The new 5th generation Apple iPod with video is a sweet little machine. However, if you are like me and purchased the smaller, flash-drive based iPod Nano we are stuck with a videoless device.

Until I figured out a little iTrick.

My company does a lot of video and motion graphics in Macromedia Flash. A technique in Flash is to keyframe consecutive photographs to give the illusion of motion or video. I used this on HotDogWear.com to show a package of hot dogs flipping over.

I was constantly needing to show prospective clients small samples of our motion work so I utilized the same principle on my iPod:

1. Open Quicktime. You may need the full QuicktimePro.
2. Open the video you would like to play.
3. Select Export.
4. Create a new folder on your desktop and give it an applicable name.
5. Select “Movie to Image Sequence”
6. Click “Options” and select a frame rate of 6 frames per second (the higher the frame rate, the greater the number of images).
7. Save to your new folder.
8. Put the new folder onto your Nano as you would any other collection of photos.
9. On your Nano, go to the new folder and rotate your finger around your clickwheel.

Yeah, I know…no audio….You could always load an mp3 onto your iPod an try to sync it up but that would be pretty high maintenance.

Think of it as a digital flipbook. A novelty of sorts.

~ David Tisdale