Pod240

Pod240 is a drag-and-drop desktop app (Windows / macOS) that converts modern video files into the 240p MP4 format that iPod Classic and iPod Video (5th gen) can play. It drives HandBrake CLI with the community “Apple 240p30” preset (Olsro) and can apply iTunes-style metadata after each encode.

Why it exists: Getting video iPod Video/Classic in 2026 is awkward. Pod240 makes it mostly drop, queue, encode.

Features

• Queue — Drag-and-drop or file picker; reorder pending jobs; one encode at a time for predictable behavior.
• Metadata (optional) — Movie, TV, and music-video flows with TMDB (posters, tags) and related helpers; skip entirely if you only want video.
• Tags — iTunes-style tags on the finished .mp4 via AtomicParsley when you use metadata.
• Discord — Optional incoming webhook notifications (queue finished / encode failed) under Menu → Notification.
• Updates — Menu → Check for Updates compares your build to the latest GitHub release (manual only; no background polling).
• Portable settings — Preferences live in pod240-settings.json next to the executable (no Windows Registry).
• Music video covers — Frame from video and scrubbing use bundled FFmpeg/ffprobe when the built-in preview cannot decode a file (see Bundled Tools).
• Safe queue UX — Closing the app while work is pending warns you; cancel and clear behave as labeled in the UI.

Developers: DEVELOPMENT.md · Third-party licenses: THIRD_PARTY.md

Requirements & Compatibility

OS	Windows 10 or later (x64). macOS recent releases — install Apple Silicon or Intel builds from Releases (artifacts are built per architecture).
Output	Typically H.264 video and AAC audio in an .mp4 container at 240p / ~30 fps per the Olsro 240p30 preset (details and limits: Olsro’s encode guide).
Source files	Unencrypted video files you can decode locally; see Limitations.

Download & Install

Latest installers: github.com/MMagTech/pod240/releases/latest

You do not need to install Rust, Node.js, or HandBrake for a normal release — the app bundles what it needs to encode and tag.

Version note: GitHub Releases show published installer versions. The source tree may bump a patch ahead of the next tagged release while development continues; trust Releases for “what build do I download?”

First Launch (Unsigned Builds)

Release builds are not signed with a paid Apple Developer ID and are not notarized. Treat the steps below as normal for small open-source projects.

Windows

If Microsoft Defender SmartScreen appears: choose More info → Run anyway (wording may vary slightly by Windows version) if you trust this repository.

macOS

Gatekeeper may block the app or show messages like the app “can’t be opened” or is “damaged” (often quarantine + unsigned code, not a corrupt download). Typical workarounds:

1. Right-click the app (or the app inside the .dmg) → Open → confirm once, or

2. System Settings → Privacy & Security → allow the app when macOS lists it there.

3. If it still won’t launch after you’ve copied Pod240 to Applications, clear the download quarantine flag in Terminal (only if you trust this build, same as above):

   xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/Pod240.app"

Quick Start

1. Add files — Choose files or drag videos (or folders) onto the window.
2. Metadata — Choose Add Metadata or Skip when prompted (optional TMDB key under Menu → TMDB API).
3. Queue — Jobs run one at a time; drag the handle on a row to reorder pending work.
4. Output — By default, outputs go next to each source; you can set a default output folder in the UI for batch layouts.

More detail: Menu → Help and Menu → Tips.

Output Files

Converted files are .mp4 in 240p (per the preset). The app avoids overwriting sources: usually YourVideo.mp4 in the output folder; if needed, YourVideo_ipod240p.mp4, then YourVideo_ipod240p_2.mp4, and so on.

Bundled Tools

• HandBrake CLI — Encode with the Olsro 240p30 preset (THIRD_PARTY.md).
• AtomicParsley — MPEG-4 metadata when you use the metadata flow.
• FFmpeg / ffprobe — Shipped with release builds next to the app under resources/ffmpeg for music-video frame capture and scrubbing helpers; not used for the main HandBrake encode. Advanced layout and POD240_FFMPEG: DEVELOPMENT.md.

Settings

Stored in pod240-settings.json next to the executable:

• Default output folder (optional).
• Optional TMDB API key (posters / tags in metadata).
• Optional Discord webhook URL and toggles (Menu → Notification).

Discord stores only the webhook URL and your toggle choices; messages send only when you enable them and the event occurs.

Limitations

Note — DRM: DRM-protected purchases (many store-bought downloads) cannot be converted. Use files you own that are not copy-protected. If something “won’t convert,” check whether the file is encrypted for a store ecosystem first.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

Question	Short answer
macOS says the app is “damaged”?	Usually Gatekeeper, not a bad file. Try right-click → Open, or Privacy & Security as in First Launch (macOS).
Pod240 won’t open from /Applications?	In Terminal: xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine "/Applications/Pod240.app" — see macOS under First Launch.
Windows SmartScreen blocks the app?	Use More info / Run anyway if you trust the Releases download.
Encode failed?	Open the in-app Log; check HandBrake errors. Missing tools show a banner — install from a release build or see DEVELOPMENT.md.
Do I need a TMDB key?	No for plain encodes. Yes if you want TMDB-driven posters/fetch in the metadata dialogs (Menu → TMDB API).
How do I check for a newer release?	Menu → Check for Updates (contacts GitHub only when you use it).

Credits & Licenses

• Preset Lineage and Community Context: Olsro / reddit-ipod-guides.
• Windows Handbrake Codec Support: FT129 / fdk-ACC)
• Third-party Components: THIRD_PARTY.md.
• Pod240 Application License: LICENSE.

Contributing & Issues

Bug reports and feature ideas: GitHub Issues.
To build from source or cut a release: DEVELOPMENT.md.