Roxio's Crunch to export video for Apple TV, iPod and iPhone
A new video conversion application on its way from Toast creator Roxio aims to simplify the process of taking digital media files and converting them to formats optimized for Apple Inc.'s Apple TV, iPod and iPhone devices.
The $50 software, dubbed "Crunch," will include support for native QuickTime file formats such as DV, AVI, and MOV, in addition to non-QuickTime file formats like DivX, MPEG-2 and DVD-Video.
"Crunch is a one-stop shop for all of your video conversion needs," company representatives said during an exclusive preview of the new application in San Francisco on Tuesday.
Roxio, a division of Novato, Calif.-based Sonic Solutions, said it plans to formally roll out the software next Monday as an electronic software download for U.S. customers via its website. Retail boxed versions and European availability are expected to follow shortly.
Crunch features a user interface which mimics that of Roxio's widely popular Toast disc authoring software, allowing users to convert video files for Apple TV, iPod, or iPhone using the same three-step video conversion process of drag, drop and convert.
Users will be able to choose from multiple MPEG-4 and H.264 quality settings that have been optimized for the various Apple devices, or create their own settings. The software can also convert unprotected DVDs and VIDEO_TS folders, letting users maximizing video quality and save space along the way by selecting individual video titles and languages.
For those individuals with wishing to convert large collections of video files for Apple TV, iPod or iPhone, Crunch will also offer a handy batch export feature. Once converted, the software will automatically add the files to iTunes for easy syncing to the various Apple devices.
Some screenshots of the software's Player Setup, Custom Quality Settings and Batch Conversion interface follow:
The $50 software, dubbed "Crunch," will include support for native QuickTime file formats such as DV, AVI, and MOV, in addition to non-QuickTime file formats like DivX, MPEG-2 and DVD-Video.
"Crunch is a one-stop shop for all of your video conversion needs," company representatives said during an exclusive preview of the new application in San Francisco on Tuesday.
Roxio, a division of Novato, Calif.-based Sonic Solutions, said it plans to formally roll out the software next Monday as an electronic software download for U.S. customers via its website. Retail boxed versions and European availability are expected to follow shortly.
Crunch features a user interface which mimics that of Roxio's widely popular Toast disc authoring software, allowing users to convert video files for Apple TV, iPod, or iPhone using the same three-step video conversion process of drag, drop and convert.
Users will be able to choose from multiple MPEG-4 and H.264 quality settings that have been optimized for the various Apple devices, or create their own settings. The software can also convert unprotected DVDs and VIDEO_TS folders, letting users maximizing video quality and save space along the way by selecting individual video titles and languages.
For those individuals with wishing to convert large collections of video files for Apple TV, iPod or iPhone, Crunch will also offer a handy batch export feature. Once converted, the software will automatically add the files to iTunes for easy syncing to the various Apple devices.
Some screenshots of the software's Player Setup, Custom Quality Settings and Batch Conversion interface follow:
Comments
Finally, no more collection of like 4 programs to convert my movies.
You'll still need Mac The Ripper to start the process of converting those pesky 'protected' DVDs, it seems.
Finally, no more collection of like 4 programs to convert my movies.
If you just use the free product handbrake, you can convert DVD's in a single step. With this commercial product from Roxio, you have to use another program to rip the DVD's first. Hmm...
Also, Visual Hub is likely less expensive and works great for converting movies for AppleTV.
VisualHub is by far the best product out there. It does everything you would ever want.
Yeah, pretty much. I don't know if it can work with VIDEO_TS folders and whatnot, but it can do everything else this program can with a very simple interface at much higher speeds than QT Pro and for less than half the price ($23.32!). Of course Roxio will be able to box this and get it into stores so it'll still make them some money from people who have never heard of VisualHub.
edit: and yeah, HandBrake can do the rest
Isn't this the same as Popcorn, just with a new name and new presets? I like Roxio, but is is really worth $50?
I can't say that Toast is worth half its price, and I'm staying away from Roxio products for the time being until they fix Toast so that it doesn't crash between every two burns. I restart the program every two DVDs so that it doesn't crash on me.
You'll still need Mac The Ripper to start the process of converting those pesky 'protected' DVDs, it seems.
If you want to convert the commercial DVD's you own, search for the program FairMount. It takes whatever DVD is loaded, unmounts it and then mounts a decrypted version of the disk on your desktop. You can't play back from that image but you can allow other programs to convert the data then.
If you want to convert the commercial DVD's you own, search for the program FairMount. It takes whatever DVD is loaded, unmounts it and then mounts a decrypted version of the disk on your desktop. You can't play back from that image but you can allow other programs to convert the data then.
Cool ... hadn't heard of that one. Thanks.
VisualHub is by far the best product out there. It does everything you would ever want.
Q: Does it let you add chapters to files from VIDEO_TS folders?
A: NO!
Will this be a cross-platform app?
As in Windows? Doesn't look like it.
Q: Does it let you add chapters to files from VIDEO_TS folders?
A: NO!
handbrake can do that
If you just use the free product handbrake, you can convert DVD's in a single step. With this commercial product from Roxio, you have to use another program to rip the DVD's first. Hmm...
Also, Visual Hub is likely less expensive and works great for converting movies for AppleTV.
I already use Handbrake, but I am constantly converting different video types every day for friends, family etc. and it would be nice to have all the formats in one program.
I already use Handbrake, but I am constantly converting different video types every day for friends, family etc. and it would be nice to have all the formats in one program.
VisualHub has an extensive list of format options. I recommend you try it. You can try a free demo version (converts only a few minutes of the video) at macupdate.com
this is silly, appletv needs to be able to play all formats and not just things in the iTunes library...without hacking it.
Apple tv and iTunes/Quicktime formats are Apple's way of standardizing video for the web. Apple wants to own and be synonymous with digital content on the web. ... And it is working... The bigger Apple tv, iPod, iTunes and iPhone become, the more we will see native support for Quicktime formats from third parties and websites with digital content.