Q: Quicktime player just won't play .mov files after Mavericks update....WHY?????

I have a problem with this new Maverick system! In Quicktime, videos will not play and this is my job. all editing has ceased and I just upgraded the laptop to Maverick as well. How can I play these videos? Why am I not able to open? It was working 2 days ago now nothing! I keep getting this message! Is there any way to switch back to Lion? I'm losing out! Should I switch to Windows 8? What is going on Apple?

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I have a problem with this new Maverick system! In Quicktime, videos will not play and this is my job. all editing has ceased and I just upgraded the laptop to Maverick as well. How can I play these videos?

Impossible to say without knowing what compression formats you use for editing and which QT player you are trying to open them in.

Why am I not able to open?

The most likely answer is that you are trying to open the edited files in QT X (or QL) and editing in compression formats that are not supported by the Mavericks AVFoundation. Again, not knowing what compression formats you use for editing prevents anyone from confirming this nor can we say whether or not these unspecified compression formats remain actively or passively compatible with the QT 7 32-bit player/structure embedded in Mavericks or are supported by third-party players which contain their own, built-in codec support.

It was working 2 days ago now nothing! I keep getting this message!

Sorry, I'm not a mind reader! What message?

Is there any way to switch back to Lion?

Yes. If you purchased Lion as an upgrade, open the App Store application, sign in to the App Store, go to your "Purchases" page, download and run the Lion system installer. If Lion came with your system, check your software backup discs something that provides similar download access. However, be advised that many core system changes initiated under Lion were completed under Mountain Lion and I would, personally, prefer use of Mountain Lion over Lion when downgrading from Mavericks. Also be advised that some of the latest iTunes updates now require Mavericks and/or IOS 7 to support all current features and such features will be lost if you revert to an older operating system. (I.e., I reverted to Mountain Lion but made the mistake of updtating iTunes which forced me to re-upgrade to Mavericks.)

I'm losing out! Should I switch to Windows 8?

Only you can answer that question for yourself.

What is going on Apple?

Only Apple knows for sure and they rarely say anything. Since these problems, as well as others, have been well documented over the last year, I find it difficult to believe that anyone would actually upgraded to Mavericks without researching the pros and cons of such a move and being prepared for such issues in advance.

Hi Jon,

I guess I am one of those peeps that missed the transition. I recently opened an FCP 7 project on an updated machine, and some QT files linked to it are no longer readable or connectable. Is there a codec package that would allow to read all the files that were read able before the update. I know you keep asking what codec is the video in, but I have been working with industry standards video files from camera to FCP, so there must be a package somewhere that covers the standards? For my file, it was encoded DVCPRO HD (1080p30)  Linear PCM. Thanks for the help!

I guess I am one of those peeps that missed the transition. I recently opened an FCP 7 project on an updated machine, and some QT files linked to it are no longer readable or connectable. Is there a codec package that would allow to read all the files that were read able before the update.

Not sure of your frame of reference here—FCP 7, QL, QT X media player or QT 7 media player.

Basically, when this topic was started, many common video editing codecs like the DVCPro HD, AIC, DV, Animation, PNG, etc. were not supported by QT X apps or QL under Mavericks. Since that time it appears the Apple has been hard at work re-establishing support for apps supported by the AVFoundation, Modernizer, and Convert embedded structures. For instance, AIC, DV, and DVCPRO HD (e.g., DVCPRO HD 1080p30) video codecs are now once again supported on my system. And, while codecs like PNG and Animation are still not QT X/QL playback supported under Mavericks, they now appear conversion compatible with QT X support routines.

I know you keep asking what codec is the video in, but I have been working with industry standards video files from camera to FCP, so there must be a package somewhere that covers the standards? For my file, it was encoded DVCPRO HD (1080p30)  Linear PCM.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure at this point whether this QT X/QL support is a result of Mavericks OS updates or an upgrade to the Pro codec package. I.e., I have not added any codec packages to my system but have performed normal incremental upgrades as they were released by Apple and the "Pro" codec package is the one that now supports both classic QT 7/FCP v6 (via the 32-bit QT embedded structure) and QT X  (via the Mavericks' AVFoundation, Modernizer, and Convert embedded structures).

If your system software is up to date, then I am unsure why you would be having problems with DVCPRO HD 1080p30/PCM files. (I.e., test files generated when this topic was new went from unsupported to supported or "conversion" supported as described above without my doing anything to them.) Main question in my mind here is whether or not your files that "are no longer readable or connectable" as part of your project can be read/played on their own on your system (or on different Mavericks system).

Sorry, only read about half of the thread. Has anyone discovered the solution?

What do I need to download or do to make it play the movie file? Can I convert the .mov file into something else that will work in iMovie and Quicktime?

Quicktime won't play .mov file, says "Quicktime Player can't open "IMG_2684.MOV".

To see if additional software is available that will enable QuickTime Player to open the movie, click Tell Me More.

Thanks

I've encountered a similar problem with a new Mavericks install not playing .mov files.

The original file was shot by my spouse on her iPhone 4S.  It was sent to me via her iPhone 4S via email.

If I open the email in the native apple mail app on my  iPhone 5 running iOS7 the .mov file plays fine.  If I open the same mail with the same .mov attachment on my iPad Mini also running native apple mail app on iOS7 it downloads and plays fine.

If I try to play it in the apple mail preview pane in Mavericks on my MacBookPro, a small black bar at the bottom of the expected movie frame gets stuck saying "loading".

If i download the .mov attachment to the desktop, the entire 4.8MB movie shows up with an old style Quicktime icon.  Double clicking on the icon reveals that "Quicktime Player can't open the .mov file".

If I try to right click and "open with" and choose Quicktime 10.3 (i presume loaded with Mavericks) it shows the same error "Quicktime Player can't open the .mov file"

If I open the email in the native apple mail app on my  iPhone 5 running iOS7 the .mov file plays fine.  If I open the same mail with the same .mov attachment on my iPad Mini also running native apple mail app on iOS7 it downloads and plays fine.

This appears to imply that the data contained in the file is correctly encoded and should be playable.

If I try to play it in the apple mail preview pane in Mavericks on my MacBookPro, a small black bar at the bottom of the expected movie frame gets stuck saying "loading".

 

If i download the .mov attachment to the desktop, the entire 4.8MB movie shows up with an old style Quicktime icon.  Double clicking on the icon reveals that "Quicktime Player can't open the .mov file".

 

If I try to right click and "open with" and choose Quicktime 10.3 (i presume loaded with Mavericks) it shows the same error "Quicktime Player can't open the .mov file"

This seems to imply that something about the file is not compatible with the AVFoundation that supports QT X v10.3 and QL under Mavericks. The most likely suspect would be an issue with the file container or atom headers that is triggering security trapping by the playing software. Since the files play on IOS devices, I would normally recommend trying to open the file in an alternative player like QT 7, MPEG Streamclip, or VLC. If the file opens and plays in one of these players, I would then try to copy/remux the data to a new MOV, MP4, or M4V file container to see if that corrects the issue.

Since the files play on IOS devices, I would normally recommend trying to open the file in an alternative player like QT 7, MPEG Streamclip, or VLC. If the file opens and plays in one of these players, I would then try to copy/remux the data to a new MOV, MP4, or M4V file container to see if that corrects the issue.

The attachment downloaded as a .mov file will not play in Quicktime 7 Pro or in VLC.

The attachment downloaded as a .mov file will not play in Quicktime 7 Pro or in VLC.

Not sure of your level of expertise or apps you may have available. At this point I might try a number of different approaches.

1) Check with spouse to ensure video was not edited in a third-party app before sending. (On at least one occasion an app modified the file making it unplayable.)

2) Open th non-playing file in an app like MediaInfo, Dumpster, or Atom Inspector and look for any obvious inconsistencies.

3) Try re-muxing the non-playing file in an app like Subler to see if it can access the data directly.

4) Since the file plays on IOS devices, I might try to sync the playing file directly from the IOS device to the Mavericks system. In my case I would probably use something like PhoneView, DropBox, iCloud, or iPhoto depending on which device you are sourcing and where/how the video is stored on that device. Would then test the file to see if it plays and if so, use an app like Dumpster or Atom Inspector to compare playing and non-playing versions for any obvious differences to see if Mail might be doing something to the file like it does to HTML attachments transferred from Safari via the Command-I shortcut.

5) Try repeating the original sending of a file but use an iPhone 5 or 5s as the device source and see if the same problem occurs.

In short, it appears a new problem may be cropping up and it may be necessary to isolate the source before devising a workaround and/or advising Apple of the problem for a fix. Unfortunately, there could be many reasons for a MOV file not to play at all, but we are in a new ballpark when file playback is inconsistent.

I have to agree with most consumers' comments that non-'techies' are poorly served. It is not reasonable that updating to Mavericks should require further software 'tweaks' to play older files. Apple have once again screwed-up. I don't need to be a mechanic to drive a car, nor a builder to live in a house.  All us professionals have expertise in our own fields and I find it quite insulting that so-called computer 'geeks' or 'techies' assume everyone not in their field is an idiot!

Is there a a 'bug' fix from Apple (re: QT, Mavericks issue) or not?

I have to agree with most consumers' comments that non-'techies' are poorly served.

And most professional and "prosumer" users feel equally "poorly served" because the "non-techies" version of QT X has virtually no access to "built-in" settings for users to access.

It is not reasonable that updating to Mavericks should require further software 'tweaks' to play older files.

You seem to misunderstand the problem here. There simply are no "tweaks" to be made except by the Apple programmers who actually re-program how the player works based on user feedback. The QT X player either supports the compression format and file type used by your old files or it doesn't. You can either convert the old content new file content or use an alternative player like QT 7. If the files formerly played in QT 7 or QT X, then they should continue to play in QT 7 under the Mavericks OS. Lion, by default, turned off the "active" use of legacy codecs and Mavericks essentially turned off their "passive" use in QT X/QL based apps. When people complained about the sudden loss of "pro" codecs in the initial release of Mavericks, Apple technicians went back and re-programmed the QT X player to recognize many of the "pro" codecs and use the codec support available by the installation of "pro" apps require their use. Unfortunately, I doubt they will do the same thing for "legacy" codecs which continue to be "passively" supported by the QT X "convert" embed structure. Unfortunately, this QT X embedded conversion support is not entirely open and usually does not extend to third-party codecs that may be installed on your system.

Apple have once again screwed-up.

Unfortunately, most users would probably agree with this statement for one reason or another.

I don't need to be a mechanic to drive a car, nor a builder to live in a house.

True. However, you would, as a driver, probably not choose to use a VW Beatle to drive yourself, a spouse and ten children to a Thanksgiving dinner or move such a family into a one-bedroom apartment either. As a driver or shelter provider, you would be expected to use a vehicle or find housing appropriate to the needs of your family. In a similar manner, you might be expected to use a player app that is compatible with file and content you are trying to view. (E.g., as a somewhat oversimplification, how many people would try to play a VHS tape in a DVD player?)

All us professionals have expertise in our own fields and I find it quite insulting that so-called computer 'geeks' or 'techies' assume everyone not in their field is an idiot!

You may or may not have noticed that fewer and fewer "regular" responders are returning here less and less often to answer questions. While I cannot speak for others, my visiting/response frequency has dropped significantly because no matter how questions are answered, some readers will choose to "shoot the messenger" rather than try to understand the response. Experienced users complain that answers posted in simplified terms "talk down" to them and imply stupidity on their part while novice users complain that technical responses are overly convoluted for the purpose of displaying pedantic responder knowledge and any responses targeted for a mid-level understanding of the subject matter seem to be hit from both groups. And, in most cases, the original poster usually ignores any questions regarding addition information that might pin-point a specific problem as if all issues had a single, common source.

Is there a a 'bug' fix from Apple (re: QT, Mavericks issue) or not?

In most cases, no. The basic problem is that Apple is in the process of creating better, more efficient support for a more limited number of compression formats and file types while most users seem to think that Apple is creating more universal support to handle a wider range of modern and "legacy" compression formats and file types. Unfortunately, the only expansion of capabilities is in the area of modern, more scaleable compression formats like H.264 for distribution of anything from video conferencing to 2K  HD resolution recordings as a possible prelude to H.265 further down the road or Apple ProRes for general editing use—not the support of third-party developers like DivX, or WMV files or legacy formats which Apple has "turned off" as far as support goes for QT X and QL based apps/GUIs under Mavericks. Bugs that are caught (e.g., security, missing Apple non-legacy codec support, etc.) are fixed by Apple as they are brought to Apple's attention while issues that stem from Apple's decision not to support a particular codec or file type will likely continue to be a thorn in the side of users who refuse to either use a player that supports problematic content or refuse to convert it to QT X/QL "natively" compatible content.

Hi Jon,

Thanks for your help and insights on this forum regarding this problem. I would really appreciate your help with my - same - problem, if you have a minute..?!

I have a video that I had taken on my iPhone 4S which I PhotoStreamed unto my PC and then deleted it from my iPhone.. but now I cannot play it on my PC (though I can play all other videos I have taken with my iPhone). This video in question is very precious to me and I am trying to "save" it, if I can!

The Default player is Windows Media Player (through which I had played all other videos I had taken on my iPhone without any problems) and when I try to open the video, WMP gives me this error message: "Windows Media Player cannot play the file. The Player might not support the file type or might not support the codec that was used to compress the file."

When I tried to open the video using QuickTime Movie I get this error message: "Error 2048: Couldn't open the file IMG_2612.MOV because it is not a file that QuickTime understands."

So I took your advice and downloaded MediaInfo. Here is what it shows:

Did the problem occur while the video was being compressed? Is there a way to undo this and "save" the video somehow, please?? ANY tips would really help. Let me know if you need any other information on this. Thanks SO much in advance, D

Did the problem occur while the video was being compressed? Is there a way to undo this and "save" the video somehow, please?? ANY tips would really help.

Unfortunately, since you indicate all other files play normally in a third-party player, and, assuming the file played normally on the iPhone 4s, the most likely problem with this particular file in this instance would be some sort of file corruption during the transfer process. In cases where the container or atom header is damaged but the data is in tact, an experienced user might be able to recover the data—but don't count on it here. (I.e., the most easily recoverable files are ones that won't play in a QT media player for security/error trap reasons but will play in third-party media players that ignore such playback issues.) About the only tip I can offer is the recommendation that you always confirm you transfer copy is playable BEFORE deleting the source and/or intermediate files.

Let me know if you need any other information on this.

Since you indicate the file was recorded on an iPhone 4s, we know the files should be an H.264/AAC file in the Main Profile Level 3.1 to High Profile Level 4.1 range. However, in cases where the source of the file is not known, it is always a good idea to post the full MediaInfo description for analysis. Not sure how the detailed screens look on a PC, but the Mac "HTML" view would look like this:

Sorry, but I fear there is little you can do to recover the file based on the information provided.

First, thanks for your replies on this thread, Jon. Much appreciated.

Unfortunately I have a problem possibly related to the ones described here. I received a .mov file from a third party, likely created on 10.10. QuickTime on 10.9.5 won't open it:

The MediaInfo data for this file is as follows ('Complete' and 'Details' checked):

General

Count                                    : 302

Count of stream of this kind             : 1

Kind of stream                           : General

Kind of stream                           : General

Stream identifier                        : 0

Inform                                   : MPEG-4 (QuickTime): 5.00 MiB

Complete name                            : /Users/jeremy/Documents/ActiveMind/Customer Support/Video/SD_card_popping_out_IMG_0317.MOV

Folder name                              : /Users/jeremy/Documents/ActiveMind/Customer Support/Video

File name                                : SD_card_popping_out_IMG_0317

File extension                           : MOV

Format                                   : MPEG-4

Format                                   : MPEG-4

Format/Extensions usually used           : mp4 m4v m4a m4b m4p 3gpp 3gp 3gpp2 3g2 k3g jpm jpx mqv ismv isma f4v

Commercial name                          : MPEG-4

Format profile                           : QuickTime

Internet media type                      : video/mp4

Codec ID                                 : qt 

Codec ID/Url                             : http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone.html

Codec                                    : MPEG-4

Codec                                    : MPEG-4

Codec/Extensions usually used            : mp4 m4v m4a m4b m4p 3gpp 3gp 3gpp2 3g2 k3g jpm jpx mqv ismv isma f4v

File size                                : 5242880

File size                                : 5.00 MiB

File size                                : 5 MiB

File size                                : 5.0 MiB

File size                                : 5.00 MiB

File size                                : 5.000 MiB

Stream size                              : 5242880

Stream size                              : 5.00 MiB (100%)

Stream size                              : 5 MiB

Stream size                              : 5.0 MiB

Stream size                              : 5.00 MiB

Stream size                              : 5.000 MiB

Stream size                              : 5.00 MiB (100%)

Proportion of this stream                : 1.00000

HeaderSize                               : 28

DataSize                                 : 5242852

FooterSize                               : 0

IsStreamable                             : No

File last modification date              : UTC 2015-01-14 22:29:05

File last modification date (local)      : 2015-01-14 14:29:05

Any ideas?

Thanks!

jeremy.

Any ideas?

Not based on the information provided. MPEG-4 is a family of related compression formats. Most Mac content is either MPEG-4 (Chapter 2) or H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC Chapter 10) encodings that adhere to the JVT standard. There are also proprietary and hybrid variations. These major formats can further be broken down by Profile and/or Level attributes that detail/limit the settings that can be used in combination. Since specific information regarding encode dimensions, data rates, frame rates, duration (to calculate the average data rate not given based on file size given), scan type, chroma subsampling, entropy mode, GOP breakdown, etc., it is not possible for me to determine if there are any "obvious" encoding inconsistencies. If your version of MediaInfo cannot provide this information, then it might be better to email or post the problem file to the Internet for download and analysis on my system.