Are Videos transferred from an iPhone to an iPad supposed to be reduced in resolution?Mine are now SD dimensions instead of HD.

Hello John,

Thank you for posting your question here, I will be happy to assist you!

The videos transferred from a higher resolution device (iPhone 4S) to a lower capable device (iPad 2) are indeed resized to be able to be saved and played on the receiving device. This is actually the only time when the videos NEED to be resized because otherwise they would be rejected by the lower resolution device. What happens is that if we send the video 'as i' on the sender device (iPhone 4S in this case) the iPad 2 will reject it as it is not capable to play the video.

So we change the resolution of the video to the maximum resolution accepted by the receiving device. When sending from iPhone 4S to iPad 3 then there is no need to changing the video as the iPad 3 (a newer and more capable device) will be able to save and play the iPhone 4S videos. Again this only happens with videos (not photos) and only when transferring from a newer to older device.

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

Best,

Amber
Photo Transfer App
www.phototransferapp.com

Hello,

The way our app works is that before transferring video from one device to another it checks what is the recording/playback capabilities of the receiving device. In the case of the iPad 2 it reports it being 720p and that's why it will send it over on that resolution. It seems that the iPad can store the 1080p version but it will only use it when sending it over AirPlay, but the video is played on the iPad itself it is played at 720p.

I hope this makes sense.

Best,

Enrique
Photo Transfer App

Hi Enrique thanks for your response

I'm still a bit confused

The original poster John Pale said he was going from the iPhone 4s with 1080p to an iPad2 and found the video changed to 640x360 resolution, not 720p

I haven't tried transferring with the latest version as yet - 4.x - to see if I can still transfer 1080p again from my PC edited version to my iPad2 , as it did for me with the older version 3.x Photo Transfer App

Is there any difference now with the 4.x version between the 3.x version that didn't work for the original poster going from his iPhone 4s to the iPad2 ?

Because if it didn't work for John Pale I'm worried it will no longer work for me now!

Or is there some difference when transferring from a PC, instead of another iDevice?

Also, while you're viewing this thread already, can you tell me if photo transfer app has any feature that displays the photo or video MetaData?

If not, can you add this to a future update?

I'd like to be able to see this info. If your App uses it - it shouldn't be hard to let the customer see it as well.

Thanks

Thanks to the Ferengi above.

In my case the videos were transferred below 720p resolution. They were 640x360!
To make it worse, I was on vacation and was transferring to clear space on the phone, which had filled up. The originals were deleted. I did not need to view the videos on the iPad 2, I was simply using it for temporary storage.

Nowhere in the documentation does it clearly indicate this will happen. In fact, it seems employees of Photo Transfer App aren't clear about it.

I would suggest updating documentation to make this limitation known. In addition, if possible, it would be better to give the user a choice..Downscale to 720p or transfer as is, with the warning that the video is in an unsupported resolution on the device and may not play.

Hi,

Thanks for your discussion and sorry for the confusion regarding this. I went ahead and included a note of this limitation on the description of the app.

There is indeed a difference between transferring from device to device compared to computer to device. When transferring from computer to device the videos are NOT resized on the computer before the transferred, they are transferred as they are on the computer. This has the downside that some videos will not be accepted by the iPad and an error will be prompted.

When transferring from device to device we have a bit more control so the resolution of the receiver is checked before the transfer takes place. If the receiver device reports a lower playback resolution than the resolution of the video then the video is resized to the best playback resolution of the receiver. I just checked on our code and there is indeed a problem specifically for iPad 2 where is reporting the playback capacity incorrectly to 640x360. We are now implementing a fix for this problem and we will include it on the next update of the app. I'm really sorry about this. In the meantime you can transfer the video to a computer first and then to the iPad to avoid the resolution change. I'll post something here once the update is available -- we currently have an update being reviewed by Apple that does not include this fix, we will post another update after the current update is approved by Apple.

Regarding displaying the metadata of the assets in the app that's a good suggestion. We will include this on our todo list to include it on a future update of the app.

I appreciate your feedback and I apologize sincerely for this issue. Let me know if you have other questions or comments.

Best regards,

Enrique

Hi, Enrique - I'm happy to help find that code error.
(maybe a small mention -found by a helpful Ferengi) --just joking :)

I looked, and yes you did add the limitation you mentioned, to your App page on iTunes.

I'm hoping that it can be overridden so any device can be used as a storage "pad" too.
Is it just the iPad2 that will accept it as full res for storage, from a PC?
'Cause that's a good idea for some if the other device is full or near to it, to also allow the device to device transfer, to act as PC to device, using it as simple storage. We don't always want to play what's transferred to the iDevice.

I want FULL control of my transfers. It's the point to also having your App :-)
And yes, please also add MetaData [View - Save as text] if possible. (at least View)

Will it also be made iOS 7 compatible, if it's not already?
I don't want any "surprises" when iOS 7 comes out, where this App locks up :-)

Hi, Enrique

I realize you may not fully understand my last post, when I say over-ridden.
(being you didn't respond)

Just in case the language translation has unclear meaning, let me re-state

Is it possible the device-to-device transfer can work as if it's a PC-to-device transfer? (not checking the receiving device, & just sending as is)

This way, the resolution isn't a consideration for the transfer, to the other device, and it just becomes a storage device rather than having the transfer check if the receiving device can play the file.

If you can make the App have a setting, or ask before, if it's for storage transfer, or playing the file, then we can have full control over how we're using your App to do transfers of videos.

And please don't forget the Meta-Data display feature, or iOS 7 compatibility. :-)

Latest update, available today still transferring videos to iPad2 at 640x360, even set to highest quality.

To: John Pale

There's a 2nd update now (v4.3) that should be the FIX for your resolution issue

Can you please download that latest update and see if in fact it has solved your separate App problem?

This way, if it's not fixed, Enrique will know at the same time he sees and answers regarding my latest post.

If it is fixed, let us all know that too, and comment if you also see, or don't see, the new photo info screen, as Enrique mentioned to me, regarding it earlier.

Also, tell me (us) what iOS you are using on your iPhone 4s and iPad2

Thanks,
The helpful Ferengi :-)

--p.s.--
Please make your reply on a new "Reply To This Topic" full window, (under my latest reply to Enrique) and not under this (or other) simple "comment field".

This way, it's easier to spot when viewing (looking for) new posts here.

Hi John,

Enrique said his update AFTER this latest one will fix this BUG.

Quote by Enrique...
"...-- we currently have an update being reviewed by Apple that does not include this fix, we will post another update after the current update is approved by Apple. ..."

So I guess he's posting the newer update now, or soon, to be v4.3

Hi guys,

The update from this weekend didn't include the fix for the video transfer as we had already sent it for review to Apple when we discovered this. We are preparing v4.3 to include the fix along with couple of other enhancements and we plan to send for review in a few days .

Regarding this question: "Is it possible the device-to-device transfer can work as if it's a PC-to-device transfer? (not checking the receiving device, & just sending as is)" - Technically is possible, however we are hesitant to do this since it will make the transfers fail in many cases where the receiving device can't accept the source resolution. The API provided by Apple rejects the videos that it can't handle and there is no way to tell it just to store the video - if it can't play it then it will reject it. We will discuss adding a setting to disable the resolution check before the transfer but I'm afraid it will confuse most people.

And regarding "Will it also be made iOS 7 compatible, if it's not already? " Yes, the app should work on iOS7 already but we will definitely have an update once the final version of iOS7 comes out.

Have a good beginning of your week!

Enrique
Photo Transfer App

Hi Enrique
Thanks for the reply

Please don't forget the ability to read the photo and video Meta-Data info.

Bye. :)

I forgot to mention

so as not to confuse the average user of your App, maybe an "Advanced" user setting, where it allows these extra settings to over-ride the resolution check.

This way the default settings will still be active unless the advanced user knows what they are doing when using the "Over-Ride Resolution Check" setting.

I'm hoping iOS 7 will give developers, as well as users, more control over photos and videos.

Thank you for caring enough to consider changing these settings for the advanced user of your App. :)

Hi guys,

Just a quick update to tell you that we are taking a bit longer to push an update with this fix for the app. We are finishing couple of very neat features that we want to include on the next update. I'll post something here once we submit for review.

Thanks for your patience.

Enrique

Hi Enrique,

I've seen, and downloaded, the latest update v4.3 , from the AppStore.

In the update info on that page, it mentions a new info screen to show the picture details, like -file size, resolution, map...etc but I don't see any indication for this on the App, in the selection of the photos, or any other area.

Can you tell me where it is, and how to access this new info details page or menu?

Hello,

Yes, we added one screen to view the details of a photo, to show this screen you need to open the photo selection screen (Send > Device > Select photos) and then long press over one thumbnail to go to the full screen view of the photo, then touch the 'info' button on the top right corner of the screen to view the details of the photo selected.

Maybe the 'long press' over thumbnails isn't as obvious and we are looking on how we can make that part more clear.

Let me know if you have any feedback.

Thanks!

Enrique

Hi again Enrique, but this isn't working.

The only thing happening with a long-press on a thumbnail, is turning the check-mark ON or OFF.

I'm on an iPad2 using iOS 5.1
If it's a iOS 6.0 and above feature, that's sad, ... I can't update the iOS yet because I don't have enough room on the device cleared to do so.

Is this extra photo info feature usually only seen when selecting the "Device"?
Because I also tried using the "Windows and Apple Computer" options as well, and still no new Photo Info screen showing, with a Long-Press on a photo Thumbnail.

There also seems to be a bug in this version, where the screen orientation rotates from its default of Landscape to Portrait mode if selecting "Windows Computer" or "Apple Computer" after the "Send" and coming back to the "DeskTop App" screen using that upper-corner-Screen tab button.

The screen will not rotate back by rotating the iPad until the "Home" upper-Corner-screen Tab button is pressed.

This doesn't happen if using the "Devices" choice, because there's another extra screen button to click with the other two choices, called, "Start-Here" button.

In fact, I don't have to go to the photo selection screen to have this happen.
Simply going to this "Start Here" button screen (after pressing that Start Here button) then going back to the DeskTop using the "DeskTop App" upper corner button while in Landscape mode, will result in an instant flip to Portrait mode, and NOT manually allow a Flip-back, until pressing the upper corner "Home" button.

Maybe this is only happening under iOS 5.1 but it's very annoying, besides the Long-Press on a Thumbnail not bringing up the new "photo Info" screen :-)

Oh well... Back to the "drawing board", as the phrase goes. :-)

-----

***EDIT***

Enrique, I just noticed, I also no longer see the "PhotoTransferApp" name showing in the Apps section of the iPad Settings column.

This was where additional adjustable settings would show for your App, such as number of photos to allow to transfer (select) or size of a video (in seconds) to allow to be transferred, or if the old UI was to be used...etc.

I don't think I saw this from after installing the first v4.0 update.
Was this removed?
Or could this be why the new photo-info features don't show for me now?

Hello,

Yes, unfortunately the info screen is only available on iOS6 :( That is because many of the new screens on the app are using new Programming interfaces provided by Apple that are only available on iOS6 and we need to continue using the new API as the release of iOS7 is around the corner.

Thanks for letting us know about the issue with the rotation, we will take a look and try to fix it.

The settings screen is now inside of the app, no longer on the 'Settings' app. We did that to consolidate the settings available on the app as some of them didn't make sense any more starting v4.0/.

And yes, the new version 4.3 should have fixed the video transfer issue that John was having.

Regards,

Enrique

Hi Enrique -

Oh well - I may as well wait for iOS 7 to update my iPad
No sense doing the update twice, being 7 is out soon (around the corner)

I'm, at least, happy to find that rotation bug for you.
I'm curious, - did it show on iOS 6 as well, or just my 5.1 ?
If both were affected it's good I noticed it :-) and not have it continue to future updates of the App.

Thanks for letting me know that "Settings" are updated as well.
I was ready to try a re-install of the App, thinking I had a "glitch" on my system.

( ***Glad Johns App issue should be solved now*** :)

Regards - :)

Downloaded the new version. Videos from the iPhone 4S transfer to the iPad 2 at 1280 x 720, instead of 640 x 360, which is an improvement. I would still like an alert for the non-tech savvy that the original file is being scaled down from 1920 x 1080, and an option to proceed or cancel. Still would love to see the option to transfer at full resolution with a warning that the file may not play on the target device.

iOS 6.1.3

The long press feature works as advertised.

Hi John,
Yes I was also hoping to have these same changes, so iDevice to iDevice can act like storage for full HD Video files in 1080p even if not being played on the device the file was transferred too.

**** Enrique - PLEASE re-consider making a routine that allows this. ****
Make your App stand-out from all the other Photo-Transfer Apps in the Apple AppStore.

This feature wouldn't confuse users if you create a "switch" in the settings that starts out as defaulting to the restriction of 720p but allows non-restricted resolution to transfer videos in Full HD 1080p for storage purposes, Device to Device, as the Computer to Device allows... - at least for the iPad2 and higher, if this can't be done for the iPad1.

P L E A S E
:-)

I have had 1080p playing on my iPad2.
As long as its in the file-type the iPad2 accepts, it doesn't care if it's 1920x1080

I don't understand your statement.
The iPad2 supports it if the file type is one supported, not resolution.
The iPad2 itself resizes for its own screen resolution, without altering the original file

If I was able to transfer a 1080p file from my PC to the iPad2 using a version lower than this 4.x what's changed now,?...(and why did I update it, if different now?) :(