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User profile for user: Ryan JW
Ryan JW Author
User level: Level 1
1 points

m4v doesn't play in iTunes

Hi. I have an m4v file type that will not play in iTunes. I have opened with iTunes (default) but it just don't play. I have tried manually importing, yet nothing happens. Someone please help me. Thanks.

20" iMac 2GB DDR3 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Nov 10, 2010 9:47 AM

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11 replies
User profile for user: macbosvet
macbosvet
User level: Level 1
0 points

Dec 29, 2010 12:14 PM in response to ScuseMe

I encountered the same problem after trying to rename 2 of my m4v-films in iTunes. iTunes crashed on the attempt to renaming, the film can not be displayed anymore and the preview of the film disappeared. After export of damaged file to desktop and trying to open with Quick time player there is a error: film cannot be opened; contains a wrong public atom (or so …). Different videoconverters and perian : no solution !
Somebody knows how to repair those files ?
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User profile for user: philiporeilly
philiporeilly
User level: Level 1
4 points

Jan 21, 2011 3:36 AM in response to macbosvet

Quicktime / iTunes / Apple TV throw up a lot of errors with M4V / MP4 files that other media players do not.

I recommend downloading VLC as it is a much better media player than quicktime. If your file plays in that it is more than likely something simple with the Meta Data or chapters that is causing the error.

To fix the M4V file without having to transcode, I recommend downloading Metadata Hootenanny (FREE) from http://www.applesolutions.com/bantha/MH.html

Using that, add a movie chapter (VIEW > CHAPTERS) and save the file. It should save the file within a .mov container fairly quickly with the same quality video. You only need to save one chapter (more if you want) as iTunes stalls if it cant find chapter references in the M4V files. That .MOV file can be imported into iTunes and played on an Apple TV.

More errors with MP4 files that cannot be imported into iTunes can be fixed by simply remaning the file extension from .mp4 to .m4v

MP4 file that give the error " invalid public atom " when opened with iTunes can be fixed using VLC. Open the video with VLC and FILE > STREAMING/EXPORT WIZZARD

Select Transcode / Save to file, then select video from existing playlist item. Ensure the video / audio transcode options are UNTICKED as you only want to quickly change the container to .mov

Save the file and iTunes will be able to play / import.
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User profile for user: chropro
chropro
User level: Level 1
0 points

May 21, 2014 5:44 PM in response to Ryan JW

ok here is a legitimate solution that is in fact ironic.


C F Mcblob wrote M4V is an apple file that they use for purchases. They use this as a way to protect their MP4 files.


  1. The irony here is that the m4v and mp4 file containers are identical in nature. 99.99% of m4v files can simple be changed to mp4 by clicking on the file name and changing the file extension to mp4 and then importing it to itunes. In fact, i just took an mkv,
  2. put it through handbrake.
  3. handbrake exports to m4v (but as you'll notice, hnadbrake actually calls it an mp4 when you are selecting the export file type.)
  4. Then i click the file name, changed the extension from m4v to mp4 and clicked enter.
  5. When prompted, click that you accept mp4 as the new extension.
  6. This will be capable of adding to itunes and playing on apple tv.


Ps: you can also use VLC to 'convert' the container

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m4v doesn't play in iTunes

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