[pcw]

I've recently migrated from the PC world to the Mac world. On the PC I used to use a codec called FFDSHOW and all the movies would run perfectly.

Now on the Mac what kind of codecs should I download to be able to watch all the movies? And please don't tell me to get VLC because I like to use QuickTime player and get the whole "integrated" look of the OS.

[Grrr]

Well theres the DIVX codecs for a start.. Flip4Mac is a codec of sorts.. Very useful and well worth the install.
But even these 2 don't cater for everything.. I don't know about everyone else, but once in a while i still come across files that QT wont play properly.. So rather than juggle plugins and codecs and what not, i just give up and take the lazy option of using VLC. I realise you don't like it, but I think you'll find yourself using it sooner or later anyway.

[TETENAL]

DivX or 3ivx for DivX-movies.
Flip4Mac for Windows Media movies.

With these two codecs installed I have not yet encountered a movie that QuickTime couldn't play but VLC could.

[Apfhex]

Divx is pretty much the one codec you need. But why not VLC? There's nothing to be gained by using QuickTime Player over VLC.

[Horsepoo!!!]

Originally Posted by Apfhex

Divx is pretty much the one codec you need. But why not VLC? There's nothing to be gained by using QuickTime Player over VLC.

Better integration...*BOOM*.

edit: My bad...you *did* say QuickTime Player. VLC is much better than QT Player in terms of features. The advantage of going with QuickTime codecs though is that if you don't use QuickTime Player and use another QT-based player, you'll still be able to play the media formats handled by the codecs which is a big +.

[wataru]

VLC and MPlayer better handle malformed files, such as partially finished downloads. Also, they both have a playlist/queue system, whereas QuickTime Player does not.

[plastiqueusa]

There's also an AC3 codec for Quicktime (which finally works well on Intel Macs):

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/27300

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by Horsepoo!!!

VLC is much better than QT Player in terms of features.

What?

Multiple open videos: QuickTime Yes, VLC loses
Fullscreen onscreen controls: QuickTime Yes, VLC loses
Live scrubbing: QuickTime Yes, VLC loses
Browser Plug-In: QuickTime Yes, VLC crashes
Window controls: QuickTime intuitive, VLC scattered through two different windows
Video editing: QuickTime Yes, VLC loses
Recording: QuickTime Yes, VLC loses
Obscure codecs: QuickTime with third party codecs, VLC breaking patent laws

It's VLC that loses in terms of features here.

[pcw]

Alright, thanks for your input I guess I'll go with VLC for less hassle although I'd prefer to use QuickTime for the "integrated" look and feel

[angelmb]

Are able any of them to play obsolete and retarded MS MPEG4v2 movies ?

I had found this codec but it seems to be MIA…

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/11164

-I can not check if VLC, QT or MPlayer do it since I am not the one trying to get them playing-

[Salty]

I keep VLC around for AVI files and NicePlayer for quicktime stuff.

[Uncle Skeleton]

http://homepage.mac.com/hmason/mac-ms-mpeg4v2/
http://homepage.mac.com/hmason/mac-ms-mpeg4v1/

[Uncle Skeleton]

Originally Posted by TETENAL

Recording: QuickTime Yes, VLC loses

VLC actually can record too, but predicting when it will work and when it won't is less reliable than QT, which can say ourtright when it won't be working for you.

Another plus for QT is pitch-corrected speed changes. Those things are way cool.

[angelmb]

Originally Posted by Uncle Skeleton

http://homepage.mac.com/hmason/mac-ms-mpeg4v2/
http://homepage.mac.com/hmason/mac-ms-mpeg4v1/

Thank you very much.

[pheonixash]

Originally Posted by TETENAL

What?

Multiple open videos: QuickTime Yes, VLC loses
Fullscreen onscreen controls: QuickTime Yes, VLC loses
Live scrubbing: QuickTime Yes, VLC loses
Browser Plug-In: QuickTime Yes, VLC crashes
Window controls: QuickTime intuitive, VLC scattered through two different windows
Video editing: QuickTime Yes, VLC loses
Recording: QuickTime Yes, VLC loses
Obscure codecs: QuickTime with third party codecs, VLC breaking patent laws

It's VLC that loses in terms of features here.

Dude your listing features of QT Pro, which you have to pay for, while VLC is free. Heck, you can't make your video fullscreen in QT, what's the use of the controls?

[headbirth]

Here's one I found for flac:

http://damien.drix.free.fr/qtflac/

I think they're out there, but just not advertised.

[amru]

ok, im also a new mac user and this thread has been really helpful. thnx guys.

i dled divx and 3ivx and the ac3 filter.

my question is do i need both ivx and 3ivx? [and if i dont, how do i uninstall the latter]

also i was having problems w/ audio [no sound but great quality video] and finally dled the ac3 filter which only solved half of the problems.. since they are still more .avi files that dont have any audio

any help would be much appreciated to wht i should now do. [also i want to stick to quicktime]

[TETENAL]

DivX and 3ivx do the same thing. They provide the DivX video codec for QuickTime. I don't think you can even install them at the same time without issues. It's one or the other. The installers should have come with an uninstall option. You should use that when possible. If you can't for some reason, you can look into /Library/QuickTime and ~/Library/QuickTime and trash the codec from there. But some codecs install stuff elsewhere too, like /Library/Framework, so it's best to use the uninstaller option of the installer.

Movies that don't play sound are usually .avis with an mp3 sound track, which is out of spec for the .avi container so QuickTime doesn't like it. Look up at Window->Info in QuickTime what the audio codec is. I think the DivX codec can take care of mp3 in .avi, but there also used to be a program called "DivX Doctor" that convert those into something playable. If that's not it look up the audio codec in the info window. If it's a Windows Media thing you might need Flip4Mac (not yet Intel-compatible). Or it might not be playable at all on a Mac.

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by pheonixash

Dude your listing features of QT Pro, which you have to pay for, while VLC is free. Heck, you can't make your video fullscreen in QT, what's the use of the controls?

Pro features were 2 of the 8 I mentioned. QuickTime Player still wins on features.

[amru]

hey TETENAL, thnks for your reply. i found the uninstaller and uninstalled 3ivx.

also, to see the codec i open up the file in quicktime>window>show movie info?

whn i do that i get this, heres a screenshot:


i dont see anything about 'audio codec' unless its the MPEG part under FORMAT? [sorry, im not to computer savvy.. specially w/ macs ]

[TETENAL]

Yes, where it says Unknown MPEG it means the audio track it seems. I can't say why it says that. Try VLC. It might be able to play it and it also has an Info window that might better tell you what codec the audio track uses.

[frates]

Originally Posted by plastiqueusa

There's also an AC3 codec for Quicktime (which finally works well on Intel Macs):

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/27300

wow, thanks, little gem here

[Groovy]

Originally Posted by amru

hey TETENAL, thnks for your reply. i found the uninstaller and uninstalled 3ivx.

also, to see the codec i open up the file in quicktime>window>show movie info?

whn i do that i get this, heres a screenshot:


i dont see anything about 'audio codec' unless its the MPEG part under FORMAT? [sorry, im not to computer savvy.. specially w/ macs ]

well you need mp3 audio codec the most IMHO and there is one with divx install package
and 2 or 3 open source ones. all work well.

other main ones are ogg vorbis (which I have 2 of the open source ones for QT and both
work ok but i rarely run into ov audio in avi and see it mainly in mkv container)

The ac3 one linked to above is also a must.

QT can handle most mpeg 1/2 already and if it does not get the QT mpeg2 codec
or once again try one of the open source ones.

looking in my codec folder i have 117 codecs and everything i have ever tried
to play in QT works fine. I have always thought about putting together some sort of
codec pack but there is no way an AWESOME pack could be done legally so.... never
happened.

Anyway, VLC and Mplayer i use to PLAY stuff and you can set up VLC to OpenGL or core
video and other modes etc... to act and look like QT windows if you wish.

The reason to have all the QT codecs for me is that I can open and edit the files in QT
apps like final cut pro and iMovie or any app that uses QT to get video/audio in to it.
I never use QT player when just playing stuff.

BTW - try ffmpegX in preview mode on the file and see if it plays it and can give more info.
( of course if you could post a sample i could tell you what it needs exactly )


Go here to get you started

http://insanityflows.net/archive/ind...itle=QuickTime

[badtz]

so you don't need 3ivx if you have the divx plugin installed? there's no instances where the 3ivx would help when divx can't?

[Uncle Skeleton]

3ivx sometimes has better performance. Also there are a few non-divx mpeg-4 codecs that the divx codec will decline to decode (even though it probably is able to), and 3ivx doesn't have that problem. Also, there's 3ivx 3 video, which isn't really mpeg-4 compliant.

[badtz]

3ivx was causing a conflict with another plug-in of mine for a digital camera I was using. Is there any way to avoid this conflict but still keep 3ivx?

I had to dump the plug-in because of the problem

[Uncle Skeleton]

I believe what people recommend is to set up another user for using your camera, then go there with fast user switching when it's time to do it (and install 3ivx for just your main user).

[besson3c]

Flip4Mac is now available for Intel Macs