Playing video encoded with Sorenson 3 QT 7.2

Use the Movie Inspector window to confirm the codec.
Sorenson 3 Video codec has been a part of QuickTime for nearly 10 years. I have no playback issues for files I made with version 3 and older codecs are still supported in the newest versions.

That movie info shows that the file has two video tracks (Sorenson 3 and Apple BMP) both at the same dimensions.
If both files have the same duration it's possible the BMP (image format) is "covering" the other video track.
QuickTime Pro and the Movie Properties window could be used to change the track "layers" to put the Sorenson 3 track above the BMP track, delete or disable the BMP track or even extract the Sorenson 3 and sound track to make a new file.
When QuickTime is missing a codec normally the Player window would be a white display. Does yours show as white?

There is an Automator action (enable or disable tracks) that works with open QuickTime files. It can "Get Tracks from QuickTime" and "Apply to Current Movie". Set it to show actions when run and save it as an application.
Run it on copies (duplicate your folder of files) to avoid ruining if things go wrong. It would save a little time because your don't have to open the Movie Properties window in Pro. In fact, Pro would not be required to use it.
How did all these files get the BMP track? Does it also contain a HREF track hidden in them?

I'm curious about the BMP that prevents the video from playing. Can you provide the URL so that I could take a look at them? (I'm guessing the .bmp might have been a identification mark)

They wouldn't use BMP as a watermark as the format doesn't allow transparency.
My suspicion is that it included a HREFTrack that launched a Web page when the file was done playing or clicked on.
You know. One of those QuickTime files...

I am trying to view some training videos for InDesign, but I'm experiencing the same problem. In my case however, the main video track was encoded using Sorenson Squeeze and the other video track is a PNG image. It appears that the PNG track is used to act as a border to frame the main video, but Quicktime is playing them in the wrong order, with the background in front of the movie. Other video players (VLC, MPEG Streamclip, etc.) play them okay, but nothing will allow me to save these movies without the background image. Quicktime asks me if I want to save the move with the background track disabled, but then just gives me a MAC OS error message of -2126.

I did however, notice that I no longer have a Sorenson codec in any of my Quicktime folders. I'm sure there used to be one, but it seems to have disappeared with one of the many QT upgrades.

"Squeeze" isn't a codec. It's a software tool that is used to compress QuickTime files and can contain dozens of different codecs.
If you can save the file and open it with Pro your can change any track "layer". Lower numbers are "closer" to the viewer.
If your video track has a lower layer number than the PNG track layer it will move to the "top" (presented in front of the PNG).

The Movie Inspector reads as follows:

Sorenson Video 3 Decompressor, 640 x 480, Millions+
MPEG Layer 3, Mono, 44.100 kHz - Apple PNG, 880 x 660, Millions

and according to the Properties window:

Video Track 1 = Sorenson Video 3
Sound Track = MPEG Layer 3
Video Track 2 = PNG

Therefore, as you point out, you would expect Quicktime to play the Movie Track 1 on top of Movie Track 2, but it doesn't.

Unfortunately Quicktime (or QT Pro) will not allow me to save these files, I just get the Mac OS -2126 error message.

Baffling isn't it ;o}

Regards

Message was edited by: Martyn Cottrell

Video "tracks" can be named and the number used in them doesn't show the track "layer".
You see the two different dimensions which indicates (to me) that the PNG track is some type of "frame" around the 640X480 video track.
If, for whatever reasons, the PNG track has the lowest layer number then the only way the video track could be viewed would be if that PNG track also had a "hole" for the video to appear through.
PNG allows transparency. If the transparent area was where the video track was located then both tracks in the movie could have any track layer number.
I have a suspicion that your file may be a "skin track" QuickTime file. One of mine as an example:
http://homepage.mac.com/kkirkster/MTV/

Hmmmm..... I'm pretty sure I understand what you're saying and the demo video was impressive. (I will definately be looking at the tutorial).
However, this hasn't fixed the problem.. In the case of the movies I have here there is a problem with QTs rendering of the PNG file (I surmise). If I disable the PNG track I can see the video OK, but if I leave the PNG enabled and disable the video track, I can see a "frame" in the centre of the screen. I assume that this is where the movie should show through and it looks as though QT can't deal with the centre piece being transparent. This would explain why other movie players show the movie correctly, but not QT.
Of course, it still could just be QT failing to display the tracks in the right order ;o{

This still leaves me with the problem of being unable to save the modified movies with QT (or anythying else for that matter) and iMovie won't even import them.

This isn't exactly the end of the world, I can either use VLC or disable the PNG track in QT when I want to view these movies, it's just another minor irritation that we shouldn't have to put up with.

Thanks for the info and the URL.