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variozin · May 2, 2007, 03:39 AM

QuickTime basic doesnt play all video formats and doesnt run full screen, so I downloaded VLC. Its plays everything as yet, but quits unexpectedly quite often. I dont know why, because it has happened with almost all avi files I played, although it wasnt a PIA. It normally did when I paused it and tried to drag the time bar.

Well anyway, is there a better all-rounder and simple player for mac freely available?

And, any users running quick-time Pro ? Whats the verdict?

Jacke · May 2, 2007, 04:34 AM

Quicktime Pro is basically the same as regular Quicktime when it comes to playback. It won't give you any extra playback abilities (besides fullscreen which you could get easily with QTAmateur or a script).

I've also seen crashes with the latest version of VLC, but I also have an old 0.8.1 version that's a lot more stable, so I usually use that. (You can find old versions of it at their FTP.)

badidea · May 3, 2007, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by variozin

Well anyway, is there a better all-rounder and simple player for mac freely available?

MPlayer OSX

kelso · May 7, 2007, 09:12 AM

I find that VLC Player is amazing.

VLC Player

RevEvs · May 7, 2007, 09:46 AM

VLC, hands down.

Regarding the crashes with it, thats not normal from my experience - try removing the prefs and making sure you have the latest version etc.

If you want to use Quicktime to play everything, just download and install Perian - The swiss-army knife of QuickTime� components

variozin · May 17, 2007, 08:53 PM

RevEvs,

Does perian makes Q.time run full screen?

blackbird_1.0 · May 17, 2007, 09:43 PM

^ No, it doesn't. I'd use VLC, but keep Quicktime (w/ Perian) around.

variozin · May 18, 2007, 08:21 AM

I also love VLC. Its the final answer to everything. But it is also crashing often here.

RevEvs, what should I do with "prefs"?

bmcgonag · May 18, 2007, 11:21 AM

If you google, Fullscreen Quicktime without QTpro, you should be able to locate a simple sittle sript and easy instructions to make it, and it will allow you to make QT run full screen without pro.

Maybe, check this link, right here, maybe.

Brian

variozin · May 20, 2007, 09:58 PM

I tried perian by dropping the perian component in the quick time library folder. Result was a disaster.
the avi files that used to run before didnt run at all. I removed the file from the library and restarted to get the things back to pevious working conditions.

A good thing I found was the video files ran full screen in "front row" so it can be used as an option against QT inability to run full screen.

Now another thing that I am trying to understand is, how to install the codecs support for QT. Like when I run for e.g. an avi file with QT, it display a message that it cant play some features of the file and it can look for support application in the website and links to the apple web page of supporting applications listed like Divx, Xvid, Zygo, ...and so on. I was playing an Xvid file with AC3
so I clicked the link to Xvid in the list, and then I am lost..where to go what file to download....

any enlightenment will be most appreciated.

Peter · May 21, 2007, 03:40 AM

any reason why you don't want to just use VLC / Mplayer?

variozin · May 21, 2007, 08:01 PM

Peter

May be if you have checked my previous posts in this thread. VLC is crashing down all the time when I try to use the the control pallet that appear in full screen mode. But recently I found another beautifull thing. If playing VLC full screen play-back is controllable through the apple remote. Now I really enjoy VLC in full screen with control at my finger tips.

But if QT could play all then I can watch browse,select movies in "front row". So the key reason to use QT is the FRONT ROW.

voodoo · May 21, 2007, 09:54 PM

VLC is a bit crashy, not terribly so -- I prefer it as my backup player. It plays pretty much anything, but the slight crashiness and rough interface prevent it from being the player of choice.

MPlayer is stable enough, but becomes slow sometimes after using it for a while. Restart is needed. It is on par with VLC, but for some reason it is my second backup player.

QuickTime (pro) with DivX plugin and Flip4Mac plugin installed is my primary player. It is the most responsive and intuative and by far the least crashy player.

IMO QT with plugins is the best all-round player. However, VLC and MPlayer follow fast on its heels.

V

variozin · May 21, 2007, 11:02 PM

voodoo, I hope can guide me here...

I also wish QT to be my primary player. I have the basic pre-installed on my MB.
But almost of my avi movie files are not playing audio. What kinda plugin should I
get and how ?

Plus, if I get QT-pro, is there any significant advantage in usuall movie playback capability?
I wont be making MPEG-4 videos for web hoisting. I just want a powerfull movie player.

voodoo · May 22, 2007, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by variozin

voodoo, I hope can guide me here...

I also wish QT to be my primary player. I have the basic pre-installed on my MB.
But almost of my avi movie files are not playing audio. What kinda plugin should I
get and how ?

Plus, if I get QT-pro, is there any significant advantage in usuall movie playback capability?
I wont be making MPEG-4 videos for web hoisting. I just want a powerfull movie player.

Sure, to make QT able to play *almost* all .avi files with sound, just install the Perian codec collection

http://perian.cachefly.net/Perian_0.5.dmg

If you want, you can also install the Flip4Mac codec to be able to play Windows Media files natively in QT.

http://www.flip4mac.com/wmv_download.htm

There is no difference in playback between QT and QT pro, except that QT pro can play full-screen.

If you want full-screen, you either have to buy QT pro or use an alternative QT player like this one:

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/26937

Sure, setting up QuickTime Player to handle all the different formats is a bit more work than just using VLC or MPlayer, it is nicer in many ways. For one thing, after setting QT up to handle these formats you can use Frontrow to play them as well and there is greater system-wide compatibility.

V

variozin · May 22, 2007, 03:46 AM

Voodoo, this was my previous post.

Originally Posted by variozin

I tried perian by dropping the perian component in the quick time library folder. Result was a disaster.
the avi files that used to run before didnt run at all. I removed the file from the library and restarted to get the things back to pevious working conditions.

moonmonkey · May 22, 2007, 05:37 AM

To everyone who VLC is crashing, try turning off the full screen controls, worked for me.

JKT · May 22, 2007, 04:14 PM

Use the linked Automator plug-in to get full screen video without QT pro.

Automator World : Archive � View Movie Full Screen

Uncle Skeleton · May 23, 2007, 09:57 AM

You have to find out the codecs used in the movies that don't play, or don't play with sound. You can easily do this by playing the movies in VLC, and hitting cmd-i (info), and looking at the info for each stream until you find the one you need (eg the audio stream). Report back what you find and someone will be able to tell you where to find a QT component for it.

variozin · May 23, 2007, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by Uncle Skeleton

You have to find out the codecs used in the movies that don't play, or don't play with sound. You can easily do this by playing the movies in VLC, and hitting cmd-i (info), and looking at the info for each stream until you find the one you need (eg the audio stream). Report back what you find and someone will be able to tell you where to find a QT component for it.

thanks, I will try this

voodoo · May 27, 2007, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by variozin

Voodoo, this was my previous post.

Yes, then there is something you are not telling or don't realize. Without Perian the QT Player will play almost no .avi files.

Have you installed the DivX codec for QT?

V

variozin · May 27, 2007, 10:48 PM

yes I did that quite long ago

voodoo · May 27, 2007, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by variozin

yes I did that quite long ago

You cannot install the DivX codec and Perian. Then neither will work.

V

variozin · May 28, 2007, 12:14 AM

all right, then tommorow I will list out the contents of my quick time library. then u can suggest what to remove and what to add

Boondox · May 29, 2007, 03:39 AM

I've been testing Niceplayer and its played everything very well thus far.

Naplander · May 29, 2007, 06:39 AM

I used to love QT, but recently I have found vlc to be a lot more useful in playing back the majority of files I have. (.avi)

dlefebvre · May 29, 2007, 08:04 AM

I also love ReelBean. It play almost evrything, supports many codecs and the full version also allows you to do simple and straight foward editing and conversion.

Naplander · May 29, 2007, 12:20 PM

You cannot install the DivX codec and Perian. Then neither will work.

Really? I didn't know this...

So if I want to play .avi files through QT I should bin the Perian component?

voodoo · May 29, 2007, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by Naplander

Really? I didn't know this...

So if I want to play .avi files through QT I should bin the Perian component?

Either use the DivX plugin or Perian, else there will be conflict.

V