Question for Mac experts-

[DonLandis]

I sometimes run into compatibility issues with Mac (video production) houses. Most of the time, I'm solving these for them. Now I have run into one and need some help.

I recently received a dvd of some video for inclusion in a clients project from their other production company, the Mac house. The first DVD arrived and after some head scratching, I added a file extension .mov to the file on the DVD and voila, it loaded into my editor and worked fine. This week I got two more DVD's. They asked if the previous one played OK on my PC. I said it did fine and just do the same thing as they did before. BUT, this time the files on the DVD were labeled "avi" I thought, COOL! just load them and no need to worry. They didn't load. I got an error message that the file was corrupt. I tried to load it into QT player version 7 and the audio was garbled and the video was blank. I tried the DVD in another computer using QT version 6.5 and it played fine, audio and video.
Unfortunately the quick time players do not permit me to save the file to a structure that will play in my editor or any other players I have installed. I have over a dozen players and 3 other video editors that failed.

Does anyone know what the Mac does to create an avi? And, why this avi will not play in any avi player except the quick time version 6.5?

[RichW]

Don,

Have you tried playing the .avi with a DIVX player? (free on the net)

[P Smith]

I would go into Info and get a creator's info first.

[RichW]

Well the reason I say try DIVX is because many producers nowadays use a DIVX codec, so the first step is to see if that is the case here. The solution to the problem will be dependent upon whether or not a codec exists for the editing program(s) you use, Don.

Of course this may not be the issue, but try DIVX to at least eliminate that possibility.

[DonLandis]

Divx? Tried it and no go!
The video occupies 2Gb for only 4 minutes! It may be uncompressed at an extremely high bit rate.


After playing it in QuickTime 6.5 I see there are other shooting issues that will make the use of this stuff impossible for broadcast anyway. The audio is all burried in the background noise because the shooter didn't take the time to use a lav mic.


If my client who hired this shooter insists, I'll take the DVD's over to a Mac house and give it a whirl in FCP.

Another Mac question- Does Quick Time Professional allow to save a video out to another format? I thought I should buy that in here if it can. Although most editors I have here can see mov QT files and mix them on the timeline with all other video formats, but this one.

[ibglowin]

Hi Don,

Yes, QTPro allows you to export in a host of other formats including AVI, DivX, DV, MPEG4. It will also alow you to extract the audio from the video or vice versa.

Its $29 upgrade and sounds like you need it for sure.

Attached is a screen grab of the export options.


Another Mac question- Does Quick Time Professional allow to save a video out to another format? I thought I should buy that in here if it can. Although most editors I have here can see mov QT files and mix them on the timeline with all other video formats, but this one.

[DonLandis]

Mike-

How is backward compatibility with this product? I know that much of the stuff from Apple is designed to keep Mac people always upgrading. My concern is that if I spend the $29 will I be needing to upgrade again is a few months? Microsoft stuff is pretty safe but I've had problems being enslaved to products like Adobe and Sony software that is not compatible and it keeps you broke with the upgrade costs each year. My Mac friends tell me it's worse with software from Apple developers. Not that $29 is going to break the bank but I hate spending the nickel dime costs all the time for little used applications. That practice can break the bank!

[ibglowin]

Hey Don,

Sorry about not getting back to you sooner, been doing the Xmas shopping this weekend.

I have upgraded my QTPro 2 times in 6 years I guess. Backwards compatibility has never been an issue. I have upgraded to take advantage of new features (new codecs etc.) in major upgrades. Minor upgrades are always free and usually happen a couple of times each year. Apple comes out with a new iLife suite each year and they always add new cutting edge toys that I want of course so they get alot of my $$$ but I have to say I am always satisfied with the products and feel like the money was well spent. :-)

Mike-

How is backward compatibility with this product? I know that much of the stuff from Apple is designed to keep Mac people always upgrading. My concern is that if I spend the $29 will I be needing to upgrade again is a few months? Microsoft stuff is pretty safe but I've had problems being enslaved to products like Adobe and Sony software that is not compatible and it keeps you broke with the upgrade costs each year. My Mac friends tell me it's worse with software from Apple developers. Not that $29 is going to break the bank but I hate spending the nickel dime costs all the time for little used applications. That practice can break the bank!