Remove audio from QuickTime MOV file

How can I just remove the audio track from a QuickTime MOV file

(H.264/1080p/59.94fps) without losing any video quality

(no decompress & re-compress -- just re-wrap video without audio)?

Probably the most common method would be to open the file in QT 7 Pro, select the audio track, press the "Delete" button, and either use the "Save" option to save the change to the current file container or use the Save As ..." option to preserve the original file and write the video to a new MOV file container.

While I do do not have FCP X, if it works the same as FCP, then you could import the file to the app, add it to a project, remove the audio track(s), and use the "Save to QuickTime" option to place the unrecompressed video data in a new MOV file container. This may also be possible using GarageBand but I have never tried using it to remove audio tracks and saving the resulting video using the "Full Quality" expert setting. If the file data is compressed as H.264/AAC, then you might try opening the file with Subler, deselect the audio track, and saving the unrecompressed video data to an M4V file container.

I tried to open the file in QT 7 Pro, but couldn't see nor select the audio track.

I assume this only works with the full version (which I don't have and normally don't need).

(I read QT 7 Pro is not working correctly (export) under Lion. Is this right...?)

As you can see, the individual tracks are accessed in the "Properties" window. Once the audio track is selected, the the "Extract" and "Delete" option buttons become activated for use. As to a "full version" of QT 7 Pro, I have no idea what you are referring to here. You either have the QT 7 Player app or your have QT 7 Pro (i.e., the QT 7 Player app keyed for "Pro" use)—there is no "full version." As to QT 7 Pro not working under Lion, yes, the same QT 7 (v7.6.6) that works under Snow Leopard also works under Lion. However, it appears the player did lose the "Loop" feature in the Lion v10.7.4 update which I have yet to apply but am currently considering to install since this is not something I normally use but am required to have installed for the latest Compressor and Aperture updates.

With my basic version of QT 7 Pro I can remove the audio track when exporting

to MPEG-4 (Video: Pass through; Audio: None) but this is not the MOV container I need.

Data is automatically copied to an MOV file container any time you use the QT 7 Pro "Save As ..." option. MPEG Streamclip also has this capability if you do not have QT 7 Pro available.

(BTW When/If buying a QT 7 Pro key, could it be used on 1 Mac only or on all my Macs?)

The regular liscense only allows the user to use the Pro key on a single computer at a time. It does not, however, prevent you from removing the key from one computer and then applying it to another as in the case where you might purchase a new system and sell or give away the older one nor does it actually check to see if you have the key installed on more than one operating system at a time.

I had already tried this, but exporting took so long that I thought the video had been recompressed.

The object here is not to recompress the file at all. If you can do so with FCP X, import the original source file in its original compression format(s). (I.e., do no let it be converted to the default editing compression format and use the "Export/QuickTime Movie..." option which does not actually recompress the video. What I don't know is whether the file is exported with audio track(s) present but turned off or if the audio is track(s) is/are omitted altogether.

(How did you find THIS out?)

I frequently repeat the same work flow when creating training clips so rather than creating a new project for each, I reload the last training video and modify the audio and/or video content as needed.

The file isn't AAC but Linear PCM 24 bit, but it wouldn't help anyway because Subler can't save as MOV.

As previously noted, placing data in an MOV file container is a simple matter using either QT 7 Pro, the free MPEG Streamclip app, VLC, or any similar app.

Any other simple solution...?

No, none that I can think of. QT 7 Pro is my normal choice for quick masking of video, compositing, extracting, or deleting data at the track level. I suggest you recheck to be sure you actually have QT 7 Pro installed.