I came across this interesting knowledge base article RIM posted a bit back. In it somebody at RIM describes how to transcode video from an unsupported format to a format that will play on your BlackBerry. It is actually a pretty decent guide but one part of it really stuck out. Guess what software RIM recommends for transcoding video?
They recommend the very powerful opensource MediaCoder application. They also recommend that you use the free GSpot or Sherlock codec information applications to see what kind of file you are dealing with. They even recommend the free command line MEncoder application.
Kudos to RIM for being so open minded!
At the end of the knowledge base RIM’s lawyers have fun with some classic CYA:
Your use of third party software, hardware, products, and/or services (collectively, the “Third Party Information”) shall be governed by and subject to your agreement with the third party, including without limitation, your agreement to the terms of separate Third Party Information licenses, if any. Any Third Party Information that is provided with or without RIM’s products and/or services is provided “as is”. RIM makes no representation, warranty or guarantee whatsoever in relation to the Third Party Information and RIM assumes no liability whatsoever in relation to the Third Party Information even if RIM has been advised of the possibility of such damages or can anticipate such damages. The inclusion of Third-Party Information herein does not imply endorsement by RIM of the Third Party Information or the third party in any way. RIM does not control and is not responsible for any Third Party Information or the use of such Third Party Information, including without limitation, the content, accuracy, intellectual property issues, compatibility, performance, trustworthiness, legality, decency, links, or any other aspect of the Third Party Information.
DavidB Not Registered
Posted: October 29, 2008 at 9:37 AM EST from my BlackBerry 8830
I use VLC for my transcoding. http://www.videolan.org
Takes some knowledge a fiddling but more flexible. VLC or the RIM recommended above both easily outperform the bundled Roxio tool.
Ed Not Registered
Posted: October 29, 2008 at 10:46 PM EST from my BlackBerry 8330
I download shows from my hacked Tivo straight to a format that works well on my curve. All I do is select recordings from the Tivo “Now Playing” and it downloads and converts on the fly. I come back later and copy them to my SD card.
It’s a package called TySuiteJ and uses ffmpeg as the transcoding engine. Go look for it on dealdatabase dot com. Search the posts as someone provided a blackberry specific config.