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It seems like every once in awhile, when using Handbrake to encode a DVD rip to x264 with either the mp4 or m4v extension, I can't add the resulting file to my iTunes Library. When dragging and dropping, the Library window highlights like it's going to accept (If you try to drag an unsupported file, the window doesn't highlight, and the thumbnail you're dragging flies back to the original folder).

If I rip a handful of movies and do an overnight encode session, in the morning some of the files can be added to the library, some can't. I have to re-do the ones that don't work. Is there a way to found out what the problem is? An iTunes setting that will output what it doesn't like about certain files? A piece of software that can validate the files? The resulting files play in VLC and Quicktime Player regardless of if they're added to my iTunes Library.

Thanks for your suggestions Justin

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What handbrake encoding profile are you using? – paulgrav Dec 21 '12 at 7:22
Turns out it was a glitch in iTunes, I restarted my Mac and the movies were in the library. – JustinXXVII Jan 2 at 17:41

2 Answers

up vote 3 down vote accepted

Handbrake keeps individual logs for every encode. You can find them in ~/Library/Application Support/HandBrake/EncodeLogs.

If an encode fails, it should contain any relevant information on why it failed.

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Encoding didn't fail, the movies could be watched in Quicktime. After restarting iTunes, each movie I dragged to the Library was now present in the library. – JustinXXVII Aug 17 '12 at 12:40
up vote 2 down vote

MOV is a container format which may contain all kinds of codec, while iTunes only import MOV whose video codec is DV, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, or AIC.

Even if the MOV meet the above requirement and supported and playable in iTunes, it will still fail to sync to iPod/iPad/iPhone/Apple TV if the MOV video does not fit the specification like resolution, bit rate, aspect ratio, size, and audio codec of the iPod/iPad/iPhone/Apple TV.

In order to successfully import MOV to iTunes as well as sync MOV to Apple TV, iPod, iPhone, iPad, we have better convert the MOV video to a more compatible video format.

Step by step guide on how to convert itunes unsupported mov to itunes supported one at http://itunes-converter.blogspot.com/2012/12/how-to-solve-cant-add-mov-to-itunes.html

This guide also solve to can't add mov, mp4, m4v to itunes

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iTunes doesn’t only import MOV, it can import both MOV and MP4 regardless of whether the file extension is mp4, m4v or mov. – paulgrav Dec 21 '12 at 7:21

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