Alert and Convert

Well it’s been a long time since I updated Alert & Convert, and since then iTunes has been busy.  They’ve added a “Automatically Add to iTunes” folder, which solves a lot of headaches of mine – I had been using an unreliable script to do this.

So now, I’ve updated Alert & Convert to make good use of this, which I’m happy to report works 100% of the time.  There’s been other fixes too which you can read about in the downloads area.

Oh yeah.  It seems Apple has also released something called an iPad?  So I’m adding support for that.

I’ve not tested the iPad settings yet as no one has seen fit to furnish me with one of the lovely devices, so if you have one and have tried this, let me know how it works out for you!  Handbrake has not yet released their official conversion strings for it. Once they do, you can always manipulate the CUSTOM preset should it prove better than the string I’ve provided.

Some people think I release these things too fast.  Others know it for a fact.  Whatever the case may be, I’ve gone back with the fly swatter and made Alert & Convert better for everyone with a number of fixes for issues users old and new were having.  A few new features have been added too- details over in the downloads area.  Many thanks!  –Kev

Hey it was pretty cool before.  Sure it would rip through entire folders of AVI files and subfolders and make them all into iPhone or iPod friendly MP4s.  Or watch your folders for downloads and automatically convert them when one landed in it.  But you STILL had to add each one individually to iTunes when you were done.
Well…. no longer!! Version 1.6 has the option to ADD FILE TO iTUNES LIBRARY upon conversion completion.  Tick that box and your files are in there, one less thing for you to do.

Now, I highly recommend you use this in concert with a SMART PLAYLIST that looks something like this:

(That would be: “Kind” contains “MPEG-4 video”, limit to 10 items by most recently added.)

Then put that playlist as one to sync on your iPhone or iPod.  Then you just plug in your device and all (or at least the most recent 10) videos that Alert & Convert processed are ready to take with you.

All auto-magically!

Comments on a postcard or to me at karchibald@gmail.com

Oh dear, our favorite HANDBRAKE HELPER is now up a hundredth of a decimal over in the downloads area.

What’s new?

• Minimize to SYSTEM TRAY
• Option to START MINIMIZED automatically
• Option to begin conversions at startup automatically (for reboots)
• Alerts will pop bubble messages from the system tray
• Removed some less useful options for tidiness
• General bug fixes, cleans and helpful hints for when you run for the first time

Thanks to Lee from Downloadsquad for the System Tray suggestion.  Certainly the way to go.  Start Minimized + Scheduler + Begin Conversions Automatically + Shortcut in Windows Startup seems a pretty nice way to ensure you’ll always have your conversions served up fresh, even if your system reboots itself (bloomin updates!).

As always, let me know your thoughts.

Another release of everyone’s favorite HANDBRAKE HELPER.

Now available in the downloads area >>>

Changes / Updates:

• Twitter is now integrated, no CURL required!  Thanks Twitteroo!
• Email no longer limited to GMAIL only
• Test buttons added for Twitter and Email
• Scheduler now works to the minute
• Improved installation methods and modules to include add/remove options
• Several other bugs fixed

I hope you enjoy!!

Yes, everyone’s favorite HANDBRAKE HELPER has a new hundredth of a decimal to add to it’s name!  Alert and Convert 1.04 is now on the downloads page.

“The Control Update” New Stuff Includes:

• Steering!  App will no longer be inaccessible while transformations are undergoing.
• Brakes!  STOP button will close all current transformations and scheduled transformations on demand.  (Considering it uses “Handbrake” as its heart,  it’s amusing it took this long.)
• Gas! If your got the processors, you can process conversions concurrently instead of just sequentially.  Be careful though, you could bring your system to a crawl very quickly if you initiate more transformations than you have cores.

Have fun!