Q: Hello. I have some .mov files that I am able to open with Quick time on my pc but not on my mac. I even tried downloading quick ti ... Hello. I have some .mov files that I am able to open with Quick time on my pc but not on my mac. I even tried downloading quick time 7 but still no progress. Is there anything else I can do? more
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Helpful answers
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Apr 19, 2015 5:29 PM in response to yagirllizzyby Drew Reece,What errors do you see? Copy the exact text if possible.
You could try VLC…
That is not guaranteed to work, but it can play many formats.
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Apr 20, 2015 2:44 AM in response to Drew Reeceby drrbr1,I have the same problem!
.mov files will not play at all with QT 10.3. (the default player) A dialogue box opens saying says "This media may be damaged" The files will play with QT 7 but without sound. This was not an issue prior to upgrading to Mavericks.
The files will play normally, including sound, with VLC. The files originate from an "in car" camera and are unedited.
The .mov files have H264, AAV codecs and are shown as "Quicktime movies". QT10.7 is supposed to support both codecs.
I can convert and play them but then they are not recognised by iMovies. I can also play them in a Windows PC but this is far from ideal.
I have found much on the forums about this but there seems to be no simple solution and many posts blame Apple.
Is it ever likely to be resolved by Apple or do I give up and resort to a Windows machine?
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Apr 20, 2015 4:57 AM in response to yagirllizzyby Drew Reece,drrbr1,
Mavericks changed how media was handled on OS X. Apple moved away from the old Quicktime frameworks (that were started in the 80's IIRC). Now the OS uses AVFramework. It is why Quicktime X (QTX) & Quicktime 7 (QT7) can play different formats.
QT7 used a series of codec plugins (encoder/ decoder) to add support for formats that Apple never supported (like DIVX, WMV, Ogg audio etc). Many users installed plugins like Perian to add these codecs via a simple installer. Perian may still work on QT7 apps, I haven't tested Perian on 10.10. Perian is clearly out of date & abandoned now, see perian.org or see the site of the old codec.
AVFoundation & QTX has no ability to add extra codecs - you get support because the format is correct for AVFoundation to play, you get a dialog that converts the movie or the third option is that AVFoundation can't convert & simply chokes & doesn't allow playback.
Apple have nothing to fix. The reason the movies don't play is because the new framework uses 64bit for everything. The older codecs are not 64bit & since Apple didn't write those codecs they won't fix them either. It may seem like I'm apologising for Apple, but it isn't entirely their fault, things move on.
I'm afraid you need to work out what codecs you have contained in the files (.mov is just a wrapper around the data - the codec is the key to reading the data). mediainfo can help with that
https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo
It will list the details of the codecs - from there you need to find an app that will convert to a supported format.
It sounds like you have a sound format that is not compatible with AVFoundation - that means all apps the rely on AVfoundataion no longer play those files (Finder & iMovie use AVFoundataion).
Media formats supported by QuickTime Player - Apple Support
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Apr 20, 2015 8:01 AM in response to Drew Reeceby drrbr1,Thank you for your prompt reply. I think I had gathered some of this from the Forums.
However, I have now installed MediaInfo 0.7.73 as per your suggestion but it does not get me very far!
On opening one of the files with MediaInfo, I get this information:
General
MPEG-4 (QuickTime): 30.5 MiB, 1mn 59s
1 Video stream: AVC
1 Audio stream: AAC
Overall bit rate mode: Variable
Overall bit rate: 4 934 Kbps
Encoded date: UTC 1904-01-01 00:00:00
Tagged date: UTC 1904-01-01 00:00:00
Go to the website of a player for this file
The website turns out to be Apple Quicktime, which does not play it and which is where I came in!
Also
Streams
Video: English, 4 887Kbps, 1280*720 (16:9), at 29.836fps, AVC
Main@L4.1) (CABAC / 1 Ref Frames)
Audio: English, 22.05 KHz, 1 channel, AAC (LC)
Any further guidance - most welcome
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Apr 20, 2015 12:50 PM in response to drrbr1by Drew Reece,AAC audio is supported by Quicktime X - it is possible that the movie is actually damaged. If you have multiple files, compare them, especially if they are from the same source is the error consistent?
In mediainfo look at 'View > HTML'. Paste the info here if you want another pair of eyes to look at it, not sure why use I will be.
NOTE:
iTunes can sometimes be a simple way to convert to other formats, see if the file imports then use the 'Create new version > Create new Apple TV version'. If that works you know the movie can be processed. It's possible the Windows tools are being more forgiving about misconfigured settings or damaged data in the file - in which case I would export on Windows to a new file - it may allow iMovie to work with it after that. I don't know how that would be done on Windows.
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Apr 20, 2015 1:42 PM in response to Drew Reeceby drrbr1,Thank you again for your response - it is very much appreciated.
I know the media files can be processed because as previously posted, VLC can play it normally with sound, QT 7 can play it without sound, Every file has the same issue - there are dozens of them available and being added to daily (in car camera saving every 2 minutes).
If opened on a Windows PC (iMac partition) then programmes like Nero will play the files OK. QT in Windows will not. The same " file maybe damaged" type message appears
Given that VLC in Mac and Nero in Windows will play the files, I am reluctant to accept that the media files are "damaged" which is what QT 10.3 keeps suggesting. Can it be "damaged' and play in other programmes as above? If so it doesn't say much for QT tolerance compared with the other programmes.
I accept it is now probably an academic issue as I do have a solution, but I just don't like unresolved issues like this. Additionally, the solution(s) are laborious (in Windows), not what I spent a great deal of money on buying a 27inch iMac for and certainly the use of iMovie appears to be impossible.
I am not sure what View>HTML means but one view in MediaInfo shows:
General
Complete name : /Users/Heliopolis/Desktop/Video Files/20150416_112956B.mov
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : QuickTime
Codec ID : qt
File size : 31.0 MiB
Duration : 2mn 0s
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 2 162 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 1904-01-01 00:00:00
Tagged date : UTC 1904-01-01 00:00:00
Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP : M=1, N=29
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 2mn 0s
Source duration : 2mn 0s
Bit rate : 2 101 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 3:2
Frame rate : 24.972 fps
Standard : NTSC
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.243
Stream size : 30.1 MiB (97%)
Source stream size : 30.1 MiB (97%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 1904-01-01 00:00:00
Tagged date : UTC 1904-01-01 00:00:00
mdhd_Duration : 120294
Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 2mn 0s
Source duration : 2mn 0s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Channel positions : Front: C
Sampling rate : 22.05 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Source stream size : 618 KiB (2%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 1904-01-01 00:00:00
Tagged date : UTC 1904-01-01 00:00:00
mdhd_Duration : 120294
Is this the HTML view to which you refer? If not, I need directing further.
Regards
I will sign off as "Frustrated"
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Apr 25, 2015 7:01 AM in response to drrbr1by Drew Reece,I probably have a different version of mediainfo, I was referring to the 'View' menu & the html option, it looks like you found the info anyway
I totally understand the annoyance.
The audio is listed as a single centre channel.
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Channel positions : Front: C
I have to wonder if QT7 is simply failing to select the channel & wants L&R audio?
Can you drop a file into Dropbox or similar to share on the web?
It's probably easiest to look at the file & see what happens for me.
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Apr 25, 2015 8:49 AM in response to Drew Reeceby drrbr1,Hello and thank you.
I will try to do as you ask when I get home next week-I need to find out how to do that first.
I regret it is an age thing and much of this is beyond me!
I do appreciate your continued interest.
Regards
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Apr 26, 2015 7:10 AM in response to drrbr1by Jon Walker,I accept it is now probably an academic issue as I do have a solution, but I just don't like unresolved issues like this.
Technically speaking, this is a very interesting problem. Since you indicate the source device records audio in the VBR mode and that QT 7 and VLC can both play the MOV files but QT X can't, I am wondering if the issue may be one of AAC "standards" and the manner in which individual players evaluate the content. I.e., QT is very standards conscious in terms of bit and sampling rate combinations. E.g., QT X may be evaluating the 22.050 KHz sampling rate in terms of the audio's variable data rate excursions while QT 7 may evaluate the sampling rate in terms of the average audio data rate and VLC simply doesn't care about evaluating the combination with regard to meeting an AAC "Standards" combination.
Since you, like myself, don't like the idea of "unresolved issues," I suggest you make a simple test. Simply export the AAC track to a new MOV file but target the audio as constant data AAC mono content. I would suggest keeping the 22.050 KHz sampling rate and target the data rate at 24 Kbps—which is squarely in the middle of the range of audio data rates "preferred" by QT for this sampling rate. If the output content then plays in the QT X player, you have likely solved your riddle. If not, then you can still upload a sample file for more "in-depth" examination by interested parties who frequent this particular forum.
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Apr 26, 2015 12:50 PM in response to Jon Walkerby drrbr1,Thank you to both Drew and John for your interest and help.
I regret John, that the experiment you ask me to do is beyond me currently without further help. However, I will continue to research this to see what I can do to progress this.
In the meantime, I have uploaded one of the .mov files in question to Dropbox - much to my own surprise! The link is:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/otdbdbax7lp9gi0/20150426_183535A.mov?dl=0
I don't know what use this may be because this plays OK from Dropbox without any problem! I don't know what their "player" is. Presumably it can be downloaded from Dropbox for more detailed examination and without modification from when it was uploaded?
I confirm that prior to uploading it did not play on my Mac with QT10.3 at all and only without sound with QT7. VLC was fine.
Thank you both again.
Regards
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Apr 26, 2015 1:12 PM in response to drrbr1by drrbr1,One more piece of information which may or may not be relevant - if I open the file with "Quick Look" the video play OK but without sound. The default player is QT10.
Regards
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Apr 26, 2015 1:34 PM in response to drrbr1by Jon Walker,https://www.dropbox.com/s/otdbdbax7lp9gi0/20150426_183535A.mov?dl=0
Is this URL public? All I get is the following message:
Presumably it can be downloaded from Dropbox for more detailed examination and without modification from when it was uploaded?
Are you saying that you already downloaded the file yourself?
I confirm that prior to uploading it did not play on my Mac with QT10.3 at all and only without sound with QT7. VLC was fine.
Okay. At first I thought you meant it would not open in QT X but played with audio in both QT 7 and VLC. However, a non-standard data-sampling rate combination could still explain the behavior of both QT players, as well as, non-QT third-party players. If you have a file smaller than 20 MB or are using the iCloud service for attachments greater than 20 MB, simply email the sample file to the address in my profile.
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Apr 26, 2015 1:46 PM in response to drrbr1by Jon Walker,One more piece of information which may or may not be relevant - if I open the file with "Quick Look" the video play OK but without sound. The default player is QT10.
QL playback is also supported by the QT structures embedded in Mac OS X. Apps like VLC (and most other "open sourced" apps) are based on the FFmpeg codec framework which is not constrained to the QT "standards."
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Apr 27, 2015 12:15 AM in response to Jon Walkerby drrbr1,Oh dear! My apologies!
The file was there because I "tested" the posted link to try it before posting on this forum. In doing so it seems I deleted it.
I did get a message saying something to the effect that "You already have this file". Perhaps as a result Dropbox deleted it?
I have uploaded it to Dropbox again and this time i have left it at that - no test.
The new link is:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/otdbdbax7lp9gi0/20150426_183535A.mov?dl=0
Which is the same as the old one. However it is certainly ther with a thumbnail picture.
I will see if I can also send it to your profile as requested.



