Why does Jesus not want me to watch iTunes U videos on my iPad?

January 2, 2011 1:23 PM

Why can't I watch iTunes U videos on my iPad?

My iPad is running iOS 4.2.1. iTunes is 10.1 on a Mac.

I've googled this for hours. No luck. The hits I've found have told me to do things I've already tried. I posted to some iDevice forums. No answers.

I downloaded some iTunes U videos to the Mac, synced, saw the progress message that they were being transfered, but they didn't show up in the iPod app. (I also checked the videos app. They're not there, either.)

Along the left of the iPod app, in the Library, the categories I see are Music, Podcasts, Audiobooks and Videos. There's no iTunes U category. And the videos didn't get sorted into any of the other categories (all empty, because I don't generally sync music to my iPad).

However, when I plug the iPad into the Mac and twirl it open in iTunes, I can see the videos ON MY IPAD in an iTunes U category. So they ARE on my iPad. I just can't access them.

After trying to sync a couple of times, I decided to just download the videos directly to my iPad. So I went into the iTunes app, downloaded several videos (HD and SD). I saw the progress bars complete. But STILL no videos in the iPod app or the Videos app.

I've tried rebooting.

Otherwise, my iPad is working fine.

Anyone know what's going on?

posted by grumblebee to technology (19 answers total)

Try settings-->general-->reset-->reset all settings.

If that fails, you could always restore the device, but I'm stumped as to why this is happening in the first place.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 1:35 PM on January 2, 2011

Btw, I get to iTunes U videos on my iPhone by going to iPod-->Videos-->iTunes U. So I think that's where you should be looking. It's possible that they transfer to the Videos app but I don't think so.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 1:36 PM on January 2, 2011

I get to iTunes U videos on my iPhone by going to iPod-->Videos-->iTunes U

Interesting. When I start up the iPod app, I see these categories:

Music
Podcasts
Audiobooks
videos (Note: why isn't this category capitalized like the rest of them?)

When I click on Music, I see an icon of a musical note and the text "No Music." When I click Podcasts, I see a postcast icon and "No Podcasts." When I click Audiobooks, a book and "No Audiobooks."

Strangely, when I click video, I see the musical-note symbol and "No Music."

(It's not strange that I have no music, audiobooks and podcasts, because I don't use my iPad for that stuff and haven't synced music (etc.) to it. Just iTunes u videos.)
posted by grumblebee at 1:42 PM on January 2, 2011

Try settings-->general-->reset-->reset all settings.

Side effects of doing this?
posted by grumblebee at 1:42 PM on January 2, 2011

Side effects of doing this?

You lose your home screen/lock screen background and WiFi passwords.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 2:08 PM on January 2, 2011

On the iPad there is a separate app called Videos where video lives. Try there?
posted by Rock Steady at 2:09 PM on January 2, 2011

Try settings-->general-->reset-->reset all settings.

Darn. Didn't work. Good thinking, but no dice.
posted by grumblebee at 2:13 PM on January 2, 2011

Just making sure, you've tried downloading these directly to your computer, but have you tried playing them on your computer? Make sure you can do that before you try to sync the content over to the device. Then:

Uncheck sync, click apply (so that the content is removed from the device). Reboot device and computer. Go back into iTunes and sync again, then click apply. Cross fingers.

If that fails................the only think I can think of is restore (as new, not from backup, just to make sure the problem gets isolated).
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 2:19 PM on January 2, 2011

but have you tried playing them on your computer?

Yes. I was watching them on the computer. I wanted to take them on the road.
posted by grumblebee at 2:27 PM on January 2, 2011

So I just tried it for myself, and iTunes U video does in fact go into the Videos app. I see now that you said that you tried there, but that is in fact where it should show up. Have you tried syncing some other types of videos to your iPad to see if it is a general video issue or limited to iTunes U?
posted by Rock Steady at 2:31 PM on January 2, 2011

My video app has a bunch of movies in it that I downloaded a while ago (from iTunes), but no iTunes you.

I am veering towards restoring the device. What a pain.

I'm trying one more thing, first. I'm wondering if my iPad doesn't like the fact that I don't use the iPod app at all. Maybe some stuff gets initialized when you add some music or podcasts, and since I never did that, things aren't working. So I'm syncing right now and adding some of my music collection.
posted by grumblebee at 2:36 PM on January 2, 2011

I had a similar problem on my iPod with iTunes U files syncing, but not showing up. I "solved" the problem by switch the catagory the iTunes U files sync to on my iPod. You can do this by going to the file on iTunes -> right click -> get info -> options -> media kind. From there you can switch the file over to sync under podcasts or videos or where ever. You can also move all the files in batch by following the same procedure at the collections screen.
posted by chrisulonic at 2:37 PM on January 2, 2011

Interesting. When I start up the iPod app, I see these categories:

Music
Podcasts
Audiobooks
videos (Note: why isn't this category capitalized like the rest of them?)

If these are the categories along the left hand navigation bar, then "videos" is a playlist that you have created. It won't show up there because video does not show up in the iPod app on the iPad.

If downloading an iTunes U video on your iPad does not cause it to appear in the Videos app (there should be an iTunes U category along the top bar of the app, along with Movies, TV Shows and Music Videos) then I agree that a fresh restore is in order.
posted by Rock Steady at 2:38 PM on January 2, 2011

Thanks, chrisulonic. I'll try that before I resort to restoring.
posted by grumblebee at 2:38 PM on January 2, 2011

You much be right, Rock Steady. THAT'S why it isn't capitalized. Duh! I never capitalize my playlist names.

However, they aren't in the videos app, either. It only contains the six feature films I bought.
posted by grumblebee at 2:40 PM on January 2, 2011

"there should be an iTunes U category along the top bar of the app, along with Movies, TV Shows and Music Videos"

Wow. I don't even have that menu! The top bar just says "Movies." With no other buttons or options.
posted by grumblebee at 2:41 PM on January 2, 2011

Wow. I don't even have that menu! The top bar just says "Movies." With no other buttons or options

Try putting some different kinds of video on the iPad. I'm sure there are some free TV Shows and Music Videos you can download from iTunes for testing purposes. Make sure to get them from iTunes, to make sure the Media Kind is accurate.
posted by Rock Steady at 2:46 PM on January 2, 2011

Problem solved! Thanks folks.

I'm going to take the egotistical action and mark one of my own posts as best answer, because it's what did the trick: adding some music.

But everyone else gave good advice, too.
posted by grumblebee at 3:51 PM on January 2, 2011

yay!
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 5:03 PM on January 2, 2011