can movies be watched comfortably?

[jack_c]

Well, I have narrowed down my mp3 search to the O2 and the D2. The only thing I am worried about with the D2 is that the screen might not be big enough. To all you D2 owners out there, is the screen big enough to "comfortably" watch full length movies?

[CrowdAds]

[Syndrome]

Well, if you can stand to convert them, then you can probably stand to watch them on it. I can watch movies on it but I can't convert them. So I use the D2 for music and to keep with me at all times, and the O2 or A3 for video.

[The DarkSide]

I use the jet video converter to convert vids for the D2, it's included on the software cd that comes w/the d2. It's works amazingly well.

[Llama_egg]

You can't convert them? What format do you use :O

Anywho, if your intending to watch alot of video files, I would say grab the O2 for the larger screen. Saying that though, I have watched an hour worth of shows with subtitles with no problem on the D2, but I have damn good eye sight!

[The DarkSide]

I watched shows and such on my D2, enjoyable to say the least.

[gorcorps]

For TV shows or short clips it's fine. For a full length movie there's no way in hell I'd stare at that tiny screen for more than 45 minutes.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by Llama_egg

You can't convert them? What format do you use :O

Oh sorry. I meant to say that I refuse to convert them.

[The DarkSide]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Oh sorry. I meant to say that I refuse to convert them.

Heh, now THAT I believe!!!!

[roebeet]

The screen is fine, as long as you are OK with keeping it close to your face - for me, lack of "choppiness" is more important, and the D2 is fine in that regard.

A 2 hour movie might be a bit much, however - I agree that it's better suited for TV shows or music videos.

[asmiller-ke6seh]

I find my D2 absolutely fine for watching movies and VLogs (DIGGNATION, Cranky Geeks, Linux Journal, etc). I just finished watching MEET JOHN DOE (Frank Capra) last night, and I also love to bring some of my favorite Sci Fi fare (Total Recall, THX-1138, A Clockwork Orange, etc) along with me. I've had my D2 for about a week, and I am thoroughly pleased.

As a GNU/Linux user (Ubuntu 8.04), I love the ability to easily and quickly transcode a from a DVD to a tiny AVI file (around 300 Mb) with good aspect ratio, no digital artifacts, wonderful stereo (in fact, I hear things on my D2 that I hardly hear on my DVD Player and Sony TV) without any problem with audio/video synch. I use Avidemux (GTK+ v. 2.4.1) for the conversion.

I am over 50, so my eyesight and hearing is not what it used to be, and find the D2 to be a great way to watch video anywhere I want to, any time I want to -- like when my wife wants to go shopping, and she leaves me on the "husband bench".

--------------------
For converting DVDs to D2, I have started to use K9COPY (under GNU/Linux: I use Ubuntu 8.04 -Hardy Heron- and K9COPY is found in the Universe Repository) to MPEG-4/AVI. It is fast and easy, and does all my conversion tasks in one step -including subtitle extraction for foreign films, if required- It does a good job.

Also, I use TIVO 4 TINY to take stuff directly from my TiVo and convert it to MPEG-4/AVI for my D2 ... does a very adequate job and is a solid Open Source solution.

So, now I reserve AVIDEMUX for converting web source video, only.

[barryem]

I almost never watch a movie in a single sitting if I have a choice. That's true on the D2 and on my computer with it's larger screen. I don't have a TV.

Because of that watching a movie is fine on the D2 although I do have some players with larger screens and I prefer them. I usually use the D2 for audiobooks and TV shows and an occasional movie. It works out fine.

By the way I also have an O2 and that is better for wide screen stuff but I like old movies, many of them in black and white and those are fine on either screen.

If I could only have one I'd pick the D2 because of it's size but I'm really glad I have both.

Barry

[thatsthat]

Just so I am clear -- to watch video on the device everyone is converting (or using a conversion utility of some sort). I find this so perplexing. I believe my primary video use will not be full DVD's but VODCasts from Itunes/Ipodder -- so to simply download the latest video from these services I will need to convert unless the service delivers their video in multiple formats (i.e. small screen friendly)?

Aside from Archos, who is doing drag and drop video across multiple codecs without any video conversion for the major codecs?

thanks guys,

p

[jjr]

When I convert the movie I do it in full screena dn watch using reading glasses, that works fine. If I was younger I would not need the glasses. Having sombody watch the movie with you may be a problem though but I have yet to try that.

Originally Posted by jack_c

Well, I have narrowed down my mp3 search to the O2 and the D2. The only thing I am worried about with the D2 is that the screen might not be big enough. To all you D2 owners out there, is the screen big enough to "comfortably" watch full length movies?

[barryem]

I nearly always convert video files even if I don't have to, and I often don't. By converting them to the exact resolution of the screen I can reduce the bitrate and the file size. I generally end up with files 1/2 or 1/3 or even 1/4 the original size and that means from 2 to 4 times as many files on the player.

At first that meant a loss of quality but as I've done it more and more I've learned how much I can get away with reducing a given file without losing anything I can notice, and, in fact, it often means improved quality since the files are often too dark or too washed out and I can correct that during the conversion.

I've bought an external hard drive to store the converted files and I keep enough ahead that I always have a bunch ready to put on the player. Since probably 2/3 of what I watch is old TV shows I don't have any concern with current stuff. I generally watch current shows on my laptop if I watch them at all.

Barry

[nailzer]

I get 2 15 minute breaks a day at work. I've downloaded from Youtube about 30 Loony Tunes with Bugs Bunny, Road Runner, Daffy Duck, Porky, Elmer and watch them at break time with at least 2 people looking over my shoulder. Personally I think they look great, but I've yet to put a movie on the D2. It's used about 8 hours a day for music.

[r2d2]

i use iriverter to re-encode and it works well for me. its also easy to use and is free. i also like the option to do a dvd or whole dir at a time. ive found everything ive put onto my D2 looked really great ! but when i did some cartoons recently i noticed they looked even better then i had hoped ! ( boondocks uncensored s1+2 just over 4g @504kbps w/ 128k mp3 audio) i am really impressed and happy about it !! and sooo happy my 16g sdhc has arrived


just wondered what kind of video/audio settings anyone else might be using ? these are what i find acceptable for me after some testing with iriverter.

[terrywwes]

Can I use .srt subtitles with converted .avi files on my D2+? I have put a .srt file in the same folder and with the same name, but, although I see the video fine, I see no subtitles. (I only have one .avi file in the folder because I am experimenting to see if I can get subtitles to show, so there should be no conflicts there.)

[dfkt]

No, there's no subtitle support on the D2. You'd have to hardcode/render them into the video, but at 320x240 they would be barely legible, I guess.