How to upgrade Quicktime to Quicktime Pro?

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Level 1

43 points

How to upgrade Quicktime to Quicktime Pro?

My MacBook 13 comes with Quicktime, in order to convert MOV to MP4 I understand that I need QuickTime Pro. I cannot find it in the Apple Store.

MacBook

Posted on Oct 31, 2020 11:29 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 31, 2020 8:47 PM in response to Ike_C

My MacBook 13 comes with Quicktime

Please disclose your version macOS.

In order to convert MOV to MP4 I understand that I need QuickTime Pro.

There are many tools that can do video conversions. QuickTime Pro has been retired for many years now (2016).

Modern MOV files are (largely) MP4 compliant and do not require any conversion. Foo.mov and Foo.mp4 are equivalent.

Old MOV files may not be MP4 compliant.

If you don’t want to convert, than you can use a more versatile media player, e.g. VLC.

If you have other reasons to want MP4 over MOV, then please elaborate.

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Answer 2

Nov 1, 2020 1:41 AM in response to Ike_C

If you are still using Mojave or older macOS you can convert the old movies to .mp4 with MPEG Streamclip.

I have used its preset Export to MPEG-4... > iTunes... > Apple TV 4:3 (SD) as a base and then tweaked it, if necessary. If there are lots of similar files, you can use the batch option.

Sadly MPEG Streamclip 1.9.3b8 is the last version and to get rid of the most GUI artifacts, in macOS 10.14.6 Finder > Get Info: Open in low Resolution.

VLC and Handbrake are other options.

BTW, during the last few days I have experimented with ffmpeg to re-encode my old archived .dv files as "bob" deinterlaced double-fps (50 fps from PAL) HEVC H.265. The quality is OK but does not differ much from the old MPEG Streamclip version with simple 25fps deinterlace with similar filesize H.264. My current batch setting for PAL .dv is (-crf 22 had too many artifacts in low light footage so -crf 18-20 is my next test maybe with -preset slow):

for i in *.dv; do ffmpeg -i "$i" -vf bwdif=1,scale=788:576,crop=768:576:10:0,setsar=sar=1/1 -c:v libx265 -crf 18 -preset medium -tag:v hvc1 -c:a aac -b:a 128k "${i%.*}_converted.mp4"; done

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Answer 3

Ike_C Author

Level 1

43 points

Nov 1, 2020 12:16 PM in response to Matti Haveri

Tks, I am a newbie to Apple. Didn't know that QuickTime Pro was no longer available. Your reply is very good, I have printed it for future reference once I decide to edit and create my own videos with this new MacBook Air.

The reason I was looking for something to convert MOV to MP4 had nothing to do whether it would work here or there, its because MOV which gives you better resolution is about 4 - 6 times bigger in terms of storage. So, a 2 hour movie or video which would take about 4GB in MP4, would be a gazillion in MOV which means you cannot record a 2 hour movie on one 4.7 GB DVD disk. I can still convert using Roxio in my Microflop Windows PC's.

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Answer 4

Ike_C Author

Level 1

43 points

Nov 1, 2020 12:19 PM in response to Urquhart1244

TKs, I didn't know that QuickTime Pro no longer was available. The reason I was looking for something to convert MOV to MP4 had nothing to do whether it would work here or there, its because MOV which gives you better resolution is about 4 - 6 times bigger in terms of storage. So, a 2 hour movie or video which would take about 4GB in MP4, would be a gazillion in MOV which means you cannot record a 2 hour movie on one 4.7 GB DVD disk. I can still convert using Roxio in my Microflop Windows PC's.

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Answer 5

Nov 1, 2020 12:23 PM in response to Ike_C

That's not how DVD's are made.

A DVD will use as much compressions as needed to fit on a DVD. They are limited to time (two hours is the max).

A DVD is standard definition and most of what you view today is HD. That would be a Blue-Ray disc.

But even those don't compare to the most modern Ultra HD (4K) file that even iPhone can record.

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Answer 6

Ike_C Author

Level 1

43 points

Nov 10, 2020 8:57 AM in response to QuickTimeKirk

QuicktimeKirk, tks for your reply. I asked a question about Quicktime, but you answered with a dissertation that had nothing to do with my question. I am sure that you are very proud of yourself. I realize that it was a dumb question, but that is because I am new to the Apple world. Most people that answered were very polite and professional.

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