How to open .mov files in m2v1 format?

Question

How to open .mov files in m2v1 format?

I have a number of video files in the following format:

'm2v1', 720 x 576 (1024 x 576), Millions
16-bit Integer (Little Endian), Left, 48.000 kHz
16-bit Integer (Little Endian), Right, 48.000 kHz

I have Quicktime 7with the Mpeg-2 component (£15 extra of course) installed as well as Mpeg Streamclip and Perian. I still cannot open these files.
When I try to open them then I get a blank screen but with the audio alone.
I don't know the source camera for this footage but its driving me bananas thinking I've got a solution and then finding that I am no further forward.
I have googled and read through this forum but cannot find any comparable problem or solution.

PowerMac G5 2.5Ghz Dual + G4 1.67Ghz Powerbook 2Gb RAM, Mac OS X (10.4.11), 30Gb iPod Video + 20Gb 1st Generation ipod still working well!

Posted on Apr 23, 2009 4:40 AM

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Answer 1

Ricktoronto

Level 6

11,560 points

Apr 23, 2009 12:05 PM in response to Anthony ÓDoibhailein

You need to re-Google as this is in these forums and suggests Streamclip works for the issue. I think if not you will face iMovie issues as an alternative since iMovie depends on this type of file to be on board the camera with the data files used by iMovie to interpret the content intact, e.g. from the finder the file alone will not import (or apparently play).

There is a lot in Google about this format one solution being a hex eidtor to change two instances of M2V1 in the file to another (IIRC MP2V).

From prior posts here: +M2V1 is the FourCC for your raw MPEG2/AC3 files on the camcorder. These files are not edit compatible since they contain I-, P-, and B-frames in a GOP (group of pictures) structure. In order to edit the content, iMovie '08 transforms the files as part of the import process. Basically the content is demultiplexed, the video frames are decoded and the and saved as all I-frames in an MOV file container. Since this essentially turns the MPEG-2 content into Motion-JPEG, the video can now be edited. At the same time, the audio data is also demultiplexed and the individual left and right audio channels are transcoded to individual AIFF (linear PCM audio using "Big Endian" byte order) and stored in the same MOV file container along with the transformed video. A time code track and start and/or end data offsets are then added to minimize possible audio-video drift in the final MOV file.+

+I suspect your problem is that your Mac Pro recognizes the modified files and can play/process the data using the iMovie '08 installed support while your MacBook Pro does not have this support and relying on the original M2V1 FourCC, is trying to decode the video using the QT MPEG-2 Playback component instead. Since this component apparently will not handle the modified video, all you get is the audio which is "natively" compatible with the base QT structure.+

+If true, then you have two options. The first is to copy the raw camcorder files to your MacBook Pro and convert them manually to whatever compression format you want using the QT MPEG-2 Playback component you already have together with MPEG Streamclip as suggested by David or you can install iMovie '08 or the missing component(s) to your MacBook Pro to make it compatible with your "iMovie '08 converted" MOV files+

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Answer 2

Apr 23, 2009 1:02 PM in response to Ricktoronto

Thanks for your response. Its not quite the easy to use solution I was hoping for. I've been trying this using a hex editor, something I have never delved into before. The Google searches I have done have not been that extensive and the forum entry you quote is one I read, and as I read I was losing a bit of heart!
Don't know if you can advise me regards the hex editing? Should I replace the two instances of the 'm2v1' with '(IIRC MP2V)'? I have tried this but to no avail.
Any advice is most welcome.

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Answer 3

Ricktoronto

Level 6

11,560 points

Apr 29, 2009 9:33 AM in response to Anthony ÓDoibhailein

What happened with iMovie or have you tried it?

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Answer 4

Apr 29, 2009 1:01 PM in response to Ricktoronto

Thanks for getting back to me again.
I am still working with iMovie HD 5.0.2. I use Final cut express 3.5.1 for all my editing needs and usually it does the job for me. When I treid in iMovie then the files opened as black or white blank screens
I have the Quicktime MPEG-2 Playback component installed I think! I bought it, unpacked it and went through the installation process. Other than the installer stating that the software has been successfully installed how else would I know that it has actually been installed? I can't recall whether it is just part of the quicktime package or is a separate entity.
I did use it last week and with the combination suggested including the hex editor and Media stream software I did manage to get the clips open. Unfortunately they were all oddly pixelated and unsusable. On the disc I was given with the clips on it, there are thumbnails of the clips which open no problem though they are obviously not great quality.

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