Apple’s QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component for Mac OS X, Mac OS 9, and Windows is an add-on to QuickTime or QuickTime Pro provides the ability to import and play back MPEG-2 content, including both multiplexed (also known as muxed, where the audio and video tracks are interleaved together into one track) and non-multiplexed (also known as elementary) streams. Apple’s QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component is compatible with both QuickTime 6 and QuickTime 7.
QuickTime Pro is not necessary for playback of MPEG-2 content with the MPEG-2 Playback Component. You need only QuickTime Player and the MPEG-2 Playback Component to view MPEG-2 content. Note: If you wish to transcode MPEG-2 video content into other formats, QuickTime Pro or an application built upon the QuickTime export architecture is necessary.
The QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component is perfectly suited for professional and semi-professional content creators with projects such as:
• Professional content production: Throughout the professional content production process, many approvals and progress checks are necessary. With QuickTime and the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component, your clients and reviewers can view your MPEG-2 streams on either a Mac or Windows-based PC, and provide feedback.
• Transcoding video content: Now your MPEG-2 video content can be imported into QuickTime Pro and exported to other formats such as MPEG-4, the new international standard for Internet media, QuickTime Movie, or DV Stream, to name a few. The QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component allows the transcode of MPEG-2 video from both multiplexed and elementary video streams. By transcoding your MPEG-2 video into other formats, it can be used in new forums, such as on the web, on CD-ROM, or on DV tape. Note that the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component will not demux audio and video, nor will it enable audio transcoding.
Recommended System Requirements:
Mac OS X:
• QuickTime 6 or later; QuickTime 7 or later; or QuickTime 6 or 7 Pro
• 500MHz G4 processor-based computer or faster
• 128MB of RAM or more
• Mac OS X, v10.1.3 or later
Windows:
• QuickTime 6 or later; QuickTime 7 or later; or QuickTime 6 or 7 Pro
• Pentium III 1GHz processor-based PC or faster, with a hardware-accelerated video card
• Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows NT 4.0 system software
• A Sound Blaster or compatible sound card and speakers recommended
• DirectX version 3.0 or later recommended
Apple’s QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component costs US$19.99 and is available for immediate download via Apple Store online.
More info, FAQ, and download links:
• QT MPEG-2 Playback – Mac OS X
• QT MPEG-2 Playback – Windows
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It is also agravating that after you buy Pro, you still have to buy this.
Is this format supposed to be superior to H.264 or are they even comparable. I guess one is editable and the other isn’t.
By the way which way would you guy go if uplaoding to Google video. H.264 which will take forever to render on a 12″PB or MPEG-4 or ?
VLC PLayer was the only player you needed up until the last few months.
I recently found a few .mkv files that won’t play in VLC on OS X. There is a component to have them play in QT but i have not tried it out yet.
QT Pro, while useful, is the one product where i feel Apple is being greedy. Paying for full-screen? (yes, yes, i know about the script — it is in my dock). Still, that just makes Apple look bad.
Snapper
H.264 is a form of MPEG-4, only more efficient.
I would say, if you have the time, use the H.264.
Ironically, iTunes will play back MPEG-2 audio, and probably video, but QuickTime won’t without this component.
MDNMW ‘growth’… as in, Apple would see QT sales growth if they cut the pricing a little.
Has it been updated for Macs with Intel processors? I seem to remember something that it would only work if QuickTime Player was running in Rosetta.
Just bought a JVC HDD camcorder (Everio GZ-MG155U) at Costco last week but couldn’t do anything with the video files. JVC software is crappy windows-only; for Mac users they recommend a $50 third-party application!
I was about to return the camera when I found MPEG Streamclip (free at http://www.squared5.com/) + Apple’s MPEG-2 Playback Component. Great combination allows me to easily work with the video and convert to a variety of formats including H.264.
I agree with TowerTone, this should be included in the Quicktime Pro option. That is very annoying.
Rootman
iMovieHD doesn’t handle it? Kinda curious, I’ve been looking at the Canon HV20.
I could get excited about this if it would handle flash files (swf / fla) and convert them to quicktime.
I could REALLY get excited if it would handle the new AVCHD files. I’m so ready to buy one of the new SD card based, HD camcorders… but there’s no way to edit this format on a Mac.
As far as the old mpeg2 conversions… I’m very happy with Cinematize or Streamclip. $20 for Apple’s add on? Nope. If it comes with my FCP upgrade, I’ll take it for free, but that’s it.
MDNMW “half” … as in Half-As..d well, you know.
Not sure why Apple continues to cripple QT or QT Pro by not including the MPEG 2 add-in with the QT Pro upgrade. They would ship thousands more downloads of QT Pro if they made the change. This gouging policy just gives VLC and others market share – ’cause they’re free – when Apple could make things much more joined up.
I wonder if MPEG 2 decode is really generating any sizeable stream – probably less than they turn away from PRO because it offers too little for the $29.99
TowerTone
No, iMovie wouldn’t handle without converting the unique JVC format to DV or another compatible format. Canon seems to have their Mac act together and I don’t believe you would have the same problems with the HV20. The Canon was my first choice but I didn’t want to spend that much and am satisfied without hi-def for the time being.
Thanks, Rootman.
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I don’t want to spend that much, either.
That is why I am *looking* at it
I get annoyed easily in quick time.
Hey rdbvideo –
Quicktime Pro can export SWFs to video files. I’ve done it many times.
anybody have and want send me
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thanks!!!!!!!!
I just wish I could play XviD videos on the AppleTV. I’d run out and buy one today.
Prickly,
Every time I try to open swf in quicktime pro, I get an error. Is there a plug-in codec I should have?
Oh, and TowerTone,
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The Canon HV-20 is HDV format, which doesn’t use or need mpeg2. HDV works now with iMovie and FCP/FCE (but really slugs on Macs with less horsepower).
TowerTone: ‘H.264 is a form of MPEG-4, only more efficient.
I would say, if you have the time, use the H.264.”
MPEG-4 (MPEG-4 Part 14) is a file container format based on QuickTime container format. H.264 (MPEG-4 Part 10 / AVC) is the video codec. So, H.264 is not a form of MPEG-4. They are two different things.
Does anyone know why in Quicktime pro, when I create a .mov file from several smaller movie files in various (wmv, mpg,) formats the video playback hangs?
Especially during when one of the smaller video files ends and the other begins?
My .mov file was created using the cut and paste commands where i would join two smaller movies together into one, and then export to .mov .
I use Perian for playback and I am able to watch just about anything from within Quicktime. Seeing as how I already have the MPEG2 component from Apple, I can’t readily verify that Perian plays MPEG2 files, though.
..I.
That’s weird. When I encode a video with H.264, the file has a .mp4 after it.
?
TowerTone, Yes you can have a .mp4 extension when you encode a video with h.264, but it could be other extensions (mv4, mov, avi). MP4 is a container, h.264 is a codec. Your prior statement was essentially true in spirit, but technically h.264 is not a form of MP4.
A little background on MPEG-4 and H.264:
MPEG-4 Overview
H.264 codec
and the explanation on .mp4 extension:
MPEG-4 multimedia container
They (except the codec specs) are light reading but quite informative. It can give you an idea why MPEG-4 is powerful and why Apple throws its weight on MPEG-4 and H.264.
OK, I think I got it now…..no, dammit, there it went.
Come back here!…..