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Kelabete · Jan 20, 2007, 12:27 PM

Is there a way to play WMV files with Quicktime on a Mac with a free non-trial/demo codec/converter? Thanks in advance. (PS I already tried Flip4Mac)

CharlesS · Jan 20, 2007, 12:44 PM

What problems did you have with Flip4Mac? It's pretty much the way to go with WMV in QuickTime.

Only other one I know of is this:

WMV-9 Component 2.0 - MacUpdate

Angus_D · Jan 20, 2007, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by Kelabete

Is there a way to play WMV files with Quicktime on a Mac with a free non-trial/demo codec/converter? Thanks in advance. (PS I already tried Flip4Mac)

The only thing which fulfils all of those requirements is Flip4Mac.

larrinski · Jan 20, 2007, 01:42 PM

I believe that Flip4Mac is it, but I here there is something that works for powerPC. Try Macupdate or Versiontracker.

mduell · Jan 20, 2007, 03:03 PM

Why do you want to use Quicktime to do it? VLC plays all non-DRM'd Windows Media files on OSX.

Kelabete · Jan 20, 2007, 03:05 PM

I want Quicktime to do it because I'm using these movie files with iMovie, which only works with Quicktime. The reason why I don't want to use Flip4Mac is because it isn't free and it leaves a big watermark on my converted files.

Mithras · Jan 20, 2007, 03:25 PM

Flip4Mac is free for playback, but not for conversion.

CharlesS · Jan 20, 2007, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by Kelabete

I want Quicktime to do it because I'm using these movie files with iMovie, which only works with Quicktime. The reason why I don't want to use Flip4Mac is because it isn't free and it leaves a big watermark on my converted files.

In that case, you don't have much choice, I'm afraid. Since WMV is a non-open format, it's going to cost any developer who wishes to use it money, in the form of a license fee from Microsoft. Therefore, they've got to charge for the plug-in to keep themselves from going broke. The only free option you're going to find is the reverse-engineered stuff like ffmpegX, but it's not nearly as easy to use as Flip4Mac and is probably not as reliable.

Uncle Skeleton · Jan 20, 2007, 04:51 PM

Try VLC's streaming/export wizard

butterfly0fdoom · Jan 20, 2007, 05:27 PM

There was another plug-in that was on Engadget a while back. I downloaded it, and it works fine for nearly everything. I forgot what it was, though.

Headshot · Feb 11, 2007, 09:36 PM

I GOT IT!

iSquint.org...between Vidyup (the one I paid for), Moviepod and iSquint, iSquint always seems to be the one that comes out on top, doing what the others sometimes seemingly fail at.

Meant for converting to iPod ready h.264 files, it can do other stuff too, and seems to be able to convert about any video format.....Also shaves off 30% file size, and it looks better than the WMV files even after that.

VLC is crap. What excactly is it for anyway??? Maybe if you're running classic lol.

(PS - Luv ya Uncle Skel, you've helped me out in more posts than you realize!)

Jacke · Feb 12, 2007, 06:54 AM

Originally Posted by Headshot

VLC is crap. What excactly is it for anyway??? Maybe if you're running classic lol.

The irony being that VLC doesn't even run under Classic and that converting it will always decrease quality.

(FWIW, I think the wmv3 decoder in VLC kicks ass.)

frankthetank966 · Feb 12, 2007, 12:17 PM

Do you really need WMV if you have F4M?

mduell · Feb 12, 2007, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by Headshot

Meant for converting to iPod ready h.264 files, it can do other stuff too, and seems to be able to convert about any video format.....Also shaves off 30% file size, and it looks better than the WMV files even after that.

VLC is crap. What excactly is it for anyway??? Maybe if you're running classic lol.

The video file cannot look better after transcoding. Since you're reencoding with a lossy codec, the quality is in fact worse.

VLC is a fantastic way to play just about any media file you come across. It also does network streaming.