converting files

for the sansa mp3 player…don’t they all play mpeg or mp4 videos?? or do they have to be converted to something else? also…if the mp3 player is a 4g and I have an 8g card with movies on it, is that not right?? please anyone help!

The different Sansa players (Fuze, View, …) support different video file formats. The Fuze - where this forum is about - can play a certain variant of MPEG-4 Part 2 videos. That means you have to convert your videos by the Sansa Media Converter software or use “unoffical” alternatives (see here for example).

Videos can be placed on both internal flash storage or external card.

Videos have to be converted. When SanDisk promises compatibility with mpeg4, all it means is that SanDisk’s converter can handle it. Cheesy marketing. 

The simplest conversion is probably with Rhapsody

You’ll have to poke around the site to find the software download. Don’t pay them anything–you can get the software free. 

SanDisk’s own converter is at that link.

There’s also new, unofficial software here if you want to try it.

The 4GB is built into the unit. You can put an 8GB (or 16GB) into the slot. But if it’s full of mpeg4 movies, they’re not going to play without conversion. 

I hope you don’t think I’m a doe doe head!!! but if the file extension is mpeg…what am I converting it to if the sansa supposedly plays mpeg files. Im so confused! Can you walk me through it?

Unfortunately, mpeg only means ‘mpeg’ encoded… There are many,many different variants on ‘mpeg’ that are all slightly different from one another. The fuze plays a specialized subset of these so therefore the need to get your video into that format.

  1. fire up SMC (sansa Media Converter) with the fuze connected

  2. open or drag/drop the file you wish to convert onto it

  3. click on convert

The file will be converted (this can be slow) but should end up on your fuze when its done

Alternately use the video4fuze download. It also does a good job and can save the file without the fuze connected 

Tim

Message Edited by timn on 08-26-2009 11:19 AM

Can I convert the file then put it on a SD Card…this is so I can give the movies to someone who has the fuze. Do I specifically need to have the fuze with me to do this?:dizzy_face: I am so untechy it’s not funny!

SMC will only convert the files if there’s a fuze attached. It only writes to it not to any other directory.

The video4fuze app can convert the files to fuze compatable format but put them anywhere you want and does not need the fuze attached to do it, so you could have it put the output files in a directory and then you can copy that directory to a memory stick or the like to take to your friend.

There is a seperate thread for video4fuze , go there for instructions and to download.

Message Edited by timn on 08-26-2009 05:21 PM

The problem with SMC is that it directly copies the converted video onto the Fuze. With any other application which writes the converted video on your computers harddisc (e.g. see this approach using MediaCoder/AVIMux-GUI or video4fuze) you have control about where to copy the video to.

To place the video on SD card you must:

  • select MSC USB connection mode on your Fuze (via Settings/System Settings/USB Mode)

  • connect your Fuze to pc

  • identify SD card (appears as new USB mass storage drive)

  • copy the video into the VIDEO folder of your SD card

  • wait for the writing to finish

  • disconnect your Fuze

Message Edited by ewelot on 08-27-2009 10:37 AM