Q: Quick Look doesn't work for .mov files in 10.9
I can no longer view .mov files in Quick Look mode after installing 10.9. Can anyone verify this?
MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9)
Posted on Oct 24, 2013 3:17 PM
I can no longer view .mov files in Quick Look mode after installing 10.9. Can anyone verify this?
Based on you initial comments and my inability to duplicate the problem with my iTunes/Mobile device files, I spent much of the evening running a series of tests on other file/compression types. It does appear that the QL has been modified to more closely mimic media app playback—i.e., the system routine now appears to look at both the file extension and compression formats in deciding how to handle QL. While I have mapped out a number of QL workflows (primarily for Apple supplied codec components), I do not have the time to dedicate days (or even weeks) for the examination of all possible permutations, let alone third-party possibilies. However, is a quick summery of some of the "generalizations" observed:
1) QL playback/lack of playback is not limited to just MOV file types/file extensions.
2) If QL/Maverics does not recognize the file extension/file type, the system Finder icon will display as a generic document icon and not allow QL playback.
3) If QL/Maverics recognizes the file extension/file type but does not support QT for the specific compression format(s) contained within the file, then the system Finder icon will display as a generic or content specific document icon and not support QL playback.
4) If QL/Mavericks recognizes both the file type/extension type and the compression format(s), then the system Finder icon will display as a QL preview capable file icon but may or may not actually play the file. Unfortunately, this is an area where things can get really confusing. Here is just one example:
If I take an unencrypted muxed MPEG2/AC3 in a VOB file container, it's Finder icon displays as a genereric ducument file that cannot opened in QL or QT X v10.3 but will open and play without audio in the QT 7 player with the Apple QT MPEG-2 Playback component installed. If I take this file and change file extension to MPG, MPEG, or TS, then
a) QL will open the file but not play it,
b) QT X v10.3 will open and play the file but the video on my system is not smooth, and
c) QT 7 with MPEG-2 component will play the MPG and MPG file video smoothly but not the audio and the TS file will not load because QT 7 will only open/play program stream content.
If I take the same VOB file and move the muxed MPEG2/AC3 data to a real TS file container, then the TS file will open in QL, plays the MPEG-2 video (again not smoothly), but won't play the AC3 audio at all.
If I take the same VOB file and remux the MPEG-2 video with MP2 audio to TS file, then QL opens and plays both the video (not smoothly) and the audio.
if I take the same VOB file and remux the MPEG-2 video with MP2 audio to an MPEG file container, then QL, QT X v10.3, and QT 7 with MPEG-2 component all play both audio and video but video playback reamians "unsmooth" in QL and QTX and smooth in QT 7 on my system.
If I take the same VOB file and remux the MPEG2/AC3 data to an MKV file container, then the MKV file is incompatible with QL, plays the video smoothly in QT 7 with Perian installed, and forces QT X v10.3 to convert the data to an H.264/AAC MOV file. Unfortunately, the resulting H.264 video contains incompatible AAC audio (insufficient bandwith of only about 1 Kbps per channel) but the video plays smoothly in QT, QT X v10.3, and QT 7.
In any case, it is this playback inconsistancy based on file type and compression format that is causing problems in mapping what has changed under Mavericks. At this point, it appears the QL may now be sharing some of the "playback" routines originally developed/programmed into QT X v10.1 and v10.2 and is now placing restrictions on how the QL feature functions. Recommend other interested parties make similar tests on their own systems and share what they learn. For instance, it appears that neither QT X v10.3 nor QT natively support legacy formats like AIC/PCM MOV, Animation/PCM MOV, or PNG/PCM nor DV/DV content in a DV file container but continue to support DV/PCM in MOV, H.264/AAC in MOV/MP4/M4V, MPEG4/AAC in MOV/MP4, HDV/PCM in MOV, ProRes422/PCM in MOV, etc. And, while my iTunes manged H.264/AAC/AC3/Chapter M4V file library remains compatible with QL, QT X v10.3, and QT 7 playback, I was disappointed to note the current QT embedded structure now reflects my inactive secondary AC3 sourroud sound audio tracks as having a zero data rate which I suspect may be the reason I've lost the ability to switch to AC3-optical decoder playback on my system. In short, it looks like it will take some time and a lot of man hours to properly figure out all of the changes made to Mavericks so I recommend QT users be sure to share any QT related information you may recover in the near future.
Posted on Oct 25, 2013 7:35 AM










