cannot import .mov files from Iphone 7 to El Capitan

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Level 1

8 points

cannot import .mov files from Iphone 7 to El Capitan

MacBook pro, late 2008 (please don't ask me to buy a new mac)

iphone 7 (ditto)

I'm trying to import .mov files into Photos (version 1.5) from my iphone 7 (14.4) to MacBook Pro running 10.11.6 El Capitan

I've tried this in Terminal with a reboot:

sudo /usr/libexec/xpchelper --rebuild-cache

Still no luck. This is a new problem that seems to have happened after I activated Icloud.

Won't play in Quicktime. Also I seem to not be able to possess any version of iPhoto any more.

Keeping all this straight with icloud and the Apple native apps is daunting and frustrating, but that's another subject.

thanks for your assistance.

Posted on Feb 27, 2021 6:26 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

TonyCollinet

Level 7

24,056 points

Feb 28, 2021 2:35 PM in response to sisboombah

So, there is your problem - codec used for these videos is HEVC/H265. This is not recognised by your older version of photos. High Sierra is the oldest version of MacOS which can work with these formats.

For the future, on your phone, go into camera settings>formats and change to "most compatible" This will make your camera record in formats for both video and photos that your Mac can use.

If you need the videos already recorded you'll have to convert them to MP4/H264. The good news is VLC (video lan) can do this for you from the file menu (convert/stream), then select the format as shown in the screenshot. I have to confess, I haven't tried this, so don't know how good a job it will do.

EDIT - OK, just tried it. Does a pretty good job.

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Answer 2

Feb 28, 2021 4:51 AM in response to sisboombah

Hi

Can you download and install the app Video Lan.

https://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Use it to open one of the files - if it won't play, it is almost certainly damaged. If it will, open up the media info pane (window>media information).

What does it say the codec is in the stream with type video (see screenshot)?

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Answer 3

Feb 28, 2021 2:49 PM in response to sisboombah

Have you updated your phone to a later version which is now recording in HEVC/HEIC?

And just reading your reply properly - are you saying you've had "most compatible" selected but are still getting HEVC format videos? Or has a phone update changed that setting?

I'm not asking you to buy a new mac. (And by the way we are not apple here, just users like yourself).

I would suggest it is not so much planned obsolescence by Apple, just natural obsolescence. If we want our tech suppliers to continue to innovate - it is inevitable they'll create stuff that is not compatible with our old tech. Or we can just continue to have the same stuff we had 10/13/20 years ago without any improvements.

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Answer 4

sisboombah Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 28, 2021 1:59 PM in response to TonyCollinet

First off, thank you for your help. I think we're close.

They are playing in VideoLan. I had to point VLC to find the files in a separate library that I had created in "Photos" in order to solve this problem, because the icons in "Photos" cannot be drag/dropped anywhere.

Here's the screenshot:

So while I'm happy they are playing with VLC, they are no longer on my Iphone, and show up in this "Photos" library as blank icons with a time duration of 0:00 and a date assigned "Dec 29, 1". I assure you I wasn't present at Jesus' birth, either with or without an iphone 7.

Incidentally, SEVERAL previously imported videos in the "regular" Photos library are showing the same thing, blank icon, 0:00 duration, and under "info" showing a date of Dec 29, 1 at 7:07 pm.

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Answer 5

sisboombah Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 28, 2021 2:38 PM in response to TonyCollinet

Ok, thank you for getting to the problem, but how is it that my videos have been playing fine for years on El Capitan and all of a sudden are obsolete?

And does this mean I have to convert 100s of files one by one and reimport them into Photos or wherever?

I have incidentally had "most compatible" selected for as long as I can remember.

I appreciate your help, but this is nothing more than PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE on the part of Apple. I go back to the first sentence of my original post.

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Answer 6

sisboombah Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 2, 2021 1:24 PM in response to TonyCollinet

I understand when new hardware or devices are introduced, but this is like Oster coming in your house and modding the toaster and blender you've owned for years so they don't work any more. The phone and Macbook have been doing something for years that they are suddenly not doing now without a seriously major workaround. l

Thanks again.

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Answer 7

sisboombah Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 28, 2021 2:19 PM in response to sisboombah

NB: Never mind about them not being on my iphone. I had uploaded them to the icloud after trying to import. That's not a problem.

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cannot import .mov files from Iphone 7 to El Capitan

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