Another DVD to A805 thread...

[technophobe_gal]

Hi, I'm sorry if I'm going over old ground here...

I might sound like I know what I'm talking about by using various words/terms, but I really don't!

I've been reading various posts on how to get from DVD to my lovely new A805, so for the past 2 days I've been downloading various programs (DVD Shrink, PSP Video 9, Handbrake, Xilisoft Trial) and I don't seem to be having much luck, so I've conceeded that I probably need to ask for help, I would prefer to use free programs if at all possible!

I already had DVD Decrypter on my computer, which I had used before with Windows Media Encoder to make WMV files for my PDA, same resolution as for the Sony, this worked perfectly and it made an hour and a half film into a 163MB file. Using Image Coverter 3 and PSP Video 9 to make an mp4 file from this makes the same film 560MB this is something I wasn't expecting as I don't understand how it can make it a bigger file, it can't make it any better quality can it?! Is there any way I can make a smaller file by using different programs, etc? With me only having the 2GB player it's a bit disappointing that the files are so big.

Had I have known that they would be so large in mp4 format I might have reconsidered my purchase! I know Sony have bought out the new players which now allow Windows Media, I've read differing views as to whether they will bring out a new firmware for the Atrac Devices to allow this.

Basically, I would be ever so grateful if someone could give me an idiots guide, as simple as possible, how to make smaller file mp4's to play on the A805. I don't really understand the different settings on the programs and what they mean as to the quality or such like.

Thanks in advance!

Edited September 14, 2007 by technophobe_gal

[technophobe_gal]

Sorry to reply to my own thread...

I've phoned Sony Customer Services to see what they said about the file sizes, apparently 'that's just what happens' when you convert to mp4! I really wish I'd have known this before I bought only a 2GB player. As my name says, I really don't know much about the technicalities of technology so thought mp4 would be the same size as WMV.

They also said there would be no firmware update to make the A800 series like the A810 series.

So now I'm stuck with having either 2 an hour and a half videos and a few songs, or just songs (which my ipod mini that works perfectly fine would do!)

I was really hoping to be able to have more videos than that, to keep me going whilst travelling.

Edited September 14, 2007 by technophobe_gal

[cc@mp0s.cl]

May be you should try to enconde videos with a tiny screen or with a lower speed... The player could fix the full screen by config. Try it...

[technophobe_gal]

Thanks for replying, would changing the settings mean the quality is poor?

I did change them to what other people were suggesting when using the other programs that I downloaded, but I wasn't really sure what was for what, and what it would do to the video. If that makes sense?

I used PSP Video 9, which made the file the same size as using image converter. I used DVD Shrink with the intention of using Handbrake afterwards, however, Handbrake didn't want to accept and change the file. It said that encoding had started, but then it said it had finished straight afterwards. I didn't use the Xilisoft trial as it would only have done 5 minutes and I wouldn't really have been able to tell file size.

There are far too many settings which you can change on the programs which I don't understand at all, so I didn't want to spend an hour for it to encode and then it be rubbish to watch because it wasn't good enough quality or framerate or whatever.

[technophobe_gal]

Sorry, double post.

Edited September 14, 2007 by technophobe_gal