Determine which QuickTime codec I need

I am trying to figure out how to get the videos I take with my digital camera (Casio EX-ZS10) to play via iPhoto. When I open them in iPhoto, they automatically play in QuickTime, which has audio but no video. I've already determined they play fine in VLC, but haven't figured out a way to force iPhoto to use VLC (even changing the file to play with VLC by default didn't help). So there are two acceptable solutions, neither of which I know how to do:

1--Change iPhoto to play videos in VLC

2--Add the right component/codec in QuickTime to play the files correctly.

If you are still using OS X v10.5.8, then Motion JPEG should normally be natively supported by QT. However, since it is in the AVI container, QT may be trying to call the Apple OpenDML JPEG component for support via Perian which can then create a conflict problem when both Perian and the DivX codec packages are simultaneously installed. (I.e., Casio EX--Z600 Motion JPEG/ADPCM files sill play for me in the QT 7 Player under Mountain Lion OS. If you have upgraded to Lion or Mountain Lion and are using the QT X Player for playback, then be advised that native Motion JEPEG support was dropped from both Lion and Mountain Lion operating systems.

With regard to your first propposition, iPhoto is more or less hardwired to use the QT 7 Player (or QT X Player under OS 10.6, 10.7, and 10.8 operating systems) and to my knowledge cannot be changed to use other players from within the iPhoto app. Files can, however, be opened externally at the finder level by any "Open With..." default you may elect to set including VLC. (I.e., you can alias any files within any iPhoto Library on any "visible" hard drive, consolidate the alias files on the same or any other hard drive attached to your system, and then simply double-click the alias icon to open the original file in your "default" media player.)

With regard to your second proposition, I suspect your main QT problem (if still operating uder OS v10.5.8) may simply be a codec component conflict in your system's component configuration since AVI Motion JPEG files are still supported in the QT 7 Player under Mountain Lion on my main platform. Suggest you perform a codec component conflict test with particular emphasis on having both DivX and Perian codecs simultaneously installed. (I.e. several codecs which are playback supported by the Perian package can create conflicts if the original provider codecs are left installed after installing the Perian package.)

Okay, so I'm not sure what I need to do to resolve it. QuickTime is 7.7, not QTX. And I am still running Mac OS X 10.5.8.

Having two different components installed on your system to handle the same video codec can frequently prevent either from playing your video file. For instance, you have both the DivX and Perian codecs installed simultaneously on your system. Since both may be trying to access the video content in your AVI file, they may be in conflict with one another. (The Perian site used to recommend removing DivX, Xvid, 3ivX, and similar codecs which can be handled by the Perian package alone. To see if this is the problem, simply go to the "~/Library/QuickTime" folder and removed (but do not discard) the DivX codec components. Then close the the QT 7 player app if it is open and again try double-clicking the AVI file in iPhoto. Each time the QT Player is opened, it generates a new list of codecs currently supported and which specific component is to be called if that codec is required for playback. This may or may not fix your problem and I would try playing the file both from within iPhoto and externally from the Finder to see if the AVI file will play correctly in one, the other, or both playback work blows.

If all else fails try posting a short sample file that can be tested on othe Mountain Lion systems to see if the problem is limited to just your system configuration or is an OS specific problem for all Mountain Lion users.

You mentioned doing a codec component conflict test. Any suggestions on where/how to do that?

The steps given above are an abbreviated QT codec component conflict test. While there are several strategies that can be employed, the basic conflict test consists in the removal or addition of one or more components to the QT component folder, closing and opening the QT 7 Player, and re-attempting to play the problem file. This process is repeated until the file plays correctly and until you can determine which codec or combination of codecs prevent proper playback. (I usually use a binanry tree strategy—i.e., I remove all non-Apple codecs and then add half the of the codecs currently being tested until playback starts or stops working correctly. At that point I reverse direction and remove half of the codecs last added and check to see when playback again starts/stops working repeat this process until I discover which codec is causing problems with the combination of codecs currently installed.)

I'm not sure how to attach a video sample for testing. The only attach option I see is for an image or a link.

Small sample files (less than 20 MBs) can normally be emailed. Larger files are normally uploaded to a server or posted to a user's personal web site and the URL posted to this forum for access by anyone able to assist in solving your problem or the URL could be emailed to a specific recipient or a reference file resourcing the server posted file can be emailed or posted, etc. Another possibility would be to send the file via a peer-to-peer IM app like iChat, Messages, AIM, etc. (Or Apple may someday activate the "Insert Video" option for this forum.) It all depends on what resources you have at your disposal.

I checked your profile, but didn't see an email listed (did see that you're retired AF, and my husband is AD USAF... we're stationed at Yokota. =).

Try it now. (Privacy setting must have been changed during one of Apple's forum software updates.) Spent about 9 years at Kadena AB on Okinawa.

Would definitely be nice to have an "attach video" option in the forum.

Option is avasilable (and has been for a couple of years) but never seems to have been activated. (See greyed out icon above the "Insert Image" icon button in the advanced control panel or the same icon to the right of the "Insert Image" icon in the basic control panel.) Activation would probably require a vast amount of server space and require a lot of time and effort to "police" on a continuing basis.

Message with attachment sent. Any suggestions? Anything from anyone else? I'm so stumped.

Have yet to receive anything. How lard was the attachment?

My bad, it was pretty large. I just sent another one that is a 6 second video, so should be pretty small. Thanks for your help.

Got it. File plays fine for me. As previously indicated, you appear to have some sort of a conflict in your system configuration. File should play with standard Apple codec components installed plus the Perian package. Sent you a screen capture of what I see and hear when I play your file on my system.

Follow-Up:

In case you need a quick fix or can't figure out how to correct your system's codec component configuration, you can use the free HandBrake app to convert your MJPEG/ADPCM AVI files to H.264/AAC M4V files using the default TV 2 (1280x720) preset which does not rely on your system codecs.