on the speed of your computer the conversion programme can take around anything from 15 mins to 30 mins for a 30 minute video.

When the conversion is finished, Apple itunes will open automatically, switch to the movies library and the programme just connected will be listed alphabetically along with the other shows that you already have in the library, test the show by double clicking on the thumbnail and it will playback in the small iTunes preview window, control the playback by moving the mouse pointer over the video image so that the Start/Pause controls appear, to copy it to an iPod simply connect it to you PC and synchronise as usual.

Although it seems like a long winded process, the results are fantastic and the final video on your iPod only takes up around 138mb for a half hour video

the best thing about it is that it is totally free.