Converting avi to mp4 via automator

Has anyone converted avi to mp4 via automator and had it dropped into itunes? Id like to drop my videos into a folder and have automator convert, import to itunes, delete .avi file. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Which OS version are you using? I think the different versions of Automator had slightly different conversion actions available. Some of them relied on PowerPC code and will not work with the version of Automator included with Lion.

I'm running lion. I checked on a snow leopard machine and there is an Automator action to 'export video'. Automator on lion doesn't have this.

Yeah. I discovered that as well when I looked at my MacBook Pro Lion install. I did an upgrade on the other Mac and perhaps that action is still there. If so, and it does not use Power PC code it should work.

I'll check and post back with results

I just checked the drive with my Snow Leopard and don't see that action. I must have removed it. I bet if you did a Get Info on it you would find it is Power PC.

There is another action that specifically deals with conversion for the iPod. but it does not appear to handle .avi files.

There is some other batch conversion software out there. Some of it does bath conversion. I'll keep my eyes peeled for something that looks promising.

Would Compressor help?