I have ordered a new 80gb iPod Classic (my first iPod, actually... my first Apple product, actually...) and I'm now - in the waiting process - busy with encoding a couple of my movies to the iPod format.

I have a question: if you encode an anamorphic 1.85 movie, will you see it letterboxed on your iPod screen, so with the black bars?
Or do you see it anamorphically streched, thus filling the complete 4/3 screen of the iPod?

And in the same manner: when encoding a movie with aspect ratio 2.35, what will I see?

I encode with Handbreake (great quality I'm getting for sound and picture!) and I always use 'Keep Aspect Ratio'...

Anyone can advice? I could just wait untill the iPod arrives, but that will be in more then a week (likely) and I want to know some things, while I'm encoding already...

Thanks!

EDIT: and another little question, out of curiousity... if you DON'T synch all your content from your iTunes library with your iPod, and do it all manually, can you still on the iPod search via Album, Genre, Artist,...?

With its 4:3 iPods Apple slows down the progress. I thought that iPod Touch was a step in the right direction, but its native view seems to be the same 4:3, though, according to Apple's ad, it can switch to letterbox with a press of a button.

BTW, can you upload your own videos in DivX/XVID/MOV format to iPod, or you can only buy stuff from iTunes?

On my G5 30gig video you need to render it 4:3 letterboxed.

With its 4:3 iPods Apple slows down the progress. I thought that iPod Touch was a step in the right direction, but its native view seems to be the same 4:3, though, according to Apple's ad, it can switch to letterbox with a press of a button.

BTW, can you upload your own videos in DivX/XVID/MOV format to iPod, or you can only buy stuff from iTunes?

If I'm correct you can encode your own stuff to H.264 (with extension .m4v), and with the right resolution, you should be able to play it on your iPod...
I use Handbreake for this, free program, great quality, fairly long render although not un-doable (like 2 hours for a 2 hour film...)
I first rip my dvd's (legally bought) with DVD Shrink, and then I can render these files with Handbreake to the iPod format. (I work on PC, not on a Mac)

Your videos will display in the correct aspect ratio. Whether you've encoded in 16:9, 2.35:1, or whatever ratio, it'll display correctly on the screen.

Also, you can still search by artist, genre, etc. even if you don't sync your library.

Your videos will display in the correct aspect ratio. Whether you've encoded in 16:9, 2.35:1, or whatever ratio, it'll display correctly on the screen.

Also, you can still search by artist, genre, etc. even if you don't sync your library.

Thanks Chris!